Does anyone know if the neck pickup on Stevie Ray's guitar had a alnico V or alnico III magnets. I was wondering because I have alnico V on my strat & there is no way I could have my neck pickup as close to the strings as SRV did. According to the info I read that his guitar tech said his neck pickup was real close like only about 1/16 away from the bass side & the only way I figure you could do this with out stratitis, even with strings that large, is they had to be at least alnico III pickups. If I have my neck pickup any closer than 1/8 an inch on the bass side it will cause the string to wavier
SRV neck pickups?
- Thread starter roglf1
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Funkfingers
Guest
Re: SRV neck pickups?
Where did you obtain your figures for the SRV settings?
I recall a set of figures published in an article (and, later, a book) by Dan Erlewine. Dan's measurements had to be taken while Number One had been destrung, using a steel rule rested on the frets.
Where did you obtain your figures for the SRV settings?
I recall a set of figures published in an article (and, later, a book) by Dan Erlewine. Dan's measurements had to be taken while Number One had been destrung, using a steel rule rested on the frets.
Re: SRV neck pickups?
I don't know where you got the info about the pickup gap, but in all pictures it looks a fair bit further away than that. I'd guess about only a couple of mm above the pickguard.
And they are stock strat pickups from the '59 body......typically an A5 unless they were doing different mags throughout the year.
I don't know where you got the info about the pickup gap, but in all pictures it looks a fair bit further away than that. I'd guess about only a couple of mm above the pickguard.
And they are stock strat pickups from the '59 body......typically an A5 unless they were doing different mags throughout the year.
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
Depends which strat we are talking about. Seeing as how his go-to ones were a 59 and 62, strong chances are we are talking about A5's. That and the Texas Special Fender set was designed to suit Vaughan's tonal standards and those are A5 too. And I trust Dan Erlewine with my life, and he says he had his neck pickup on the Number 1 strat at 1/32" bass side and 1/16" treble side, like funkfingers said, from the FRETS, not where the strings actually are. He likely kept them at a reasonable distance considering he did also have higher action than usual.
Depends which strat we are talking about. Seeing as how his go-to ones were a 59 and 62, strong chances are we are talking about A5's. That and the Texas Special Fender set was designed to suit Vaughan's tonal standards and those are A5 too. And I trust Dan Erlewine with my life, and he says he had his neck pickup on the Number 1 strat at 1/32" bass side and 1/16" treble side, like funkfingers said, from the FRETS, not where the strings actually are. He likely kept them at a reasonable distance considering he did also have higher action than usual.
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jimijames
New member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
FWIW, I don't have a historically accurate perspective like these guys do, but in true single coils A5 has gotten me closest to the revered SRV bass. In a humbucker, A3 has gotten closer than A5 in the experiments I've done, especially split. I don't know why or how, but that's been my experience.
FWIW, I don't have a historically accurate perspective like these guys do, but in true single coils A5 has gotten me closest to the revered SRV bass. In a humbucker, A3 has gotten closer than A5 in the experiments I've done, especially split. I don't know why or how, but that's been my experience.
freefrog
Well-known member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
During my experiments with a Teslameter (Gaussmeter), I've measured the mag field of original vintage L series pickups: they sounded normally (gorgeous) but they were WAY less charged than any contemporary replica. Even the SSL1's were highly gaussed compared to "the real thing".
A5 is a chemical formula which says nothing about the magnetic charge of a pickup...
If SRV had degaussed A5 mags and thick strings, his pickups could be set closer to the strings.
FWIW.
During my experiments with a Teslameter (Gaussmeter), I've measured the mag field of original vintage L series pickups: they sounded normally (gorgeous) but they were WAY less charged than any contemporary replica. Even the SSL1's were highly gaussed compared to "the real thing".
A5 is a chemical formula which says nothing about the magnetic charge of a pickup...
If SRV had degaussed A5 mags and thick strings, his pickups could be set closer to the strings.
FWIW.
Re: SRV neck pickups?
One thing is pretty much understood....the formulation of magnets back then is a bit different to now. I've spoken to some PAF clone winders with access to vintage mags and that is what they report. The gauss levels which older mags can get charged to is quite different to what we currently see.
One thing is pretty much understood....the formulation of magnets back then is a bit different to now. I've spoken to some PAF clone winders with access to vintage mags and that is what they report. The gauss levels which older mags can get charged to is quite different to what we currently see.
Re: SRV neck pickups?
that is were I got my info & if you read it closely enough you would see that it was measured just 1/16 below a ruler ran along the fret board to the bridge which would be extremely close to depressing the string at the last fret. Even in the article it is commented on that he had his strings extremely closer than normal. although the tension of the much bigger strings might of allowed for this closeness.
that is were I got my info & if you read it closely enough you would see that it was measured just 1/16 below a ruler ran along the fret board to the bridge which would be extremely close to depressing the string at the last fret. Even in the article it is commented on that he had his strings extremely closer than normal. although the tension of the much bigger strings might of allowed for this closeness.
LReese
Sausage Gravy
Re: SRV neck pickups?
Seems to me the way the relief set into the neck would skew the pickup height measurement a bit if a straightedge was set on the frets to take a measurement.
I've read the pickups were the stock A5's rewound by WL Van Zandt to around 6K. Got nothing to prove that.
Seems to me the way the relief set into the neck would skew the pickup height measurement a bit if a straightedge was set on the frets to take a measurement.
I've read the pickups were the stock A5's rewound by WL Van Zandt to around 6K. Got nothing to prove that.
Rockstar216
New member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
Alnico 5 mags are only part of the pup. Like AlexR said how much charge the magnets have will affect string pull along with wind among other variables. So it's possible SRV pups could of been that close but i'm sure his pups are different from the ones in your strat.
Alnico 5 mags are only part of the pup. Like AlexR said how much charge the magnets have will affect string pull along with wind among other variables. So it's possible SRV pups could of been that close but i'm sure his pups are different from the ones in your strat.
DreX
New member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
D Allen Texas Floods are supposedly recreations of SRV's actual #1 pickups, based on research / talking to SRV's guitar tech. I have a set in a Strat, but they're coming out sooner than later. IMO, they sound like average Fender pickups, brittle and biting. The kind of pickups you might spend $30 on, but not $80, or more. It just goes to show that his pickups weren't the biggest contributor to his distinctive sound. I much prefer Texas Specials or D Allen Austin Blues for approximating the SRV tone. They're like a lot of signature humbuckers; the rock stars in question used stock pickups, but these pickups just get you closer to their overall sound without having to work as hard at it. You can let the pickup do more of the work and worry less about having the correct amp, overdrive pedal, strings, mic positions, etc.
D Allen Texas Floods are supposedly recreations of SRV's actual #1 pickups, based on research / talking to SRV's guitar tech. I have a set in a Strat, but they're coming out sooner than later. IMO, they sound like average Fender pickups, brittle and biting. The kind of pickups you might spend $30 on, but not $80, or more. It just goes to show that his pickups weren't the biggest contributor to his distinctive sound. I much prefer Texas Specials or D Allen Austin Blues for approximating the SRV tone. They're like a lot of signature humbuckers; the rock stars in question used stock pickups, but these pickups just get you closer to their overall sound without having to work as hard at it. You can let the pickup do more of the work and worry less about having the correct amp, overdrive pedal, strings, mic positions, etc.
Re: SRV neck pickups?
id say the pups are only a small part of his tone. big strings, 1/2 step down, big clean amps, tube screamer
id say the pups are only a small part of his tone. big strings, 1/2 step down, big clean amps, tube screamer
Rockstar216
New member
Re: SRV neck pickups?
going from a5 to a3 pup would let you get the pup closer to the strings with out warble assuming both were fully charged. if the a5 is degaussed to the same level as the a3 then there wont be any difference in pull. the tone will change a fair amount going from a5 to a3 so not sure if it will get you where you want to be.
going from a5 to a3 pup would let you get the pup closer to the strings with out warble assuming both were fully charged. if the a5 is degaussed to the same level as the a3 then there wont be any difference in pull. the tone will change a fair amount going from a5 to a3 so not sure if it will get you where you want to be.