How filtertrons sound paired with lipsticks?
- Thread starter solspirit
- Start date
Artie
Peaveyologist
That could be a cool combo. Especially if the Filter'Tron was wired in parallel. I have both, but in separate guitars. A twin Filter'Tron Gretsch, and loaded DD Lipstick Tube Strat. LT's are bright, jangly, low output pups. Sorta / kinda like a Vintage Rails, but even slightly lower output and brighter. In a good way. Not ice-pickey.
That could be a sweet combo in an HSS axe. Is that what you're thinking?
Edit: That could be especially sweet with the same wiring I'm doing with my VR / VR / Invader Strat.
5. N
4. N /M
3. M
2. M + Filter'Tron split
1. Filter'Tron parallel
Quasi-blower switch to bypass 5-way and do Filter'Tron series.
That could be a sweet combo in an HSS axe. Is that what you're thinking?
Edit: That could be especially sweet with the same wiring I'm doing with my VR / VR / Invader Strat.
5. N
4. N /M
3. M
2. M + Filter'Tron split
1. Filter'Tron parallel
Quasi-blower switch to bypass 5-way and do Filter'Tron series.
Last edited:
freefrog
Well-known member
I suppose that it depends on which Filter'Tron we're talking about.
Real FT's (following the original Ray Butts / Gretsch recipe) are low DCR and low inductance humbuckers : around 4k and less than 2H. Their very weak coils are compensated by double thick A5 magnets giving more output and long screw poles introducing a bit of eddy currents to mellow the sound.
Lipsticks are even weaker, with an inductance around 1.3H - and more eddy currents.
I have both in different guitars and find their characters rather different (FT's being gritty and Lipsticks, airy). Not sure those that I have would cooperate nicely in a same instrument. But who knows and why not?
Side note - I can't imagine a vintage style FT wired in parallel: it would measure less than 0.5H of inductance, which seems incredibly low for what is still a high impedance passive transducer...
Maybe "Filter'Tron" variations like those designed by Duncan have higher DCR and inductance than vintage correct ones and allow parallel wiring: I don't know, having no experience with hot rodded FT's.
Below are the electrically induced resonant peaks of a vintage correct Filter'Tron (series wiring) and a Lipstick, compared to the peaks of a Strat pickup and a Burns Tri-Sonic. Different animals electrically, even if they have all rather underwound coils...
FWIW. HTH.
Real FT's (following the original Ray Butts / Gretsch recipe) are low DCR and low inductance humbuckers : around 4k and less than 2H. Their very weak coils are compensated by double thick A5 magnets giving more output and long screw poles introducing a bit of eddy currents to mellow the sound.
Lipsticks are even weaker, with an inductance around 1.3H - and more eddy currents.
I have both in different guitars and find their characters rather different (FT's being gritty and Lipsticks, airy). Not sure those that I have would cooperate nicely in a same instrument. But who knows and why not?
Side note - I can't imagine a vintage style FT wired in parallel: it would measure less than 0.5H of inductance, which seems incredibly low for what is still a high impedance passive transducer...
Maybe "Filter'Tron" variations like those designed by Duncan have higher DCR and inductance than vintage correct ones and allow parallel wiring: I don't know, having no experience with hot rodded FT's.
Below are the electrically induced resonant peaks of a vintage correct Filter'Tron (series wiring) and a Lipstick, compared to the peaks of a Strat pickup and a Burns Tri-Sonic. Different animals electrically, even if they have all rather underwound coils...
FWIW. HTH.
