The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Modern Gretsch Guitars: Replacing Dynas in Club Would You Do This?

Replacing Dynas in Club Would You Do This?

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- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 3:58 p.m. Echosonic:

I like the Dynas in my Club but in many ways I prefer the Gibson Alnico V Staple Magnet pickup by Gibson. I was thinking of replacing the Dynas with Duncan Staple Magnet pickups if installing them would work with just maybe some routing and maybe a spacer. This is a reissue Club not a vintage so I won't be hacking a piece of Gretsch History. I like the inherent tone of the guitar because it's solid spruce top just not sure if I should go for it or not.

I hear lots of people are replacing the Dynas with Duncan Dynas which mean they are not totally happy with the stock Dynas so I figure why not replace with Duncan Alnico V Staple Magnet pickups. Maybe it might look funny but hey Eddie Cochran put a P90 in his 6120. I think someone here did that to his Club but put P90s in. Or maybe I'll get an Epiphone Broadway and install these types of picups in that guitar but those tops aren't solid spruce therefore the inherent tone might not be as good as the Club and not translate to not as good plugged in.

What are your opinions of this?

Thanks,

Echosonic
- Rated: 41 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 4:10 p.m. J(esse James)D:

I wouldn't, but that's me. A few around here don't mind "hacking up" a nice Gretsch, but to each his own.

If I wanted a Gibby tone, I would get a Gibby.
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 4:13 p.m. Echosonic:

J, I think you are right about that. It's tempting to mod guitars. I think I'll just get a used Epi Emperor Regent or Broadway and mod that guitar rather than mess with the Gretsch. Thanks.
- Rated: 41 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 4:25 p.m. J(esse James)D:

No problem, and that would be a great guitar to mod.

I just see so many folks, me included, that have modded a nice guitar, and then regretted it.

Regret usually comes years later
- Rated: 18 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 5:00 p.m. jimmy peters --oldest fart:

sure , go ahead and put p90s in, and although the old p90 is comparable to the old dynos, i am willing to bet you change them back.
- Rated: 25 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 6:02 p.m. Shuie:

Hello Echosonic,

If I was you, I'd replace the neck pickup only. This makes for a truly schitzophrenic sonic combination. A deep, breathy neck pickup, biting treble pickup and the guitar retains a gurgling Gretschy combined sound.

Cochran knew exactly what he was doing when he devised this.

If you don't like it as much as you thought you might, add the bridge staple later.

Jimmy Peters, what the deuce are you thinking with that avatar!!!!!!
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 6:25 p.m. Echosonic:

Shuie, that would be interesting hearing a staple magnet neck with a Dyna. Wicked combination but maybe J is right maybe get an Epi and mod that. Jimmy you have a point where I can mod it back if I don't like it if possible. I can take that into consideration. Thanks.
- Rated: 205 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 6:57 p.m. Proteus:

FWIW, I have the Duncan Dynas in my Jet, and while I don't find them aMAZingly better in that application than the stockers, I'm not considering taking them out.

My spruce-top Club has the stock Dynas, and as I know I've said probably too many times before, I can't imagine that guitar sounding any better than it does. They're going nowhere.

If it sounded any better it would make my chest hurt.
- Rated: 37 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 8:29 p.m. Nobody:

AMEN.

Signed: Another Spruce Club Qwner.
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 12:16 a.m. Echosonic:

Proteus I agree. I never have tried the Duncan Dynas but I think the guitar sounds great stock and after reading Audiodrome (was that his name) experience with replacing his with Duncans, altho he had a great experience, I don't think it's necessary to change mine. What I'm saying is I should leave mine as is if I'm keeping the Dynas or replace them with some Alnico V Staple Magent pickups by Duncan but I think that J was right just leave it be and I can mod an Epiphone Emperor or an Epiphone Broadway. I was going thru old post and this guy Dan did something to an Emperor but I don't see any photos of it in the thread. But yeah I like the Dynas just fine altho I think I love the Alnico V type of single coils just as much, I mean listen to Scotty Moore and you'll know what I mean. But yeah the Club is awesome, solid spruce top and Dynas. I think these pickups have enough treble to them and from what I read the Duncans have even more treble. I don't need anymore than they have. I love Dynas for playng riffs or leads or whatever you call it but for chords and stuff I don't like as much for some reason. I do love those cutting thru the air notes that you hear when you play the leads or individual notes. Thanks.
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 12:19 a.m. Echosonic:

Maybe I should save this for another thread but back to modding guitars. Would you suggest I get a used Broadway that of course has humbuckers in it and get the P90 risers or frames whatever you call them and route a little to install the Alnico V Staple Magnet dog ear pickups or get an Emperor Regent with no routes at all then route it from scratch?

Maybe I should place this question in a new thread or in Dan's old thread. He can answer this one but I'm sure many of you here can answer this too.

Thanks
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 2:14 a.m. robatsu:

If you are going to throw down the kind of money a CC costs, I recommend getting a guitar that sounds the way you want it at purchase time. Experimenting/hacking guitars (or anything, for that matter) is all well and good, but is hardly cost effective in the price realm of CC's, where you should be able to off the shelf get the guitar you want, more or less.
- Rated: 14 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 8:34 a.m. MarkW:

Usually you buy (maybe not always) an expensive guitar for the sound, playability and looks. At least in my book if it is expensive it better nail all three.

A cheap guitar might be missing one of the three and it is still an affordable platform on which to modify to perhaps get you what you are looking for.

I have a 6120ds and those pups are perfect. They nail the sound I wanted, it plays great, and ya gotta love the orange!
- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 10:49 a.m. MBL:

I have often thought of getting an Epi and putting the Staple P-90's in it…it would also be cool to get an L-5 tailpiece…but that's some real dough! Tim MBL
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 1:01 p.m. Echosonic:

Well I already have the Country Club and I do like the way it sounds just I like the sound of Staple Magnet Gibson pickups too and thought maybe installing them in the Club since the Club is so well made and the spruce top makes it sound sooooo good too. But I won't mess with it since it's sounding so good as well so I'll get an Epi one day as MBL suggested he might. I don't think that the Epi for the money and what you get is so expensive but I think that the tail piece is expensive if you want an L-5 tailpinece. Thanks.
- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 1:04 p.m. MBL:

Hey Echosonic..sent you a personal message. BTW, does anyone know where to get an L-5 tailpiece? Tim MBL
- Rated: 14 ↑
Aug 30, 2008 8:40 p.m. MarkW:

Echosonic

Mod the EPi. Great platforms and they will get you where you want to go without messing up a great guitar!

Oh and Epi's are good guitars to start with...
- Rated: 6 ↑
Aug 31, 2008 1:55 a.m. Plectrum Pete:

I have a Gibson Alnico 5 (staple) pickup in my Historic Collection '54 Les Paul Custom reissue. Until I rediscovered the HiLos and Dynas it was my favorite single-coil pickup. But I agree with some of the others. Find another guitar to put it into. How about a 5120 (might not be a great fit though)? A hollow Epi sounds good too. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.
- Rated: 24 ↑
Aug 31, 2008 7:37 a.m. TomfromPA:

Putting a Gibson Staple Magnet pickup in a Club would probably kill its resale value. Not saying don't do it but that's a consideration.

My experiences after switching from stock Dynas to Seymour Duncans in a 6128TSP are completely different than Proteus'. Tone is a very subjective thing but most GDPers posting on the subject have been blown away by the SDs.
- Rated: 5 ↑
Aug 31, 2008 11:39 p.m. Echosonic:

Tom, I don't know what the SD's sound like in person but the stock Dynas sound great. I know saying they sound great and me the guy considering replacing them doesn't make any sense but truthfully they sound great. I'd love to hear how the SDs sound. I heard Proteus' sound samples and I have to thank him for posting them but I it's hard for me to really get a feel unless I hear the guitar live and I'm playing it of course.
- Rated: 24 ↑
Sep 1, 2008 8:00 a.m. TomfromPA:

Echo, agreed there's no substitute for playing & hearing a pickup before deciding. And there's the rub.

Unless you can find a shop that has a USA built Custom Shop Gretsch in stock you are never going to be able to audition a set of Seymour Duncan DynaSonics. That leaves you with the numerous reviews on GDP. The perception of tone and sound attributes is such an intensely personal thing that men of good will can and do disagree.

The best I can say is that if you liked the stock Dynas you most likely will love the Seymour Duncans. Much more refined pickup in my view. But it's just one man's opinion and most folks need more than that before forking out $400 plus installation.
- Rated: 48 ↑
Sep 1, 2008 7:08 p.m. BillyZoom:

All of these vintage single coil pickups sound pretty much the same. Nobody knows why Eddie put the P-90 on his guitar, but I'll bet he didn't hear any difference. Remember, he was maybe 18 or 19 when he did that. Maybe if he'd lived to be 25, he'd have figured out the pickup and bridge situations, as well as why light gauge strings don't sound good on a 6120 with no front to back bracing. Seymour Dyna's are as good as the originals, but no better. The Japanese Dyna's are fine too, except that the coils keep falling out of the cast housings. Cheap pickups, but they sound fine. BZ
- Rated: 41 ↑
Sep 1, 2008 8:43 p.m. J(esse James)D:

BZ, I just had a coil "fall" out of one of my RI Dynas.

I think I'm going to use some clear latex/silicon caulk to "seal it back in"
- Rated: 19 ↑
Sep 1, 2008 8:54 p.m. Vinkie:

As much as I agree that a stock 'Club sounds mighty purty already I did replace the stock pickups with SD Dynas. I felt the stockers were a bit thin sounding, too Telelike (for want of a better word) for my taste, and I had some trouble with microphonic feedback which made controlling my 'Club at stage volume near impossible. The SD's are much better in that respect and sound thicker (not by any means brighter) with more output which suits my style and preferences.

I also installed a V-bigsby w/ Chet wirehandle and a Tru-Arc bar bridge. In the end I'm very glad with the way it turned out and it has become my main stage guitar. I don't think I will regret any of these mods at any point but at the same time I don't regard them as "essential" or "necessary" for everybody. They made a good guitar great to me and I feel I haven't diluted the Gretsch factor on my guitar just one bit. But, again, that's just me!
- Rated: 12 ↑
Sep 2, 2008 8:22 p.m. Chonny:

I would definitely route out that cavity and install some TV Jones Powertrons.