'Oily Towers' ... all the latest from Oil City Pickups

koneguitarist

Ash what would be the brightest neck pickup you do? 

All my guitars have one bridge pickup, but fancy a neck pickup for my tele but not a tele type, what would you suggest?

OilCityPickups

Ooooooooo that's a tricky one ... either my Cow-T-Rons ... or my Winterizer Firebird pickup. Firebird has a little more output and a more chunky tone in the mids. Cow-T-Ron is normal bucker form factor ... and of course a Firebird pickup is ... er ... firebird size!

koneguitarist

How can you make one sharper sounding?

I would like something really clear sounding, not high gain, but clarity, which is important with a tele, as I normally play quite cleanish. Any thoughts appreciated, or would it be better me give you a ring sometime?

OilCityPickups

I wouldn't have thought you'd want to go much sharper than a Cow-T-Ron at full chat through a 500k pot or 1meg if you have earwax problems :-)
Do gi-us a bell ... I always like talking face to ear ... um ?

TimmyO

On that theme of a slightly different neck pickup for Tele : I was looking at the Lollar Royal T - effectively a Strat pickup in a Tele neck pickup chassis - is that something you'd consider Ash?

Tim

OilCityPickups

I already do one pretty much like that, the Hardman. that has the Strat/SRV power and clang ... and can be had to custom order open topped .... either string wound ...or for that matter with the same covers as Jason's with a couple of weeks notice (We both use the same US supplier). I also do the Topless Angel ... to special order ... that's one of my alnico 3 Honkytonk angel units string wrapped for an early Strat-alike tone

ThePrettyDamned

koneguitarist;244422" said:

How can you make one sharper sounding?

I would like something really clear sounding, not high gain, but clarity, which is important with a tele, as I normally play quite cleanish. Any thoughts appreciated, or would it be better me give you a ring sometime?

The cow t Ron in my jazzmaster is very clear - super string definition and bright. It's punchy, despite its low output - probably my favourite pickup so far out of everything, and stupidly versatile.

I've no doubt I'll get another pair for the Ltd (will look odd, I know), which will be tuned BADGBE, for heavy rock. I reckon the clarity will help tame the bassiness from the low b and give it a cool baritone esque sound.

RedRabbit

Ash, just wanted to thank you for the speed with which you got the Blitz Spirit I order on Saturday night to me.  It'll soon be sat in the neck position of my PRS SE 245 along with a NightFighter at the bridge.  My only grumble is that your deliveries always arrive on a Wednesday so I have to wait a full week before I try them out with the band!

OilCityPickups

Lol I post out Monday morning ... what can I say lol :-)

TimmyO

TheGuitarWeasel;245120" said:

I already do one pretty much like that, the Hardman. that has the Strat/SRV power and clang ... and can be had to custom order open topped .... either string wound ...or for that matter with the same covers as Jason's with a couple of weeks notice (We both use the same US supplier). I also do the Topless Angel ... to special order ... that's one of my alnico 3 Honkytonk angel units string wrapped for an early Strat-alike tone

Cool

PVO_Dave

I don't suppose you have a demo anywhere of the Firebird pickups in action?

OilCityPickups

hope to have one soon .... very hectic with loads of work and a new pickup range to unveil shortly!

[Deleted User]

Could you do a HB with black bobbins and gold polepeices/screws?

OilCityPickups

JonathanWesson1 said:

Could you do a HB with black bobbins and gold polepeices/screws?

I can do anything me :-)
Yeh sure ... Most hardware bobbin combos are either in stock or I can get the bits in a few days

Samgb

Hi Ash

Dont know if you saw my thread on tarting up my old Epi Sg(actually there are now two of us doing the same). Obviously, your advocates have sprung into action!

What would you recommend as a decent combo? I dont necessarily want that normal humbucker sound - ive got that covered with SD 59s in a LP. The SG is a very 'middy' guitar anyway so to counterbalance id like a bit of clang and or single coil bite. Someone recommended a Cow-T-Ron which sounds ideal in the bridge but id probably like something different in the neck - a Wide Range or a P90 maybe? Would the balance be right?

Thanks    

OilCityPickups

I'd go the other way ... a humbucker sized P90 in the bridge ... and a Cow-T-Ron in neck duty! Hey presto perfect balance!

ThePrettyDamned

Hiya Ash, they've arrived! I'll screw them into the guitar today and solder it all up, and drop the guitar off to a recommended tech at the weekend. Fingers crossed it'll be sorted soon and I can report back!

Samgb

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I'd go the other way ... a humbucker sized P90 in the bridge ... and a Cow-T-Ron in neck duty! Hey presto perfect balance!

Thanks for that advice. The possibilities being endless, i change my mind from one day to the next on this. Tell me of your Brassknuckle - would that be a good match with one of your HB P90s(or a Smooth one) in the neck?

OilCityPickups

The BrassKnuckle is a bridge pickup that matches pretty well with any sort of neck unit. Bit like a Fender Wide Range ... but splittable. Big and fat on both coils ... well huge and fat really ... with sparkling tops and big kicking bottom end. Capable of driving an amp really hard on both coils ... and surprisingly hard on one! Very 'Tele' on one coil.

Samgb

TheGuitarWeasel said:

The BrassKnuckle is a bridge pickup that matches pretty well with any sort of neck unit. Bit like a Fender Wide Range ... but splittable. Big and fat on both coils ... well huge and fat really ... with sparkling tops and big kicking bottom end. Capable of driving an amp really hard on both coils ... and surprisingly hard on one! Very 'Tele' on one coil.

Thanks for the advice Ash. I just splashed for some Tonerider Rebel 90s im afraid. I had a budget of about £80 so it was either one of your im sure much better handwound beauties or a pair of these. If these improve my SG as much as i think they could i may treat my strat to something more choice!

Anyway, your tonal expertise and advice was appreciated.