What does Charvel know about surf music anyway? Their Surfcaster is half Rickenbacker, and as we've all agreed here, lipstick tube pickups were never part of surf guitar history. I'd still like one because they are beautiful, and I would play surf music on it, because as we have all agreed here, surf music can be played on ANY guitar, one guitar doesn't "surf" better than another. Me thinks some of you are taking me way too seriously.

Have you picked your lipsticks yet? (Does that question strike anyone else here as possibly subject to misinterpretation?)

Your question got me thinking. Maybe I ought to try lipsticks in my Les Paul to make it surfier. To put things in perspective, what do you think would happen if I asked the Les Paul forum which ones to use?

Almost everyone here writes with a certain amount of tongue in cheek. Have you seen the topic about Dubstep?

BTW, what brought you back to surf anyway?

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

I've had my eye on the Squier Modified Surf Strat as well and a lot has to do with how it looks. Those lipsticks are killer with that white MOP pickguard. I have a couple Strats and it doesn't hurt that the Surf Strat sounds different. Not better, not worse but different. And that's why what you are looking to do is great. Not to knock Strats as I love 'em but you would be hard pressed not to enter any music store or pawn shop in America and not find at least one hanging about. Different can be good.

As to the "correct" surf sound, it's true that to get the sounds of the founders you pretty much have to use what they used. But again, who's to say that different can't be as good. The audience probably won't know the difference in a song's performance and as long as it sounds good, who cares if it's not a spot-on sonic rendition? If you play Johhny B. Goode, do you have to use an ES-355 (I may be off here but you get the drift) to sound "authentic"? Nah.

So, build your guitar the way you want it, play to your heart's content and you and your audience will love it. Besides, you might just stumble across "the sound" that defines the next generation of surf. If so, remember me at royalty pay-out time....

More cowbell?? Nah...More Reverb!!

Crash, you are correct: Johnny B. Goode - 335

Noel, nothing brought me back to surf, I've never been completely away from it. (The early surf, at least.)

Having lived in the Midwest nearly my whole life listening to that music made it feel like summer year round in a way.

If only my playing skills were somewhat equal to my 50 plus years of experience playing guitar!

About the low output, does having a really loud amp make up for that or not?

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

I believe they were too long. That's why some companies make shorter ones to fit Strat cutouts, like this Seymour Duncan SLS-1.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Oct 17, 2012 20:11:16

wfoguy wrote:

My less than useful info: I used GFS lipsticks for a Squire Bullet conversion. The guitar body had to have wood removed to allow the pickups to fit. Compared to some vintage single coils, I was really disappointed. They look good but the output was less than what they replaced.

I've got the Seymour Duncan lipstick's in my Strat. No issues with the output, or fit. What I like about them is that they go from a clean sound to breaking up nicely depending on how hard I play.

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Oct 17, 2012 20:28:00

revhank wrote:

I've got the Seymour Duncan lipstick's in my Strat. No issues with the output, or fit. What I like about them is that they go from a clean sound to breaking up nicely depending on how hard I play.

Rev

Are they on Longhorn? If they are, wow. I wouldn't have believed it. Real nice.

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

As a long time fan and owner of vintage Danos I've also tried most of the lipstick tube pickups by other makers and IMO, the Seymour Duncan sounds the closest. The Jerry Jones were nice as well but he has retired and be cautious of the folks who bought his winding machines and parts as they didn't get his "recipe".
The original pickups used A6 magnets and I don't think most of the newer makers do.
Noel, a louder amp can help with the lower output of these pickups but I find that a Boost, Overdrive (set low) or EQ pedal can really make them come to life and match perceivable output of other pickups.
I've used an amp in case model, 1457, onstage with an SG and used a Boss EQ to bring the level of the lipsticks up closer to the output of the SG and Voila', Different sounding guitars with matched outputs.
Compressors set low on compression and high on output work nicely for this as well. My 2 cents

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Noel wrote:

revhank wrote:

I've got the Seymour Duncan lipstick's in my Strat. No issues with the output, or fit. What I like about them is that they go from a clean sound to breaking up nicely depending on how hard I play.

Rev

Are they on Longhorn? If they are, wow. I wouldn't have believed it. Real nice.

Hey Noel,

They are indeed featured on most of the tracks on Longhorn, plus some on Bang Howdy Partner. The bass on Longhorn is a Korean era Dano Longorn (album title) My Strat plus originally came with Lace Sensors, which I grew to dislike. I'm much happier with the lipsticks. I also have an original one p-up Dano, and a Hodad Baritone. Lipsticks are my fave!

A big part of the sound is amp choice as well (50/50 I estimate). And the player, of course.

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Last edited: Oct 18, 2012 14:24:37