The AP Aristocrat is here

Walter Broes

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Do you think that the fact that the actual 50 year old Pups have actual 50 year old magnets, coils, wires and whatever the heck else they consist of might have something to do with it?

Sort of like the popularity in the US for a while for 'authentic' paint colors from colonial times on restored old houses...until someone figured out that those 'authentic' colors being analyzed and viewed and reproduced currently were NOT that color when first applied several hundred years ago...time marches on.
Yep, that is very well possible. The treble content of older pickups is almost always mellower and "friendlier", and that probably has something to do with the relatively short time an alnico magnet holds its magnetism.
 

SFIV1967

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I think we discussed a lot about the fact that 50 or even 60 year old magnets are different compared to new magnets for instance. So the wire doesn't count but the magnets on pickups are a major factor of tone. So it depends how BHK modeled the Franz pickups, did they use a 60 year old one to copy the magnet or did they use a magnet as they used in the 50's and de-gauss it? We all don't know I guess.
It would be interesting if somebody as experienced as like Walter could test a vintage one, a NS and a AP next to each other to say how different the sound of the Franz pickups is.
Ralf
 

mbuc

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That's a nice Parts-o-caster you've got there, Walter, very unique! And congrats that it turned out so well. You must have done a few things right there. Interesting pickups, too. I've never seen one of those.

A test like Ralf suggested would have to be done in the same guitar and even then I would expect other vintage Franz to possibly sound different, and probably the new ones, too, although to a lesser degree. I don't think one can generalize here. Some things just cannot be registered universally. But Walter may have a fun day (and a lot of soldering work).
 

Walter Broes

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Nah, spending a day swapping pickups in guitars and all that doesn't sound like that much fun - I'd much rather play music!

Markus, those are Kay pickups. I think they first appeared on the late 50's Barney Kessel signature guitars, and after that, they were on a bunch of different Kay guitars. They have a (deserved) cult reputaton for being something special.
 
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This is a very interesting topic of conversation. And I like your guitar Walter, especially since I have a set of the "cheap" Korean Franz reproduction pick ups I plan on installing into a Cabronita Telecaster. I also see the irony in having Duncan Seth Lovers in my GSR Starfire VI and The Duncans in the GSR T-500.
Thanks John
 

mbuc

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Markus, those are Kay pickups. I think they first appeared on the late 50's Barney Kessel signature guitars, and after that, they were on a bunch of different Kay guitars. They have a (deserved) cult reputaton for being something special.

Thanks, I'll remember them just in case I will ever see them for sale.
 

mbuc

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Damn, that Kesselkaster sounds awsome! I mean, Walter makes it sound awesome. The cleans are great but the crunch is stellar!
 
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