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Newport Pups


FGJ

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Phat Cats are easy to spot - the polepieces are in the middle.

 

ETA: The Phat Cats are kind of a weird duck - they were designed specifically for the Newport and have their own thing going on, and to me that thing ain't a P90 (probably why the Newport 90 exists). I suspect Hamer knew they wouldn't be everyone's cup 'o tea and made them humbucker-size so you could swap them out easy enough. Personally I liked them. They did their own thing very well.

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5 hours ago, hamerhead said:

Phat Cats are easy to spot - the polepieces are in the middle.

 

ETA: The Phat Cats are kind of a weird duck - they were designed specifically for the Newport and have their own thing going on, and to me that thing ain't a P90 (probably why the Newport 90 exists). I suspect Hamer knew they wouldn't be everyone's cup 'o tea and made them humbucker-size so you could swap them out easy enough. Personally I liked them. They did their own thing very well.

And if they're not in the middle, they are..........?

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Those are definitely not Phat Cats.

I think the consensus is that Phat Cats are really their own thing and not p90's, though they're P90-ish insofar as they're still something between Fender singles and humbuckers. I think they sound really great in SG's and Lesters (from what I've seen and heard) which often benefit from brighter pups.

I really like their clarity and dynamic range. They're the most dynamic pickups I've ever played. On the flip side, I totally understand why they may be too bright for some, but I think the brightness can be easily mitigated with the tone and volume. I suspect some player's pedals or amp may negatively affect how they view the Newport Phat Cats. Not all guitar/amp/pedal combinations work well together. I'll bet with some noodling, the Newport with Phat Cats can be found to satisfy nearly any player.

 

 

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4 hours ago, rugby1970 said:

And if they're not in the middle, they are..........?

My guess would be Seth Lovers. That's what came in mine and has been mentioned in others.

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I went ahead and did it the hard way.  It's who I am.  Minor PITA.

IMG_20181102_143605.jpgIMG_20181102_174750.jpg

I put an EXL-120 set on it, until my EXL-115w (wound 3rd) arrives.  That's when it goes to a pro to adjust the nut.

Thanks to @FGJ for giving me the impetus to make the swap.  It's nice to have a Filter'Tron hollowbody, again.

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Wow...my Rumpel’trons are vintage wound and not bright at all in my/your Newport. They are just right. The strings will make a difference. I find filtertron pickups to sound like two different pickups at once...what I mean is, the treble strings sound like a different pickup from the wound strings...but combined they are just wonderful.

Treble strings cut while the wound strings have the “thud”.

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1 hour ago, Michael_B said:

I went ahead and did it the hard way.  It's who I am.  Minor PITA.

IMG_20181102_143605.jpgIMG_20181102_174750.jpg

I put an EXL-120 set on it, until my EXL-115w (wound 3rd) arrives.  That's when it goes to a pro to adjust the nut.

Thanks to @FGJ for giving me the impetus to make the swap.  It's nice to have a Filter'Tron hollowbody, again.

You're welcome and --oh, man -- that's a gorgeous guitar!

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On 10/19/2018 at 12:59 AM, Disturber said:

Also interested in trying TV jones. I never bonded with the Phat Cats. Just to shrill and metallic sounding. Have humbuckers in it now. Much better. Been thinking of trying a set of 57 Classics too, or to go down the TV Jones route (Powertrons), just because....

I notice that in these discussions about the tonal characteristics of various pickups, the amplifier involved is seldom mentioned.

There are a couple of amps I used with my Phat Cat Newports that produced unassailable tone--a Mesa/Boogie Dual Calibre DC-10 with 6L6 output tubes and 2x12 spkrs, and a Gibson Goldtone 2x12 with EL84s and Celestion speakers. 

I also have a Top Hat Club Deluxe with 6V6GTs and a single 12" Celestion Greenback. The Top Hat sounds wonderful with all my SC G&Ls, and is magic with my Hamer Anniversary, but I can't dial in a satisfying tone with the Newport unless I scoop the midrange. Even then, I liked the Mesa/Boogie and GoldTone better.

So I hesitate making generalizations about the Phat Cats, because they seem to be pretty amp-dependent, and may also need some equalization. But plugged into my Mesa DC-10 they could do no wrong.

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22 hours ago, Michael_B said:

I went ahead and did it the hard way.  It's who I am.  Minor PITA.

IMG_20181102_143605.jpgIMG_20181102_174750.jpg

I put an EXL-120 set on it, until my EXL-115w (wound 3rd) arrives.  That's when it goes to a pro to adjust the nut.

Thanks to @FGJ for giving me the impetus to make the swap.  It's nice to have a Filter'Tron hollowbody, again.

That is an outstanding guitar! Kind of reminds me of a certain Artist Custom Birdseye with a Sustain Block.

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On 11/3/2018 at 11:01 PM, JohnnyB said:

I notice that in these discussions about the tonal characteristics of various pickups, the amplifier involved is seldom mentioned.

There are a couple of amps I used with my Phat Cat Newports that produced unassailable tone--a Mesa/Boogie Dual Calibre DC-10 with 6L6 output tubes and 2x12 spkrs, and a Gibson Goldtone 2x12 with EL84s and Celestion speakers. 

I also have a Top Hat Club Deluxe with 6V6GTs and a single 12" Celestion Greenback. The Top Hat sounds wonderful with all my SC G&Ls, and is magic with my Hamer Anniversary, but I can't dial in a satisfying tone with the Newport unless I scoop the midrange. Even then, I liked the Mesa/Boogie and GoldTone better.

So I hesitate making generalizations about the Phat Cats, because they seem to be pretty amp-dependent, and may also need some equalization. But plugged into my Mesa DC-10 they could do no wrong.

Yes, agree. The Phat Cats sounds different depending on what amp I use. I like them with my combo Fenders. Through my JMP Marshall's the don't work at all. Shrill and stiff, ice pick in the ear. No bass, unpleasant mids and lots of treble even with the tone control on 0 to 2. 

I prefer my Monaco III every time. It sounds great with every amp I plug it in to. Killer Marshall sound. Killer clean jazz and blues sound. And it can do a decent

rockabilly too, if needed.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/2/2018 at 5:00 PM, Michael_B said:

I went ahead and did it the hard way.  It's who I am.  Minor PITA.

IMG_20181102_143605.jpgIMG_20181102_174750.jpg

I put an EXL-120 set on it, until my EXL-115w (wound 3rd) arrives.  That's when it goes to a pro to adjust the nut.

Thanks to @FGJ for giving me the impetus to make the swap.  It's nice to have a Filter'Tron hollowbody, again.

Can you possibly post a video of how this sounds? Possibly running through the different pickup settings to get an idea of what can be had from a Newport with these pups? I'd like to know what I'd be getting into if I tried such a swap. - Thanks!

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3 hours ago, FGJ said:

Can you possibly post a video of how this sounds? Possibly running through the different pickup settings to get an idea of what can be had from a Newport with these pups? I'd like to know what I'd be getting into if I tried such a swap. - Thanks!

I'm heading out of town, tomorrow, for a couple of weeks.  I'll post something, shortly after I get back.

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We should all post some filtertron’d Newport clips...clean and dirty.

Good point on the Newport being amp dependent. Mine certainly is as well.

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On 11/5/2018 at 10:30 AM, Disturber said:

I notice that in these discussions about the tonal characteristics of various pickups, the amplifier involved is seldom mentioned.

Confirmed! My Newport sounds different an all of my amps. The far most best it sounds on the Silvertone. Least differentiate on the AC-15.

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  • 4 months later...
4 hours ago, FGJ said:

Hey, Michael, did you ever get a chance to record something with this setup? I'm still eager to hear it!

I'm sorry, I didn't.  I tried to shoot video with my phone and sync it to a Garage Band audio track.  It was a hassle that turned out badly.  I'm hosting a guest, this coming week, who routinely makes videos of herself.  I'll ask her for some help.

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Well, after meeting with AC of Rumpelstiltskin Pickups last week I decided to make a change....Just because my Peavey Firenza With P90s will go on the chopping block soon for Shishkov funds. So........

I installed a Rumpel Archer in the neck...kinda like a giant Fender type pickup wth rod mags.....in the bridge I installed a Rumpel Chameleon HB-sized P90. Now I know and have stated that HB sized 90s don’t sound like 90s...but this one with A2 mags gets me 90% there. So now the Newport sounds more like a Casino as opposed to a Gretsch. Gotta dial them in.

These sound nothing like Phat Cats. Not that Phat Cats aren’t good in their own right. Just not what I want to hear

 Bridge has the growl, neck has the smooth clarity, and the middle brings the chime. This is now a perfect blues guitar.

 

01C6604B-9ACC-4FA4-A806-3039DEF968AA.jpeg

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That looks like a cool setup. Honestly though, my T51 is already a great blues guitar, so I'd rather stick with something that can also approximate a Gretsch tone on the Newport, which is why I was curious about Tron style pups. In the end, I may stick with the Phat Cats because they already do the hollowbody rockabilly thing well. I figure between a Cali, a T51, and a Newport, I've got most tone bases covered.

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