jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
What are your thoughts about Blacktop Filtertron pickups? What do you like about them? What do you dislike about them?
Gretsch Lovers
- Thread starter jrockbridge
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jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
They get very hot in the summer, but I like the sound they make when a red rubber dodgeball bounces off of them.
Honestly, it depends on which Guitar they're in. For instance, the Black Top BroadTrons (not the FilterTrons you're asking about, I know) sounded way too dark for my tastes in my G5220 Jet but absolutely luscious in my G5655TG CenterBlock.
The BTFTs are not as bright and chimey as, say, the High Sensitive FTs but are definitely not just smaller humbuckers or even Epi/Gib-style minihums, either.
What are you looking to put them in/are they already in?
The BTFTs are not as bright and chimey as, say, the High Sensitive FTs but are definitely not just smaller humbuckers or even Epi/Gib-style minihums, either.
What are you looking to put them in/are they already in?
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
I’m considering the mid level Gretsch blacktop pickups as replacements for Broad’Tron BT-2S in either one of two guitars. Of course, nobody can predict whether they would work out for me.
Mine is mint green, almost like a surf green. The neck P90 sounds good. Even the middle position is decent. But, the bridge position is not something I’d use.
This is one is similar to the one I own but mine is a 2410T. I’ve come to realize that I want to try something other than the BT-2S that’s closer to traditional Gretsch. While the high sensitivity Filtertron pickups would likely sound great, paying that much for upgrading a cheap guitar seems silly to me. The mid grade blacktop pickups seem to be considered to be a more classic Gretsch sounding pickup. And, the upgrade price is more reasonable for a budget guitar.
Bob411
thrumming with potential
I don't live in the Gretsch world, never owned one. Back when they first started making some of their guitars in China, I picked one up at a guitar center. It was comical how bad it was. Yes, in the years since, China has got a lot better at making guitars, the Gretschs are probably a lot better now too. I've just never had the itch to see. Anyways, in general, with any brand, it's kind of like playing the lottery. Sometimes you get way more than you paid for. Long story short, I don't think it's necessarily silly to put expensive pickups in a cheap guitar. Possibly silly? Yes. If the guitar is a piece of crap or, it's OK but, you have other guitars that are so much better so, this guitar won't ever get played, yes it would be silly.
"While the high sensitivity Filtertron pickups would likely sound great, paying that much for upgrading a cheap guitar seems silly to me. The mid grade blacktop pickups seem to be considered to be a more classic Gretsch sounding pickup. And, the upgrade price is more reasonable for a budget guitar."
Pine Apple Slim
Kick Henry Jackassowski
My first Gretsch was a 5120 Electromatic with the infamous "Mudbuckers", which were in essence a fairly decent set of vintage sounding humbuckers. But in that guitar it resulted in a dark sound, very jazzy, smokey, and Gibson-like. When the 5420 series came out with the Blacktop Filtertrons after a couple of yrs I got a good deal on a set from someone upgrading their 5420 to Filtertrons or TVJs. The Blacktops made the 5120 much more Gretchy, more twangy. Later on I got a White Falcon with TVJ Classics. Compared to the 5120 the Falcon had much better clean tones IMO. Just more full sounding and richer when played clean. Sweeter across the spectrum from lows to highs. But with OD and distortion they were pretty darn similar IMO. So I wound up moving the 5120 on during the pandemic. Now I kinda regret not putting the old mudbuckers back in and keeping it , I kinda miss the dark bluesy vibe of the original guitar, a totally different thing than the Pro Line Falcon with TVJ Classics.
The Blacktops will get you a more traditional Gretch sound but IMO they dont match TVJ Classics in the cleans dept. But if you are mainly a player who uses mild OD to heavy distortion they will get you in more traditional Gretsch ballpark than with their more Gibson inspired pickups.
The Blacktops will get you a more traditional Gretch sound but IMO they dont match TVJ Classics in the cleans dept. But if you are mainly a player who uses mild OD to heavy distortion they will get you in more traditional Gretsch ballpark than with their more Gibson inspired pickups.
Guitar Heel
Demented Trick
Then maybe you shouldn't have contributed to this thread. Or do you just crave the attention??
Jerk.
smurfco
Meatus McPrepuce
truly, you are the most demented trick.
The Black Tops FilterTrons would get you 95% of the way there. They are true FilterTrons, just with the '70s style covers and they're wound a touch (and I mean a touch) hotter while using the narrower standard humbucker fillister head screws for poles instead of 6-40 (vintage spec) or 6-32 (HSFT spec) screws.
At a certain point there's a level of minutiae that I don't feel you're concerned with and the BTFTs will add that clarity and Gretschiness that you want.
That said... I've definitely put pickups in a guitar where the pickups cost more than the guitar.
The BT-2S and improved BT-3S pickups aren't terrible but they're also definitely not that classic Gretsch sound. Heck, if you could find a set of Black Top Broadtrons like what I have in my G5655TG those might also work extremely well for your hollowbody there, and you can find those used sometimes for almost nothing.
If you need help finding the correct pickup rings, lemme know. Your two guitars have Gibson-style rings. Standard Gretsch rings have the screws a little closer together and might not completely cover the existing screw holes, but there are rings out there that will drop right into the existing screw holes and fit the Filtertrons without a gap.
This might be of interest to you:
gretsch-talk.com
For Sale - set of Filtertron Nick 13 blacktops w creme bobbin cover.
$100 when I bought my nick13 duojet I pulled the set of Filtertron Nick 13 blacktops w creme bobbin covers. Been sitting in the drawer. they seems a tad more chimey than stock blacktops which I hahhte. :) You might like chimier blacktops.
gretsch-talk.com
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
Thanks for thinking of me. Nice looking out.This might be of interest to you:
For Sale - set of Filtertron Nick 13 blacktops w creme bobbin cover.
$100 when I bought my nick13 duojet I pulled the set of Filtertron Nick 13 blacktops w creme bobbin covers. Been sitting in the drawer. they seems a tad more chimey than stock blacktops which I hahhte. :) You might like chimier blacktops.
You can buy new Blacktop Filtertron pickups between $45 and $60 each, depending on where you look. So, I don't think a used pair for $100 is much of a bargain. Also, my G2410T has gold hardware, so I'd need the gold hardware Blacktop Filtertron pair for my guitar. The gold ones are less common but not impossible to find.
Pine Apple Slim
Kick Henry Jackassowski
I had to spend a few buck at TVJ for the correct rings and heights spacers when I did my 5120 conversion to the blacktops. Around $30-40 as I recall but its been a while ago.I think I paid around $90 for the 2 pickups. I didnt bother with upgrading the wiring harness.
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
I ordered a chrome bridge, Blacktop-Filtertron pickup for my Gretsch G2215-P90. It has already arrived. The guitar cost me $210 including tax (new and shipped). The pickup with tax and shipping ended up close to $45. Also, I ordered and received a cheap ($12) chrome, trapeze tailpiece. mostly for aesthetic. The guitar looks like it needs a Bigsby, or something, in the area after the strings and bridge. I did not want to shell out the money for a proper Bigsby. I opted for a cheap trapeze tailpiece to fill in the empty space. I'll post before and after pics of the modifications.
Question: Does anyone sell longer adjustment screws for a Gretsch wraparound bridge? When doing my setup on the G2215-P90, I adjusted the screws in as far as they will go to lengthen the scale. Yet, all the strings are a tiny bit sharp at the 12th fret. I should probably remove the neck and shim it away from the body to fix the intonation but I'm avoiding it for now. As a temporary fix, I stuck the end two string rings into a gap, to move out the bridge and that did the trick.
I ordered a gold neck and bridge set of Blacktop-Filtertron pickups (~$90 including tax and shipping) for my used Gretsch hollow body G2410T. I paid close to $280 used. In hindsight, I could have had a new model for $349 during the end of the year blowout sale. My timing in acquisition was too early. Oh well, mine is heavily relic'd.
I purchased Gibson-style cream pickup, mounting plates from TV Jones, 2x bridge and 1x neck. IIRC the cost with tax and shipping was $28.
The mods should go quick when all the parts are here. But, I may not have time to get to it until after Christmas.
Question: Does anyone sell longer adjustment screws for a Gretsch wraparound bridge? When doing my setup on the G2215-P90, I adjusted the screws in as far as they will go to lengthen the scale. Yet, all the strings are a tiny bit sharp at the 12th fret. I should probably remove the neck and shim it away from the body to fix the intonation but I'm avoiding it for now. As a temporary fix, I stuck the end two string rings into a gap, to move out the bridge and that did the trick.
I ordered a gold neck and bridge set of Blacktop-Filtertron pickups (~$90 including tax and shipping) for my used Gretsch hollow body G2410T. I paid close to $280 used. In hindsight, I could have had a new model for $349 during the end of the year blowout sale. My timing in acquisition was too early. Oh well, mine is heavily relic'd.
I purchased Gibson-style cream pickup, mounting plates from TV Jones, 2x bridge and 1x neck. IIRC the cost with tax and shipping was $28.
The mods should go quick when all the parts are here. But, I may not have time to get to it until after Christmas.
I may possibly have the screws you need, but they're not special screws at all. As long as you get the correct thread your local hardware store should have them. Those would be metric.
That said, you could always upgrade the bridge on the cheap, too. I just put this bridge on my Harley Benton since the stock bridge was a bit buzzy and had the dreaded lean. For under $20 shipped with tax it gives you individual saddle adjustment, but getting longer screws for your current bridge will probably cost you a $1.
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
Technically, since I'm adding the trapeze tailpiece, I can replace the wraparound with any bridge that will fit and has grooves in the saddles. It no longer needs to be a wraparound.
I was originally thinking, I would simply start the strings at the trapeze tailpiece, tuck the strings under the bridge, thread them through the holes and wrap them around like usual. So, the trapeze would simply be there for looks. However, since the trapeze is going on anyway, it may as well serve its proper function. I should be able to pass the strings over the top of a standard adjustable bridge similar to what's on an LP.
jrockbridge
Stealing Your Riffs
I love my Strat and Strat-ish guitars. Still, it's easy to make the case that the standard placement of pickup switch and one knob get in the way. With Gretsch, they give you room to roam free.
I've gotten used to the Strat layout. I typically strum and pick between the neck and middle pickup. It's like any guitar. You get used to the way it works to play it. Or, you dismiss it and concentrate on other designs.
I'm new to Gretsch. Yet, the two I have feel great and play great. And, I'm hoping with a pup swap, these cheapies will sound closer to the Gretsch thing.
I love my LP's and Strat's, even with their idiosyncrasies. I'm also cool with the differences I have found in Gretsch.