Sherman, set the way back machine for 1980......OK, a bit of a back story to set the stage. Back when I was a younger man, I managed several area music stores. One of the stores was a local mom and pop operation that had been around for years. The 60's and 70's were very good for the store as a large part of their business was built on selling organs. Around 1975, the home organ market was dying a slow death and the stores bottom line was dying right along with it. So, I was hired to change the focus of the store to guitars, amps, etc.
As I was taking inventory of the instruments on hand, I spotted a Fender looking case guitar behind a stack of chipboard cases. I pulled it out, opened it up and inside was a beautiful sunburst strat body, a sweet, vintage style maple strat neck with no decal, a single ply pickguard and only one pickup.
I asked the owner about it and she had no recollection, paperwork or idea where it came from. I asked if I could buy it and we agreed on $50.
Since the store was a Duncan dealer, I got a strat set for a good price and the next day, I had my first strat.
In the 35 years I've had this guitar, I've been through many sets of pickups.....Several Duncan sets, Dimarzio Class of 55's, Blue Velvets, a few sets from Fender, Bill Lawrence Hendrix harness, prototype of the Keystones, Carvin AP11's, Lollar Specials, etc......An early Tonerider Pure Vintage set stayed the longest and was perhaps the best match for this guitar. Beautiful pickups in this guitar.
Since a tele has been my #1 for the past 12 years or so, the strat got a much needed rest and the Tonerider's were sold. I replaced them with a a set of Benson Handwound 54's. Man, these are seriously great pickups at a killer price.....much like the Toneriders. Since I also had traded for a set of BG 60's, I decided to give them a go. Another winner! Just a bit more 'aggressive' (for lack of a better word) than the 50's style sets, but delicious none the less!
Now to the crux of the story. I did a trade a few years ago and received a new old stock set of Chubtone 67's. Mike Gray is the fella who wound Chubtone pups. While he no longer winds and there is precious little info on the web about him, his pickups have become rare and desirable. Since I'm in the financial sh_ _ t house, I listed them for sale....over and over..with no interest.
I finally bit the bullet and installed them yesterday. Even though the info is fairly scarce, what you do find is 100% positive...even though I've only spent an hour or so with them, I get it. These pickups are in a league of their own. Beautiful! They are very responsive to playing dynamics and each setting on the five way is a thrill. I wired it with a blender pot, so that add's to the versatility.
I'll post more after I spend more time with them, but right now I am so glad no one bought em!
As I was taking inventory of the instruments on hand, I spotted a Fender looking case guitar behind a stack of chipboard cases. I pulled it out, opened it up and inside was a beautiful sunburst strat body, a sweet, vintage style maple strat neck with no decal, a single ply pickguard and only one pickup.
I asked the owner about it and she had no recollection, paperwork or idea where it came from. I asked if I could buy it and we agreed on $50.
Since the store was a Duncan dealer, I got a strat set for a good price and the next day, I had my first strat.
In the 35 years I've had this guitar, I've been through many sets of pickups.....Several Duncan sets, Dimarzio Class of 55's, Blue Velvets, a few sets from Fender, Bill Lawrence Hendrix harness, prototype of the Keystones, Carvin AP11's, Lollar Specials, etc......An early Tonerider Pure Vintage set stayed the longest and was perhaps the best match for this guitar. Beautiful pickups in this guitar.
Since a tele has been my #1 for the past 12 years or so, the strat got a much needed rest and the Tonerider's were sold. I replaced them with a a set of Benson Handwound 54's. Man, these are seriously great pickups at a killer price.....much like the Toneriders. Since I also had traded for a set of BG 60's, I decided to give them a go. Another winner! Just a bit more 'aggressive' (for lack of a better word) than the 50's style sets, but delicious none the less!
Now to the crux of the story. I did a trade a few years ago and received a new old stock set of Chubtone 67's. Mike Gray is the fella who wound Chubtone pups. While he no longer winds and there is precious little info on the web about him, his pickups have become rare and desirable. Since I'm in the financial sh_ _ t house, I listed them for sale....over and over..with no interest.
I finally bit the bullet and installed them yesterday. Even though the info is fairly scarce, what you do find is 100% positive...even though I've only spent an hour or so with them, I get it. These pickups are in a league of their own. Beautiful! They are very responsive to playing dynamics and each setting on the five way is a thrill. I wired it with a blender pot, so that add's to the versatility.
I'll post more after I spend more time with them, but right now I am so glad no one bought em!
