True Tones on a U12

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 10 Jan 2006 4:44 am

Hi, I was wondering if any one had used a True Tone pickup on a Carter U12 and if so How was the sound.

Norm in Waco

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 10 Jan 2006 6:02 am

I have a TrueTone on my Zum S12U. They sound as good as anything you could expect, except for the 60 cycle hum. I think for most modern all-pulls, the pickup will make more difference than the make and model of guitar. Modern all-pulls are made so similar these days that they all sound very similar. A pickup you like probably will sound good on any of them, and a pickup you don't like probably wont sound good on any of them.

Hans Holzherr · Post by **Hans Holzherr** » 10 Jan 2006 7:00 am

My Carter S-12 came with a True Tone installed, so I can't compare it with the original PU. I love the sound, or, to quote the former owner, it's got "killer tone".

Hans

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 10 Jan 2006 7:37 am

I have a Truetone on my Fessy 12 and it is VERY TWANGY. Definitely NOT a George L or Bill Lawrence p/u.

Drew

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Drew Howard - website - Fessenden guitars, 70's Fender Twin, etc.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 10 Jan 2006 9:58 am

My Mica MSA has been retrofitted with the Sierra interchangable pickup system. Recenetly I tried out a number of different pickups to see whch I like the most and wound up buying a True Tone.

As has been mentioned, the TT does have the single coil hum, so I keep a George L humbucker on hand for those occasions when I want/need something quieter.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 10 Jan 2006 9:58 am

I tried a True Tone pickkup on my Sierra 12 string. Beautiful tone, but I don't like the single coil hum. I went back to the Lawrence 712 which has a similar tone, not quite as open and airy, but no hum.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Jan 2006 10:19 am

There's a Truetone on my Zum U-12 - I love it, it has an absolutely gorgeous sound. I'm taking it to its first gig tonight. We'll see how she stacks up live.

The thing I like about this pickup is the clarity and presence it has, without sacrificing a good wide-range response. My music room is pretty noisy, in the sense of high EMI, and I don't find the hum objectionable.

Mike Spaeth · Post by **Mike Spaeth** » 10 Jan 2006 11:46 am

I had one in my Zum & loved it but I put one in my Carter and it was too bright and thin sounding for my taste. Both guitars were single body universals.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 10 Jan 2006 11:53 am

Interesting experience, Mike. I stand corrected. Actual experience is always better than opinions and thought experiments. I guess Zums and Carters have enough body/changer differences to sound very different, even with the exact same pickup. Learning stuff like this from someone who has actually done the test in question is what makes this Forum so great.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Jan 2006 12:21 pm

To add to this, let's acknowledge that individual steels by a maker can be individual - wood vs. mica body, single vs. double body, changer differences within a make, and so on. Also, different pickups, even the same basic design by the same maker, are also individual - the number of windings and DC resistance, magnet strength, the way they are wound, and so on. Add to that the largely subjective nature of the evaluation, and it becomes hard to know what all this means. I have never been able to just ask someone "Hey, what does such and such brand pickup sound like on such and such guitar?" and be sure I can believe the answer for my guitar. If I understand the premises, it may help, but without that, it's not so clear.

BTW - my Zum is a single-body 12-string universal also, and black - of course, everything sound good on it, right?

[This message was edited by Dave Mudgett on 10 January 2006 at 12:24 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 Jan 2006 12:42 pm

Because of the inability to do a quick changes, I'm always left wondering about how much is day-to-day subjective and how much is accurate perception but...after trying two other pickups in my lacquer Carter U-12 DB I arrived at the XR-16 as the right one for it. I had a pickup lying around that I had Jerry rewind for me--technically not a true Truetone but close enough--because I really wanted to hear how this would work in my guitar. It sounded really great. Notice how often humbucker makers say that their pickup sounds like a single coil but without the hum? A holy grail sound, I guess. But guess what.....a single coil pickup really nails that single coil sound. And does it better than a humbucker that sounds just like a single coil. But as other are saying, although the hum wasn't bad, it was distracting to me so I went back to the XR-16.
A while later I had a bad solder joint that was acting up and while I was addressing it I decided to try the SC again. And go figure but this time I didn't like the sound as much as my XR. Bad ears that day? Who knows.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 10 Jan 2006 1:44 pm

My U-12 Zum came with a Lawrence 912, which is a good pickup, but, I couldn't get the silky highs I was used to hearing. I installed a True Tone, wound at 19.5K Ohms, and now the steel actually sings. Jerry recommended 19.5K Ohms because of the extra length and windings of a 12 string pickup.( I was sold on Randy Beavers 17.5K sound )The hum has been minimal to almost nil. I don't know if a Carter would react the same though.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 11 Jan 2006 2:00 am

I personally think the TT's are the best sounding PUP ( for me ) and I had them on my 04 Carter D10..

But I could not deal with the 60 cycle deal on one of our regular rotation gigs..so I pulled them off and replaced them with GL EONS..I still have a TT for future use..

As long as you don't run into an excessive noise bandstand or room, you will be fine...and have a great sounding Guitar..

by the way, the HUM associatd with the PUPS occurs on ALL single coils, just ask the Tele' heads...this is not to be singled out with the True Tones..they are awesome PUPS..in a quiet application..[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 11 January 2006 at 02:03 AM.]

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 11 Jan 2006 5:32 am

Thanx you Guys for the many different answers to my question. I really wanted to try a TT but I just hate 60 cycle hum. Maybe I shoulda got one to help cover up some mistakes but I went with a BC-12 instead. Im sure that will do ok.
Thanx again
Norm

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 11 Jan 2006 9:24 am

I have been using a TT 17.5 almost exclusivly in my Sierra S12U for about a year now.
It sounds way better (to me) when run through a SGBB.
I don't know why, but I don't have any issue with SCH (single coil hum).
I typically run in stereo and use a Hum-Ex on one amps plug.
I would like to try one with a coil tap for 7Kohm/14Kohm for a Fender-ee sound.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 11 Jan 2006 10:06 am

This is why all guitars should have interchangable pickups.

Micky Byrne · Post by **Micky Byrne** » 11 Jan 2006 11:07 am

Hi Norm,
I play a Carter universal like you too, and have a TT installed on it. It's a BCT guitar. Sounds really good.I use a Nashville 400 and sometimes a Nashville 112, and I can have my volume pedal opened right out, and no squeal or feed back. Sure is a good pick up.

Micky Byrne,
Carter universal, soon to be ressurected Sho-Bud universal, and lots of other goodies

Alan Pagliere · Post by **Alan Pagliere** » 12 Jan 2006 1:55 pm

I have a Universal 12 MSA Millennium and can easily swap pickups. I ordered it originally with a George L and somewhere along the line, bought an extra TrueTone pick up for it. I played it on and off and, as Drew says, it is twangy. As everyone knows, it has the hum. I prefer fatter and warmer sounds and so I rarely use it, sticking with the George L 99% of the time.

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Alan Pagliere
MSA Millennium S12 Universal

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 14 Jan 2006 1:56 am

I like the XR-16's for my S-12U's. XR-16, LDR Goodrich Volume Pedal, AD-9 delay & FSK amp w/Carter S-12U. Very nice.

jolynyk · Post by **jolynyk** » 14 Jan 2006 8:57 am

Hey Dave, glad you're enjoying the guitar. John

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 14 Jan 2006 10:36 am

TT will sound great on any guitar.Last few guitars I had were all with TT pick ups.

Db

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"Promat"
~when tone matters~
http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne2/PROMAT.html

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 14 Jan 2006 4:00 pm

I could be way off base here , but I have found ( in wood body steels ) that the more massive the steel, and the heavier it is , the better TrueTones sound in it ...I have listenned to a lot of light weight pedal steels with TrueTones and they are really brite....Balanced , but brite ....Put them on a heavier steel with heavier hardware and a bigger body, and they really shine ....I put a TrueTone 17.5k on a buddies Williams which was a very light weight steel, and all I could picture was a Lazor beam cutting thru my head !!...This being said, if your steel is ligher in weight you go a bit higher in the k's ....So for the Williams , maybe a 19.5 k would have done the job .....Again, this is only my perception, and I could be way off base here .... Jim