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Post subject: Tex Mex vs Texas Special
Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:32 am
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I would like to repup my Tele. What is the tonal difference between the Tex Mex & Texas Special?
Can you mix them?


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Post subject: Re: Tex Mex vs Texas Special
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 7:57 am
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knotty wrote:
I would like to repup my Tele. What is the tonal difference between the Tex Mex & Texas Special?
Can you mix them?


sanx Craig


They can be mixed.

The Tex-Mex predominantly sounds like a 'regular' Tele pickup with just a 'touch' of Texas Special 'zing' to it. This 'zing' is due to the Alnico V magnets which are typically, the most powerful Alnicos used for a single coil. As a species, the Tex-Mex pickups' coils are underwound in comparison to 'regular' Tele (or Strat for that matter) pickups and because of this and the strong magnets, they tend to have a bit more of hum then many other low or moderate output single coils. If you haven't been reading between the lines here, note that due to the Tex-Mex pickups being underwound, they are not powerful pickups at all and lean towards the higher frequencies, sometimes a bit too much.

As a species, the Texas Specials' coils are over wound in comparison to 'regular' Tele (or Strat for that matter) pickups, using the same Alnico V magnets.

The 'balls' of any pickup comes from the midrange which becomes readily prevalent in an overwound coil. So, in comparison to the Tex-Mex, you'll have more volume, more midrange and overall 'thump' with less line noise and less high-end. Again, it is the strong Alnico V magnets which keep the Texas Specials from being bassy, farty or just plain, 'blah'.

As you can see, the most dramatic result will be had by using Texas Specials where with the Tex-Mexs, you will notice more of a subtle change for better or for worse.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:32 am
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