Upgrading my Custom Shop Stratocaster? (Ron Ellis vs Seymour Duncan + Spitfire Tort)

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ต.ค. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 71

  • @YeatzeeGuitar
    @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Because I played the chords of Under The Bridge the video gets a copyright claim. If you appreciate videos from me consider buying a coffee donation 🙏www.buymeacoffee.com/YeatzeeGuitar

  • @joshcarter617
    @joshcarter617 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I think I liked the Duncan set more, surprisingly. Usually I am all about boutique pickups over "common branded" pickup replacements, but they do it for me a little more here. As for the Spitfire, that's the best looking tortoise shell pickguard I've ever seen!

  • @Bobby_Digital37
    @Bobby_Digital37 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Man it sounds so much bette in every position! Great choice! And and great pick guard 👍🏾

  • @philipmarsh3522
    @philipmarsh3522 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Using a very scientific ‘I listened through my iPad’ methodology I struggled a bit to really hear a significant difference between the two pickups. They both sound really good, and both work well with the way you play, so something tells me it comes down more to how they feel for you as the performer. Seymour Duncan makes great pickups, I have a PAF in the neck of my G&L ASAT and it is just marvelous. But there is something pretty cool about a boutique maker like Ron and kudos to him for making something that people really seem to like and are willing to pay him a decent amount to build. I’m looking to update my neck pickup (had custom shop fat 50’s until an unfortunate night when the neck stopped working and a friend, amazing luthier who built several of the ‘famous’ guitars out in the world, threw in something in a pinch and years later still in there doing its thing, but never sounded the same as the original). Since you can’t buy a replacement from Fender maybe I’ll do a big switcheroo and throw a pile at Mr. Ellis and see what all the fuss is about!

  • @somethingbl
    @somethingbl 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    The Ron Ellis bridge pickup was much more dynamic IMO, maybe because it's lower output? It definitely had a little "spank" to it, which is often missing on Strats since the bridge pickup always sounds so thin. I'm not sure if you meant to label which pickups were playing during the tone demo, but it was a little hard to follow at first. Then I remembered the pickguard swap, so it made it pretty easy. Maybe want to mention or annotate that. Interesting video!

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yeah figured the pickguard would be an obvious enough difference, hope others catch that! Not sure if I could add that later via TH-cam 😬

  • @Guitar5986
    @Guitar5986 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Who downvoted this video??? It's incredibly well done... As for the pickups, take this with a grain of salt because we all hear things differently. The Ron Ellis set was an improvement in every single position imo. The SD set had a cloudy midrange and a tinny treble/upper mid attack which I did not like at all... The differences are more obvious on the cleaner settings. Ron Ellis pu's sounded more open, clear, defined, and present. They also sounded fatter and fuller to my ears while also providing that extra midrange clarity. With high gain the differences are negligible but cleaner settings the difference was significant.
    Another great single coil winder is Eric Daw. He also makes incredible Tele's and Strats. Very affordably priced too for boutique pickups.
    For solder work you should pick up a solder wick and a solder sucker. I used to be terrible at soldering but then got some tips and recommendations on a video series to watch from James at ReWind Electric. It's a wonderful skill to master for us tinkerers. And it's extremely rewarding to wire up a guitar and make it look exactly like it would have coming straight from the factory back in the 50's.
    Excellent video as always!!!

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There's one particular person that dislikes every one of my videos once they go live. It doesn't bother me, that's a sad place to be!
      Yeah I wasn't the one that soldered on the Seymour Duncan's, that's how it came to me so a solder sucker would have been super helpful to get all of that excess solder off (there was a ton). I've learned to really enjoy soldering, James at ReWind has also helped me.
      Thanks for sharing your detailed impressions, I always enjoy reading what others hear!

    • @Guitar5986
      @Guitar5986 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@YeatzeeGuitar Well I'm glad you don't let it bother you. Your videos are so good. Literally nobody does gear comparison videos better than you.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Guitar5986 Much appreciated! If only more people thought the way you did 🤣👌

  • @bobkohler2281
    @bobkohler2281 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The one factor that seems to lost IMO is the fact that pickups much like new speakers have a break in period. Pickups need the electricity flowing through them to "settle". I use Ellis pickups exclusively and I can tell you from experience that they are magic. However you control that magic by having the pickups adjusted perfectly. With a new set I work on the guitar once a week for the first month. The sweet spot can change a little as they break in. By the time a month has gone by you'll hear a very different result for the better!

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Interesting, I've not heard that before!

  • @axedoc2010
    @axedoc2010 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It might sound funny but these Ron Ellis Pickups remind me very much of some Tonerider Pure Vintage pickups I used to have. Ultimately settled on some Amilfatonoes - now those are very fairly priced excellent boutique pickups.

    • @MrBossei
      @MrBossei ปีที่แล้ว

      Tonerider pure vintage? Sorry. No way. I’ve had those. Good pickups for its price but…

    • @axedoc2010
      @axedoc2010 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes, that's the funny thing. Sounds very close to how those sounded in my Strat. @@MrBossei

  • @jheat4
    @jheat4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Awesome video! I hear the slightly more "modern" sound from the SD's which I think nails Chili Peppers tones. Even though it's been rumored that Frusciante used SSL-1's there's a lot of speculation as to which SD pickups he used. On top of that his guitar tech said they were Fender American Standards - interesting story there. The Ellis set sounds a bit more open and airy. They seem to be more "vintage voiced" and sound like demos of old pre CBS strats. I love these comparisons. I think both sets are keepers and I'd be happy with either. Thanks for going through the work for us to listen.

    • @jheat4
      @jheat4 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      For what it's worth. I tried the Surfer's in my strat, and then switched to a set of Ron Ellis 57's, and it's been a world of difference. The 57's feel better, sound fuller, with a beautiful bell-like character without ever being harsh. The tone is great in every position, and with the Duncan's the neck pickup was my favorite and the rest were so/so. It just goes to show that listening online is one thing, and playing in person is much different.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @jheat4 also the 57 set is very different than the mid 60s set. Going for a very different tone

  • @jonaszdabrowski
    @jonaszdabrowski 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great work and editing, T! They're all awesome!

  • @MrBoze-TicoCR
    @MrBoze-TicoCR ปีที่แล้ว

    On the market for new set of SSS pups and I came across you clip here. GREAT Job, both playing and presentation of both pups. My take on what I hear is that regardless of the + & - on the freqs you hear; RE has slightly more sparkle on the top, SD bridge is “hotter” clearly but pulls together when a crunch or gain is added and both sound marginal the same when in a band mix…. The main issue of course-for me, as a performing guitarist where funds are controlled, that marginal difference can’t validate the price difference.
    I can also appreciate players that have worked with RE pups before-as mentioned- that they change for the better as time goes on, but their cost DEFINES the description of BOUTIQUE as I find them way out of my league to start with.
    But they sound good, as good as the SD but do excel in some applications while so do the SD.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, glad it was helpful! I've got another boutique set to compare to the RE set sitting in a box waiting for me to have time, equally expensive though!

  • @wolfnstrings
    @wolfnstrings 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    That Spitfire Pickguard is amazing.

  • @dannywoody5497
    @dannywoody5497 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I think Ron Ellis is a clear winner here love that chime sound

  • @Snek03
    @Snek03 ปีที่แล้ว

    Now that’s how you do a review! Thanks! Any chance you could do one for Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots and Custom Shop ‘69 pickups? 😬

  • @westwoods4067
    @westwoods4067 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    As usual, quite an impressive presentation overall. Therefore very enjoyable to watch and get an ear full. But honestly, in many cases, can't warm up to the high price of "Mystic". LOL 🕶 SD

  • @michael_caz_nyc
    @michael_caz_nyc ปีที่แล้ว

    I much prefer the Pickups with the New bolder looking pick guard. Nice demo and comparison. I have the Lollar Dirty Blonde set on my Suhr custom SSS = Love-em.

  • @Peter-em7wl
    @Peter-em7wl 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I ended up the K line picks up and jam very happy. I thought the Seymour dub and the Ellis were very expensive, very nice , the more than I wanted to spend. I’m very happy with the k lines.

  • @nikolaubtopou
    @nikolaubtopou 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    That spitfire tortoise guard is gorgeous

  • @texasblues1
    @texasblues1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Awesome video! Ron Ellis pickups are a big winner... so much more clarity, character and tone!

  •  ปีที่แล้ว

    To me the most difference is perceived on the low mids. Ellis seem to have a warmth and bit more charm with more of that spectrum of frequencies. Seymour´s sound a bit more direct and plinky because of that. I have a set of the ellis pickups on a strat and that´s exactly how i hear them.

  • @JustAGuitarPlayer
    @JustAGuitarPlayer ปีที่แล้ว

    Where did you get the Layla backing track? Sounds great! And what amp were you playing through?

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  ปีที่แล้ว

      Shoot wish I could remember! Playing through a Suhr PT15IR

  • @Fox-86
    @Fox-86 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for your video and thoughts.
    I also listened with headphones but I didn't pick a great difference.
    I don't want to come off as one of those anti boutique guys cause I'm definitely not (I spent a lot upgrading my les paul with Rewind pickups and electronics) but in this case I can't really justify the difference.
    I also considered the SD set for my Strat but the stock PV 65s are just fine.
    Love the Spitfire pick guard 👌

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you for watching! I don't think there's a wrong answer, for some the differences can be more obvious while for others they could be indiscernible.

    • @charlesfitzgerald3201
      @charlesfitzgerald3201 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      for me is the same , not much difference in tone to justify the cost to my ears anyway and yes the pickgaurd is awesome , love it myself ... I hate to sound neg but i didnt really like either bridge pickup sound , not sure why ,, i just want to say great playing and tones minus the bridge ,, your take on under the bridge was spot on and really nice .....my only question is , where the Fender CS pickups that bad to change ? i really really want one of those.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@charlesfitzgerald3201 I actually bought the guitar with the stock pickups already swapped for the Duncan's so no clue! The previous owner told me the Duncan's were a big improvement but I don't know first hand. I think a strat bridge pickup is always tough in isolation, much more at home in a mix.

    • @charlesfitzgerald3201
      @charlesfitzgerald3201 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@YeatzeeGuitar ah gotcha , great playing bro , Thanks for the help

  • @thegolfnut812
    @thegolfnut812 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I have a set of Ron Ellis 50/60's that I'm going to install into a new pickguard. I'm interested in the way you wired this and the 3 capacitors you used. Can you tell me about the wiring and caps you used?

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hey its actually exactly how it came from Fender Custom Shop, Ive never touched the wiring so I'm not sure exactly what it's details are

  • @musikus7092
    @musikus7092 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Listened the whole comparison 3times with headphones. Both sets sound almost identical. As you said the Ron Ellis bridge PU has a tiny bit more high end.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks for really taking the time to listen and analyze! I need to do the same with the video on TH-cam, I'm kind of curious if any differences I picked up are lost after the upload :)

  • @jjunaree8251
    @jjunaree8251 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Which ron ellis pickup is it? sound so nice. Is it 64s?

  • @aaronbrown0417
    @aaronbrown0417 ปีที่แล้ว

    64 65 pickups which cbs took over can be fuller and rounder with more mids.... they're not as bell typically as earlier 59 to 63 strats... me personally I prefer the more bell tone type of sound from a strat. I pick the seymour duncan over the ron Ellis which is crazy cause I own a set of Ron Ellis 54 pickups which got heft but are airy great clarity but also toothy cutting springy compression in the middle position and bridge... love my set paid the cheap sum of 850 for them used lmao

  • @Backguitar
    @Backguitar 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Pickups = 10% of overal inpact on tone. 90% wood! :-) let the comments war begin :-) (Microphones 10% of Sinatra voice Tone, 90% his voice)

  • @TeleCaster66
    @TeleCaster66 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    All I know is my Ron Ellis Telecaster pickups are the best I've had.

  • @eldoradoguitars6456
    @eldoradoguitars6456 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great video and the new pickguard definitely makes the guitar pop! I think the pickups are both good, just different.
    The Seymour Duncan set, while are "Antiquity" are not really vintage correct. They're a *take* on vintage correct pickups but fixing some of the problems with vintage sets. The bridge pickup is most obvious, as it has a more modern Strat tone at 9k+ ohms. I think that bridge pickup in this set sounds better with gain than the Ron Ellis but the Ron Ellis sounds better clean (especially on the song with all that reverb). The SD do have a little bit more midrange than the Ron Ellis (most notable on "Under the Bridge" to me), which some may prefer -- perhaps more aggressive players :)
    The Ron Ellis set is also very good, just a bit different. The neck and middle sound a little better to me in isolation: they're a bit fuller and have more lows; however, you probably wouldn't notice in a full band mix -- proven in your Layla cover where both sound nearly identical. I do think they're a little snappier, though, and probably have a different response under your fingers. They definitely capture the John Mayer type of sound in position 4 very well.
    I'm very interested in the fact that Ron said you should rewire the guitar with modern wiring. I am interested in how that would affect the sound, and definitely interested in why he would design a vintage set that does better with modern wiring. Would be very interested in your thoughts after rewiring.
    Great video and fun comparison! I loved the more casual vibe of this video.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yeah I agree, both good. I can definitely see why you'd want a hotter bridge like the SD set has, in fact I may prefer that in many situations. Mentally I just sort of ignore that difference since they were obviously going for different things there. I felt like the SD in the neck and middle are very pristine and pretty sounding, the RE has a bit more charm in the neck. The middle still perplexes me on the RE set, and Ron's response is interesting. Here's the layout he told me to wire it in: images.app.goo.gl/tCwbKvj3s4mP5kDx7
      I'll probably give it a go next string change since it's a pretty easy swap just to see, but a part of me still thinks it's just a weird middle pickup and if I got another one to swap in its place it'd be fixed.

    • @eldoradoguitars6456
      @eldoradoguitars6456 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@YeatzeeGuitar Do you think there's a world in which you flip the neck and middle pickups? In true vintage sets the three pickups were "identical." So you could actually move them around if you wanted. I know it's a LP and not a Strat but Duane Allman was famous for having done this in his Hotlanta guitar. The neck was something like 8.8 and the bridge was 7 point something so he just flipped them. Maybe you could try that?

  • @rexhumanum3475
    @rexhumanum3475 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hum, I am generally a Ron Ellis fan, I have several sets of his pickups some bought directly and so much a fan of SD in general though I Owen a few sets too. So it was a big surprise when really like the SD better on this strat. The RE gets muddy easily on this video. The SD seems to relate the dynamic of your playing better especially on the neck. The bridge is just 2 different stories but I have been playing an Alley Cat (HSS) Fender CS from wildcat guitars lately so that maybe is why the SD bridge sound right today.

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You local? Love Wildcat and those alley cat strats are rad!

  • @jimmypeach8838
    @jimmypeach8838 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Man please state your opinion but why.... many can learn from your experience and need some guidance but everyone knows its subjective lol

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I get yelled at either way lol. I liked both sets, I think the Ron Ellis set were slightly more interesting sounding / feeling. Middle pickup is a weak point on the ellis set for me, it's not well matched with the others so the inbetween positions fall a little flat vs the SD. I've got another comparison of the ellis set vs ReWind Electric mid 60's set planned with this guitar so stay tuned for that.

  • @onewiththings
    @onewiththings ปีที่แล้ว +1

    They sound pretty similar, I gotta say.

  • @zachh2673
    @zachh2673 ปีที่แล้ว

    hey man I dig your tone what amp are you using?

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Bottom left I put up what is being used in the signal chain. Suhr PT15, great amp!

    • @zachh2673
      @zachh2673 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@YeatzeeGuitar Ah yeah thats an awesome amp.

  • @altag1
    @altag1 ปีที่แล้ว

    Listening on Sen HD650's I was shocked that I actually preferred the Seymour Duncan"s.. Too me, the Ron Ellis set sounded kind-of 'sterile/thin' (not bad) however just 'average' and not up to my expectation which was based on the hype.... Great video, scratching the RE's off my candidate list...

    • @altag1
      @altag1 ปีที่แล้ว

      would like to hear some Lollars, Kliens and or Van Zants! keep the comparisons coming! :)

  • @finoroverato7640
    @finoroverato7640 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Ellis pickups have more open sound more highs
    Duncans have more mids and sound like they are wound hotter. I dig the Ellis

  • @bobdillon1138
    @bobdillon1138 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Very small improvement maybe not worth the cost and hassle imo
    when you get to a certain level of quality in a pickup
    there are only very minor differences between the different
    manufacturers

  • @jameselliano1203
    @jameselliano1203 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You should show the Seymour Duncans going into the trash can.

  • @matthewf1979
    @matthewf1979 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I prefer the year specific hand wound Strat pickups from the Fender Custom Shop. They’re second only to original vintage pickups IMO.
    Now, I’m off to look at those pickgaurds!

  • @fancymcentire5710
    @fancymcentire5710 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    just bought 12 of them aliexpress

  • @ianthomas4568
    @ianthomas4568 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Sorry but $750 for a set of pickups is crazy!

  • @marktownsend7678
    @marktownsend7678 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is so cool to see. Great video/review. Do you mind if I share this video on our Spitfire Website and possibly Instagram?

    • @YeatzeeGuitar
      @YeatzeeGuitar  2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Go for it 👍@yeatzeeguitar is my account on IG.

  • @quisutdeus911
    @quisutdeus911 ปีที่แล้ว

    RON ELLIS 50/60...
    ABSOLUTELY TOP OVER JOSEFINA CAMPOS!!!!