What's up with the Prices of Texas Special Pickups??

[Butch Snyder]

I was interested in getting a set of Texas Specials for one of my Telecasters. I think Texas Specials are great pickups in the right guitar. I tried them in a Tele with an ash body and maple neck/fretboard. They were harsh and grainy-sounding. I put them in a Tele with an alder body with a maple neck/rosewood fretboard and the difference was incredible. They were warm and punchy. The twang was there but a little more subtle.

Anyway, I was going to get a set and noticed they were $250 and up. I checked all kinds of places, Reverb, Sweetwater, Chicago Music Exchange, and others. Same deal. Maybe I'm remembering wrong but I don't remembering them being that high $$$. In fact, they were priced higher than CS Nocaster pickups with I thought was unusual.

Is there anything that Duncan offers that would compare to a CS Texas Special?​

 

[Mincer]

What are the specs of those?

 

[jeremy]

not really. the texas specials, not my favorite by the way, usually have that harsh grainy thing you mentioned, and are kinda unique. in the right guitar that translates to a good tone though. for that money, you could almost get a custom shop set of pups

 

[idsnowdog]

They have always been overpriced.

 

[Chistopher]

You may be thinking of the Fender Tex Mex set

 

[misterwhizzy]

Everything's bigger in Texas, even the prices, I guess.

 

[dotsdad]

Tom Brantley 60s set. You can thank me later

 

[Butch Snyder]

You may be thinking of the Fender Tex Mex set

No, I know the difference. I've owned both sets over the years. Tex Mexes go for $79 all day most everywhere.

 

[freefrog]

What are the specs of those?

For Tele, my data state B=10.15k and N=9.08k. 43 AWG wire. Inductance : 3.58H and 2.78H. For comparison, Fender A3 Nocaster were measured here at 6.95k and 7.15k (inductance: 3.33H and 2.07H).

 

[Butch Snyder]

For Tele, my data state B=10.15k and N=9.08k. 43 AWG wire. Inductance : 3.58H and 2.78H. For comparison, Fender A3 Nocaster were measured here at 6.95k and 7.15k (inductance: 3.33H and 2.07H).

I have looked for something made by Seymour Duncan that matches or at least comes close to those specs and I can't find anything that's not Custom Shop.

 

[Mincer]

I have looked for something made by Seymour Duncan that matches or at least comes close to those specs and I can't find anything that's not Custom Shop.

Yeah, I can't imagine there would be. It has been awhile since I tried Texas Specials, so I don't remember what they do that is so special.

 

[freefrog]

Yeah, I've just surfed across pickups data to refresh my memories and found all bridge T pickups in there were wound with 42 AWG... except the Fender Texas Special and Twisted Tele. Even the Lollar Special T appears to be wound with 42.

T neck pickups with TS style specs might be easier to find since most of 'em are wound with 43 AWG anyway.

It's quite a paradox since Fender T bridge PU's were wound with 43 AWG for Broadcaster / Nocaster / Esquire guitars in the early 50s, AFAIK...