What Are TV Jones Pickups??????

Can anybody tell me in laymans terms?.... Something I don't need to think about much?

https://reverb.com/item/4063456-guild-bluesbird-1997-w-tv-jones-pickups

They are essentially a boutique version of Gretsch pickups, custom made by a guy named T. V. Jones.

He makes a version of a Filtertron, Hilotron, etc. He also makes a version of Dearmond's Dynasonic pickup.

Ok I like that... If I had an X170T with those in there from the factory I'd be a happy boy.

TV Jones give that jangly rockabilly tone. Think Brian Setzer. I bet that guitar sounds glorious.

Not original tuners, but they're locking which I like.

Just thinking out loud - everyone has sounds and tones they like - but wouldn't those pups be better on a semi or hollow body? Or would the chambers of the BB give a similar sound?

And man, I love the Grover tuners that come with the BB originally, I'm not sure why those were changed.

Richard, don't if you are buying, or what finish you like, etc. but the Ebony BB for $995 is the best "deal" on reverb right now, IMHO.

YMMV.

walrus

Gretsch and Guild pickups are similar in that they are all about clarity and note separation. Whether you are talking humbucker or single coil. Gibsons on the other hand tend to smear the tone more and sustain into a fuzzier, midrangier conglomeration. Both certainly have their supporters and there are a lot more of the latter than the former it seems.

Tom T.V. Jones was Brian Setzer's tech and Brian wanted the Filter'Trons to sound more like the vintage ones. So Tom got to work and came up with the Classic. He has since come out with Power'Trons with more midrange to come to more of a compromise between the two sounds. He also makes Super'Trons that are bar pickups and TV-HTs that are more powerful Hi-Lo Trons. He makes a Magna'Tron that sounds more like a DeArmond but still is a humbucking pickup. It uses magnets for polepieces. He has come up with some new ones including a Brian Setzer model that has a more vintage sound still, a Paul Yandell Duo'Tron (Paul Yandell was Chet Atkins' second guitar player) that is half bar and half pole piece. Finally, there is a new pickup that is supposed to be the closest to the original Ray Butts design.

He also makes versions of the P90, DeArmond, Tele, PAF and Strat pickups that are all unique takes and very highly regarded.

The same pickup can come in several formats including the Filter'Tron style, top mounted DeArmond and full-sized Humbucker style.

I have Classics in my 6120 and Power'Trons in my Starfire V. They are fantastic. This shows the Power'Trons in the Humbucking format:

Anyone try one of these 'Trons?

walrus said:

Just thinking out loud - everyone has sounds and tones they like - but wouldn't those pups be better on a semi or hollow body? Or would the chambers of the BB give a similar sound?

And man, I love the Grover tuners that come with the BB originally, I'm not sure why those were changed.

Richard, don't if you are buying, or what finish you like, etc. but the Ebony BB for $995 is the best "deal" on reverb right now, IMHO.

YMMV.

walrus

Click to expand...

Gretsch also makes a chambered solid body, called the Duo Jet, that has quite a good reputation and uses Filtertrons.

Ah, right! Harrison's guitar!

walrus

I have a circa 2000 X170T that I'm borrowing from a good friend (he won't sell it to me!!). It has Classic pickups in the hum bucker format, a Delrin nut shaped like Setzer's and Sperzels. A master volume was added, but it doesn't do much for me.

Does this make me a member of the Guild/TV Jones Club? Here are a few pics:

TV Jones Filtertrons sound great in all types of guitars including solid body tele's and I love the three TV Jones custom setup I have in one of my Strats. The do have plenty of Jangle to them but they can get down right Nasty if you want them to be. Also they can have some of the clearest tones you have ever heard. They are a very versatile pickup with many different configurations to choose from. I am in the process of ordering a set of the Newer Duo-tron Pickups for my Blue Sparkle Double cut Gretsch Black Falcon. Here is a pic of the TV Jones pickups in one of my Strats.



And this is a pick of the TV Jones Classics that came from the Factory in my Limited edition Double cut Black Falcon.



Here is a link to TV Jones website to the page for the TV Jones Classics. They have soundclips on the page through different amps so you can get a feel for them. If you go to the pickup page and click on what you want they should have a soundclip for the other styles too. This should help you out in actually hearing what they sound like Richard.

http://www.tvjones.com/tv-classic-pickups.html


TX

Well, once again the forum members have come through. Great info!!!!! Now, if I could just learn to play better.................

TV Jones make great pickups. Find out what models are in the guitar if you can. They come in Classic, Classic Plus (which I have in a 335 style guitar), Powertron (which I have in a Les Paul style guitar) & Powertron Plus.

The Powertron models would probably work best in a solid body. The standard Powertron is like a classic PAF but with more air & sweeter highs. The Plus model would add a bit more grunt. The others would be fine too but are lower output & would be a lot more airy & jangly. I jad teh Classic Plus in the Les Paul - sounded great but the beefier Powertron was a better fit for that guitar.

I'm Jonesying to put some of TVs pickups into a Guilds as well, maybe my 97 Starfire IV (though I love HB-1s too).

gilded said:

Does this make me a member of the Guild/TV Jones Club?

Click to expand...

NO! Your current status in the Guild/TV Jones Club is a "conditional" membership... the "condition" being that you talk your friend into selling you the guitar!

That's a nice looking Rock-a-billy machine you got there.

Bill