garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 23 2019 12:15 PM
I've started looking into getting new pickups for my Duo Sonic.
Can anyone point me towards European options for pickups? American brands costs tons here for some reason, and the Duo Sonic/Mustang size doesn't seem to be available at all. Buying in the US would add %%% on customs/tax/fees. Otherwise I might have considered Seymour Duncan Antiquity or something similar. I love Jags and their sound, but Jag bodies are too big and heavy for me, and hence they were never a real option  Generally not too keen on Strats.
One thing to consider is the very short scale of this guitar, 22.5", which gives it a somewhat mellow sound with the 11 strings I have on now. Looking obviously for this 60s sound for surf/garage/underground, but also like contemporary indy music with some fuzz/distortion. Not interested in classic rock/metal/super high gain stuff.
Thus what's there in Europe? I heard good things about Creamery but can't really find samples from those pickups. Other options?
Last edited: Apr 23, 2019 12:17:05
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edwardsand
Joined: Jun 29, 2018
Posts: 801
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Posted on Apr 24 2019 08:13 AM
The Duo-Sonic and Mustang pickups are the same size and shape as stratocaster pickups, so you can use anything that's made for a strat or strat copy. This gives you lots of options. If you want to continue to use the Duo Sonic pickup covers, you would need to get pickups with flat pole pieces, not staggered.
Schaller is the main European brand I can think of at the moment.
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garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 24 2019 10:49 AM
Thanks a lot edwardsand,
The stock pickups are staggered and the covers have holes. Looks like this has changed with the current model. Unless I decide for a chrome-y look after all I would probably prefer to keep the covers.
Looks like Schaller stopped producing pickups? I can't find anything on their website and in guitar shops. But I also stumbled upon Bare Knuckle Pickups. Thus there's more choice around here.
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SilverFlash
Joined: Jul 14, 2015
Posts: 478
Near Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Apr 24 2019 01:54 PM
I've heard good things about Tonerider pickups. According to their website, Tonerider pickups maintains a design, sales and distribution office in Canterbury, England and has a strong and reliable worldwide dealer network.
There was a rumor that Squier Classic Vibe Strats came with non-branded Toneriders. You can read about that here: https://tidywords.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/tonerider-pickups-vs-squier-classic-vibe-pickups/
Has anyone here actually tried them?
— -Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777
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ecv
Joined: Apr 08, 2016
Posts: 35
London
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Posted on Apr 25 2019 07:03 AM
I have Creamery Classic 64 Mustang pickups in my, err, Mustang, and they are an excellent set of magnets.
I usually use Bare Knuckle pickups in my guitars and a match for 60s Duo-sonics/Mustangs would be the Mother's Milk strat pickup - you can ask them to make them flat poled. The bridge is wound hotter - so if you want authentic Duo-sonic/Mustang style where the pickups are the same output you would need a neck and middle (use the middle for the bridge). My taste is for a hotter bridge, though.
Other than that there are lots of boutique pickup makers in Europe - e,g, Mojo, Oil City, Bulldog in England or Lundgrun in Sweden.
Last edited: Apr 25, 2019 07:10:49
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Delrin96mm
Joined: Dec 29, 2017
Posts: 161
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Posted on Apr 25 2019 08:51 AM
Post deleted by author.
Last edited: Mar 10, 2020 15:43:56
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garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 27 2019 05:11 AM
ecv wrote:
I have Creamery Classic 64 Mustang pickups in my, err, Mustang, and they are an excellent set of magnets.
I usually use Bare Knuckle pickups in my guitars and a match for 60s Duo-sonics/Mustangs would be the Mother's Milk strat pickup - you can ask them to make them flat poled. The bridge is wound hotter - so if you want authentic Duo-sonic/Mustang style where the pickups are the same output you would need a neck and middle (use the middle for the bridge). My taste is for a hotter bridge, though.
Other than that there are lots of boutique pickup makers in Europe - e,g, Mojo, Oil City, Bulldog in England or Lundgrun in Sweden.
Thanks a lot. That sounds very encouraging! I'll have a look at the Bare Knucke ones. Not sure about the name though as my guitar IS a she  Shes does come with staggered pickups, thus I'll likely get the same again.
Still undecided on the sound though as I'm both into those lovely crisp 60s sounds and more recent indie. Maybe I could get something slightly hotter for the bridge, like the Strat neck and bridge duo as you mentioned, or something else from Creamery (I do sense a dairy theme here!). I'll also have a look at the other makers you mentions.
With the kind of music that I like with whom would you go? Given the very short scale of my guitar (22.7 compared to 24.5 of Mustangs and current Duo Sonics) I'll probably get quite a warmer sound. . The Strat pickups from Bare Knuckle might maybe not be the best choice if Creamery can work around that somehow. But whatever I chose, the sound will probably be a lot better than from the stock pickups, which sound a bit muddy and undefined.
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garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 27 2019 05:15 AM
Delrin96mm wrote:
I can also heartily recommend Creamery pickups. I had a pair of P90s made just over a year ago for the Reverend Double Agent guitar I was using at the time, and they were a massive improvement on the stock pickups. Unfortunately for the Reverend (and my finances!), not long after I'd had the new pickups fitted, I bought a second-hand MIJ Squier Silver Series Strat that I enjoyed playing far more than the Reverend, simply from a feel point of view, and I ended up selling the Reverend (along with those lovely P90s), as I was hardly using it anymore. However, I do plan to have a set of Creamery vintage-style single coils made for the Squier later on this year.
The one slight drawback with The Creamery is that Jaime, the guy who runs it, literally is a one-man operation. This means that he sometimes has to close his online shop to new orders, simply so he can catch up with the backlog, and it generally takes him about a week to reply to any emails you send him. So the ordering process can take a little time. But apart from that, he's very helpful, totally open to suggestions, and he will bend over backwards to make exactly the pickups you want.
Thanks, that sounds excellent  I'm not in a hurry to get this done. I've only started looking at how to rewire the guitar without having to do too much wood working. And I'll be away for most of May and into June anyway. GAS might dictate that I get a new guitar urgently, but it doesn't mean it needs to be as I want to be right away
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slopoke
Joined: Dec 24, 2013
Posts: 145
Maribor
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Posted on Apr 27 2019 02:19 PM
I've had good experiences with both Creamery and Bareknuckle pickups.
— https://striciizozadja.bandcamp.com/
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garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 28 2019 03:43 AM
slopoke wrote:
I've had good experiences with both Creamery and Bareknuckle pickups.
Great, more good experience. That gives me confidence in either. Thanks a lot.
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Tqi
Joined: Dec 07, 2014
Posts: 1222
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Posted on Apr 29 2019 01:08 AM
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Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 14:47:39
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garagelass
Joined: Aug 05, 2018
Posts: 47
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Posted on Apr 29 2019 03:13 AM
Tqi wrote:
garagelass wrote:
Thanks, that sounds excellent I'm not in a hurry to get this done. I've only started looking at how to rewire the guitar without having to do too much wood working. And I'll be away for most of May and into June anyway. GAS might dictate that I get a new guitar urgently, but it doesn't mean it needs to be as I want to be right away
I have a set of mothers milk waiting for a good home and I've loved them min every guitar I've ever heard them in. I've got five guitars to get rid of first just to get to my baseline, and six before I could consider buying a strat or 'stangtype to put them in.
It'd be kind of fun to make a surf Jagstang, with two Jaguar or Duo-sonic type pickups instead of the humbucker and a set of 13 flats... focus, Tqi. Semihollow Bigsby.
But BK Milk's are lovely pickups, and I recommend them.
Thanks for the feedback! I was actually looking for a Jagstang due to the cool shape and slimmer neck. But I found them too heavy for me unfortunately. I wanted a guitar I can also play standing, and having a connective tissue disorder I don't want my shoulder area bones to move into places they aren't supposed to be in  Thus I figured a Mustang type guitar, or the wee Duo Sonic is the right one for me.
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