Filtertrons in an epiphone?

Calum13

I’ve been thinking about swapping out the standard humbuckers in my epiphone Sheraton II to something more bright sounding. I played a gretsch country gent in a guitar shop the other day and liked the way it sounded. Is there anywhere that does filtertrons that are the same size as a humbucker? Or would it be better having a standard sized filtertron but on a pick up ring to fit my epiphone?

Funkfingers

Several US and UK pickup makers offer 'Tron type pickups in a regular humbucker metal cover. Several of them are registered on this very forum. Obviously, 2200 hours on December 24th is not the best date to expect answers from any of them.

One observation. The Sheraton II is of semi-hollow body construction. The Gretsch that you liked is fully hollow. This has some effect on the overall sound that each guitar will produce through amplification.

I suggest that you trawl YouTube for demonstrations of the Gibson Chris Cornell signature guitar. (Essentially, a 335 with 'Trons.) 

Corvus

Most makers I've come across do bucker-sizes so no probs there. Some people on the Gretsch forum say the original size matters because of the coil closeness and them sharing the magnet but I've no idea if it actually makes any real-life odds, I've only had trad sizes.

You can pick an output level. Trad wind is around 4k or less ('Classic' in TV Jones speak), and hotter around 8k (Classic+). And hotter still from there, getting more PAF-ish apparently (again not been there).
Don't be put off by the low DCR they have a big fat mag and make decent output. Both drive an amp or pedals well. The 8k ones have lots more mids. They still have the sweet harmonic thing going on. It's quite common in Gretschland to have a trad neck and the hotter 8k-ish bridge. Either way's good, I have a pair of trad-style in one guitar and a 8k-style bridge in another.

TheMarlin

Mojo do some lovely ones.   

Funkfingers

Calum13 said:

I’ve been thinking about swapping out the standard humbuckers in my epiphone Sheraton II to something more bright sounding.

How old is your Epi and what iteration of their own brand humbuckers are in it? (Some variants have model ID self-adhesive labels attached on their baseplates. Have a look next time you changed the strings.)

Calum13

Funkfingers said:

Calum13 said:

I’ve been thinking about swapping out the standard humbuckers in my epiphone Sheraton II to something more bright sounding.

How old is your Epi and what iteration of their own brand humbuckers are in it? (Some variants have model ID self-adhesive labels attached on their baseplates. Have a look next time you changed the strings.)

It’s from 2016 and it has probucker pickups I think. Merry Christmas by the way!

Funkfingers

How much brighter were you hoping to make the Sheraton II sound? Have you tried changing to stainless steel strings? This might do the trick for far less money and with far less work.

FWIIW, it is possible to obtain adapter mounting surrounds that centre a regularly-sized 'Tron onto a humbucker-sized rout. Obviously, for this to work, you have to get the correct mounting type on the 'Trons.

Original USA Epiphone Sheratons used the mini humbucker. Thus, it might be appropriate to have a pickup of that sort housed in a regular humbucker cover.

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

Original USA Epiphone Sheratons used the mini humbucker. Thus, it might be appropriate to have a pickup of that sort housed in a regular humbucker cover.

I'd go for either that or standard mini-humbuckers in adaptor rings. The Epiphone mini-humbucker sound is fantastic - much brighter than a full-size humbucker but in a different way from a Filtertron.

Henrytwang

A few years ago genuine Filter’Tron pickups were reasonably inexpensive, about £40 each inc shipping from USA, if you were lucky they slipped through customs so no duty. I bought quite a few and have fitted them to Telecasters and Epiphone semi acoustics. With a bit of ingenuity it’s a pretty simple to fit a Filter’Tron into a humbucker ring.  A quick look at YouTube or the Gretsch forum will probably turn up a few ideas.

Calum13

I might try the stainless steel strings. Is there any significant differences between them and standard 10 gauge strings? Like will it wear the frets faster or are they less resilient than regular strings?

How much brighter were you hoping to make the Sheraton II sound? Have you tried changing to stainless steel strings? This might do the trick for far less money and with far less work.

dazzajl

One thing to look out for if you get actual Filters of some sort is the string spacing at your bridge. 

So many guitars that have been converted to Filters have strings that don’t line up with the pole peices. This always grates just a bit with me, might or might not with you 

steveledzep

dazzajl said:

One thing to look out for if you get actual Filters of some sort is the string spacing at your bridge. 

So many guitars that have been converted to Filters have strings that don’t line up with the pole peices. This always grates just a bit with me, might or might not with you 

That's a good point.  I have a 2012 MIM Tele Thinline Cabronita and the strings weren't lined up with the poles on the Fidelitrons to the point that the 6th string was nearly falling off the fretboard.  This was Fender supplied like this.  I've changed the bridge to a Hipshot and alignment is restored.  Sorry, I've tried, but I can't get the hang of putting images on here.  Tried and failed.

Henrytwang

steveledzep said:

dazzajl said:

One thing to look out for if you get actual Filters of some sort is the string spacing at your bridge. 

So many guitars that have been converted to Filters have strings that don’t line up with the pole peices. This always grates just a bit with me, might or might not with you 

That's a good point.  I have a 2012 MIM Tele Thinline Cabronita and the strings weren't lined up with the poles on the Fidelitrons to the point that the 6th string was nearly falling off the fretboard.  This was Fender supplied like this.  I've changed the bridge to a Hipshot and alignment is restored.  Sorry, I've tried, but I can't get the hang of putting images on here.  Tried and failed.

I too have given up trying to post images on this site. I belong to quite a few guitar forums and this is the only one I have problems with. I’ve noticed that some people who do manage to post images manage to post all the images from their hosting site. 

ICBM

Henrytwang said:

I too have given up trying to post images on this site. I belong to quite a few guitar forums and this is the only one I have problems with. I’ve noticed that some people who do manage to post images manage to post all the images from their hosting site. 

You can use the 'file' symbol in the toolbar at the top of the post and paste the image address into the box, or you can switch to HTML mode (the </> button) and copy a simple bit of code in.

Like this (which is what you need to put mini-humbuckers in a modern Sheraton) - find image on Amazon, copy web address, click 'file' and paste web address:

steveledzep

steveledzep

Thank you ICBM.  Got the photos up and just worked out on this one how to get some text in.  Showing (above) original bridge and here the better alignment over the pickup poles.

ICBM

That should be fine, other than the slight visual misalignment - as long as the string passes over any part of the polepiece there's no difference in response, and usually even if it's further out than that. The magnetic field just isn't that focused - if it was, when you bent a string over the neck pickup the signal would disappear when the string was halfway between the polepieces. It's a little more sensitive on the end ones, but as long as the string isn't fully outside the poles it won't matter.

Calum13

So, if I were to replace the pickups to filtertrons would I be better getting humbucker sized filtertrons OR standard sized filtertrons with a pickup ring to fit in My sheraton with standard humbuckers. Would the latter option get me closer to the gretsch sound? I’ve heard some people say one of the things that make the iconic filtertron sound is the close together coils however the pieces may not line up with the strings.

JayGee

No love for @TheGuitarWeasel’s Cowtrons?

Funkfingers

Cannot comment. Not tried ‘em. 

Calum13

JayGee said:

No love for @TheGuitarWeasel’s Cowtrons?

Has anyone tried them?