Pickups Differences

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 12 Sep 2014 7:27 am

I have a guitar that has an E66 pickup that is way to bright, can't get the highs out. I have a 10-1 on hand and just wondering if the 10-1 would have less highs and more bottom end than the E66? If anyone knows there sound difference I would appreciate it.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 12 Sep 2014 8:01 am

I had a Carter with an E-66 on the E9, and a 10-1 on the C6. I found the 10-1 was much warmer and less trebly than the E-66. I don't think it was soley because it was on the C6 neck. I much preferred the tone from the 10-1.

Joe Glavey · Post by **Joe Glavey** » 12 Sep 2014 8:29 am

Here's David Hartley using a 10-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqH-N7n ... c7dv0P3aaA[/url]

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 12 Sep 2014 8:39 am

Maybe this helps, maybe not:

https://soundcloud.com/jolt12/sets/pickup-comparisons

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 12 Sep 2014 1:00 pm

Thanks guys, I'm changing out pickups now and will post how it sounds. The E66 was so bright using the Quilter Steelaire amp it hurt your teeth, even with treble turn all way off. About as bad on my LTD.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 14 Sep 2014 7:58 pm

Ok, 10-1 sounds much better. Has more body and not the screamy highs of the E66.
E66 sounds ok on C6th. The guitar is a D-10 Performance and just didn't cut it with the E66. I really had a hard time getting this guitar to play good but think I finally got it. Very well made guitar but pedals felt like crap and I still don't like the BMI type pedals, they grab your shoe sole when rocking off pedal causing it to be out of tune. Nothing beats the old P/P wide pedals to me.

Thanks for the info on pickups, I believe the 10-1 is going to do the trick.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 15 Sep 2014 11:09 am

Jon, those tracks are gems. They have given me a lot to think about. The ones I like best are the Wallace and the Eon - does that make me old-fashioned? Not that I mind

Don McGregor · Post by **Don McGregor** » 15 Sep 2014 1:38 pm

i've got two E66's in my Robbins D8 pedal steel, and I love the sound, though I'm still pretty new to pedal. Meanwhile, I'm building a double 8 non-pedal console, and saw this thread just as I was about to install two George L E66's. I intend to tune my inner neck to C6 with a high G, and my outer neck to A6. I do also have a 10-1 that I could substitute on one neck. After reading this, and listening to the comparison files ( which are a wonderful tool. Thank you.), my gut reaction is to install the 10-1 on the higher tuning, C6, and the E66 on the A6 neck. Any thoughts?
This is my second build, and I am very happy with the Wallace Truetone that is in my first, C6 tuned single 8, but decided to try out some humbuckers on the double neck. I also have two Truetones I bought for it, as well, but thought I'd put the George L's in first, and see how I like them. I've routed the pickup cavities to fit either George L, or Truetone.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 15 Sep 2014 2:14 pm

To anyone who finds the pickup files helpful, I am so glad. When I'd originally posted them I thought they were very informative. When I listened to them yesterday I wasn't so sure. Go figure.

I feel obliged to make absolutely certain that there is no misunderstanding; these were produced by John Fabian at Carter. All the guitars are Carters (maybe they are all one guitar--I don't know). All the playing (I am pretty certain) is by Billy Phelps.

I never trust my ears or my memory when I change pickups---too much elapsed time between sound samples of the old pickup and the new. This is the perfect demo opportunity with maximum uniformity of player & instrument.

Dave O'Brien · Post by **Dave O'Brien** » 15 Sep 2014 4:59 pm

I have recently played two guitars with E-66's. A Derby SD-10 that belongs to a friend and my CMI D-10 that I'm playing every day. Some guitars just sound great.

Don McGregor · Post by **Don McGregor** » 15 Sep 2014 6:42 pm

Jon,
These comparison clips are wonderful. I know that none of these pickups will sound like this in the instruments I am building, or with the amps I am using, but it helps a lot to have them as a starting point for my own tonal explorations.
I've listened to these samples through several different computers, amps, and speakers, and they are much more helpful when I am listening to them through something other than the horrible little speakers in my laptop.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 18 Sep 2014 7:54 am

The answer is yes, but you figured it out...

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 18 Sep 2014 10:44 am

A suggestion: If a pickup sounds too bright, get a little 6 or 7 band graphic equalizer, and use it to dial back the treble.

If you're using a Quilter, you can insert it in the effects loop. Otherwise, it can go in the signal chain.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 18 Sep 2014 10:59 am

My Carter had E66s on it when I bought it. The pickups gave that typical thin, cutting, high frequency bias so I swapped them out for my favourite Lawrence 705s. Massive difference in quality. The 705 pups will stay on the guitar now.

Frank Welsh · Post by **Frank Welsh** » 18 Sep 2014 3:30 pm

I think there is an important pickup/guitar relationship that determines the quality of the tone.

I know it isn't a perfect comparison, but my Remington D8 non-pedal came with E-66 pickups, located 2 inches from the bridge. With the tone control reduced about halfway it gives such a fat hornlike tone that I am enjoying playing more single note passages in my melody playing (mostly Hawaiian and jazz). I'm using C13th and B11th tunings with a 22 1/2 inch scale. On the other hand, my Carter U12 with E9/B6 tuning has a George L pickup with no markings on it other than "George L" and it sounds nothing like the Remington even when played in B6 mode. The Carter's pickup is placed much closer to the bridge and the guitar has a 24 inch scale.

Speaking of pickup placement just consider the radical changes in tone among the three pickup positions on a Stratocaster even when all three pickups are identical. Not to mention the "in-between" tones (quack).

There are so many variables besides the pickup that contribute to the tone and probably explains the different findings of the posters in this thread.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 18 Sep 2014 3:43 pm

It is my understanding that the George L pickups w no other markings on them are 10-1.

Phillip Ogle · Post by **Phillip Ogle** » 18 Sep 2014 4:24 pm

Hi henry, that is odd for an E-66 to sound that bright. I had one on my performance, which sounded pretty good but wasn't quite bright enough. I took it out and replaced with a wallace truetone 21.5 k my guitar came alive and superb sustain as well as good tone. Maybe you got one with a defective winding. Dont know. Also you might try turning down the shift knob down to about 3. The presence setting may need adjustment, I also turn my lows way up. Im not an authority ar anything on pickups just know what works for me.

Phillip Ogle · Post by **Phillip Ogle** » 18 Sep 2014 4:25 pm

Hi henry, that is odd for an E-66 to sound that bright. I had one on my performance, which sounded pretty good but wasn't quite bright enough. I took it out and replaced with a wallace truetone 21.5 k my guitar came alive and superb sustain as well as good tone. Maybe you got one with a defective winding. Dont know. Also you might try turning down the shift knob down to about 3. The presence setting may need adjustment, I also turn my lows way up. Im not an authority ar anything on pickups just know what works for me.

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Pickups Differences

Pickups Differences

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e-66 pup

e-66 pup