Duncan phatcat silencer pickups in an archtop

[jzucker]

I have an Gibson Tal Farlow archtop with duncan phatcat silencer pickups in it. These pickups are P90s that fit into a standard humbucker housing and are phenomenal. When I first got the guitar, I assumed the first thing I was going to have to do was replace the pickups with classic '57s but no, they are killer for jazz. They have kind of a singing '50s sound to them without the hum.

[Gitfiddler]

Yessir, Phat Cats are great pickups...in any guitar!

Here are two of my gits with them...

[Jimmy Mack]

I (and others I'm sure) would love to hear them and that "fat singing 50's sound".

They should also be (maybe they are) recommended in the Jazz p/ups for Tele's threads.

[jads57]

Not sure what Silencer versions are. I had Phat Cats in a couple of Hamer Guitars. Newport and a Talladega models, but they weren’t hum canceling except in the middle positions.

[jzucker]

Not sure what Silencer versions are. I had Phat Cats in a couple of Hamer Guitars. Newport and a Talladega models, but they weren’t hum canceling except in the middle positions.

silencer version has a dummy coil underneath to cancel hum

[jads57]

This must be a recent improvement in the last 10 years? Lol!

[jzucker]

This must be a recent improvement in the last 10 years? Lol!

possibly. i'm guessing it doesn't sound as sweet as the original? At least that's what I found with the stacked singles they make.

[ingeneri]

Congratulation on the Tal Farlow, and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Phat Cat silencers.

I remember that guitar also had a treble bleed. I am curious about your thoughts on this mod and how you think it impacts the tone. My concern has been a treble bleed is better suited for Rock or Country but would be too bright for a “thunky” traditional Jazz tone.

[jzucker]

Congratulation on the Tal Farlow, and thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Phat Cat silencers.

I remember that guitar also had a treble bleed. I am curious about your thoughts on this mod and how you think it impacts the tone. My concern has been a treble bleed is better suited for Rock or Country but would be too bright for a “thunky” traditional Jazz tone.

i don't like the treble bleed. I'll probably have it removed. When the tone control is down for a more thunky sound, the treble bleed defeats the tone control and the fatness is lost.

[Cunamara]

Everywhere but jazz guitar, "tone" = "treble." Whenever a guitarist playing any genre other than jazz complains about loss of tone, they're virtually always complaining about loss of treble. Hence the popularity of treble bleed circuits.

[jzucker]

Everywhere but jazz guitar, "tone" = "treble." Whenever a guitarist playing any genre other than jazz complains about loss of tone, they're virtually always complaining about loss of treble. Hence the popularity of treble bleed circuits.

none of the great tonemeisters I love used a treble bleed. If you are that sensitive to turning down the volume, use a volume pedal. IMO, it was a guitar-tech solution in search of a problem.