Fender vs. Ricky pick-ups

Mark Zinns · Post by **Mark Zinns** » 17 Dec 2002 2:02 pm

I have a '54 Fender Dual Professional with the trapazoidal pick-ups. These are string through design and have an incredible tone. Question for you experts: Do these have any design simularities to the Ricky horseshoe pick-ups?

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Sierra U-12
Sho-Bud D-12
Fender Dual Professional

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 17 Dec 2002 9:05 pm

Mark
From the standpoint on a non technical guy,
I would say the Rickenbackers have a fuller
type sound,whereas the Traps have a bright &
punchy sound,BUT,,,they can be mellow when
needed.

If I had a choice,,I would take both.
This is a good question,maybe someone with knowledge can help. That Dual Pro is a great
guitar,but then again,I like Fenders

and
Rickenbackers

I dont beleive they are similar in design,but nevertheless both designs are priceless in todays market.

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 17 Dec 2002 9:26 pm

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 17 Dec 2002 9:36 pm

Mine has 1 Trap. and 1 Boxcar.

I got it from a student for $50. It looked like it was thrown off Mauna Loa ...

I stripped it down to the walnut ... refinished ... pickups were great

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 17 December 2002 at 09:38 PM.]

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 18 Dec 2002 1:13 am

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 18 Dec 2002 7:57 pm

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 18 Dec 2002 8:45 pm

Jeff
The string vibrations are isolated within the
direct through design,whereas the open pickups are not.The direct meaning just that.
The strings are completly surrounded as the strings go though the so called "tunnel".That
is the reason for that plastic shield that is inside of the pickup. It picks up the string as such and the vibration stay inside
Thats the reason as they age that shield deteriorates and it rattles.That can be repaired or replaced.Lindy Fralin did one for me.
Leo Fender and others thought that design by far was the best Fender ever did and I agree.

I like the S/M sound as well,but the DS pickups have a heavier sound. Some people dis-like them because of the blocking problem
they feel the pickups get in the way. I block with my finger picks so it dont bother me.

If this is very important to you,I can dig out the orginal specs and description as well as Leo application for a patent,but its buried,but I can do it if you want. Gee I almost forgot about all that.

There are no others quite the same in design. Im not certain about the Rickenbackers design,but they do sound great. In other words the string vibrations are encased within the pickup,like holding the sound and keeping it
isolated. Whew..[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 18 December 2002 at 08:53 PM.]

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · Post by **Michael T. Hermsmeyer** » 19 Dec 2002 3:39 am

Hey Herb, I'm still waiting for my SOG Welcome Kit, LOL. "Your beautiful embossed membership card will be in the mail shortly, along with your Stringmaster keychain, ball cap, and autographed picture of Leo Fender."

Jody, I read somewhere that the "ashtray" covers on the Broadcaster, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision bass, and Jazz Bass were designed with shielding in mind, am I right? And would the design of all of those guitars be "trickle down" technology from the first K&F and Fender Lap steel designs? If you look at the very first Fender Broadcaster, it looks very similar to a lap steel, with a bolt on round neck. They all laughed at that guitar..... Who's laughing now, LOL?
As far as Rick horseshoes, I think they are in a class of their own, but thats what I like about them. See Jeff's post on "unwavering desire for good tone" under this heading.
Michael T.

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UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

[This message was edited by Michael T. Hermsmeyer on 19 December 2002 at 03:41 AM.]

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 19 Dec 2002 12:39 pm

Michael
I dont know,My name is not Leo Fender. But some are still laughing not at, but with.

They laugh at me as well.

Dont know about the covers used as a shield device,most players would remove the covers anyway to mute the strings.

I never did ask about that,,good point and now you have me thinking. Did you read that
in Richard Smith or Forrest Whites book?

I would go with either of those two people.

Mark Zinns · Post by **Mark Zinns** » 19 Dec 2002 6:13 pm

Jody, I really enjoy reading your replies. Do you happen to know why the traps only lasted a couple of years? What was the general opinion of this guitar when it first came out. By the way, my Dual Pro will just slice through the mix if the treble is turned up. Add some overdrive and it will sing and sustain for days. What a great guitar!

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Sierra U-12
Sho-Bud D-12
Fender Dual Professional

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 19 Dec 2002 6:29 pm

I've owned (and wish I still owned) a triple-8 Fender with the trapazoids. I also have a late 30's Bakelite. The Fender pickups were the most versatile IMHO with a wider dynamic range and a much greater or sense of transparancy than the Bakelites. The strings of both pickups go directly through the magnetic field. See Professor Aiello's posts for a discourse on how & why this is a good thing.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 19 Dec 2002 7:01 pm

Andy
So,,,who told you to sell it?? not I. You had to have a piano,so there.

Hey dont let these guys know Im not the "guru
they think I is.

But I do understand,besides you have enough
guitars.Come here and I'll let you play mine.
Hows the book going?? mine has slowed down with this Forum posting, gotta make the donuts,,,see ya guy.

Mark,,tell me about it

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 19 December 2002 at 07:02 PM.]

Mark Zinns · Post by **Mark Zinns** » 19 Dec 2002 7:29 pm

Jody since you asked...I started looking for a fender non-pedal a few years ago. Looked in the want adds, regularly scoured the used music shops (some good ones in the Bay Area). All I could find were some supros and a Fender Champ and some really over-priced chandlers at Guitar Center. But I knew I wanted a D-8 or T-8 Fender. Prior to becoming involved with this great forum, it seemed like finding the guitar I wanted would never happen.

One day I casually asked a music shop owner if he ever saw a D-8 Fender or Rickenbacker. To my surprise, he said he had one of each but he had not dug them out in a couple of years. Well, when he dug them out, I knew the Fender would be mine. Double neck, screw in legs, tweed case, butterscotch finish (with just the right amount of aging), chrome pick-ups and tone that blew my mind. I worked out a trade for a 1978 OMI Dobro. Best trade I've ever made.

When I pulled it out and played "Sleepwalk" for my friend, he just about had a cow. Keep in mind that in my circle of friends and musical acquaintences, any steel guitar is a novilty. Now I have educated them in the past few years, but I am still learning how great of an impact the steel guitar has had on american music. I know that my little Dual Pro has put alot of smiles on peoples faces, but mine is the biggest smile.

While I have thought about improvements to many of my other guitars and pedal steels, I have never once thought how to improve that Fender. It is not only a piece of music history, but it sounds sooo good.

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Sierra U-12
Sho-Bud D-12
Fender Dual Professional

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 20 Dec 2002 8:52 am

And a Merry Christmas to you and yours, and
dont forget the Fender,it has soul just as
you have.

Jody

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · Post by **Michael T. Hermsmeyer** » 21 Dec 2002 4:10 am

Jody, I think I read that about the ashtrays being designed as shields in either "The Telecaster Book" by A.R. Duchossoir, who also wrote "The Stratocaster Book" and "The Fender Bass Book" or somwhere, sometime in Guitar Player magazine. It seems that they should have at least had a function at one time, or why would they be there? (Or thought to have had a function), LOL.
Anyway, it doesn't matter, this post is about traps, and it was a very different design.
Thanks,
Michael T.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 21 Dec 2002 5:21 am

They are what HUB CAPS are to a car.Nothing more.