Re: haha .. got my tele Ants!
BS123 said:
Congrats on the Ants Curly and a belated happy b-day. I look forward to a really in-depth review.
I was just talking to Curly and mentioned how much I'd learned doing that Ultimate Tele thread.
When I do reviews, I sometimes forget how differant the same pickups can sound in two differant but seemingly identical guitars.
I have three teles...all identical except for body wood. Two are very light swamp ash and one fairly light alder. One piece maple neck, vintage Fender bridge with three brass saddles, Kluson style heads, etc. on all.
When I tried Nocasters in my alder tele I posted that I thought they were to bright for my tastes. When I heard them in my swamp ash tele I liked them: still very bright but not so ice picky.
When I tried the Antiquitys in my alder tele, they sounded bright too, but not as bright as the Nocasters. I'm going to try the Antiquitys in place of the Nocasters now in my swamp ash tele...I'll bet the ants will sound a little warmer and smoother in swamp ash and that I'll like them even more than I already do!
When I tried the Jerry Donahue in my alder tele I felt it was the Ticket to Tonal Nirvana I'd been searching for, for 30 years...but in a swamp ash tele, I'd bet it would sound warmer and to some people might need more edge. Maybe not...I haven't tried it yet in a swamp ash tele.
But so far, I'd say:
Antiquitys have the livliest tone, some good quack but not as much quack as the Jerry Donahue, and the closest to a "Roy Buchanan" vibe.
Nocasters have the brightest, clearest tone.
The Jerry Donahue has the quackiest tone, like my '51 Tele, and is my fave by just a hair!
Fralin Blues Specials have the highest output and win the "balls with clarity award" (to cop the Guitar Player review wording) and probably the best overall neck pickup tone...like a smooth Strat.
I am really excited about the new Tele pickup sets MJ is custom winding for me...probably won't get them for another month tho!
They'll be an Antiquity version of the Jerry Donahue lead pickup, Antiquity version of the Tapped Tele lead pickup Seymour and Curly have (something like 6.6K and 10K) and a special Antiquity version of the "Strat tone in a nickel covered Tele neck pickup" offered by the Duncan Custom Shop.
I am especially looking forward to the tapped Tele lead as my original pickup in my '54 Tele only measures abrout 6.2K! To weak for a killer lead tone but gorgeous for rytyhm when combined with the neck pickup. With the Tapped Tele lead pickup I should be able to get both a great rythym tone and a little something extra for soloing.
At least that's what MJ is telling me. She's a cool lady!
Lew
