Fender Texas Specials - Opinions

[erikh]

Ok, I've been toying with replacing the pickups in my '94 Strat for a long time. Right now it has a Duncan SSL-6 in the bridge and stock in the neck/middle. I have a Little '59 but want to save it for another project. The Red Lace Sensor I have just doesn't sound good to me, can't get used to it.

So, I'm thinking of tossing in a set of Texas Specials. It's been a long time since I've played a guitar with those in it. All I remember is it was the SRV sig model.

What's your opinion of these?

I'm also debating on getting two more SSL-6's for the neck/mid positions just as another option. The SSL-6 measures 13k DC resistance.

[StratLover]

If you remember the true sound of SRV, it was a bright JAZZY tone with a little smoke and ash mixed in.

The Texas Specials(tm) are probablly the best of all the so-called vintage sounding pups Fender(tm) makes today.
They were and are still, tried and proven as the pups of choice by most blues and jazz players due in part to their full but bright mids and crystal clear highs and harmonics.
The lower end does'nt tend to BOOM either.

You can pick up a set on eBay for around $110.00 on a buy it now or if you hang with an auction, $60.00-$70.00 is about the norm.

[erikh]

Yeah, his tone was very distinct. You just knew who it was.

Hmmm, I may have to think about it some more. I love the SSL-6 I have now. Nice and punchy single coil. Hotter than some but it's got a nice tone to it. I may go with getting two more.

[StratLover]

Never played a SSL-6, but from what you and another member have said about them, I myself would like to try one out.

I have enough materials to make 2 complete Strat's(tm) including a nice 86 PLUS(tm) neck with a Wilkinson roller nut and a 71 large headstock with the origional bone nut. ;D ;D ;D

This could be the opportunity for me to do a little experimenting myself.

[damian]

dude definately get the texas specials! Ive got em in a strat I built. Its alder with a solid rosewood neck and these pickups are the schnitzel! Trust me I thought about the fat 50's set and other for the money they are incredible. I almost didnt get them because they were getting some negative pub. All false! But dont take my word for it check out the pickup samples at acmeguitarworks.com. Killer pickup mp3 section youll see what im talking about. they just have that it you know what it Im talking about peace Damian

[StratLover]

I am very familiar with the Texas Specials and have done a lot of work on guit's equipped with them.----

I have just purchased a peice of Phillipine Mahogany I am going to use to hand-tool a Semi-Strat shaped and a Semi-Tele shaped matching pair of guitars, with a partial arch top. This will be my FIRST attempt in a complete build-up.--;D--I should have enough material left over to build two other guitars of oddball shape.

One I know will be a streached and squashed star shape. As for the other, I need to do a little more sketching and consideration in shape, especially for the TONE.----

[damian]

sounds cool. let me know if you need any pointers peace, Damian.

[erikh]

Sounds pretty cool, StratLover. Keep us posted on the progress.

As for the Texas Specials, I think I'm going to settle on getting two more SSL-6's for my Strat, or vintage flats. I like the bite of the SSL-6 so I'm leaning more towards that direction.

[StratLover]

Most definately will,---;D--- keep posted on the progress.------

[erikh]

Ok, my mind has changed again. I hate when that happens. I think I'm going to go for a set of the Fender Vintage Noiseless or Bill Lawrence L280/290's or Seymour Duncan STK-S1 Classic Stack® for Strat®.

Quite frankly, I'm tired of the single coil hum. Whichever set I end up with will be my one month reward to myself for quitting smoking. Got a few more weeks left yet but it's motivation and the money I save from not buying cigs anymore will almost pay for the whole set.

EDIT: DANG GAMMIT!!! LOL Just got back from playing at a music store. They have an SRV Strat on the wall so I gave it a run to get reacclimated with the Texas Specials. Now I know why I loved them so much....that TONE!!! Yeah, there's some noise there but I love the tone. Guess they're back in the running.

[bam]

:lol:

[damian]

I can tell you from experience I have them in one guitar and they are great pickups not good but great. They do however have a little more hum than your run of the mill single coil being overwound and all. They do however have great bite and edgey sounds. They get mellower if you move them down. They also have great sounds in the 2 and 4 position. And these have no hum. Also I have lace gold sensors in my squire plywood strat that sound amazing. They are still true single coil with way less hum. They sound like molten butter and glass!! Something to think about. Also congrats on kicking the habbit. I quit a year and a half ago and it is very liberating not to be enslaved by that crap. So good luck with both of those and tell us how it went. Peace Damian

[Ripper]

I love my Texas Specials!...I have spent thousands ( you heard me right ) over the years trying this that and the other. My search ended when I installed my specials. Heres a tip... Change the cap as well. I use a .22 now!...Lovely!

[jwj4856]

I have a set of texas specials in one of my strats SSS config and love it also have a HSS with a Pearly gate bridge HB and mid and neck are Texas Specials and I love that guitar also, so Texas specials have 2 thumbs up from me.

[bobrocks]

I just purchased Texas Specials for the neck and middle and I'm going to use a Seymour Duncan SH-11 in the bridge. I'm going to use 500k pots. Should I do anything special with the caps?

[cynical1]

Jan 8, 2009 14:26:07 GMT -5 bobrocks said:

...I'm going to use 500k pots. Should I do anything special with the caps?

Greetings -

Welcome to the party.

Anyone who's been here a while knows I'll gonna flog this one again...simply because this is one of the simplest and most usable things you can do by drilling a hole in your guitar...

This one is from Wolf's site. A great resource for ideas and inspiration.

2 Capacitor Tone Control



This diagram shows a tone control that has a switching option for choosing 2 capacitor values. The switch is a Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT). Suggested values for the capacitors would be .02 and .047 mfd.

A flick of the switch and you can change cap values for your single coil or humbucker.

...sorry, it was just a reflex reaction posting...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[ChrisK]

Yeah, but if'n you do it this way;

you get 3 (count 'em 3) cap values.

[cynical1]

Jan 8, 2009 18:55:58 GMT -5 ChrisK said:

Yeah, but if'n you do it this way;

you get 3 (count 'em 3) cap values.

Okay, I'll bite... I'm sure it's me, but how does any combination of 0.022 uF and 0.047 uF wind up equaling 0.015 uF?

This is a pretty cool little extrapolation on the original theme...and as you say, it's free...I like it, I'll use it...but I don't understand it...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[newey]

Cyn:

In the center position on the switch, both capacitors are in series. To figure the total series capacitance of 2 caps, it's the inverse sum of the inverses of each value.

IOW, you have to put a "1" as the numerator over both sides of the equation. If the capacitance of both in series is "x":

1/x= 1/cap1+ 1/cap2

At least, I think that's the formula. . .

[cynical1]

Jan 8, 2009 21:36:02 GMT -5 newey said:

Cyn:

In the center position on the switch, both capacitors are in series. To figure the total series capacitance of 2 caps, it's the inverse sum of the inverses of each value.

IOW, you have to put a "1" as the numerator over both sides of the equation. If the capacitance of both in series is "x":

1/x= 1/cap1+ 1/cap2

At least, I think that's the formula. . .

Okay...if I follow you correctly, and in order for this to work out, since both values are measured in uF you drop the decimal point and any zeros to the left of the value.

IOW:

The .047 uF cap becomes 1/47
The .022 uF cap becomes 1/22

so...

1/47 + 1/22 = 1/67

and 1/67 = 0.0149 or (.015 for all practical purposes)

So, just be sure I have this whole concept down, I solder one end of each cap to its respective outer pole, then solder the other end of each cap to the center pole on the SP3T (ON-OFF-ON) switch.

So, based on the diagram, UP = .022 uF, MIDDLE = .015 uF and DOWN = .047 uF

Man, I should have stayed awake in school...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[ChrisK]

I originally used this idea in My "Proper" Telecopy a few years back. It's S2 in the schematic link. I used a DP3T ON-ON-ON so that the values were in sequential order (0.0015 uF, 0,0022 uF, and 0.047 uF).

and in order for this to work out, since both values are measured in uF you drop the decimal point and any zeros to the left of the value.

Actually, no.

You converted the values to nF (nano Farads). Your answer should have been 14.98 or 15 nF

1/22 = 0.045454545454545454545454545454545

1/47 = 0.021276595744680851063829787234043

sum = 0.066731141199226305609284332688588

1/0.066731141199226305609284332688588 = 14.985507246376811594202898550725

1/22 + 1/47 =/= 1/67.

1/22 + 1/47 = 1/15'ish.


As long as one minds the units scaling (uF, pF, or furlongs per forte night), it will always work always.


1/0.022 = 45.454545454545454545454545454545
1/0.047 = 21.276595744680851063829787234043
sum = 66.731141199226305609284332688588

1/66.731141199226305609284332688588 =
0.014985507246376811594202898550725

Consistent units.


As newey indicated, it's 1/(1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/Cn) for any number of capacitors in series.

Or, for just two, it's

C1 * C2
C1 + C2

[cynical1]

Jan 9, 2009 1:18:46 GMT -5 ChrisK said:

1/0.022 = 45.454545454545454545454545454545
1/0.047 = 21.276595744680851063829787234043
sum = 66.731141199226305609284332688588

1/66.731141199226305609284332688588 =
0.014985507246376811594202898550725

All farads aside...THAT I understand...man, it's tough to get old...

Thanks to both of you for clarifying the issue...now it's time for my medication and back to the ward...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[ChrisK]

Reciprocals can be confusing. One has to be religious about the units.

For just two caps, the

C1 * C2
C1 + C2

method is the easiest.

For 0.022 and 0.047, we'll use nanofarads as the consistent units.

22 * 47 =
22 + 47

1,034 = 14.9855 or 15 nanofarads
69

15 nF = 0.015 uF

The equations for caps in series are the same as those for resistors or inductors in (non-inductive coupling) parallel.

The equations for caps in parallel are the same as those for resistors or inductors in (non-inductive coupling) series (they just add).

Some examples;

[wolf]

Chris K
That is a clever reworking of the original circuit.
Since it might end up on my website, I think I'll send a Karma point in your direction.
Another way to do that might be with a SPDT center on switch and using capacitor values of .015 and .022. The major problem is that the highest value you could get is .037 mfd and I'd rather have that third value be .047.
Incidentally, instead of fooling around with those reciprocal formulas, a much easier method would be to go to my website www.1728.com/resistrs.htm and use the calculator.
It works for capacitors in series or resistors in parallel.

[ChrisK]

Another way to do that might be with a SPDT center on switch and using capacitor values of .015 and .022. The major problem is that the highest value you could get is .037 uF and I'd rather have that third value be .047.

Yeah, and who has 0.015 uF caps aboot?

If you look at The Demented TeleBlender, switch S2 implements it in increasing cap value order. Arbitrary is.

Incidentally, instead of fooling around with those reciprocal formulas, a much easier method would be to go to my website www.1728.com/resistrs.htm and use the calculator.

Yes, but if you don't learn fundamentally how to do something, how do you know if the answer is correct (one might have made a data entry error).

When one understands the models, one doesn't need to remember the formulaes. Seeing is, well, seeing. That's why we invented the calculus.

It works for capacitors in series or resistors in parallel.

I guess that you'll owe me another karma point since I've figured how to use it for inductors in parallel as well. ;D ;D