P/up comparisons for Mullen?

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I'm considering 3 pickup models for my Mullen Pre RP D10.
1: Original S/C Mullen stock 22KΩ units
2: BL XR16's
3: Telonics 34 or 84

Present install is PF1. Nice clarity and volume. Balance is less bottom with high end just at the edge of too much bite.

Past experience in other Mullen guitars point toward the s/c units for best balance and tone. Is it possible to have that tone but with less noise with one of the other options?

Experience with these models of pickups from other Mullen users most valuable. Thanks a bunch.

Bari Smith · From: Spartanburg SC USA

XR16 in my RP SD-10.......perfect,best way to put it!!!!
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SHO-BUD LDG(Cooperized),MULLEN RP SD-10,Webb 614E,'73 Vibrosonic,Mesa-Boogie Pre,Stewart 1.2,TC Electronic M-300,JBL's,Black Box,Walker Seats'84 Dobro,'69 Martin D-28,and assorted other goodies!

Tim Sergent · From: Hendersonville, TN, USA

Hey, Jerry,
I ended up putting stock single coils in all 3 of the Mullens that I played. Never cared much for the sound of humbuckers in them. Although I will say that in my opinion, the 22K single coils
might sound a little "thick". I had 18,600's in mine and I think they might've even wound me one at around 16,000 or so.

There's a lot of good pickups out there these days to choose from. Good luck in whatever you choose.

Tim

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

I've gone through several humbucking pickups on my 1997 pre-RP and have always gone back to the original single-coil pickup that Dixie Mullen made for the guitar. The only after-market pickup that I have been satisfied with is the Alumitone.
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Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Thanks for the replies.

Bari, have you tried any other pickups in your guitar that you can compare to the XR16? I've heard good things about them.

Tim, my first Mullen back in the early '90's had 22's. My second one had lighter wound Mullen pups, but I preferred the sound of the heavy ones. Thanks for the insight re: humbuckers.

Lee, I do have an AT here that I might try on it, but I was considering one of the other options.

I know it depends on the individual guitar, but I'm leaning toward the original pickups because I know they have a nice sound from past experience. I was just thinking about hum reduction, but I can do that through one of my multi-fx units.

Just want to see if any others have tried the options I mentioned. Thanks again.

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

I really liked the George L 10-1 in my RP. In my G2, I like the 705. Maybe a couple to add to you test.

Don Christy · Posted 25 Nov 2012 9:17 am

Jerry,
I'm kind of like you about what works best in the Mullen Steel.

When I first got my used 1997 Pre-Royal SD 10 back 3 years ago, it had a George L in it. I played the steel with my Nashville 112 and notice it was not getting the heavy bass tones on strings 8-9-10.

So,I went on the forum and found two stock Mullen pick-ups that had good ohms or readings. One of the pick-ups was a C6th and the other was E9th.

I tried the C6th first and it was loud. Every time I played the strings it had to much top end or sharpness. You could even blow on the strings and hear it. ha! ha!' Laughing

'

That's how touchy it was. I had the height of the pick-up at different heights, but it did not matter.

I took it off and put the E9th on and notice I had to raise the height by a dimes thickness between the pick-up and strings to sound good.

So now, I will be buying a BL Lxr16 to get the sound I what. I have talked to a lot of steel players that have the Mullen with the Lxr16 and they love it.

My equipment I have right now is the 1997 Pre-Royal SD10 with GSH stainless steel strings,Goodrich L120 volume pedal,Boss DD-3 delay,older super sustain Goodrich Match Box,1980 Peavey Session 400,2006 Peavey Nashville 112.Peterson flip strobe tuner and a PSG seat.

My next upgrade will be the BL Lxr16/10 narrow body and a Sarno Black Box. I found out you got to have a Black Box if you are using an amp with solid state electronics. My Peavey Nashville is soild state.

I might later get a Empress Effects Phaser. The demo link is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5IL8obAA18&feature=related

John Hughey once "said" when he had his Black Box, that it gave the strings a warm tone or warms the strings.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Thanks Don. Yes, I'm very familiar with the orig. Mullen units. I played a D10 for 13 yrs. with the 22's. They may not be for everybody. I liked them a lot but of course they may not sound the same in this current guitar.

I'll probably just order a new set of those and give up the chase.

I was hoping for some comprehensive comparisons to the new Telonics 84's and the BLXR16's v. those.

No more GL's for me. I've had 10-1's, and PF-1's in my Mullens. You know what they say....different strokes.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Well Chris, FYI, this guitar was ordered with these GL's from the factory by the original owner.

My first one had the original Mullen pickups and were much more satisfactory to me.

At any rate, many people like to customize their guitars, chase a different sound through pickups, amplifiers, fx or whatever. I guess it's allowed to spend our money on whatever aspect of sound we want. That doesn't mean that we don't still strive for better execution, technique etc.
I also have near 40 yrs. in the bag, so no novice here. I don't need anyone to tell me how to pursue my own steel playing experience.

You might consider the possibility that my experience with hum issues is not the same as yours.

Sometimes I wish I didn't have such discriminating ears otoh, when I find a sound that trips my trigger, it's all worthwhile.

To each his own.

Anyway, I'm still interested to hear from other Mullen owners who have compared the pickups in my original post.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

My stint with humbucking pickups in my Mullen U-12 started when we began playing in a couple of venues that created horrible hum issues for those of us that were using single-coil pickups.

I never was happy with the humbuckers that I tried. The 12-1 I liked the least.

We no longer play those two noisy venues...thank goodness.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande

There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

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