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Pickup rings for Jeff Beck R4

p19978

Active member
Joined
Sep 7, 2003
Messages
144
Anyone know where I can find this bridge pup ring? Looks like it would make string changes ALOT quicker...

1655823949909.jpeg
 

Drayve85

Active member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
195
Alright, I’m not trying to grind anyones gears, I’m legitimately asking. What makes these beck oxbloods so cool? Is it just cuz Jeff beck played one, or is there something I’m missing?? Without the ABR I can’t see how it would intimate all that well. Idk, like I said, I don’t mean any venom or anything. I’m sincerely wondering.
 

thin sissy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
2,691
Alright, I’m not trying to grind anyones gears, I’m legitimately asking. What makes these beck oxbloods so cool? Is it just cuz Jeff beck played one, or is there something I’m missing?? Without the ABR I can’t see how it would intimate all that well. Idk, like I said, I don’t mean any venom or anything. I’m sincerely wondering.
Many people (myself included), prefer wraptails over ABR-1's. So I'm guessing that's the allure (plus the colour). I've never played a JB sig, but my own favorite LP's all have wraptails :)
 

J.D.

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Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
Alright, I’m not trying to grind anyones gears, I’m legitimately asking. What makes these beck oxbloods so cool? Is it just cuz Jeff beck played one, or is there something I’m missing?? Without the ABR I can’t see how it would intimate all that well. Idk, like I said, I don’t mean any venom or anything. I’m sincerely wondering.
The real JB guitar's bridge pickup is not exactly in the correct position as compared to a typical dual humbucker Les Paul. That is due to how whoever routed the P90 cavity. That has to be a factor in the sound of the original guitar.

As noted, many of us (myself included) prefer a simple slanted wraptail, ala 50s Jr, to the stop TP + ABR-1 bridge.

The original JB guitar's bridge pickup ring is filed on the treble side, similar to the previous photo posted, to do individual treble side string changes.
 

Drayve85

Active member
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
195
Many people (myself included), prefer wraptails over ABR-1's. So I'm guessing that's the allure (plus the colour). I've never played a JB sig, but my own favorite LP's all have wraptails :)
The real JB guitar's bridge pickup is not exactly in the correct position as compared to a typical dual humbucker Les Paul. That is due to how whoever routed the P90 cavity. That has to be a factor in the sound of the original guitar.

As noted, many of us (myself included) prefer a simple slanted wraptail, ala 50s Jr, to the stop TP + ABR-1 bridge.

The original JB guitar's bridge pickup ring is filed on the treble side, similar to the previous photo posted, to do individual treble side string changes.
That all makes sense, and I didn’t know that the bridge p’up wasn’t in the “normal” spot. Thank you to both of you for replying! I like the color and the idea of the oxblood, I just have a hard time with the wraptail, but that’s just me, different strokes! Admittedly, I’ve never played an oxblood Beck guitar, or even a straight wraptail, for that matter, so I can only base my opinion on looks.

I just wasn’t sure if there was more to the appeal than what I knew. The placement of the bridge p’up definitely would make a difference in the sound. I LOVE Becks playing during that era!! Idk, maybe I’ll be a wraptail convert!😂😂. Thanks again!
 

El Gringo

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Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I have the subjective opinion - string tension is different with a wrap although could be just in my head . I own a few I really like the way they play !
I have never played a wrap tail , but this has me wondering about the differences in the sonic signature in Jeff Becks Oxblood in how the pickup placement due to the routing from the P90 to a humbucker makes a lot of sense as to the sound from that era of his music . Big fan of his when I was a kid and he had all of those killer albums ,like Truth ,Blow by Blow , Wired , also the live album with Jann Hammer from back then as well . Jeff Beck is from another universe as his playing is out of this world great and still is today . Pretty wild if you were to compare him to a big league baseball pitcher you would not notice him losing any heat from his fastball . Pretty wild at his advanced age !
 

p19978

Active member
Joined
Sep 7, 2003
Messages
144
Evidently some of you don't gig... which is fine... I'm not hating... but for those of that do...

...the reason I started this thread is that if I break a high E or B string during a gig, it would be much quicker to change the string with the altered/modded bridge pup ring.

The pic doesn't offer the best angle... but believe me when I say there's not enough room on the factory pup ring to get a string change done without loosening most/all the strings, removing the tailpiece, and putting it all back together. Do that in the middle of a song/set? Uhh... no.

Yeah... I "could" get busy with a Dremel or razor... but I'd rather just change the pup ring.
 

p19978

Active member
Joined
Sep 7, 2003
Messages
144
For those that haven't played the wrap tails (R4, Jeff Beck, etc); there seems to be a little something "extra".

For comparison I own an R4, the Jeff Beck, an R8, and a CU7.

To my ears, there is a difference.
 
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