Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

[robo]

Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I have put together my dream partscaster over the last couple of months. It's about done – but I'm battling neck pu decisions.

I made this comparsion video – never mind the playing I'm just fooling around with some improvised minor blues licks, but how about the sound. Duncan Vintage for Tele or Tonerider Alnico 2 Blues.

What do you prefer?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for making the video and sharing it!

I am biased, so maybe I am not a great person to ask, but the SD was my favorite here...more touch-sensitive, especially with overdrive.

 

[justFred]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

depends on what you are looking for....tonerider neck is fuller, richer sounding...not so Tele sounding...Duncans are crisper and brighter...much more of a Classic Tele sound...

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

In the clip the tonerider sounds almoat like the tone knob is rolled back. In this case, I'd take the Duncan.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Tough call!!
They both sounded great but I’m leaning toward the SD. The differences are minute. You’d be fine with either, I think.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Curious to know why people with almost guaranteed different tonal objectives are being polled to try and guess someone elses ideal tone. An additional issue in triplicate being the usual nature of crap recordings, youtube compression and crappy monitors to listen through.

 

[justFred]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Curious to know why people with almost guaranteed different tonal objectives are being polled to try and guess someone elses ideal tone. An additional issue in triplicate being the usual nature of crap recordings, youtube compression and crappy monitors to listen through.

because this is what happens on this and most other music related forums all day every day. The real question is why did you decide a snide remark was necessary in the first place?

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I think this type of thread is fun and I enjoy participating.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

It is only snide because you wanted to read it that way.

Advice on what pickup to achieve a certain tone is common.......we all can gain from people who have had experience with pickups before we go out and make a purchase to save time.
Asking other what they like best for your guitar when you are the only judge of that.....pointless every time. And telling it like it is....thats and aid to reduce dithering.

 

[robo]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

In the clip the tonerider sounds almoat like the tone knob is rolled back. In this case, I'd take the Duncan.

Actually in both cases the tone knob is wired out of circut. I never use tone but full on, on my tele neck pickups. So I just started wiring them bypassed.

So in both cases the pickup is wired straight to jack, after the vol knob that is. No tone pot whatsoever.

 

[robo]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Curious to know why people with almost guaranteed different tonal objectives are being polled to try and guess someone elses ideal tone. An additional issue in triplicate being the usual nature of crap recordings, youtube compression and crappy monitors to listen through.

Because it's fun I guess? Othervise this forum would be nothing but wiring diagrams.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I think this type of thread is fun and I enjoy participating.

I agree. If we didn't have things like this the forum would be much more mundane. I actually wish there were more of these threads, because you can give opinions until the cows come but like a picture is worth a thousand words, so is a clip of a pickup or two. Even if recording quality is average at best, it's still better than words.

So the way I see it is if people don't like these threads then don't participate. The old saying that if you don't have anything nice to say applies here very well. No need to post negative things in someone else's thread, unless you can do it respectfully. It's great that we have differing opinions, but in a positive respectful way. That's Seymour main rule for this forum; keep it real and keep it respectful.

Dithering is what forums are about, and snide is easy to spot. I love it here and I want more recordings to listen to. This place SHOULD inspire people to play more and share clips about their progress or finds, or to ask for opinions. That's how people new to this place learn. We should all remember that we were the new guy once upon a time. Don't bag on someone asking a question you've heard a thousand times or complain about sound clips/video's, etc. If people don't want to answer those questions or listen to clips, that's cool. Stay out. There are plenty of us who want to participate.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I think this type of thread is fun and I enjoy participating.

I agree.

Plus, a musician should take into account the audience and having peer review things is not an outlandish request...quite professional if you ask me.

EDIT: the Toneriders get my vote...but both sound really good.

 

[oilpit]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Curious to know why people with almost guaranteed different tonal objectives are being polled to try and guess someone elses ideal tone. An additional issue in triplicate being the usual nature of crap recordings, youtube compression and crappy monitors to listen through.

You probably shouldn't spend your time on gear forums if that's what you think...

 

[robo]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

…the Toneriders get my vote...but both sound really good.

I agree! They both sound good. I had the Tonerider pu home, leftover from another guitar. I really like it, but I think it lacks something in the middle register. I searched the interwebz (this forum included) and listened to a lot of stuff and settled on the idea that the Duncan Vintage for Tele would do the trick. And sure enough the Duncan has those mid-tones that the Tonerider lacks. But then again the Tonerider is somewhat fuller sounding than the Duncan. So what's most important? I scratched my head and then I made this video to get a second opinion from you pickup-pro guys on this forum.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I agree! They both sound good. I had the Tonerider pu home, leftover from another guitar. I really like it, but I think it lacks something in the middle register. I searched the interwebz (this forum included) and listened to a lot of stuff and settled on the idea that the Duncan Vintage for Tele would do the trick. And sure enough the Duncan has those mid-tones that the Tonerider lacks. But then again the Tonerider is somewhat fuller sounding than the Duncan. So what's most important? I scratched my head and then I made this video to get a second opinion from you pickup-pro guys on this forum.

How do the two sets feel for you? Does one feel right? I've played many pickup combos that sounded awesome but felt off for my playing (Stock Pearly Gates for example...felt perfect after a Magnet switch to UOA5.)

I have Bill Lawrence Twin Rails (L45 S&TL) in my Tele. The bridge gets the Tele "Twang" but the neck is far from the traditional Tele tone and feel...just works for me.

 

[robo]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

How do the two sets feel for you? Does one feel right? I've played many pickup combos that sounded awesome but felt off for my playing (Stock Pearly Gates for example...felt perfect after a Magnet switch to UOA5.)

I have Bill Lawrence Twin Rails (L45 S&TL) in my Tele. The bridge gets the Tele "Twang" but the neck is far from the traditional Tele tone and feel...just works for me.

Great input! How the neck works with the bridge is of course the final call on how well the pickups are perceived. I use a Duncan Donahue Lead in bridge and just love it. I play using my vol knob quite a bit and I usually have the Donahue bridge pickup at 70% vol, for rhythm playing. At that position the pickup sounds like a vintage tele pickup at 100% volume. Then when it's time for a solo and if I need a little extra bite I just roll the Donahue full up and then those extra K:s in output kicks in and I get a little more bite than a true vintage tele bridge can deliver. It's nothing major, just a little extra teeth. So my neck pickup must match that. But since I don't wan't extra bite on the neck pickup I ended up with either the Tonerider Alnico2 Blues or the Duncan Vintage for Tele. Both with very classic tele tones and output.

One thing though; the Tonerider is wired the other way so when paired with the Duncan bridge I get out of phase in the middle position. I love out of phase on my Les Paul for that Peter Green tone, but on a tele it just get too sharp. So if I settle for the Tonerider, I have to try soldering it in place backwards, so I get the middle position as intended. The Duncans, of course works fine together in this matter.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Great input! How the neck works with the bridge is of course the final call on how well the pickups are perceived. I use a Duncan Donahue Lead in bridge and just love it. I play using my vol knob quite a bit and I usually have the Donahue bridge pickup at 70% vol, for rhythm playing. At that position the pickup sounds like a vintage tele pickup at 100% volume. Then when it's time for a solo and if I need a little extra bite I just roll the Donahue full up and then those extra K:s in output kicks in and I get a little more bite than a true vintage tele bridge can deliver. It's nothing major, just a little extra teeth. So my neck pickup must match that. But since I don't wan't extra bite on the neck pickup I ended up with either the Tonerider Alnico2 Blues or the Duncan Vintage for Tele. Both with very classic tele tones and output.

One thing though; the Tonerider is wired the other way so when paired with the Duncan bridge I get out of phase in the middle position. I love out of phase on my Les Paul for that Peter Green tone, but on a tele it just get too sharp. So if I settle for the Tonerider, I have to try soldering it in place backwards, so I get the middle position as intended. The Duncans, of course works fine together in this matter.

I would not be afraid to mix brands–one of my favorite HH combos I've used is a Duncan Screamin Demon in the bridge with a DiMarzio Liquifire in the neck. Sometimes its trial and error on getting the wiring right but well worth it, IMO.

Best of luck regardless of which route you take!

 

[robo]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

I would not be afraid to mix brands–one of my favorite HH combos I've used is a Duncan Screamin Demon in the bridge with a DiMarzio Liquifire in the neck. Sometimes its trial and error on getting the wiring right but well worth it, IMO.

Best of luck regardless of which route you take!

Thank you! Regarding this, does it affect the sound of the pickup if I wire it the other way, swapping hot for ground that is.

Do anybody know how this works? My gut feeling is that it wouldn't matter. But I'm no technichian…

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

Re: Tele Neck shoot out: Tonerider vs Duncan's – what's your opinion?

It depends on the pickup. It won't affect the sound of the pickup by itself, but depending on the other pickup, it can put it out of phase when both pickups are used together. That isn't usually a sound many people like, as it is thin, nasal, and weak compared to properly-phased pickups.