Talk WRHBs to me?

stickyfiddle

After missing out on a spectacular restomod JM with original WRHBs I'm highly tempted to build one myself. The rest of the spec pretty much writes itself, with the main questions being thinline or solid, and choosing between black and tort guard.

But pickups are a minor mystery as I've never had anything with WRHBs. I know Fender now do a proper cunife reissue which is a fairly obvious choice. Lollar's Regals also seem to be very well regarded. Those aren't cunife but are another magnet alloy that is apparently very similar. 

I think these are probably the only two options I'd consider because all the others have either no logo or an ugly logo and both of those look rubbish. I'm guessing Novak's version would be excellent but plain covers just don't work visually

Has anyone tried either the new Fender reissue or the Lollars? Or any other words of wisdom?

simonhpieman

Oh man, that JM sounds great. Have you got any pics?!!

I can only attest to the original ones in my old Starcaster (slightly quacky, rich, great), the 90s Japanese ones in my Tele Thinline (lovely but not anything like the original ones) and the 2015ish Mexican ones (also good but not WRHB-y at all as you probably know).

Interested to see what you end up going with!

stickyfiddle

@simonhpieman ;

Utterly excellent thing and I think I intend to copy it almost exactly. Maybe different knobs, and I might try a Mastery trem, but otherwise *chef's kiss*

7KQedLI.mp4

Seziertisch

https://youtu.be/Wq6kJpf4bSM

This a a good comparison

stickyfiddle

Seziertisch said:

https://youtu.be/Wq6kJpf4bSM

This a a good comparison

Yeah, I’ve already spoken with Mr Fuzzman briefly on Facebook - his all black Blaster is my other main inspo for this build! 

Also.. @simonhpieman im going to need to see the Starcaster if you please!!!

simonhpieman

Not mine any longer, did a semi-panic sell a few months into lockdown thanks to getting screwed by the SEISS "help".

TheBigDipper

I've been very happy with a pair of WRHB-voiced pickups from The Creamery combined with a wiring loom from MojoTone in my 2015 MIM Tele Deluxe FSR (which came with "fake" WRHB pickups and, therefore, not the best pot values for the controls once the pickups were changed). 

Oh, and when I did this, I'd been playing a few '70s originals, looking seriously without finding any that I believed were truly original (thus very overpriced), so my ears still had an idea of what sound these guitars actually make. 

benecol

I put a set of the Fender cunife reissues in my thinline, and while they were very expensive, I've not regretted it at all; they sound great, there's some magic there. A grumpier friend did the same, and even he's happy.
People (I definitely have) spend equivalent money on pedals which are only on some of the time; at least one of your pickups is always getting use!

markslade07

I've got a Vintera Roadworn Tele Deluxe I'm thinking of swapping the pickups out of so watching this thread with great interest. Would love the Fender cunife jobbies, but suspect they'll be out of my price range

stickyfiddle

simonhpieman said:

Not mine any longer, did a semi-panic sell a few months into lockdown thanks to getting screwed by the SEISS "help".

That's awesome. I've always had a feeing I'd love one, but don't think I've ever seen one in real life, aside from Killers and Radiohead gigs!

stickyfiddle

markslade07 said:

I've got a Vintera Roadworn Tele Deluxe I'm thinking of swapping the pickups out of so watching this thread with great interest. Would love the Fender cunife jobbies, but suspect they'll be out of my price range

They're about $200 each in the US, which I assume equates to abou GBP 200 in the UK. That doesn't actually seem ridiculous considering they're such a bespoke thing with the cunife magnets. 

I have a feeling I will go for the Fender ones, not least because I can get a reliced set from Reverb for under $200 each right now, which feels like a steal. Even if the JB build stalls I know I'll try a thinline Tele at some point. 

Keefy

TheBigDipper said:

I've been very happy with a pair of WRHB-voiced pickups from The Creamery combined with a wiring loom from MojoTone in my 2015 MIM Tele Deluxe FSR (which came with "fake" WRHB pickups and, therefore, not the best pot values for the controls once the pickups were changed). 

I did much the same but sourced my own replacement pots and wiring to copy the MojoTone values.

Of course the OP may not like the Creamery logo…

Here's mine with its Tele stable mates:

stickyfiddle

Yeah. I've had Creamery stuff in the past so I'm sure they're great, but the logo just doesn't work for me. I even feel bad saying it as I know it's not entirely rational, but here we are!

timmypix

Another vote for the Creamery's efforts. I've played the Baby '71, which is the regular humbucker-sized version, and it's an amazing pickup - it keeps the frequency response and feel of a single coil but just... I guess bigger? Really cool.

Caffeine_Vampire

I have an original wrhb in my avri '72 custom. I have 375k, 500k and 1 Meg pots but decided to go with 250k which makes the neck pup deliciously jazzy. I have a set of creamery wrhb's to go in a nr firebird that I need to try.

Caffeine_Vampire

If you play clean and loud wrhb's are wonderful.

CFH

Given the recent trend on the forum I was glad to see that this isn’t a thread about Wide Range Harley Bentons 

Dave_Mc

I've got a set of Catswhiskers, which seem really good to my ears. I think they use alnico magnets rather than cunife, and to be clear, I haven't tried the originals with the cunife magnets. 

Philly_Q

Seziertisch said:

https://youtu.be/Wq6kJpf4bSM

This a a good comparison

Cool Strat, although it would look even better with a big headstock.

TheBigDipper

Keefy said:

TheBigDipper said:

I've been very happy with a pair of WRHB-voiced pickups from The Creamery combined with a wiring loom from MojoTone in my 2015 MIM Tele Deluxe FSR (which came with "fake" WRHB pickups and, therefore, not the best pot values for the controls once the pickups were changed). 

I did much the same but sourced my own replacement pots and wiring to copy the MojoTone values.

Of course the OP may not like the Creamery logo…

Here's mine with its Tele stable mates:

Lovely. Mine looks identical. I've just joined a new band and made the decision that this is the guitar I'm using for the project until/unless it proves a stupid idea. I don't think that will be the case...

chrisj1602

Does a Jazzmaster need additional routing to get WRHBs in?