Legrande Owners: Post Your Pickup Choice?

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 21 Mar 2004 12:51 pm

Legrande owners,

What pickups have you been through and why? I assume everyone would want to get as close to a classic Emmons tone as possible?

thx

bob

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Mar 2004 2:45 pm

I have stock 108N humbuckers on both necks. When I complained of an unusual overtone from the E9th neck, I was told it was due to the humbucker, and a single coil would cure the problem.

I never tried one so I don't know.

carl

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 21 Mar 2004 3:47 pm

Carl...I just happen to have a couple of Emmons single coils if you need to find out what you're missing![This message was edited by Roger Crawford on 21 March 2004 at 03:57 PM.]

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 21 Mar 2004 5:12 pm

I had a 98 Legrande II for a while but wasn't satisfied with the sound from the stock single coils. I put the BL 710's in it and it was a new guitar from then on. I use the stock single coils in my p/p guitars but I felt the Legrande needed a little more help. If I had another Legrande I'd do it again.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Mar 2004 5:58 pm

My dear friend Roger,

Thanks soo much. Right now though I am involved in so much I am not playing either guitar. But I might just call you later and if you still got 'em, I sure would like to try 'em.

Thanks friend, and May Jesus richly bless you always,

carl

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 21 Mar 2004 8:39 pm

Frank

How would you describe the difference the 710 has over the factory single coil?

thx

bob

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 21 Mar 2004 8:44 pm

Bob
the pickup of choice from the Emmons factory would either be the single coil pickup or the 108N humbucker.

My favorite, as I have stated before many times on this forum, is the 108N humbucker. Why? because it is noiseless and seems to be the most "neutral" sounding pickup for a LeGrande. My preference will always be the single coil, but single coils are inherantly "noisie" from 60 cycle hum and therefore not useable for me. That's why I use the 108N. It is noiseless and sounds pretty doggone close to original. It is a warm, "even" sounding pickup without harshness.

When I first got my LeGrande,I tried many different types and brands of pickups, but settled on the 108N.

Carl,
I have experienced no unusal overtones with the 108N's. I doubt that switching to a single coil would help. If anything, the single coil would "promote" overtones, microphonics,as well as 60 cycle noise.

Dave[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 21 March 2004 at 08:50 PM.][This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 21 March 2004 at 08:51 PM.]

Larry Petree · Post by **Larry Petree** » 21 Mar 2004 10:18 pm

Dave, what is the best pickup height adjustment for the 108N, on the LeGrande II?
Thanks.

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 22 Mar 2004 9:06 pm

Larry

The best pickup heigth would probably be as close as possible without hitting the strings! The "quarter's thichness" seems to work pretty good for a "general" starting place and then just make sure your not bumping the string, so you might want to adjust it down a little to make sure. Your "attack" can also play a part in that adjustment as well. You can work with the heigth a little like in the case of the C6 where the tenth string is so large. You might want a little more room there to stay clear of that big string. On the other hand, the third string of the E9 is really small compared to the others.

In the case of my LeGrande III, the E9 (with counterforce) came preset at the factory for the pickup heigth. It seems to sound very good right where it is so I have found no need to change it. The E9 pickup in it sits just a "little" farther from the strings than a quarter"s thickness. The C6 does not have "counterforce" so I have it adjusted a tad more than a quarters thickness with a little more clearance for the 10th string. Not "rocket science, but it works! There are 108N's on both necks. The 108Ns are fairly hot pickups, but humbucker. A single coil might would require a little more distance if it is fairly hot. Old pickups are generally weaker and might require a little closer setting, just as long as you're not bumping the strings.

To sum it up, as close as possible without "bumping" when you play, pending your attack and bar hand weight, and location of the bar.

Dave[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 22 March 2004 at 09:08 PM.]

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 23 Mar 2004 3:15 am

I bought a new LG II in '93. I used the stock single coils for a few years then started doing some recording and found the hum to be very annoying. I tried a pair of stock Emmons humbuckers and did not like them at all. I switched to 710's and liked the added output and lack of hum, the tone was ok.... Two years ago, after reading alot of good things about Jerry Wallace's Truetones, I installed a pair. Yes, some of the hum is back but the tone is as close to perfect as I have heard in a pickup. I really can't understand why anyone would use anything else. To me, humbuckers always sound dull, too midrangy, and "nasal". I have a friend who has an LG which is almost identical to mine. He's got stock Emmons single coils. Recently, we did an A/B test. The Truetones sounded better to both of us, not a huge difference but the Truetones were noticeabley clearer with a more "high fidelity" sound.

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 23 Mar 2004 5:19 am

I'll start with the disclaimer that I prefer the single-coil sound so I've never tried humbuckers in my LIII.

I think the stock Emmons pickups that came in my guitar are outstanding but I'd heard a lot about TrueTones and had Jerry send me two. When removing the stock pickups, I was shocked to discover they were wound at 17.8K. Jerry thought this might be a bit thin for my application and sent me TTs wound at 18.3K.

In a straight A/B test, I felt they were very close to the stock sound, but a little darker. Jerry (a wonderful man to deal with, BTW) then brought me replacement 17.5K pickups to the Dallas show. I'll be interested to see how these compare but haven't had a chance to install them yet.

BTW, the reason I was shocked to find the stock pickups were 17.8K is because my LIII sounds anything but thin. It's certainly not as bright as my push/pull. I would have guessed they were closer to 18.5K. All of which just goes to show that you have to try pickups in your own guitar to really find out how they'll sound. Getting feedback from others can give you a general direction but, as always, your mileage may vary.

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 23 Mar 2004 9:33 am

Jeff said:

All of which just goes to show that you have to try pickups in your own guitar to really find out how they'll sound. Getting feedback from others can give you a general direction...

Truer words were never spoken. I've got a box full of pickups I have tried in many guitars.

Dave

Tom Wicks · Post by **Tom Wicks** » 23 Mar 2004 10:02 am

I have an 87 Legrande D10, the C6 sound was great but the E9 much to muddy, I then
changed to a 710 and that was much to brittle
so I then bought a G.L. 10-1 and for me it is just right. Tom

Larry Hamilton · Post by **Larry Hamilton** » 23 Mar 2004 10:14 am

I play a 2000 LG II. The stock pu's sounded just great to me. Then after hearing so much about TrueTones I decided on a pair of Jerry's 18.5's. (The Emmons pu's
were wound to 19.5) The TT's made an already great sounding guitar sound better. The TT's combined with my new Hilton pedal make a killer combination. If I did recording I could see where a Humbucker would be important. But for me I am one very satisfied customer of TT's. One day I hope to have another guitar and it will have TT's one it also.

------------------
Keep pickin', Larry

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » 23 Mar 2004 3:02 pm

I have an 80's LeGrande. I ordered Pentads for both necks. They never sounded quite right to me. After an on-the-spot comparison with a push-pull, I had the factory remove the Pentads and install their stock single coils. Noisy (hum) but now the guitar sounds like an Emmons.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 24 Mar 2004 9:25 am

Larry says:
"If I did recording I could see where a Humbucker would be important."
John Hughey records with his TT's! I love 'em in both of my Zums and my LGII.
Roger

Jeff A. Smith · Post by **Jeff A. Smith** » 24 Mar 2004 7:04 pm

I bought my '96 LeGrande II used, several months ago. The E9th neck has a Zum single coil that is wound at (I think) 18.5 - 19K. I was also provided with another Zum single-coil to put on the C6 neck, although I haven't got around to doing that yet.

Apparently the previous owner may have received counsel that the Zum pickups would be a good match for this guitar.

Has anybody ever heard about this, or have a clear idea of the difference in sound (or otherwise) between Zum and Emmons single-coils?

The Zum pickup sounds very nice, although one day I will probably spring for a True Tone, if for no other reason than just to try it. I love what Jerry's pickup did for my MSA.