Upgrade to TV Jones? Suggestions wanted

[yoshiii]

Hello

I have a 2007 Gretsch Tennessee Rose(with the f holes). Its sounds good. But the pickups are kinda dark, or could be my amp.

It it worth upgrading to TV Jones Classics? I will use the guitar for rock, rockabilly, not really Jazz. Maybe pop and Chet Atkins style music.

 

[swivel]

My experience is the Classics sound exactly like the Gretch pickups.

 

[Highroller]

Depends a good bit on what's in it now. If you don't know, post some pictures, include a good shot of the pole pieces (the little screws). Tennessee Roses typically have Filtertrons, but there's several different flavors of Filtertrons, and they've used a bunch of different ones over the years. And unless you're the original owner, no telling if it's got the factory originals anyway. People swap out pups right and left these days. Pics will help.

And if you think it might be the amp, maybe it is. Whatcha got?

 

[drmilktruck]

Which pickups are there now? If it's FilterTrons (two rows of pole pieces) TV Classics won't be a lot different. (Although few describe either as "dark.") If it's HiLoTrons (single row pole pieces), then you got a bad batch as those are thin and bright usually.

So, if you think the standard pickups are too dark, first try adjusting them as others have suggested. If that doesn't help, think of swapping them for TVJ HiLos or Magnatrons.

 

[jvin248]

... 2007 Gretsch Tennessee Rose... the pickups are kinda dark...

Series cap on the pickup hot leads (to cut the pickup internal capacitance), 0.047uF usually works.

Lower uF tone caps

Higher kohms volume pots (measure what are there and either sort for ones at their high end of the spec or jump to the next higher nominal like from 500kohm to 1Megohm.

Lowering the pickups plus raising screw poles can also brighten the tone, as can tipping the pickups for more treble and less bass ... and are free plus completely reversible.
.

 

[Waxhead]

Hello

I have a 2007 Gretsch Tennessee Rose(with the f holes). Its sounds good. But the pickups are kinda dark, or could be my amp.

It it worth upgrading to TV Jones Classics? I will use the guitar for rock, rockabilly, not really Jazz. Maybe pop and Chet Atkins style music.

TV Jones Classics don't sound exactly like HS Filtertrons.
I've done A/B before and after tests with my Jet 6131 - see
http://gretschpages.com/forum/moder...-classics-in-a-jet-firebird-6131/28998/page1/

Classics are slightly brighter.
And no Yoshii - it's not your amp either

Whether the change is worth it is up to the individual.
For me it was

 

[ZackyDog]

My experience:

1. The neck pickups sound very similar
2. The TV Jones Classic bridge has more treble, less mids; maybe because the pole spacing is wider and aligns with the strings.

 

[capnhiho]

I put a TVJ Super’Tron neck and a Classic+ bridge in my 5420. That combination is rumored to be Chet’s favorite.
Tones are marvelous and notably (but not outrageously) different from the original BTFT’s.

I figured if they’re good enough for Chet, they’re good enough for me…

 

[Ricochet]

I put a TVJ Super’Tron neck and a Classic+ bridge in my 5420. That combination is rumored to be Chet’s favorite.
Tones are marvelous and notably (but not outrageously) different from the original BTFT’s.

I figured if they’re good enough for Chet, they’re good enough for me…

Doubtful. TV Jones are wonderful pickups, but Chet passed away in 2001 around the same time TV started his business.

Also keep in mind Chet used a variety of pickups in his signature guitars from Filters, to DeArmonds, Hilos and PAF type humbuckers.

 

[loudnlousy]

For my ears any Filtertron-type of pickup has a tone that is brighter than a PAF but darker than a Strat`s pickup.
The difference between TVJ and original Gretsch Filtertrons are not that big that you can expect a drastic increase of brightness when swapping them. It is more the little details that make a difference here.

I would dial-in my amp in a different way or search for an amp or a little stompbox that makes a better match with your guitar.

 

[SLICKFASTER]

Yes… worth every penny

 

[stiv]

Anybody rooting for Ray Butts? I put a pair on my Pre FMIC 6120 and there’s as sparkling as a Rolling Rock!

 

[stevo]

I had Alnico pickups in my 6119 and they were pretty great. I recommend working with the height before swapping as you can make significant changes to your tone with just a millimeter or two of adjustment. And of course look at your amp settings or tube selection to see if you can make a difference there. So I would exhaust your options before swapping personally. TV Classics might be the closest to your stock pickups and while excellent, you might not hear much difference.

But note that I said "had". I eventually put Setzer Signature pickups in mine. They are plenty bright but they have more body and fatness. And if you do decide to swap, look to the left or right of the TV Classics to get a significantly different tone from what you have:

 

[L Robbins]

I put a TVJ Super’Tron neck and a Classic+ bridge in my 5420. That combination is rumored to be Chet’s favorite.
Tones are marvelous and notably (but not outrageously)

I figured if they’re good enough for Chet, they’re good enough for me…

I did the same and I and very happy with the result!

 

[HypotenusLuvTriangle]

I'm a big lover of Magnatrons. I have a magnatron in the neck of 3 of my gretschs.
Can't go wrong with a Classic+ or a Setzer.

 

[Stefan87]

I will also add to give the pick up heights a change to see how you go first the body that is not just the pole pieces, depending on what you want but to me the HS FT and TVJ Classics do sound different, to my ears the classics are a bit brighter and more refined all though the high end is actually smoother then the HS FT so not so much raw bite as the HS FT if that makes sense the neck though can still be a bit warm for lack of a better word, I love dynas/T-armonds in my jets so they might be an option for you and from what I heard from other people is the Ray Butts are supposedly very clear.

 

[Craig Encinitas]

My 6659 has Tim Shaw designed Fulltrons, and hitting my favorite E Chord sounds glorious.
The 6120 has Setzer signatures, and that same E chord sounds wickedly mean!
Interesting that someone (sound engineer?) decides to put identical pickups in both positions, versus something like TV Jones Classic in the bridge and Classic+ in the neck.

Also, regarding Fulltrons. No info about them to be found...and I don't know what other Gretsch models have them.

 

[Desirsar]

Glad to see this thread up right as I buy that 2420 that I'll want to throw every mod onto...

Despite the similar construction, the Supertrons don't seem to sound in demos anywhere close to Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. Anyone know of anything along those lines that can fairly easily mount into a Gretsch? Or can that sound be dragged out of the Supertron?

And if I go with what I'm liking from demos, anyone have any immediate thoughts for the combo Supertron bridge, Setzer neck?

 

[stiv]

Glad to see this thread up right as I buy that 2420 that I'll want to throw every mod onto...

Despite the similar construction, the Supertrons don't seem to sound in demos anywhere close to Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. Anyone know of anything along those lines that can fairly easily mount into a Gretsch? Or can that sound be dragged out of the Supertron?

And if I go with what I'm liking from demos, anyone have any immediate thoughts for the combo Supertron bridge, Setzer neck?

If you want something half way from a Filtertron and an humbucker, I would say Seymour Duncan Psyclones. I bought the humbucker size version for my 5220 as I wanted something ready to be installed without too much tweaking. They'll sure fit straight in to your 2420 with no other work needed.
Sure they're hotter than a regular Filtertron and boy they scream, but if you roll down the volume a bit then that great Filtertron tone comes up. Here’s a pic of them.

 

[Desirsar]

If I wanted all scream-y, I'd copy the Blacktop Broadtrons from my 5655. I was thinking each of the pair would sound very different from each other and somewhat unique when blended, but I wondered if there was any reason to not mix them or to put them in the opposite positions.