Do I want Filtertrons?

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-25-2018, 09:47 AM

There are a lot of great pups that would work on a Tele, but man, them Charlie Christian-style pups from Lollar and Vintage Vibe make my pants tight

**Greentone** · 10-25-2018, 10:02 AM

Al Jardine (Beach Boys) played a Les Paul Special with Gretsch Filtertrons while on tour in the 70s. This guitar sounded quite good through his Twin Reverb. Filtertrons can sound pretty good on a solid body.

**DRS** · 10-25-2018, 10:08 AM

I had Filtertron HS in a Gretsch 5120. Neck was OK for jazz tones but it would be Johnny Smith tones not smokier Wes and Burrell tones.
There is a certain crispness I like with Filtertron HS pups. Don't know about TV Jones.

**feet** · 10-25-2018, 11:22 AM

i would only go with filtertrons if i wanted to sound awesome and get a bunch of girls.

on the other hand, if i were going to play jazz... maybe not my first choice. possibly supertrons, if i had to.

**omphalopsychos** · 10-25-2018, 12:00 PM

If I may step in, I think you meant to ask about dynasonics, which are pretty awesome for jazz.

**GNAPPI** · 10-25-2018, 01:22 PM

I have a pair of Filtertron clones made by the famous pickup maker "QC Pass" :-)

They're in an Ibanez AS-103nt that the P.O installed, and with the tone rolled off by a half they're OK for a second or special use git, but as a main player, I couldn't see having them.

**Greentone** · 10-25-2018, 01:31 PM

+1 Dynasonics are maybe in the top four pickups of all time.

**morroben** · 10-25-2018, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

I have a pair of Filtertron clones made by the famous pickup maker "QC Pass" :-)

They're in an Ibanez AS-103nt that the P.O installed, and with the tone rolled off by a half they're OK for a second or special use git, but as a main player, I couldn't see having them.

I have a set of QC's tele pickups in a drawer somewhere, and have tried some of his other pups in the past. To be honest, I've found his work to be on par with other boutique builders, but when I really want to brag about my pickups on the internet, I find the QC's lack a little something.

I'm still watching videos and talking myself in and out of things.

Has anyone tried CC's with a 4-way switch? If I could get a second useable hum-cancelling tone those would be more tempting.

**neatomic** · 10-25-2018, 04:12 PM

hah it all goes in circles...the filtertrons were created to humbuck the noisy dynasonics on gretsch guitars!!!...chet wanted quiet!!! hah...then the hilotrons were gretsches in house/cheaper version of the dynasonic!!

i agree dynasonics are great...ric toasters too...and franz pups...carvin ap-6's...all great vintage unique single coil pups

cheers

**ruger9** · 10-25-2018, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

+1 Dynasonics are maybe in the top four pickups of all time.

...AND TV Jones also makes them in a "Filter mount" so they drop right into Cabronita pickups routs. I was going to get them until I went with his T-90s instead. I love the T-90s so much, my GAS for the T-Armonds (as he calls them) all but disappeared.

Dynasonic/Dearmond/T-armond = all same, very very close. The names are pretty much used interchangeably these days.

**morroben** · 10-25-2018, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by gitman

I built a Partscaster last winter, using a chambered Warmoth Tele body in Korina and a custom made neck in baked/torrefied maple. The guitar has a Hipshot trem and as set of TV Jones Classic Filtertron type pups. Having played "normal" tele's for 20 years I wanted something different and I got it, too : the guitar has sustain for days (I guess the neck plays the biggest part in that equation) , is very responsive and these pups do an excellent job of relaying these traits to my amps. I used this mongrel for a wide variety of gigs and yes, you can mos def use it for jazz !
A general word of caution : Beware of those youtube clips ! The guys mostly sit at home, play really soft and use all kinds a different equipment for producing their tones so you never know for real what goes on.

This here is quite convincing and gives you an idea of what's possible :

I saw this on my phone last night but just watched again on my computer with headphones. This guitar sounds great to me.
The CC's are interesting, but beyond the noise factor, they're pretty dark. They nail the smokey jazz thing, but they seem a little flat in other situations.
In my experience, it's easier to tame a bright pickup than clear up a dark pickup.

**neatomic** · 10-25-2018, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by morroben

In my experience, it's easier to tame a bright pickup than clear up a dark pickup.

hah..not impossible...but definitely easier!!!

cheers

**zigzag** · 10-26-2018, 11:14 AM

Having owned a 6120 with Filtertrons, I can tell you that they don't have what I would consider a "jazz sound," whatever that is. Can't believe they'd sound closer mounted in a Tele.

Lindy Fralin has recently come out with his version of DynaSonics which have a sound somewhere near P-90s that might be better for the sound you seek.

A pretty good demo for the Fralins:
DynaSonic(R) - Lindy Fralin Pickups

**Greentone** · 10-26-2018, 11:31 AM

I had two 6120 Gretsches with Filtertrons--a '64 and a '67. I got great jazz tones on the neck pickup. The key was playing through a Polytone Mini Brute amp. Through other amplifiers the guitars sounded more Merle/Chet, I must admit. The Polytone amp really gets a flat sound that just avoids the whole bass hump/treble hump thing that the FMV amps have ingrained into our musical consciousnesses.

**Ken Olmstead** · 10-26-2018, 02:27 PM

I have a Gretsch White Penguin (solid/chambered) with TV Jones Classics and I get the most lovely chord melody sounds with the neck pup through a Tweed Champ. Pure angelic tones! Gotta roll the volumes back and play with the tone switch, but Filters can be fantastic for jazz IMO. Now the gold on white with outlandish headstock is not necessarily what your jazz audience is ready for visually, but it WILL do the job, no problemo!