1964 Telecaster set up for slide with a Coricidin bottle

[rioolput123]

I need help: I'm on a real tone quest here. I find that my 52 RI tele and 62 RI strat both sound to dark on their neck pickups and nowhere near the Hendrix tone I'm looking for. I'm playing trough a 5E3 deluxe. Is it the stock fender pickups, the amp ? Any suggestions ? I'm looking into a deluxe reverb right now. Many thanks and keep posting these delicious vids !

[millstap]

@rioolput123 It is a combination of both. I find the Deluxe may break up a little too early so you might look at a cleaner amp. Plus, I've discovered that these old pickups can be on the weak side. Although, when Hendrix recorded, his guitars were fairly new. Maybe he chose Strats that had a certain sound and coincidently they had pickups with a DC output of less than 6 ohms. The Tele will never get that sound but look for pups in the 5.3 -5.7 ohm range (vintage). Lollar maybe.

[millstap]

@rioolput123 There are good vintage reproduction pickups out there. I would research all of them. A lot of the websites have sound clips. My 1966 pickups have an output of around 5.7-5.8 ohms. Also, I think it helps if the alder body is on the light weight side. It gives the sound a woodier tone. His sound was mostly power tube distortion and very little preamp tube distortion. Preamp distortion sounds compressed (small tube) and power tube distortion is open and big (large tube).

[rioolput123]

@millstap Thanks again man ! After some google searches I came to the exact same conclusion: the amp I have is quite dark and bassy, also the pickups are hotter than vintage pickups. I'm looking into Lollar tweed stratocaster pickups and a deluxe reverb is being hand built by a tech I know. I'm glad you take the effort to give me a precise and sincere answer ! Much appreciated !

[millstap]

@rioolput123 There are a bunch out there. I've heard good things about Lindy Fralin too. I see on his website that you can have them underwound. His lowest output pickup is 6 ohms (Vintage 54's). Those would be cool I bet but they are all pretty expensive.

[blitzer7432]

I have a Dunlop 535.  I dont think anyone would ever need another wahwah.

[millstap]

@blitzer7432 The Area 51 is supposed to be like the old Italian wah-wahs so it really is just a handmade wah instead of some of the junk they make today. The vintage Dunlops are great. The Area 51 is handwired and his inductors are custom made.

[blitzer7432]

@millstap Checked out the website. Might have to get me one!

One thing I like about the Dunlop 535 though is the +15dB gain foot

switch on the side for going into a solo.

[millstap]

@blitzer7432 If you do get one, I like the option of the AC adapter so you don't have to use batteries anymore. That is a definite upgrade from the old ones. I would have them install it. I put mine in and it is pretty tight and I melted the first plug with Loctite thread locker and had to get another one which he quickly sent for free. The Loctite melts plastic. For the boost, I just use my Fulltone OCD.

[blitzer7432]

Ive always wondered why Hendrix never used a slide.

He would have been amazing, of course. The only place I can think

of Hendrix using a slide is All Along the Watchtower but Ive heard he

used one of his rings or something like that. 

[v8chevy350]

Nice work, dude. I'm on the hunt for so

some coricidin bottles, I'll post a vid, and compare to my old Dunlop. Nice tone & sliding sir!

[millstap]

@v8chevy350 I like the hot wax trick. It gives it a little more weight and it is custom fit to your finger. Let the wax cool pretty good because you can burn your finger if you are not careful.

[RavenMadd9]

whats the stuff inside of the slide?.....by the way awesome playin

[millstap]

@RavenMadd9 I read somewhere where you can melt wax into the bottle and then stick you finger in it for make an exact mold of your finger. Be careful and let it cool down a little. I almost burned my finger. It gives those bottles a little more body and weight. It works great.

[JesusHPresley]

Great, thank you.I've been thinking about getting one of his kits for my Vox wah. It's a very full sound and Dan's a great guy too. I think you've just sold me one, nice playing, BTW.

[JesusHPresley]

Killer sound. What kind of Wah Wah are you using?

[millstap]

@JesusHPresley I am using my new Area 51 drop-in wha kit. You buy the kit and put into your old shell. Mine was a Crybaby shell.  This is custom made by Dan in Michigan. He has a website.

[pandpinjapan]

cool video.  you can really shake that bottle!