New Pickup Day (TV Jones/Gretsch Content)

[blackba]

I have a pre-Fender Gretsch Brian Setzer hot rod, which means its before it had TV jones pickups and has stock filtertrons. I found out that the stock pickups could have had ceramic magnets.

After getting them in a few weeks ago, I finally got the TV Jones Classic and Classic + pickups in my Gretsch. I had to shim up the neck to get it to the recommended height, the bridge was good. With the stock filtertrons the neck was at the right height and bridge was low. I adjusted the pole pieces a bit on the stock bridge, should have just shimmed it. After taking it out I noticed that it didn't have the full plate and wasn't as tall as the TV Jones.

Anyway for the sound, huge change. The neck sounds warm and full, with a touch of chime and butteriness. Compared to muddy with and full with the stock pickup. The Bridge sounds warm and buttery, nice and chimey and rich. Compared to thin and trebley with the stock filtertron. So far I am blown away by these TV jones pickups....

Here is a picture of the guitar with the old pickups. People either seem to love or hate the color of this guitar. My 2 year old daughter is always wanting me to play it since it is purple

 

[blackba]

Still digging the new pickups. The Classic + has a little more mids than the stock pickup, which I like. It doesn't sound so washed out. Unfortunately my Gretsch still does not sound that great through my Fender Bandmaster Reverb, neither does my Rick 360. But through my Vox AC50, both guitars really shine....

 

[1big1]

i read somewhere that setzer has a soundpost under the bridge. it serves two functions.. one is obviously to transfer vibrations from the front face to the back.. the other is to keep the bridge stable. i don't know but i've heard the bridge area can be problematic.

 

[blackba]

i read somewhere that setzer has a soundpost under the bridge. it serves two functions.. one is obviously to transfer vibrations from the front face to the back.. the other is to keep the bridge stable. i don't know but i've heard the bridge area can be problematic.

The bridge on the newer models of the Setzer hot rod is pinned down. Other than when I change strings, having a floating bridge has not really been a problem in playing.

 

[1big1]

i guess the post was put in because he really leans hard on the bigsby and it was causing the face to collapse.. which caused other problems as well. nice axe btw.