New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

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javier-san
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New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by javier-san » Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:42 am

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I'm thinking about switching out the pickups on this guitar. Nothing particularly wrong with the current set-up, but looking for something different.
I have a lovely jazzmaster that covers some or most of the sounds that come out of this Bilt and I have a jaguar with WRBH that cover some of the sounds, as well.

I was thinking about trying those Novak Thunderbird pickups for the neck and bridge, but I am wondering what I should use for the middle/bridge pickup?

Aesthetically, I think the Novak Jag-Lipstick could be cool to keep the theme of silver going, but I am not sure how that would sound.

OSGers have suggestions?

ps. Currently it is set-up as 3-way switch for the jazz pups, push/pull for jag pup and the standard rhythm circuit for the neck. Is there a way to move away from the push-pull? Possibly, swap the rhythm circuit to be used only for the jag pup? Or maybe a rotary switch to be able to access all the sounds?

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vpich
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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by vpich » Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:46 am

Well haven’t done it yet but all my research roads have led to lollar firebird pickups and a middle lipstick sounds like a great idea. And yeah upper switch to turn on that lipstick and the rollers for vol and tone would be great.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by MascisMan » Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:52 am

I dont have any suggestions, but, wanted to drop in to say that is a beautiful guitar!

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marqueemoon
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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by marqueemoon » Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:57 am

javier-san wrote:
Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:42 am
Image


I'm thinking about switching out the pickups on this guitar. Nothing particularly wrong with the current set-up, but looking for something different.
I have a lovely jazzmaster that covers some or most of the sounds that come out of this Bilt and I have a jaguar with WRBH that cover some of the sounds, as well.

I was thinking about trying those Novak Thunderbird pickups for the neck and bridge, but I am wondering what I should use for the middle/bridge pickup?

Aesthetically, I think the Novak Jag-Lipstick could be cool to keep the theme of silver going, but I am not sure how that would sound.

OSGers have suggestions?

ps. Currently it is set-up as 3-way switch for the jazz pups, push/pull for jag pup and the standard rhythm circuit for the neck. Is there a way to move away from the push-pull? Possibly, swap the rhythm circuit to be used only for the jag pup? Or maybe a rotary switch to be able to access all the sounds?
I think the pickup plan sounds great.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by Fiddy » Fri Jul 01, 2022 11:30 am

Id put a new pickguard and lose the middle pickup.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by RIORIO » Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:22 pm

I had a set of Novak thunderbirds and absolutely hated them. Was really surprised but I just couldn’t find a usable sound…highs were harsh and lows were boomy and muddy. Tried a few pot variations too. Really wanted to love them but they were out the door pretty quick.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by javier-san » Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:35 pm

RIORIO wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:22 pm
I had a set of Novak thunderbirds and absolutely hated them. Was really surprised but I just couldn’t find a usable sound…highs were harsh and lows were boomy and muddy. Tried a few pot variations too. Really wanted to love them but they were out the door pretty quick.
Oh, good to know! I was kind of the fence on ordering them because I had not read or even seen anyone with jazz thunderbird pickups and they are not cheap!

Sorry to hear they didn't work out. I feel like Novak usually hits it out of the park with all of his pickups.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by javier-san » Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:42 pm

vpich wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 4:46 am
Well haven’t done it yet but all my research roads have led to lollar firebird pickups and a middle lipstick sounds like a great idea. And yeah upper switch to turn on that lipstick and the rollers for vol and tone would be great.
Funnily enough, after trying to find some good opinions/thoughts on the Novak Thunderbirds (which I have not found any), I decided to reach out to Sunday Handwound (Tim). He wound me a pair of pickups for my MIJ Jazzmaster and they sound wonderful in all of the settings. I asked if he had ever wound firebird pickups underneath a jazzmaster cover and he had done it plenty of times. At the moment, I am waiting for a set of three pickups from him! Firebird neck + bridge underneath a jazzmaster cover and a jaguar pickup wound to complement those two!

I am going to with my plan of neck + bridge on three way switch with the push/pull pot being used for switchable series/parallel in the middle position. The rhythm circuit will be used for the middle jaguar pickup and will have it's tone and volume. The rhythm circuit was a little too redundant on the Bilt, I am assuming they have not used a different value on the pot because I couldn't hear a difference between the neck pickup with the rhythm circuit off or on. Plus, I already have a "traditional" jazzmaster. :P

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by RIORIO » Fri Jul 01, 2022 8:58 pm

javier-san wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:35 pm
RIORIO wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:22 pm
I had a set of Novak thunderbirds and absolutely hated them. Was really surprised but I just couldn’t find a usable sound…highs were harsh and lows were boomy and muddy. Tried a few pot variations too. Really wanted to love them but they were out the door pretty quick.
Oh, good to know! I was kind of the fence on ordering them because I had not read or even seen anyone with jazz thunderbird pickups and they are not cheap!

Sorry to hear they didn't work out. I feel like Novak usually hits it out of the park with all of his pickups.
He usually does! I’ve had his JMWR and a few other pickups and have loved them.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by Lost In Autumn » Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:45 am

javier-san wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:35 pm
RIORIO wrote:
Fri Jul 01, 2022 12:22 pm
I had a set of Novak thunderbirds and absolutely hated them. Was really surprised but I just couldn’t find a usable sound…highs were harsh and lows were boomy and muddy. Tried a few pot variations too. Really wanted to love them but they were out the door pretty quick.
Oh, good to know! I was kind of the fence on ordering them because I had not read or even seen anyone with jazz thunderbird pickups and they are not cheap!

Sorry to hear they didn't work out. I feel like Novak usually hits it out of the park with all of his pickups.
I've had a similar experience. Granted, I ordered a neck pickup, but he sent a bridge and I didn't notice that before installing. It sounded really boomy and muddy, though; I'd had high hopes based on the demo Mike Adams had done. When I noticed the error after swapping it out, I let Curtis know and he never bothered to reply, not even an "oops, my bad" or an offer to make it right. I haven't ordered anything from him since and I've built an half dozen guitars in the past year. I'm also generally a fan of his pickups, but this experience rubbed me the wrong way, especially since the Thunderbirds are so dearly priced.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sun Jul 03, 2022 4:14 am

I’m sure Sunday Handwound will knock it out of the park. I had him wind me a set of custom pickups for my last JM build, and he absolutely nailed what I asked him for.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by javier-san » Sat Aug 27, 2022 4:30 pm

Image

Been a bit of a wait, but finally got the pickups installed.

2 firebird pickups underneath jazzmaster cover and middle jaguar pickup all wound by Tim at Sunday Handwound.

The 3 way toggle controls the two jazz pickups and there is a push/pull pot that puts them both in series (or parallel?) while in the middle position.

The rhythm section now controls only the middle pickup. When the switch is on it by passes the jazzmaster pickups. It can only be used by itself, so no blending.

Anyway, why didn't anyone tell me that firebird pickups sounds so good??

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by CorporateDisguise » Sun Aug 28, 2022 3:59 am

Nice! Firebird pickups are probably my favorite all around pickup. They sound great in the neck and the bridge, and also land in the perfect middle ground between classic Fender and Gibson tonalities. I have them in two guitars, and have to stop myself from putting them in anything else.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by javier-san » Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:19 am

CorporateDisguise wrote:
Sun Aug 28, 2022 3:59 am
Nice! Firebird pickups are probably my favorite all around pickup. They sound great in the neck and the bridge, and also land in the perfect middle ground between classic Fender and Gibson tonalities. I have them in two guitars, and have to stop myself from putting them in anything else.
I am really enjoying them. Sonically, they are different enough from my "traditional" jazzmaster p/u and my WRHB p/u which was what I was looking for.

Tim at Sunday Handwound makes some great pickups.

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Re: New pickups for Bilt Revelator...?

Post by Embenny » Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:24 am

Nicely chosen. I really do think Firebirds are the perfect pickup. They balance the snap and immediacy of a Fender single coil with a bit of the beef and all of the noise cancelation of a humbucker.

Plus, they look amazing. Not too big, not too small, and a tidy metal cover, though that's hidden in this case.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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