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Post subject: Texas Specials vs Tex Mex vs KWS vs Stock
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:44 am
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I've got a 2009 MIM Standard strat, and I want to change out the pups. I kind of want a blusier sound, maybe a little more bite than the stock pups. My choices are the Texas Specials, the Tex Mex, or the Kenny Wayne Shepherd signature (available on the KWS sig guitar, or through eBay :wink: )

Can anybody give me pros / cons / tips for any or all of these? I know the KWS isn't well known so I'm not expecting much back on it. I'm mainly concerned with texas specials vs Tex mex, and if the difference is worth the money. Thanks!


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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:22 pm
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As the username suggests, I know a thing or two on this subject. :lol:

If "bite" is what you're after Texas Specials or Tex-Mex pickups would fit the bill. Texas Specials sound warmer, with more bass and mids. And they respond to your picking dynamics very well. The neck pickup is especially great sounding. I put a set in my Squier and it made a huge difference. The bridge pickup has a lot of bite to it, and it's pretty twangy. I had it wired to one of the tone pots, which really helped because I can roll off on it a bit. It's sort of like how the Jimmie Vaughan signature strat is wired, except my middle pickup and neck pickup share the other tone knob and the middle pickup is wide open on the JV strat. I'd recommend this sort of wiring for the Tex-Mex pickups too.

The Tex-Mex pickups also have that bite to them, and they sound very good too. They're a little brighter, leaning more on the treble/mid side of things. To my ears the Texas Specials sound a little richer and I prefer them to Tex-Mex pickups. But the Tex-Mex pickups aren't slouchy and they're probably a better bang for the buck. You'll do well either way. :D

I've played a number of guitars with either Texas Specials or Tex-Mex pickups, but I haven't played a KWS strat yet. But here's a very good review of it.

http://www.oldtonezone.com/category/guitar-reviews/

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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:17 pm
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I put a set of Texas Specials in my strat a couple of days ago and although I haven't had alot of time with it I really like the way they sound when playing dirty. To my ears you can get a really nice overdriven tone, even a heavy sound without them "mushing out" like some single coils tend to do.


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Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:30 pm
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Sounds like the Specials are for me :) I like the warm and the bite, and if they give me both, then I'll take it.

TGS, what kind of music do you play? Being from Texas, I'm hoping you might have heard of Ragweed, or Reckless Kelly, Stoney LaRue, etc. If you know what I'm talking about, would you say they're good for that?


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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:31 pm
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I play a lot of Texas blues, SRV, Jimmie Vaughan, Albert Collins, Freddie King, that sort of thing. I also play in a praise and worship band at church with the same rig (turned down dramatically lol). Plus I play funk, classic rock, southern rock, jazz, old school r&b and whatever people throw at me to learn. So Texas Specials can work for almost anything (except high gain modern metal). I'm not too familiar with the bands you mentioned, but from what I do know about them I think Texas Specials could be what you're after.

You could look on youtube for demos and reviews of Texas Specials. That's what I did when I was debating between them or the Tex-Mex pickups.

What rig do you normally use? I'm guessing you have a Strat, which is why you'd be looking into these pickups in the first place. But what about your amp and effects?

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Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:18 pm
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Just my MIM strat and a FM 65 for now. Planning on getting the Boss blues driver soon, followed by a crybaby wah and maybe a digitech grunge. those are the only ones I'm thinking of now. But I don't play metal at all (well, maybe some iron maiden in the future, but that's not that crazy or high gain).


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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 3:15 pm
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Brian_Strat_215 wrote:
Just my MIM strat and a FM 65 for now. Planning on getting the Boss blues driver soon, followed by a crybaby wah and maybe a digitech grunge. those are the only ones I'm thinking of now. But I don't play metal at all (well, maybe some iron maiden in the future, but that's not that crazy or high gain).


I think that Texas Specials respond best to tube amps but I've played guitars with Texas Specials through FM series amps at guitar stores before and they still sounded very good and I could still tell the difference between them and stock. The Boss Blues Driver is an awesome pedal, and I have a crybaby wah myself. :) And you should have no trouble getting into Iron Maiden range with Texas Specials. As long as you aren't playing As I Lay Dying or anything like that, you'll be fine.

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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:54 pm
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Alright sounds great. Thanks a lot tgs. Hopefully I can go to guitar center on sunday and play with all the neat toys.


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