Test Drove Truetone

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

I used my new Wallace Truetone pick-up onstage last night for the first time and I'm another very happy customer. The used Carter I bought a few months ago had a George L's E66 on it. I know those are very popular but the tone just didn't do anything for me on that guitar. ( wonderful guitar in all other regards) This Truetone makes all the difference in the world. It sounds great throughout the range of the guitar but it especially shines on the high notes..sweet and pure...no dischordant overtones or raspyness. If there's any extra 'single coil' hum it's not evident to me. It's great that Jerry came along with this excellent product.

Larry Hamilton · From: Amarillo,Tx

Bill, I've been driving my TrueTones for over 9 months now and am simply amazed every time I turn my amp at the tone I get.
Try different settings and I beleive you will find many usable tones as well as you favorite setting. The only other pup I would use would be another TT of different ohms just for fun. I have a pair of 18.5's in a Legrande II. Killer pups.

------------------
Keep pickin', Larry

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

"Bill, I've been driving my TrueTones for over 9 months now and am simply amazed every time I turn my amp at the tone I get."

I know what you mean Larry. I've been playing every spare minute since I put it in because the thing sounds so good.

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

Yep ! i too swapped my E66 for a TT on E9/Zum
Night and Day
Jerry Wallace has got good medicine

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Oui, kemo sabe, TT is good Ju Ju.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Please excuse my ignorance here - even 'though I've played guitars and steels for more years than I care to confess, I'm still hopelessly uninformed with regard to pick-ups.

I have a factory-standard LeGrande lll D10. I didn't specify anything special, so I got standard single-coils.

Firstly, what impedance are they, please?

Secondly, I LOVE this guitar and its tone, but on reading this thread, I can't help but wonder if it could be even better.

Thirdly - what are the characteristics of lower/higher impedance pick-ups? Does a higher figure mean more 'highs', and a lower figure a fatter sound?

Finally - IF I have a criticism of my steel, it would be that I'd like a shade more warmth on the C neck - do the factory fit the same p/ups to both necks if nothing is specified?

OH, and how much are these TTs?

Thanks, guys....

Roger

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Bill, how about the "highs"? Do they sound sharp and shrill?

Rick Collins
Claremont, CA

Bill Miller · From: Gaspe, Quebec, Canada

Roger; Someone will correct me if I'm wrong here, but as I understand it the higher the impedance the more the emphasis on the lower end. My Truetone is 18.4 or 18.5 ohms which is what the Carter company and Jerry Wallace arrived at as the best resistance for a Carter guitar. For your guitar it's probably best to email Jerry Wallace and ask for his opinion...he'll wind your pick-up to whatever resistance you want I think.
Rick; Certainly to my ear the highs are very clear and pure but not sharp and shrill. And what I notice most about the highs is a much improved tone when picking intervals or chords in the high register (Hugheyland). I found the E66 was giving me dischordant sounding harmonic overtones up there. The Truetone is much better in that regard and yet when I move back to the bass strings at the first few frets the lows are rich and full sounding. Maybe your experience will be different but an awful lot of people seem to love these pups.

[This message was edited by Bill Miller on 04 August 2004 at 09:09 AM.]

[This message was edited by Bill Miller on 04 August 2004 at 10:03 AM.]

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

I love the TruTone pickups. I have had them on 3 different gitars, and really like them. Roger, I think the Emmons single coil pickups might be the closest pickup to the TruTone. I have the original pickups on my '81 P/P, they sound excellent, they do have a bit more noise then the TruTones I've used. The impedence on the Emmons' pickups is 17500k, all the trutones I had were very close to that reading. The best thing is the clean and clear quality with the TruTones.

Jeff Agnew · From: Dallas, TX

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Many thanks, Jeff - and everyone - for the concise replies.

As I said, I love the tone of my Emmons - it's easily the best steel I've ever had. Buck Reid was kind enough to do a little work on it a year or so back, and he was very impressed with its tone as well, repeatedly saying what a great guitar it was (that's in case you suspect I don't know what I'm talking about

!), so a change of pick-ups is just an idle thought at this stage.

IF I wanted to change my C6 p/up for something warmer, I expect that I'll try one of Jerry's - how high should I go with that impedance figure? Is there a point where it becomes counter-productive?

I'm sorry for sort-of hijacking this thread, but I've wondered about this for a while now....

Thanks, you guys!

RR

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

How complicated is it to measure a p/up's impedance, and what do I need to do it with? Now I'm wondering what mine are exactly!

RR

Marty Holmes · From: Magnolia ,TX USA

I have to agree with Bill.I used an E-66 pickup for two years and it just was'nt cuttin it.I heard everyone raving about the Wallace true tone pickups,and decided to try one for myself.As far as I'm concerned it is the best pickup one the market.

[This message was edited by Marty Holmes on 05 August 2004 at 11:03 AM.]

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

I just called Emmons Co. a couple of days ago to get some info on a guitar for sale here on the forum. While I was at it I gave them my serial # and they were able to tell me what type of P.U.'s the guitar origionally was shipped with. Mine happened to be 20K dual coil pick ups on both necks as was suggested by Frenchy's Steel guitar who I bought the guitar from new. I have always liked the tone of my guitar. I think if I get a second guitar I may experiment a bit. Much easier with 2 guitars for sure. I play through a Stereo Steel setup with 2 JBL 130 speakers which is very very warm sounding. That may be a deciding factor to try something about 18.5 or a little less.

[This message was edited by W Franco on 05 August 2004 at 11:50 AM.]

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I ordered some TruTone pickups from Jerry for a new Williams I am having Bill Rudolph build for me. When I received them I believe he wound one at 17.5 and the other at 17.8
Erv

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

It is a combination of :

The width, density and magnetic characteristics of the wire alloy used.

The metal alloy type and size of the core and poles.

The number of winds around the core and how they are laid out.

And when mounted, the distance to the strings
and to some extent the type of metal alloy and size of the strings too,

that give a pickup a particular tone.

Jerry has come up with a winning group of combinations.
I see VERY few players decided to return a TT.

After THAT it's up to you to give the units something good to reproduce.

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