It's been many, many years, but...

[LeonC]

...I still cannot get over how good TA pickups sound. I've got them in several TA guitars and in several non-TA guitars. Today, I was play a Thorn that has H01- in the neck and that thing just sounded soooooo freakin good. So much spank and personality for a humbucker. I almost thought I was playing it split for a second there...and when you do split it, it's so very, very close to a good strat neck pickup sound. Just outstanding.

Everyone's different, but I really have a hard time understanding the criticism that these pups often get. "Sterile"? :confused: Give me a freakin break! Not mushy, not flat, not dark, not too hot...there's a lot of things it's not (that I think a lot of humbuckers are) but sterile is one of the last words I'd use to describe it.

[Tom Gross]

I'm with you on this one, Leon.

My Hollow Cobra with HO1- & HO1+ is really all I need. The bridge sound screams, The Neck sound is smooth as silk, and the split sounds are so good, well, I'm thinking seriously of selling my strat.

[andersonguy]

I must agree. I love the pickups, to each his own though. I would say the Anderson pickups do have their own personality which is a good thing. Some may call it sterile, I call it crisp with a lot of clarity.
I do think that if you are used to a certain sound in a pickup and switch to an Andy, it may take a while for your ears to adjust to the difference. Many people may not take the time to let that happen. Once it does :D its all over though. lol

AG

[Stan Malinowski]

I have had people accuse me of changing the pickups in my Anderson Classics when they first hear them. Most of them were pre-biased by the hype they had heard about the sterility of TAG pickups. A couple of players changed out their Fralins for TAs after hearing them!

[BrianH]

I agree completely. I love Tom’s pickups, and have always found myself defending them (all the ‘…sterile..’ comments). And now I’m head over heels for the M’s.
I’ll admit that I’ve had a Joe Barden in the neck of my old T Classic forever, but it’s coming out and being replaced by an M-1. And the H1-,H2+ combo has always been my favorite.

[Scott Peterson]

I dig TA pickups a ton.

I have a set of M1/M1/M3 dropping in my Thorn guitar and can't wait to hear them!

[westex]

Well......Hate to be negative, but I just sold my Hollow DT Classic (Sa1s and H3 bridge) because I couldn't make the tones work for me. The clean tones were outstanding; into any good clean tube amp (I have a Bogner Shiva and a Mesa Blue Angel) it sounded as good and better as any clean strat I've had. The overdriven tones were the ones I couldn't make work. I am used to my AM STd. Strat with Kinman Blues set and they sound divine overdriven. For harder stuff I use my Zion basswood/Floyd Rose/Bill Lawrence and it sounds great.

And I wanted/expected the Andy to sound great. It played fantastic, among the best. But I rarely play completely clean so the guitar just didn't work for me. I haven't given up though. I tried out a solid body DT classic over the weekend, SA1's and H2+ in the bridge. It sounded very similar to the hollow one. It may be just what I am used to. I don't know. I would like to try one with vintage outputs (HO series) and the new M s in a non pickguard guitar before I give up. I could always replace the pickups with the typical Duncan JB / 59 or Kinmans I guess.

I have learned over the years that truly in any art form that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One man's beast is another man's beauty. We will see........Cheers all.

Wes

[scottiK]

I think so much depends on what you are running the guitar in to. I recently purchased a Barber Burn Unit (thanks for the advice Tom) and was deciding between it and a FDII.

I have a strat with Fralins in it....sounds great through the Burn Unit....not as good through the FDII. My TA has SA's in the neck and middle, which sound incredible through the FDII and pretty good through the Burn Unit yet not as magical as the FDII. But I use the H2+ in the bridge the most in my current playing situation and it sounds best through the Burn Unit.

But my point is depending on which pedal I had I would have judged the pickups differently. I think the SA'S are more balanced and would get a good sound through most gear where as other pickups tend to have a more distinct voice and might not sound good in all situations. Plus I can run them as a regular sungle coil or as hum cancelling...which unfortunately I have to do more than I like. The H2+ is just right for me as far as humbuckers go. Not too hot(splits well)...not too dark...not to bright....just right!

Just my 2 cents...
scott

[LeonC]

Originally posted by scottiK
I think so much depends on what you are running the guitar in to....

Bingo. Makes all the difference in the world. Not all pickups sound good in all guitars played through all amps for all styles of music. TAs are no exception. They're not universally perfect for everyone in every situation.

[oscar100]

i love the m series they are amazing

for me i dont get on with teh other TAG pickups - too bright

ive got really bright fingers and need something alittle warmer to balance my natural sound

ive found my match with suhr vlp60's for single coils an m series too



:)

[scottiK]

Originally posted by oscar100
ive got really bright fingers and need something alittle warmer to balance my natural sound...

ahhh...another good point. Not only does your gear play in but definatley your hands and playing style as well. my hands tend to be pretty "bright" as well. Anyone know what that's caused by? I have fairly skinny fingers and have assumed that is the reason. When I occasionally play bass you can really hear it.

And don't forget string guage...

scott

[oscar100]

for me

i think i fret the string hard and also hit the string hard with alot of attack if that makes sense

ive seen otherplayers who stroke th estrings and get a more mellow tone

i never played that way - dont know why

i have th euncanny ability top make the muddiest sounding humbucker on a mahogany top less paul sound brite.....

gods blessing i guess

;)