Seth designed that pickup, some like 'em some think they were his worst work, I never liked them much. The pole pieces were cunife which is a magnetic material that can be machined into screw poles. No one makes an authentic copy....
The Fender reissues are adjustable screws that look like the old cunife screws but aren't magnets. They use a regular humbucker bar magnet. The cover is also extremely thick, like they were trying to protect it from anti-tank rounds, and totally kills what tone is left.
The one I rewound for a guy measured 12k with 43 wire, which is roughly the equilvalent of 9k/42, which is still too hot and muddy for a neck pu, even without that cover.
I've never tried an original Wide Range, but I bet the reissue would give the original a run for the money in the mud dept.
I don't think Fender EVER made an accurate "reissue" pickup in their entire history, what they make are "max profit" products and call them reissues.
Some people think the wide range buckers are worth alot because Seth Lover designed it, whooopee. The truth is Seth Lover was no genius really, more of a nuts and bolts guy. I had a Tele custom in the 70s with that pickup in the neck and it definitely did NOT rock at all. Very weak output, much too hi-fi sounding. I guess they can sound good through a small amp cranked up high but you sure can't do AC/DC stuff with them, they are what they are....
Well the Fender HBs were not designed to sound like a PAF. The idea was to maintain as much of the Fender character as possible but remain humbucking. Honestly: how much AC/DC can you pound out of any Fender? It doesn’t mater how good the Fender might be. You need a SG and a Marshal cranked up. Oh, and a brother with a Gretsch cranking his vox (I think) up high too
Honestly: how much AC/DC can you pound out of any Fender? It doesn’t mater how good the Fender might be. You need a SC and a Marshal cranked up. Oh, and a brother with a Gretsch cranking his vox (I think) up high too
The Gretsch pickups are pretty clean too! Pete Townsend got some good power cords out of a Gretsch.
Keith Richards likes those Teles with the wide range buckers.
As far as rocking out on a Fender... Deep Purple anyone?
It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein
Hendrix, Trower, Nirvana etc etc, all really nice rockers, but we were talking AC/DC type of ball breaking (pun intended) Neanderthal rock.
But hey, Bolin with Purple... I'm sticking my neck out and saying that "Come taste..." is among the best Purple record ever (that can't really turn up a discussion can it?).
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