El Toro's Official Guitarded Thread...

[Captain Morgan]

Update: This might get a little expensive.

Figured out the fret buzz is because the groove is cut too deep at the low E string so I gotta install a new nut anydamnway. Bone nut is a nice upgrade so fuck it, it'll be worth it. Also figured out the neck pickup problem is from a fucked up volume pot so I'm getting all new pots. Probably needed better ones anyway. While I'm fucking with all this I'm just gonna go ahead and rewire the whole shebang. Beef that shit up. New p/u switcher and input jack, all that stuff.

I'm trying to track down a good price on pickups. Anybody know who's got the best online prices on them? TIA.

Ebay - seriously - is the best place to get pickups. What pickups are you looking for and I can help find some for you?

[lerxstcat]

Update: This might get a little expensive.

Figured out the fret buzz is because the groove is cut too deep at the low E string so I gotta install a new nut anydamnway. Bone nut is a nice upgrade so fuck it, it'll be worth it. Also figured out the neck pickup problem is from a fucked up volume pot so I'm getting all new pots. Probably needed better ones anyway. While I'm fucking with all this I'm just gonna go ahead and rewire the whole shebang. Beef that shit up. New p/u switcher and input jack, all that stuff.

I'm trying to track down a good price on pickups. Anybody know who's got the best online prices on them? TIA.

Well you'll spend a little money, but once you're done, you'll be done for life unless you play it enough to have to dress or replace the frets down the line.

I don't know how much your local guy will charge you for pickups but if I could suggest seeing if he'll match prices, or even come close. Reason why is that I know most contractors have a policy of no warranty with customer-supplied parts. In the event you get defective parts in, I'm assuming a labor rate of $65-$100 per hour. If he puts in defective parts you supplied, it's on you to have them removed and replaced - and again, taking a chance. If HE supplied the parts, that's his problem and he eats the labor to pull and replace again. You just have to weigh the risk to save $30 versus letting him make a little profit in exchange for HIM assuming the risk. If he's really trying to ream you on the pickups then that's another story. I know my local store will match Musicians Friend or AMS prices, so if they will too then you have them covering your ass on materials since they sold them to you.

[exitflagger]

No, he's not trying to screw me, I was the one who suggested to get them on my own so I could try and find the best deal. I don't know what his mark up would be. I'll have to ask him.

My guitar tech guy is actually really reasonable price-wise, and does very nice work. But scooping all the innards out of this thing like a catfish is gonna be pricey no matter how you cut it.

[lerxstcat]

I didn't mean to imply he was trying to screw you; it's just standard business practice in the service industry. He might not say anything to you, but in addition to the labor money, techs like to make a few bucks on the parts too. He's probably not going to put any pressure on you, but if his price is as good as you can get online, or say within $20-$30 on a pair of pickups, then he makes a little more and you have no headaches if the pickups come in and are defective.

[ElToro]

Anyone try the Morpheus Bomber?! It puts the Whammy to shame.

[ElToro]

no one?

[lerxstcat]

I know they make the Drop Tune pedal, so I'm sure pitch shifting is their specialty. Most of my guitars have locking trems and while I know the pedals can do a lot of stuff that an actual trem won't, I enjoy using a real trem more for some reason. I don't use the trem near as much as I used to, but I still like to have one. I like a locking trem and an intelligent harmonizer though!

[ElToro]

You can shift entire chords a pre-determined interval and it can make for crazy rhythms!

[Captain Morgan]

The TC Electronic MojoMojo is my next pedal purchase - that is one SWEET soundin' overdrive. Very VERY amplike.

[Space Bear]

I live a very sheltered life... I've never seen a Whammy pedal in person.

[ElToro]

Get out sometime...

[ElToro]

I have another Max coming home soon... amber burst!

[Sleek]

I picked up a Squier strat yesterday....$119 out the door.

Thinking about pickup upgrades...also thinking about not...

Guitar feels good,and the trem works well. Looks like a black strat...now "vintaged" courtesy of my humble self...after the decal comes in. I'll post some pics.

[lerxstcat]

I got a Yamaha Pacifica off of Ebay; $83 shipped. It's the 012 made in Indonesia - still very nice. Candy apple red, rosewood board, HSS config. I'm not gonna mess with it, it plays and sounds damn good for an $83 guitar. Cranks with my little JCA20H head.

[exitflagger]

Okay so I decided to go with the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary pickups. Worn nickel covers.

Apparently there are a lot of people like me who left DiMarzio for dead years ago because I got a LOT of skeptical looks from people at guitar shops when I told them that I was searching for those. They kept trying to sell me the Seymours. It's like Seymour Duncan has turned into some kind of weird cult or something.

And at least one of these places here apparently has a contract with SD and can't even order or deal with DiMarzio at all. I was searching around for the best price on them and it occured to me that my first choice the Antiquity SDs were about 20-30 bucks more expensive a piece so I stopped balking and just realized I was getting a pretty good deal at any rate.

I'm stoked. That shit is gonna sound nice. Thanks to Captain Morgan for bringing these pickups to my attention.

[Ten Years Gone]

Nice choice, man. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the Dimarzios. I'm actually thinking of putting a set in my Yamaha SG.

[Captain Morgan]

Okay so I decided to go with the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary pickups. Worn nickel covers.

Apparently there are a lot of people like me who left DiMarzio for dead years ago because I got a LOT of skeptical looks from people at guitar shops when I told them that I was searching for those. They kept trying to sell me the Seymours. It's like Seymour Duncan has turned into some kind of weird cult or something.

And at least one of these places here apparently has a contract with SD and can't even order or deal with DiMarzio at all. I was searching around for the best price on them and it occured to me that my first choice the Antiquity SDs were about 20-30 bucks more expensive a piece so I stopped balking and just realized I was getting a pretty good deal at any rate.

I'm stoked. That shit is gonna sound nice. Thanks to Captain Morgan for bringing these pickups to my attention.

Dimarzio turns a lot of heads these days, especially when talking about vintage gear. To be honest, I've had better results with Dimarzio in the past few years than Duncan. Duncan makes some great stuff (The '59, Custom 5, Broadcaster, SSL-1, etc.) but to me Dimarzio makes some REALLY great, harmonic, and affordable pickups that can really nail a vintage tone. Duncan is often suggested because of who he's built for; Dimarzio gets shunned because they're the ones that invented higher-gain pickups. Dimarzio humbuckers have a great harmonic richness and openess to them, almost as if they "breathe" more than the Duncans I've had (more presence and balls than harmonics). But again, it's all a preference thing, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dimarzio and I never do.

Let us know how you enjoy those pickups, and be sure to post pics!

[T-Jay]

Figured I might as well post my gear...

A Yamaha AES620



Vox Valvetronix AD15VT Amp



Digitech GSP21 Legend FX Unit (how bad is it that it was AUD$2,500 new and now as low as $75 on ebay)


I just got a Behringer FCB1010 MIDI foot controller but still waiting for a USB -> MIDI cable to arrive...

Also using a few different software sims too. I did have a Jackson Dinky with reverse headstock but had part with it recently.

I do have a question about the ease of replacing the nut. The nut that came with my Yamaha seems to be well.... crap. I've been told to replace it with a graphite nut. Any ideas/comments ???

Also which tuners would be a good choice between: Grover Tuners, Wilkinson Tuners, Hipshot, Sperzel or some other one I can't recall.... any opinions on any or all of them ???

Just having a bitch of a time keeping this guitar in tune. But I do really like the contrast of the Seymour Duncan bridge pickup and the more bluesy type neck pickup... very nice. The neck is pretty good too. Nice to play.

[ElToro]

All those tuners are great if you get the high end versions, but you're not staying in tune at all? Maybe you could try putting graphite on your nut first.. it may be sticky.

[T-Jay]

All those tuners are great if you get the high end versions, but you're not staying in tune at all? Maybe you could try putting graphite on your nut first.. it may be sticky.

Is changing the nut pretty straight forward or best left to someone with experience with it??
Not something I've needed to do before...

[ElToro]

All those tuners are great if you get the high end versions, but you're not staying in tune at all? Maybe you could try putting graphite on your nut first.. it may be sticky.

Is changing the nut pretty straight forward or best left to someone with experience with it??
Not something I've needed to do before...

Changing a nut needs to be done by someone with experience, but lubing/graphiting is simple.

Pull the strings out of their grooves, make sure there are no spurs or jagged edges and take a soft pencil into those groves... even coat the string near the nut woith graphit... that will let you know if something's wrong.. if it continues to go out of tune, it must be the tuners.

[Sleek]

Okay, you fucks.

I am kinda looking for a set of cheep-but-good strat pickups...something for blues/soul sorta stuff...with maybe a touch of SRV.

I'm watching a set of old Bill Lwrences on ebay right now, but prolly won't get 'em...

Cheep is the operative term, so no fucking suggestions of Kinmans or Rio Grandes, bitches.

[Captain Morgan]

Okay, you fucks.

I am kinda looking for a set of cheep-but-good strat pickups...something for blues/soul sorta stuff...with maybe a touch of SRV.

I'm watching a set of old Bill Lwrences on ebay right now, but prolly won't get 'em...

Cheep is the operative term, so no fucking suggestions of Kinmans or Rio Grandes, bitches.

Tonerider City Limits. http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

[Sleek]

Okay, you fucks.

I am kinda looking for a set of cheep-but-good strat pickups...something for blues/soul sorta stuff...with maybe a touch of SRV.

I'm watching a set of old Bill Lwrences on ebay right now, but prolly won't get 'em...

Cheep is the operative term, so no fucking suggestions of Kinmans or Rio Grandes, bitches.

Tonerider City Limits. http://www.tonerider.com/pickups/stratpickups.html

I see no prices there...also no order info and I don't see anybody selling them...you got dealer info?

[Captain Morgan]

Here you go my friend: http://rhfactorguitars.mybisi.com/

[ElToro]

GFS is supposedly good for the dough... I do have a full set of SD Brian Mays...

[Captain Morgan]

GFS is supposedly good for the dough... I do have a full set of SD Brian Mays...

Seymour Duncan Brian May? Wha?! Are you selling them?

GFS is hit or miss - Tonerider is not too much more and made with higher quality materials.

[Sleek]

The toneriders are a little more than I would like to spend.

If I was to got hat much, the Bill Lawrence Keystone strat pups seem to be the best reviewed on the web (for what that's worth). They are $84.

I have been thinking about the GFS stuff...the "Texas" set seems kinda fun...I am mainly looking for an alternative to GFS.

[ElToro]

The toneriders are a little more than I would like to spend.

If I was to got hat much, the Bill Lawrence Keystone strat pups seem to be the best reviewed on the web (for what that's worth). They are $84.

I have been thinking about the GFS stuff...the "Texas" set seems kinda fun...I am mainly looking for an alternative to GFS.

Is that $84 each or for a set?

[Sleek]

The toneriders are a little more than I would like to spend.

If I was to got hat much, the Bill Lawrence Keystone strat pups seem to be the best reviewed on the web (for what that's worth). They are $84.

I have been thinking about the GFS stuff...the "Texas" set seems kinda fun...I am mainly looking for an alternative to GFS.

Is that $84 each or for a set?

For a set...!

http://wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Keystones.html