Ripper for Tele

[paulman]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

[Armistice]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

Hi paulman

This is Mr Muttley's receptionist-bot. Your request has been noted and will be forwarded to Mr Muttley as soon as he comes back from playing with the huskies.

You can't go wrong with a MuttPup.

Thank you for your enquiry.

[muttley]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

There is no reason why you cant put the Ripper on a Telecaster baseplate. I haven't done it yet so it would be pretty cool to try it out. Are you building the body from scratch or will it come pre routed for pickups? Any preference on colours and magnets etc?

[Minerman]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

There is no reason why you cant put the Ripper on a Telecaster baseplate. I haven't done it yet so it would be pretty cool to try it out. Are you building the body from scratch or will it come pre routed for pickups? Any preference on colours and magnets etc?

[mention]paulman[/mention]
I am the proud owner of the original, very first Ripper pickup that Mutt made in the neck position of my strat...Mutt's p'ups turned an ok, $400 MIM Strat into a serious tone machine that I'd put against anything out there...Even after a year, it's still unbelievable how good that guitar sounds after a simple p'up swap...

I highly recommend installing a coil split switch, so you can still get the single-coil twang when you want it...These are the first pickups I've ever used that have both the humbucker & single coil tones that sound "right" to my ears...Most pickups when split sound similar to a true single coil, but the set I have just nails it, period...I think it's pretty damn cool to be able to go from Angus/EVH to Jimi/SRV, or anything you want with the flip of a switch...

I'm 100% positive Mutt can deliver what you're after, just give him some ideas of what kind of tone you're after & let him run with it...

[paulman]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

There is no reason why you cant put the Ripper on a Telecaster baseplate. I haven't done it yet so it would be pretty cool to try it out. Are you building the body from scratch or will it come pre routed for pickups? Any preference on colours and magnets etc?

This is the body I'm looking at: https://www.guitarfetish.com/XGP-Profes ... 16598.html

I'm looking to put together a guitar that is specialized for lead playing, at least in the bridge position. I'm thinking I'd probably want a classic-style neck pickup so I'd have another clean option in addition to my Strat. Fat, warm, punchy, clean but with oomph. But in the bridge position I think the Ripper would give me the lead voice I'm looking for. I want that Tele personality - the talky, spanky sound they're known for. But I want that souped up so instead of talking, it screams. From Minerman's demo of the Ripper with the Gilmour solo, it sounds like it would be perfect for the guitar I'm shooting for, with my pedals and amp. I'm using a Joyo Bantamp Jackman (a tiny amp that sounds like a Marshall JCM, and I play it through an actual Marshall cabinet), EHX Big Muff Op-Amp, Orange Kongpressor, EHX Good Vibes, and Boss RV-6 reverb.

While I'm not trying to emulate one particular tone, some of the tones that have influenced my thinking on this are Jonny Greenwood's lead tones on Radiohead's The Bends and OK Computer, and George Harrison's quacky, expressive Abbey Road lead tone (such as on "Something", though of course I want a hotter sound than that).

[paulman]

Hey Mutt, I'm looking at building a Telecaster as a screaming lead machine, and I'd love to have the Ripper for the bridge pickup. Any chance of a Tele version?

Any preference on colours and magnets etc?

I don't know enough about magnets to say for sure, but it seems to me that Alnico VIII would be the one. I'd trust your judgement more than mine, though. As far as color goes, I think the white with chrome rails that you have pictured on the website would probably look best. I'll probably put a white or cream pickguard on the body, give it kind of a "voice of an angel" look.

[paulman]

There is no reason why you cant put the Ripper on a Telecaster baseplate. I haven't done it yet so it would be pretty cool to try it out. Are you building the body from scratch or will it come pre routed for pickups? Any preference on colours and magnets etc?

@paulman
I am the proud owner of the original, very first Ripper pickup that Mutt made in the neck position of my strat...Mutt's p'ups turned an ok, $400 MIM Strat into a serious tone machine that I'd put against anything out there...Even after a year, it's still unbelievable how good that guitar sounds after a simple p'up swap...

I highly recommend installing a coil split switch, so you can still get the single-coil twang when you want it...These are the first pickups I've ever used that have both the humbucker & single coil tones that sound "right" to my ears...Most pickups when split sound similar to a true single coil, but the set I have just nails it, period...I think it's pretty damn cool to be able to go from Angus/EVH to Jimi/SRV, or anything you want with the flip of a switch...

I'm 100% positive Mutt can deliver what you're after, just give him some ideas of what kind of tone you're after & let him run with it...

I'm really glad you told me how good it sounds when split. I've never really been into split-coil. I actually want to take it out of my Les Paul, whenever I get around to it. But based on what you've said about the Ripper, I think I will install a switch. If it sounds as good when split as you say, it would give me a nice variety of voices.

[muttley]

[mention]paulman[/mention] OK, so that body is for a standard vintage Telecaster route. I can do a ripper that will fit that and I can test it out for sure on one of mine here.

I would stick with Alnico V rather than VIII, they can be brutal and are really only good for pure metal heads IMHO. They break up the output into a real fizz at best and go to complete mush and white noise if you handle them wrong. I think A2 or A5 will give you more variation. Remember that the pickup is only half the equation, the amp governs the tone as much as the pickup and with your setup and goal you need to be able to drive the amp quite hard at moderate levels. Its a common misconception that the hotter the pickup the less the amp has to work. They work together. A hot pickup will not drive an amp to break up at lower levels it just gives you a different pallette. Gerg may be able to explain it better as he is the amp guy.

Let me know if you are going with ivory or white for the pick guard and I can match it. However if it was me I would go for black and keep that Telecaster ashtray look, the rails alone would give it a unique look. Your call though it's entirely aesthetic and its all good.

On the coil tap thing, the easiest way on a tele to do that is to either put a four way switch in there and you can use position four for the tap or if you do the phase tele mod you can put a five way in there.

Give it some thought and if you want me to do the neck as well I can match them, if you have another pup in mind for the neck let me know and I will try and balance to that. Its harder that way obviously as I have no control over the wind that way.

Let me know.

[Minerman]

I'm really glad you told me how good it sounds when split. I've never really been into split-coil. I actually want to take it out of my Les Paul, whenever I get around to it. But based on what you've said about the Ripper, I think I will install a switch. If it sounds as good when split as you say, it would give me a nice variety of voices.

I'm still blown away by how good Mutt's pickups sound when split...I pretty much knew the humbucker sounds were gonna be great, but the single coil tones are stellar too...I've had a lot of guitars that had good sounding humbuckers, but when split, were just ok...Not the case at all with Mutt's work...I dunno what he does different, but my strat is the most versatile guitar I have...I don't think you'll be disappointed at all...

There might be a little difference because I have my Ripper in the neck position & you're gonna put it in the bridge, but I'd say it will still be stellar...I've not heard one complaint or negative comment about Mutt's work...Highly recommended...

Funny you mention Johnny Greenwood, I had a Tele Plus II (w/stock Lace Sensor p'ups) like he uses when I was gigging, & the strat I have now reminds me of that guitar a lot with these pickups...

Again, just let Mutt run with whatever direction you point him in, it's incredible how he just nailed what I was after from my caveman description...And I'm sure if there's something you want different after receiving the p'ups, I'll bet he'll get it right no matter what...

[paulman]

@paulman OK, so that body is for a standard vintage Telecaster route. I can do a ripper that will fit that and I can test it out for sure on one of mine here.

I would stick with Alnico V rather than VIII, they can be brutal and are really only good for pure metal heads IMHO. They break up the output into a real fizz at best and go to complete mush and white noise if you handle them wrong. I think A2 or A5 will give you more variation. Remember that the pickup is only half the equation, the amp governs the tone as much as the pickup and with your setup and goal you need to be able to drive the amp quite hard at moderate levels. Its a common misconception that the hotter the pickup the less the amp has to work. They work together. A hot pickup will not drive an amp to break up at lower levels it just gives you a different pallette. Gerg may be able to explain it better as he is the amp guy.

Let me know if you are going with ivory or white for the pick guard and I can match it. However if it was me I would go for black and keep that Telecaster ashtray look, the rails alone would give it a unique look. Your call though it's entirely aesthetic and its all good.

On the coil tap thing, the easiest wayI' on a tele to do that is to either put a four way switch in there and you can use position four for the tap or if you do the phase tele mod you can put a five way in there.

Give it some thought and if you want me to do the neck as well I can match them, if you have another pup in mind for the neck let me know and I will try and balance to that. Its harder that way obviously as I have no control over the wind that way.

Let me know.

Alnico V it is then.

I would like for you to do the neck pickup. I like the sound and classic chrome lipstick look of this one, but I'd rather have two pickups made and matched by you: https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/an ... 40984d94be

I'm really only concerned with the clean sound with the neck pickup, and overdriving that sound a bit for rhythm playing. I'm imagining playing the opening chords to the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" with it, all fat and punchy and glorious.

I'm going to start ordering parts tonight or tomorrow. As soon as I know for sure what kind of trim I'm putting on the guitar, I'll let you know about the color on the pickup.

[paulman]

I'm still blown away by how good Mutt's pickups sound when split...I pretty much knew the humbucker sounds were gonna be great, but the single coil tones are stellar too...I've had a lot of guitars that had good sounding humbuckers, but when split, were just ok...Not the case at all with Mutt's work...I dunno what he does different, but my strat is the most versatile guitar I have...I don't think you'll be disappointed at all...

There might be a little difference because I have my Ripper in the neck position & you're gonna put it in the bridge, but I'd say it will still be stellar...I've not heard one complaint or negative comment about Mutt's work...Highly recommended...

Funny you mention Johnny Greenwood, I had a Tele Plus II (w/stock Lace Sensor p'ups) like he uses when I was gigging, & the strat I have now reminds me of that guitar a lot with these pickups...

Again, just let Mutt run with whatever direction you point him in, it's incredible how he just nailed what I was after from my caveman description...And I'm sure if there's something you want different after receiving the p'ups, I'll bet he'll get it right no matter what...

From everything I've heard, both sound samples and what everyone here says, I trust Mutt completely. I'm super excited about the prospect of having something not only different than the usual, but better.

Greenwood was the main thing that led me in the direction of Tele for lead tone. His tone is bold and wild and huge without being metal. I guess what I'm looking for is basically a tone similar to his but with a more classic Tele personality underneath the Ripper and my Big Muff, as opposed to the more modern Teles that he uses. I'm going to use this bridge: https://www.callahamguitars.com/tele_br ... atalog.htm

[JD01]

The neck pickup of my Crimson sounds great split too. It's a full humbucker and does the creamy lead thing with higher gain, but when it's split it sounds really stratty which is just what I was after.

Paulman, there's a track posted up which has the rhythm on one side all done on my telecaster which has a pair of mutt pup single coils in and I think they sound great.

[paulman]

The neck pickup of my Crimson sounds great split too. It's a full humbucker and does the creamy lead thing with higher gain, but when it's split it sounds really stratty which is just what I was after.

Paulman, there's a track posted up which has the rhythm on one side all done on my telecaster which has a pair of mutt pup single coils in and I think they sound great.

Man, that Crimson sounds killer! I'll comment on your thread when I get on my monitors and can hear the mix better.

[JD01]

The neck pickup of my Crimson sounds great split too. It's a full humbucker and does the creamy lead thing with higher gain, but when it's split it sounds really stratty which is just what I was after.

Paulman, there's a track posted up which has the rhythm on one side all done on my telecaster which has a pair of mutt pup single coils in and I think they sound great.

Man, that Crimson sounds killer! I'll comment on your thread when I get on my monitors and can hear the mix better.

No worries, mate.
Thought you'd be interested as it's two muttpup guitars with various pickup configurations used in the mix.

[paulman]

Hey [mention]muttley[/mention], got your PM. Back to the thread it is.

What are your thoughts on what I've described for the neck pickup? Is it possible to do a stacked humbucker with the lipstick cover (which I would also split) with a tone like that SD one I linked to? I love that sound, but I'd like the extra versatility of the humbucker.

[muttley]

[mention]paulman[/mention] , thanks for switching to here for now. I will drop WJ a note to see if he can work out why my PM's are playing up.
On the neck pup, The link you sent me was to an antiquity humbucker? I'm not sure that was what you meant. If its the sound you are after then its going to be hard to do that in a telecaster neck pickup because of the shape and size of the thing. The Antiquity is close to the sound and spec of the vintage buckers I did for greg.

Stacked single coils can sound dark and compact because of the way they attenuate the signal. I can get round that a bit by using a nickel silver cover but they are a special. As you can imagine winding pups is a fiddly business and tele neck pickups are the fiddliest of the lot. You have to get a lot of wire and soldering into a very small space. I can do it but its going to take some time to get a balance that I think you would like. We can go with a vintage spec for the neck pickup for now and then work on a version of a stacked neck pickup down the road, or we can take the plunge now. Your call. Let me know because I would need to order up some bits for it and I know you want to try and get these done pretty quick.

[paulman]

@paulman , thanks for switching to here for now. I will drop WJ a note to see if he can work out why my PM's are playing up.
On the neck pup, The link you sent me was to an antiquity humbucker? I'm not sure that was what you meant. If its the sound you are after then its going to be hard to do that in a telecaster neck pickup because of the shape and size of the thing. The Antiquity is close to the sound and spec of the vintage buckers I did for greg.

Stacked single coils can sound dark and compact because of the way they attenuate the signal. I can get round that a bit by using a nickel silver cover but they are a special. As you can imagine winding pups is a fiddly business and tele neck pickups are the fiddliest of the lot. You have to get a lot of wire and soldering into a very small space. I can do it but its going to take some time to get a balance that I think you would like. We can go with a vintage spec for the neck pickup for now and then work on a version of a stacked neck pickup down the road, or we can take the plunge now. Your call. Let me know because I would need to order up some bits for it and I know you want to try and get these done pretty quick.

Ok, if it's going to take significantly longer than I can just stick with the vintage single coil spec for now. I did send you the link that I meant to. When I mentioned making it a humbucker I was talking about making a pickup that sounds and looks like the Antiquity but is stacked, for extra versatility. But I can wait on that. I do really love the sound of that Antiquity, based on the sound samples on the website. Compared to all the other Tele neck samples I listened to from Seymour Duncan, that one was beefier, punchier, exactly what I want. And I do love the look of the pickup cover.

[muttley]

Ahh right, for some reason the link took me to the standard humbucker not the telecaster antiquity, I'm with you now. Thats not a problem, I can shoot for a similar sound that will match the bridge. I intend to work on a stacked neck and let you know. I will try and get one to you down the road so you can test it out for me.

I have all I need now so I will get onto it this week.

[paulman]

Ahh right, for some reason the link took me to the standard humbucker not the telecaster antiquity, I'm with you now. Thats not a problem, I can shoot for a similar sound that will match the bridge. I intend to work on a stacked neck and let you know. I will try and get one to you down the road so you can test it out for me.

I have all I need now so I will get onto it this week.

Sounds great! I've already got ideas for demos for you.

[paulman]

My pickups are out for delivery! Now I can't install them yet because I have to wait on my switch for coil splitting to get here. Didn't realize I couldn't just wire that up with my pickup switch.