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Post subject: Just Got My Jeff Beck Custom Shop.....Pickups Sound Thin..
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 3:38 pm
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Hello All,
I just picked up my Jeff Beck Custom Shop I've had on order.
It's a great mechanical guitar (build quality, fit & finish etc.) but the sound leaves a lot to be desired. I thought the ceramic noiseless pickups were rather hot, but they sound like a Silvertone compared to even a MIM Strat. They're thinner sounding and seem to have about 2/3 the amplitude of a most Fender single coils.

What gives ?
Is this what Jeff wants ?
Needless to say you can't try a CS before ordering.

Kinda reminds me of Les with his low impedance pickups.

A Fender tech stated I should be getting as much if not more output out of the ceramic noiseless pickups than my single coils and suggested there might be a problem with the guitar. I find that hard to believe in a hand built $3.5K solid body. That would be pretty pathetic to have a hand built CS bad right out of the box.

Into storage goes the Custom Shop.... back out comes the MIM.

Hello Ensenada MIM !! (I've got a great sounding '99 Sunburst, very hot, vintage sound)

Update: I dropped the JB off at the chain store last night, and it occurred to me on the way home ... thin hollow sounding, down on amplitude ? that could just be a pickup wired out of phase. We'll see.


Last edited by markr01000 on Sat May 22, 2010 6:53 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 3:47 pm
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BTW...is the hole and threads in the bridge block supposed to be purposely misaligned with the top plate of the bridge ?

They're offset and misaligned from each other on this JB. You look down the hole for the tremolo and the hole in the block is offset toward the neck from the hole in the top of the bridge. The bar is definitely rubbing against the chrome top plate from the offset as the bar threads into the block.


???


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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:46 pm
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Take it back my friend, take it back. Get it fixed, or get someone to hear what you are hearing and explain to you why. For that kinda money you get to ask questions too I'd think.

Having said that, a lot of 'classic' players have favoured lower output pickups, or pickups cranked down for less output, or lower gain pre-amp tubes. It may be what Jeff wanted. Find out though.

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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 4:58 pm
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Got the 2010 CS Custom Strat w/Jeff Beck pickups. I like them but I did have to move them closer to the strings fresh from the factory. Maybe that is how Beck prefers them?

Why not just return the guitar - unless you bought it used.


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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:53 pm
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Thanks for the replies.

I had noticed the pickups sit a bit low, They don't look significantly lower, but you never now. Maybe the ceramics have a different field effect.

How about the upper to lower bridge ?
Does yours line up or are the holes offset like mine ?


Thanks


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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:54 pm
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Sadly we are not all Jeff Beck :cry:

If the pups and the guitar are not for you...I agree...take it back or swap out the pups. the misaligned hole and bridge plate happens...just part of life...it's been happening on strats for years...probably since the start. It's easy enough to fix though.

Did you not try out a guitar with these pup before you ordered one?

I only ask because they sure don't suck when Jeff is playing :wink:


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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:13 pm
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zSPECTREz wrote:
Sadly we are not all Jeff Beck :cry:

If the pups and the guitar are not for you...I agree...take it back or swap out the pups. the misaligned hole and bridge plate happens...just part of life...it's been happening on strats for years...probably since the start. It's easy enough to fix though.

Did you not try out a guitar with these pup before you ordered one?

I only ask because they sure don't suck when Jeff is playing :wink:


:lol: No, they sure don't !

Yeah,maybe the ceramics just aren't for me.
They sound like weak mini humbuckers to me ('cause they are :D )
'Course they sound much brighter through Jeff's Marshalls than they do my Deville.

Unfortunately no, I did not get an opportunity to play these pickups before purchasing my CS. Here in central Florida (Orlando) everyone just has the low to mid products in stock. I had to roll the dice and order my JB.

But the misaligned bridge ?
No, I've never had one. And I certainly wouldn't expect that on a brand new hand built CS guitar. Maybe on an early MIJ.

Oh well, no big deal. You win some you lose some.


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Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:49 am
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I dropped the JB off at the chain store last night, and it occurred to me on the way home ... thin hollow sounding, down on amplitude ? that could just be a pickup wired out of phase. We'll see.


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