Why swap p/u's in a TA

[Stratman53]

I'm interested in this guitar on e-bay, but am curious why someone would change the pickups. I always thought that Andersons strength was in their p/u's

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3718048219:

:confused:

[andersonguy]

Hi Stratman,
They are including the original pickups so this is a bonus. You can sell the SD's on ebay and keep the originals.

There are many reasons for people changing pickups. Just a matter of personal choice. Perhaps they were used to using the SD's and wanted a particular sound.

TA pickups are fantastic, some of the best, but are not for everybody. I love them in most of my Andies.

I have changed pickups on one of my andies to SD antiquities and love them. sorry

That is one sweeeeet looking guitar though. Good luck with the auction!;)

AG

[pluto]

I saw that you are the winning bidder. Congrats! The thing about TA pickups is that judging from what people write on the internet, folks tend to either love them or not like them. Personally, I prefer to keep TA pickups with TA guitars since I'm assuming the tone of the TA guitar was designed around the TA pickups. I consider the optimal tone of a TA guitar to be a result of the guitar itself and the TA pickups.

[Stratman53]

WoW my first TA, I'm like a little kid again. Yea I'm sure I'll end up putting the TA's original pickups back in the guitar, my only concern now is to find someone locally who can do it properly.

[pluto]

Originally posted by Stratman53
WoW my first TA, I'm like a little kid again. Yea I'm sure I'll end up putting the TA's original pickups back in the guitar, my only concern now is to find someone locally who can do it properly.

Congrats again. I'm sure any guitar tech will be able to put the original pickups back in-the wiring just won't be as fancy and unbelievable as it is when the folks at TA do it.

[Stratman53]

Thanks......The guitar has the "switcheroo" gotta love that name, system, I hope to find someone who really knows what they're doing. Yes you're right kinda misses something if not done by the original manufacturer.

[pluto]

Originally posted by Stratman53
Thanks......The guitar has the "switcheroo" gotta love that name, system, I hope to find someone who really knows what they're doing. Yes you're right kinda misses something if not done by the original manufacturer.

If you've ever seen a TA guitar with the pickup wiring done by the TA people, you will amazed at how clean and meticulous the wiring is. My local tech was amazed when he saw the wiring and asked me if I was sure if I wanted him to swap pickups and mess with the wiring. BTW-switcheroo system is awesome!

[tom]

the switcheroo is very easy to connect the pickups to. hopefully a local can make it look pretty.

[pluto]

Originally posted by tom
hopefully a local can make it look pretty.

My local tech said the wiring was a work of art, so I doubt it! Other people must think so too, because when I sold a Hollow Classic a couple of years ago, I mentioned that I changed the pickups. Several people who inquired about the guitar asked who changed the pickups. It was very important to them that the TA factory did the change and not just a regular guitar tech because of the pickup wiring.

[tom]

ok, i admit it. we are anal about wiring, come to think of it, we're anal about a lot of things.

[mbrown3]

I don't know if anyone has ever said this before. But in this case, anal is good! :D

[andersonguy]

congratulations stratman! and welcome.

I know you will be happy!

[Stratman53]

WoW what a guitar. Now I see what all the talk has been about. The guitar plays smooth............like buttah, the craftsmanship is outstanding, and is beauiful to look at, WoW. The duncans installed in the guitar are ok ...for now, I will be reinstalling the original SA1's and the HO2, for what the guitar was designed to use.

[Stan Malinowski]

Stratman,

Why don't you consider sending the original pickups back to TAG, buy a new pickguard from them and have them wire it up. When it's returned to you all yo would have to do (or have someone do for you) is solder the 2 wires to the output jack and a ground wire. This way you can continue to play your Andy with the Duncans while the pickguard is being wired up at TAG.

[Stratman53]

That sounds like a great idea, where would I get info on that?
Can that be done with the "switcheroo" system?

[Stan Malinowski]

Call Roy at TAG and he can give the cost and instructions for performing the work.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by tom
ok, i admit it. we are anal about wiring, come to think of it, we're anal about a lot of things.

I don't hear ANY complaining about that!!:cool: :D

[pluto]

Originally posted by tombo
I've been meaning to respond to this post, but just never got around to it.

I agree 100% with what pluto said. I mean, to me, TA pickups just sound great with TA guitars! I almost went for a used DT with the hum/single/single combination last winter (Kip Fulbeck's Classic came along and I nabbed that instead). I just loved the H2+ pickup in the lead position and the noiseless singe coils sounded great (can't remember the model #'s).

I've seen people talk a lot of trash about TA pickups on other boards, and I just don't understand:confused: Everything pluto says above in the quote is right on the money.

Oh well.......guess it leaves us who are "in the know" with the best guitars (and pickups!) around:)

To be fair, I can understand some of the usual complaints about some of the TA pickups. I do think the non vintage pickups appear to be "darker" and "modern" which some people construe as being "cold" and "sterile" compared to other stock pickups I've played. That being said, the pickups are definitely a part of the TA equation. The TA tone is from a TA guitar along with TA pickups. I can't ever imagine playing a cobra without H2+ bridge pickups or a drop top without the SA middle and neck pickups. Those pickups are just ideal for those guitars.

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by tombo
I've been meaning to respond to this post, but just never got around to it.

I agree 100% with what pluto said. I mean, to me, TA pickups just sound great with TA guitars! I almost went for a used DT with the hum/single/single combination last winter (Kip Fulbeck's Classic came along and I nabbed that instead). I just loved the H2+ pickup in the lead position and the noiseless singe coils sounded great (can't remember the model #'s).

I've seen people talk a lot of trash about TA pickups on other boards, and I just don't understand:confused: Everything pluto says above in the quote is right on the money.

Oh well.......guess it leaves us who are "in the know" with the best guitars (and pickups!) around:)

I'll second Mark's and Tombo's thoughts.

I'll also add, IMHO:
as a rule, don't mess w/ the TAG mojo. who's name's on the headstock? want to experience tom's "vision"? tom's p/up's are an integral part of that tone vision. removing TAG p/up's are like using a vintage Marshall as a power amp - sure it works, but WHAT A WASTE! you're not experiencing that piece of gear in the way it was designed or intended. Want to hear Duncans or Dimarios? then put 'em into guitars where construction, wood components and design don't matter - where the p/up's output's so high that it'll distort even through a JC120. now THAT's tone nirvana!:cool:

[sonsop]

Originally posted by michaelomiya
I'll also add, IMHO:
as a rule, don't mess w/ the TAG mojo. who's name's on the headstock? want to experience tom's "vision"? tom's p/up's are an integral part of that tone vision. removing TAG p/up's are like using a vintage Marshall as a power amp - sure it works, but WHAT A WASTE! you're not experiencing that piece of gear in the way it was designed or intended. Want to hear Duncans or Dimarios?

Aye...yeah but - Pete Anderson uses Duncans & Dimarzios in his TA guitars.

Not starting trouble, just musing.

[pluto]

Originally posted by sonsop
Aye...yeah but - Pete Anderson uses Duncans & Dimarzios in his TA guitars.

Not starting trouble, just musing.

That's true. I know a couple of guys who have swapped their TA pickups out and have definitely liked the difference. I just don't see the point-sometimes we get obsessed with tone and do all kinds of stuff contrary to the original intention of the guitar/amp/effect builder just to get that 5% better tone only our own ear can hear. Ah well, this is good musings-maybe this can be a new topic.

[andersonguy]

Originally when I got my DTC, I knew the VA12's were nothing short of beautiful, I still feel that way. I love the VA's. I wanted something that could get a little uglier than them though and researched far and wide to find a suitable replacement. This was not an easy thing for me to do, as I love all things TA. I put seymour duncan antiquites in it and they do sound fantastic. It serves a great purpose, but I have to admit, I felt guilty for doing it. Maybe somday I'll put the VA's back in. I have VA's in my HCT and they sound fantastic, they're not going anywhere.
Its a personal preference. I do find it odd that anyone would trashmouth TA pickups though. They are fantastic.:)

AG

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by sonsop
Aye...yeah but - Pete Anderson uses Duncans & Dimarzios in his TA guitars.

Not starting trouble, just musing.

OK. well he's Pete Anderson and tom and roy still love him, so I guess we should look the other way and forgive him:D ;) :p

[michaelomiya]

Originally posted by andersonguy
I put seymour duncan antiquites in it and they do sound fantastic. It serves a great purpose, but I have to admit, I felt guilty for doing it. Maybe somday I'll put the VA's back in.

truthfully, I have often wondered what it would sound like if I yanked out the p/ups from my EVH Ernie Ball MM. Supposedly those p/ups were Steve Blutcher's prototypes for the Air Norton's or the Steve Special. hmm.. DiMarzios in my andy would be sweet (at the risk of contradicting myself). Truth is....I'm too lazy (too stupid) to go through all of the work to pull out the Ernie Ball pickups and then REWIRING my andy.:)

sorry if I came off as a preachy, right-wing lune. (no offense to those who are preachy or right-wing!)

[Roy (maybe)]

Everything is all right pickup lovers—no worries here.

Just to set the record straight, Pete Anderson owns many different Anderson guitars. In his two Cobras he runs stock Anderson P-Series and H-Series pickups and in his Baritom (Baripete as he calls it) he also runs all Anderson pickups. It is only in his Hollow T Classics that he does Duncans or DiMarzios because these are the pickups he played as an already established “Tele-guy” before he came to us. He has never laid ears on Anderson vintage “T” or “V”-Series pickups and, respecting his relationship with these other two fine companies, we didn’t feel it our place to push him. Perhaps one day he will hear them and then ask why we never told him…but that is the fun of it all.

And for you who enjoy customizing and further personalizing your own Anderson axes, rest assured that the Anderson pickup line is forever growing, changing, morphing and expanding—just like our guitars. Look for new things coming your way in both arenas.

Have fun!

Roy (maybe)

[Stratman53]

Well, I finally did it.........changed the Duncans for the original TA pickups, and have been very pleased since. They just seem to be so much more responsive and tonal then the others. Thanks for all the input guys, I am now definitely a true believer in TA guitars