Advice for Tele pickups? [Archive]

Bruce Morgen

08-09-2003, 08:30 AM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

>"marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
>> Hello,
>> I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking for a
>> fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make any
>> recommendations.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Marc
>
>
>I put a Tex-Mex Strat pickup in the neck of my '87 MIJ Squier Tele and
>it sounds much fuller (still has the stock bridge pickup). Of course
>you'd have to enlarge the pickup cavity to install one of these.
>
>If you want to try Bill Lawrence pickups, be sure to look into the
>Black Label pickups by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com. These
>were used by Tele master Roy Buchanon in one of his Teles.

The junk sold by this
incompetent is *not*
anywhere near what
Roy Buchanan actually
used. Roy's pickups
were built under BL's
personal supervision
and were of excellent
quality, while this
guy's attempt to
reproduce BL's work
would embarass anyone
who had a conscience.

Moreover, BL's current
L-280 / L-290 series
is a much more refined
and advanced design
than the Black Label
pickups -- not only
that, they actually
cost *less*! Btw, the
www.billlawrenceusa.com
junk cannot be sold on
eBay due to registered
mark infringement and
and have no real resale
value -- so, if you
don't like them (and
you probably won't when
you see their shoddy
materials and amateur
workmanship up close)
you'll have pretty much
have flushed your money
down the loo. On the
other hand, BL's
current stuff generally
fetches 90-100% of it's
original price on eBay.
>
>(BTW - I do not work for, and have never worked for, ANY musical
>instrument related company.)

That's a good thing,
because if you think the
www.billlawrenceusa.com
stuff is worth buying
then you have no idea of
what quality is. :-(

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Atlas M. Schacter

08-09-2003, 09:32 AM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

>"marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
>> Hello,
>> I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking
for a
>> fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make
any
>> recommendations.
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Marc
>
>
>I put a Tex-Mex Strat pickup in the neck of my '87 MIJ Squier Tele
and
>it sounds much fuller (still has the stock bridge pickup). Of course
>you'd have to enlarge the pickup cavity to install one of these.

The idea of putting a Stratocaster pickup in the neck spot of a
Telecaster is a good one (as per greats like Jerry Donahue and the
late Clarence White), but the Tex-Mex would not be my choice because
it's overwound and that severely limits its tonal possibilities.
Fender's '57/'62 is imo a much better and far more versatile pickup,
ymmv.
>
>If you want to try Bill Lawrence pickups, be sure to look into the
>Black Label pickups by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com. These
>were used by Tele master Roy Buchanon in one of his Teles.

The junk sold by this incompetent is _not_ anywhere near what Roy
Buchanan actually used. Roy's pickups were built under BL's personal
supervision and were of excellent quality, while this guy's attempt to
reproduce BL's work would embarass anyone who had a conscience.

Moreover, BL's current L-280 / L-290 series is a much more refined and
advanced design than the old Black Label pickups -- not only that,
they actually cost *less*! Btw, the <www.billlawrenceusa.com> junk
cannot be sold on eBay due to registered mark infringement and have
almost no resale value -- so, if you don't like them (and you probably
won't when you see their shoddy materials and amateur workmanship up
close) you'll have pretty much have flushed your money down the loo.
On the other hand, BL's current stuff (from <www.billlawrence.com>)
generally fetches 90-100% of its original price on eBay.
>
>(BTW - I do not work for, and have never worked for, ANY musical
>instrument related company.)

That's a good thing, because if you think the
<www.billlawrenceusa.com> dreck is worth buying then you have no idea
of what quality is. :-(

Bruce Morgen

08-10-2003, 01:29 PM

Looks like somebody else
doesn't like my narrow
columns even if they
apparently agree with me!
:-)

worldlifter@my-deja.com (Atlas M. Schacter) wrote:

>kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:
>
>>"marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
>>> Hello,
>>> I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking
>for a
>>> fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make
>any
>>> recommendations.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Marc
>>
>>
>>I put a Tex-Mex Strat pickup in the neck of my '87 MIJ Squier Tele
>and
>>it sounds much fuller (still has the stock bridge pickup). Of course
>>you'd have to enlarge the pickup cavity to install one of these.
>
>The idea of putting a Stratocaster pickup in the neck spot of a
>Telecaster is a good one (as per greats like Jerry Donahue and the
>late Clarence White), but the Tex-Mex would not be my choice because
>it's overwound and that severely limits its tonal possibilities.
>Fender's '57/'62 is imo a much better and far more versatile pickup,
>ymmv.
>>
>>If you want to try Bill Lawrence pickups, be sure to look into the
>>Black Label pickups by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com. These
>>were used by Tele master Roy Buchanon in one of his Teles.
>
>The junk sold by this incompetent is _not_ anywhere near what Roy
>Buchanan actually used. Roy's pickups were built under BL's personal
>supervision and were of excellent quality, while this guy's attempt to
>reproduce BL's work would embarass anyone who had a conscience.
>
>Moreover, BL's current L-280 / L-290 series is a much more refined and
>advanced design than the old Black Label pickups -- not only that,
>they actually cost *less*! Btw, the <www.billlawrenceusa.com> junk
>cannot be sold on eBay due to registered mark infringement and have
>almost no resale value -- so, if you don't like them (and you probably
>won't when you see their shoddy materials and amateur workmanship up
>close) you'll have pretty much have flushed your money down the loo.
>On the other hand, BL's current stuff (from <www.billlawrence.com>)
>generally fetches 90-100% of its original price on eBay.
>>
>>(BTW - I do not work for, and have never worked for, ANY musical
>>instrument related company.)
>
>That's a good thing, because if you think the
><www.billlawrenceusa.com> dreck is worth buying then you have no idea
>of what quality is. :-(

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Not A Speck Of Cereal

08-10-2003, 08:57 PM

As Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> so eloquently put:
[] Looks like somebody else
[] doesn't like my narrow
[] columns even if they
[] apparently agree with me!
[] :-)

Bob, that's some pretty
strange haiku. Try this.

Bob's narrow columns
forty column monitor?
thing of the past dewd!

perhaps something else
accessability thing?
I'm hip--carry on.

Chris

--
"My current strat is actually a hollow tele."
-- Fabio
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

kwells

08-12-2003, 06:28 AM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote in message news:<632ede44.0308080541.265298e6@posting.google.com>...
> "marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> > Hello,
> > I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking for a
> > fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make any
> > recommendations.
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Marc
>
>
> I put a Tex-Mex Strat pickup in the neck of my '87 MIJ Squier Tele and
> it sounds much fuller (still has the stock bridge pickup). Of course
> you'd have to enlarge the pickup cavity to install one of these.
>
> If you want to try Bill Lawrence pickups, be sure to look into the
> Black Label pickups by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com. These
> were used by Tele master Roy Buchanon in one of his Teles.
>
> (BTW - I do not work for, and have never worked for, ANY musical
> instrument related company.)

You might also try the L-250 pickups by the www.billlawrenceusa.com
folks. These are single-coil size humbuckers, with a single blade
instead of pole pieces. They are quiet like humbuckers but brighter
sounding. They have one that fits a Tele bridge but the neck pickup
would have to be Strat sized. I've used these for years in a Strat
copy and everyone who hears them agrees that they sound great.

Bluesview

08-12-2003, 10:48 AM

These are not the Bill Lawrence pickups people like and talk about on this
news group. The Bill Lawrence pickups you want or on >>>>>>>>>>>>
www.billlawrence.com <<<<<<<<<<<<< Don't be fooled.

Parker

"kwells" <kwells@kdsi.net> wrote in message
news:632ede44.0308120428.74c7f125@posting.google.c om...
> kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote in message
news:<632ede44.0308080541.265298e6@posting.google.com>...
> > "marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> > > Hello,
> > > I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking
for a
> > > fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make
any
> > > recommendations.
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Marc
> >
> >
> > I put a Tex-Mex Strat pickup in the neck of my '87 MIJ Squier Tele and
> > it sounds much fuller (still has the stock bridge pickup). Of course
> > you'd have to enlarge the pickup cavity to install one of these.
> >
> > If you want to try Bill Lawrence pickups, be sure to look into the
> > Black Label pickups by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com. These
> > were used by Tele master Roy Buchanon in one of his Teles.
> >
> > (BTW - I do not work for, and have never worked for, ANY musical
> > instrument related company.)
>
> You might also try the L-250 pickups by the www.billlawrenceusa.com
> folks. These are single-coil size humbuckers, with a single blade
> instead of pole pieces. They are quiet like humbuckers but brighter
> sounding. They have one that fits a Tele bridge but the neck pickup
> would have to be Strat sized. I've used these for years in a Strat
> copy and everyone who hears them agrees that they sound great.

Nil

08-12-2003, 11:06 AM

On 12 Aug 2003, "Bluesview" <bluesview@nospamcomcast.net> wrote in
news:_T8_a.127965$Ho3.15983@sccrnsc03:

> These are not the Bill Lawrence pickups people like and talk about
> on this news group. The Bill Lawrence pickups you want or on
> >>>>>>>>>>>> www.billlawrence.com <<<<<<<<<<<<< Don't be fooled.

Ethical questions aside, do the ones from billlawrenceusa sound bad?

Odin

08-12-2003, 11:55 AM

"Nil" <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message

> > These are not the Bill Lawrence pickups people like and
talk about
> > on this news group. The Bill Lawrence pickups you want
or on
> > >>>>>>>>>>>> www.billlawrence.com <<<<<<<<<<<<< Don't
be fooled.
>
> Ethical questions aside, do the ones from billlawrenceusa
sound bad?

They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
comments about them.

Nil

08-12-2003, 06:24 PM

On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:

> They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
> the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
> comments about them.

But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.

This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.

kwells

08-13-2003, 07:02 AM

Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93D5CF9CC7945nilch1@204.127.204.17>...
> On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
> news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:
>
> > They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
> > the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
> > comments about them.
>
> But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
> to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
> humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
> the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
> Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
> blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
> closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.

FYI - The single bladed pickup you had in the late 70's was either an
L-220 or an L-250 which was basically an updated version of the L-220.
In "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" the L-250 is described as an
"attenuated flux version of the L-220". By 1983 the L-220 was not
listed in the catalog anymore - just the L-250.

Bill designed both of these back when his company was called Lawrence
Sound Research. Bill has not been with the company since '84 but it
has been in business ever since, is still owned by one of the original
partners, and the name has been changed to Bill Lawrence Guitar
Pickups. I own an L-250 made back when Bill was still with the
company and several made since then (one was even bought from
Stew-Mac) and they ALL sound the same, so I know they still make them
like they used to.

The L-250's sound fantastic. They are quiet, warm (but brighter than
regular humbuckers) and full of tone. I play Kenny Burrell-style
jazz, blues, classic rock and Santana-style latin and they sound great
for each style. You'll even find good reviews of them on Bill's Forum
- there are a couple of threads about his single-bladed pickups on
there.

> This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
> in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
> products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
> with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
> customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.

The Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company isn't fooling anyone anymore
than the Fender company fooled people after Leo was no longer
involved. The confusion comes from Bills prominent use of the "Bill
Lawrence" name in ads for his "Wilde" pickups. (Guitar history would
really be confusing if Leo had continued to use "Fender" in large
print in ads for his Music Man or G&L products!)

Bluesview

08-13-2003, 03:55 PM

"kwells" <kwells@kdsi.net> wrote in message
news:632ede44.0308130502.27b7ac94@posting.google.c om...
> Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:<Xns93D5CF9CC7945nilch1@204.127.204.17>...
> > On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
> > news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:
> >
> > > They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
> > > the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
> > > comments about them.
> >
> > But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
> > to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
> > humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
> > the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
> > Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
> > blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
> > closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.
>
> FYI - The single bladed pickup you had in the late 70's was either an
> L-220 or an L-250 which was basically an updated version of the L-220.
> In "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" the L-250 is described as an
> "attenuated flux version of the L-220". By 1983 the L-220 was not
> listed in the catalog anymore - just the L-250.
>
> Bill designed both of these back when his company was called Lawrence
> Sound Research. Bill has not been with the company since '84 but it
> has been in business ever since, is still owned by one of the original
> partners, and the name has been changed to Bill Lawrence Guitar
> Pickups. I own an L-250 made back when Bill was still with the
> company and several made since then (one was even bought from
> Stew-Mac) and they ALL sound the same, so I know they still make them
> like they used to.
>
> The L-250's sound fantastic. They are quiet, warm (but brighter than
> regular humbuckers) and full of tone. I play Kenny Burrell-style
> jazz, blues, classic rock and Santana-style latin and they sound great
> for each style. You'll even find good reviews of them on Bill's Forum
> - there are a couple of threads about his single-bladed pickups on
> there.
>
> > This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
> > in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
> > products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
> > with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
> > customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.
>
> The Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company isn't fooling anyone anymore
> than the Fender company fooled people after Leo was no longer
> involved. The confusion comes from Bills prominent use of the "Bill
> Lawrence" name in ads for his "Wilde" pickups. (Guitar history would
> really be confusing if Leo had continued to use "Fender" in large
> print in ads for his Music Man or G&L products!)

Not confusing. He used his first name instead of his last at G&L. And
neither at MusicMan.

Parker

JmsDvd

08-14-2003, 04:12 AM

just my opinion.......I use Rio Grande pups in my James Burton and have had
many compliments on the tone...good luck

lbrty4us@aol.com

08-14-2003, 01:36 PM

"marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> Hello,
> I have a Mexican Tele and I want to change the pickups. I'm looking for a
> fuller sound but I still want to keep the clairity. Can anyone make any
> recommendations.

I would encourage you to realize that despite a lot of popularity and
marketing, pickups are the least important thing in terms of affecting
one's sound, as long as they are adequate for the design. Technique,
string guage, guitar design, speaker, and amp are all far more
important, and in that order. A Tele is not supposed to be a
fuller-sounding guitar. Anything you do to it to make it moreso, will
make it less Tele-like, and is working against its basic design. I
suggest you simply get rid of the Tele and buy a guitar that you like
the sound from - such as something with 'buckers. You can spend a lot
of money & time fooling around trying to make a compromise instrument
instead, as many now do, and end up with less performance and resale
value to show for it.

I have heard Mex Tele's that sound every bit as good as my orig '52
did, and are much better guitars overall. It sounds like you might be
an SG man instead, try a good clone & see.

July51980Summit

08-14-2003, 02:13 PM

I have Fralins in two of my Teles, and have tried many others in my
quest for tone. My very favorite Tele pickup is in my main ax, the Seymour
Duncan "Vintage Telecaster" pickup. All the color and character of the early
Tele pickups, but without the noise.
As a Tele player, I think this pickup is a masterpiece. The Fralins
aren't bad, either!

Not A Speck Of Cereal

08-14-2003, 09:36 PM

As lbrty4us@aol.com so eloquently put:
[...]
[] Technique,
[] string guage, guitar design, speaker, and amp are all far more
[] important, and in that order.

And battery condition. Don't forget the well worn battery.

Chris

--
"My current strat is actually a hollow tele."
-- Fabio
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

Ricky W. Hunt

08-14-2003, 10:53 PM

<lbrty4us@aol.com> wrote in message
news:205ef942.0308141136.57c42226@posting.google.c om...
> "marc silva" <msdebk@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:<aN0Xa.85597$0v4.5730132@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> I have heard Mex Tele's that sound every bit as good as my orig '52
> did, and are much better guitars overall.

I'm glad to here someone else say that. I have a MIM Tele that plays better
than any vintage Tele I've ever played.

Vvanragnar

08-15-2003, 07:22 AM

There's also a kind of Telecaster called the "Fat Tele" - I think it's based on
one Albert Collins used - which means the electronics may be available from
Fender to set the thing up with whatever constitutes the fatness of the model.
You might ask your Helpful Shop Guy what he knows about the pickups in the fat
model and see if that stuff is available.

Bruce Morgen

08-15-2003, 01:47 PM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

>Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93D5CF9CC7945nilch1@204.127.204.17>...
>> On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
>> news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:
>>
>> > They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
>> > the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
>> > comments about them.
>>
>> But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
>> to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
>> humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
>> the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
>> Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
>> blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
>> closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.
>
>FYI - The single bladed pickup you had in the late 70's was either an
>L-220 or an L-250 which was basically an updated version of the L-220.
> In "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" the L-250 is described as an
>"attenuated flux version of the L-220". By 1983 the L-220 was not
>listed in the catalog anymore - just the L-250.

True afaik.
>
>Bill designed both of these back when his company was called Lawrence
>Sound Research.

True.

>Bill has not been with the company since '84 but it
>has been in business ever since,

No it hasn't. "Lawrence Sound
Research" does not exist and
hasn't for about twenty years.

>is still owned by one of the original
>partners, and the name has been changed to Bill Lawrence Guitar
>Pickups.

No, it hasn't. "Bill Lawrence
Guitar Pickups" (if it actually
exists as such) is another
entity entirely. As the
incompetent you're supporting
what happened to "The Lawrence
Connection."

>I own an L-250 made back when Bill was still with the
>company and several made since then (one was even bought from
>Stew-Mac) and they ALL sound the same, so I know they still make them
>like they used to.

This is incorrect. First of
all, you could just be lucky
and/or have a tin ear (as
Stew-Mac's catalog stated,
the "Lawrence" pickups they
sold were very inconsistent).
The pickups are not the same
because the bootlegging
thief you're supporting
cannot buy the magnet wire
from the company that has
BL's original specs due to
the fact that he failed to
pay his bills (an old and
ongoing story with his guy!).
The devil's in the details,
and this man wouldn't know a
detail if it crawled into
his ear and blew a chorus of
"Cherokee!"
>
>The L-250's sound fantastic. They are quiet, warm (but brighter than
>regular humbuckers) and full of tone. I play Kenny Burrell-style
>jazz, blues, classic rock and Santana-style latin and they sound great
>for each style. You'll even find good reviews of them on Bill's Forum
>- there are a couple of threads about his single-bladed pickups on
>there.

To achieve BL performance
you must to more than just
approximate his designs
wth second-rate skills and
cheap materials -- a true
BL pickup must be built
strictly according to BL's
exact sequence of
manufacturing operations
using BL's specified parts
and materials.
>
>> This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
>> in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
>> products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
>> with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
>> customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.
>
>The Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company isn't fooling anyone anymore
>than the Fender company fooled people after Leo was no longer
>involved.

Bad analogy. Fender (FMIC)
is not legally allowed to
use the name "Leo Fender"
on their products and this
ethically-impaired
bootlegger is not legally
allowed to use the name
"Bill Lawrence." Now that
BL is in California, a
reckoning won't be long
in coming -- CA has the
strongest laws in the
country when it comes to
abuse of a well-known
person's professional
identity without
permission, and your ill-
chosen buddy is in clear
violation. You can't cut
a Tony Bennett CD without
Tony Bennett's consent
and you can't sell a
pickup with the name
"Bill Lawrence"
without Bill Lawrence's
consent. Period.

>The confusion comes from Bills prominent use of the "Bill
>Lawrence" name in ads for his "Wilde" pickups. (Guitar history would
>really be confusing if Leo had continued to use "Fender" in large
>print in ads for his Music Man or G&L products!)

Bill Lawrence holds the
uncontested registered
service mark for his
name. His use of that
name clearly implies
the use of his services
(design and manufacturing
supervision) in
producing what are
commonly called "Bill
Lawrence pickups." G&L
can continues to use
"Leo Fender" in whatever
font they want, because
Leo Fender and his estate
have consented to that
use. The distinction is
that "Fender" is a brand
name, but "Leo Fender" is
the professional identity
the person born as
Clarence Leo Fender.
Similarly, "Lawrence" can
be a brand name, but
"Bill Lawrence" is the
professional identity of
the person born as Willi
Lorenz Stich.

When it comes to a man's
professional identity,
the name and the person
are inseparable.

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Don Evans

08-15-2003, 07:11 PM

"Bruce Morgen" <editor@juno.com> wrote in message
news:7mcqjvc0ij8mgu095517ok1jc76cspdccm@4ax.com...
> kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:
>
> >Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:<Xns93D5CF9CC7945nilch1@204.127.204.17>...
> >> On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
> >> news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:
> >>
> >> > They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
> >> > the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
> >> > comments about them.
> >>
> >> But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
> >> to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
> >> humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
> >> the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
> >> Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
> >> blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
> >> closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.
> >
> >FYI - The single bladed pickup you had in the late 70's was either an
> >L-220 or an L-250 which was basically an updated version of the L-220.
> > In "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" the L-250 is described as an
> >"attenuated flux version of the L-220". By 1983 the L-220 was not
> >listed in the catalog anymore - just the L-250.
>
> True afaik.
> >
> >Bill designed both of these back when his company was called Lawrence
> >Sound Research.
>
> True.
>
> >Bill has not been with the company since '84 but it
> >has been in business ever since,
>
> No it hasn't. "Lawrence Sound
> Research" does not exist and
> hasn't for about twenty years.
>
> >is still owned by one of the original
> >partners, and the name has been changed to Bill Lawrence Guitar
> >Pickups.
>
> No, it hasn't. "Bill Lawrence
> Guitar Pickups" (if it actually
> exists as such) is another
> entity entirely. As the
> incompetent you're supporting
> what happened to "The Lawrence
> Connection."
>
> >I own an L-250 made back when Bill was still with the
> >company and several made since then (one was even bought from
> >Stew-Mac) and they ALL sound the same, so I know they still make them
> >like they used to.
>
> This is incorrect. First of
> all, you could just be lucky
> and/or have a tin ear (as
> Stew-Mac's catalog stated,
> the "Lawrence" pickups they
> sold were very inconsistent).
> The pickups are not the same
> because the bootlegging
> thief you're supporting
> cannot buy the magnet wire
> from the company that has
> BL's original specs due to
> the fact that he failed to
> pay his bills (an old and
> ongoing story with his guy!).
> The devil's in the details,
> and this man wouldn't know a
> detail if it crawled into
> his ear and blew a chorus of
> "Cherokee!"
> >
> >The L-250's sound fantastic. They are quiet, warm (but brighter than
> >regular humbuckers) and full of tone. I play Kenny Burrell-style
> >jazz, blues, classic rock and Santana-style latin and they sound great
> >for each style. You'll even find good reviews of them on Bill's Forum
> >- there are a couple of threads about his single-bladed pickups on
> >there.
>
> To achieve BL performance
> you must to more than just
> approximate his designs
> wth second-rate skills and
> cheap materials -- a true
> BL pickup must be built
> strictly according to BL's
> exact sequence of
> manufacturing operations
> using BL's specified parts
> and materials.
> >
> >> This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
> >> in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
> >> products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
> >> with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
> >> customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.
> >
> >The Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company isn't fooling anyone anymore
> >than the Fender company fooled people after Leo was no longer
> >involved.
>
> Bad analogy. Fender (FMIC)
> is not legally allowed to
> use the name "Leo Fender"
> on their products and this
> ethically-impaired
> bootlegger is not legally
> allowed to use the name
> "Bill Lawrence." Now that
> BL is in California, a
> reckoning won't be long
> in coming -- CA has the
> strongest laws in the
> country when it comes to
> abuse of a well-known
> person's professional
> identity without
> permission, and your ill-
> chosen buddy is in clear
> violation. You can't cut
> a Tony Bennett CD without
> Tony Bennett's consent
> and you can't sell a
> pickup with the name
> "Bill Lawrence"
> without Bill Lawrence's
> consent. Period.
>
> >The confusion comes from Bills prominent use of the "Bill
> >Lawrence" name in ads for his "Wilde" pickups. (Guitar history would
> >really be confusing if Leo had continued to use "Fender" in large
> >print in ads for his Music Man or G&L products!)
>
> Bill Lawrence holds the
> uncontested registered
> service mark for his
> name. His use of that
> name clearly implies
> the use of his services
> (design and manufacturing
> supervision) in
> producing what are
> commonly called "Bill
> Lawrence pickups." G&L
> can continues to use
> "Leo Fender" in whatever
> font they want, because
> Leo Fender and his estate
> have consented to that
> use. The distinction is
> that "Fender" is a brand
> name, but "Leo Fender" is
> the professional identity
> the person born as
> Clarence Leo Fender.
> Similarly, "Lawrence" can
> be a brand name, but
> "Bill Lawrence" is the
> professional identity of
> the person born as Willi
> Lorenz Stich.
>
> When it comes to a man's
> professional identity,
> the name and the person
> are inseparable.
>
>
> Disclaimer: I occasionally
> consult with William
> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Good even handed informative post, Bruce! I tried to come up with comments
on the Fender analogy, but you said it much better than I could. I use
them, I like them, but even if I didn't, I'd still feel the same way about
Bill. His level of dedication to excellence in design is unquestionable,
and he rides on no one's coat tails. Unlike the other guys.

Don

Dan Stanley

08-15-2003, 07:13 PM

"Vvanragnar" <vvanragnar@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030815092206.12152.00000028@mb-m20.aol.com...
> There's also a kind of Telecaster called the "Fat Tele" - I think it's
based on
> one Albert Collins used - which means the electronics may be available
from
> Fender to set the thing up with whatever constitutes the fatness of the
model.
> You might ask your Helpful Shop Guy what he knows about the pickups in the
fat
> model and see if that stuff is available.

"Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he never
used the 'bucker.
Lots of players in the late sixties and seventies put 'buckers in the front
of their Teles: Terry Kath ( Chicago), Mike Bloomfield, Keith
Richards...lots more.

I have a Gibson '57 Classic in the neck of a Japanese Paisley Tele. Kinda
searching for a bridge pickup that mates well with it.

Dan

Dan Stanley

08-15-2003, 07:43 PM

"Teddy Salad" <toneguru_uk@see-sig.invalid> wrote in message
news:e7bc06b974c11e747e713ce28244c0af@news.onlynew s.com...
> Dan "the closet shredder" Stanley <vze2bjcf@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
> > I have a Gibson '57 Classic in the neck of a Japanese Paisley Tele.
Kinda
> > searching for a bridge pickup that mates well with it.
>
> Sure you are, Mr. Roots Rock. The last time I saw you you were wanking
> away on a floral pattern Ibanez Jem. Complete with green vine
> fretboard inlay and, dare I say it, a FLOYD ROSE!!

I think it went well with my comb-over, don't you? Also, it really minimized
my paunch, despite making my butt look big.

> B-bender, indeed!

I bend 'em all. An equal opportunity bender am I.

> What would Keef say?

" Fahr ghummble dribs 'n' drobs gimm nehr <chuckle> ahm gon druhnner...noawm
sain. Savvy?"

Dan

Teddy Salad

08-15-2003, 07:58 PM

Dan "the closet shredder" Stanley <vze2bjcf@verizon.net> wrote:

> I have a Gibson '57 Classic in the neck of a Japanese Paisley Tele. Kinda
> searching for a bridge pickup that mates well with it.

Sure you are, Mr. Roots Rock. The last time I saw you you were wanking
away on a floral pattern Ibanez Jem. Complete with green vine
fretboard inlay and, dare I say it, a FLOYD ROSE!!

B-bender, indeed!

What would Keef say?

ts

--
toneguru_uk-at-yahoo-dot-com

Not A Speck Of Cereal

08-15-2003, 09:56 PM

As "Dan Stanley" <vze2bjcf@verizon.net> so eloquently put:
[...]
[] > What would Keef say?
[]
[] " Fahr ghummble dribs 'n' drobs gimm nehr <chuckle> ahm gon druhnner...noawm
[] sain. Savvy?"

a b s o l u t e l y d e a d

(me, that is)

----
"...there would have been no Holdsworth or
Hendrix without the genius of Boxcar Willie"
-- Mark Garvin
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

Bruce Morgen

08-16-2003, 01:46 PM

"Don Evans" <gtrdonevans@aol.com> wrote:

>
>"Bruce Morgen" <editor@juno.com> wrote in message
>news:7mcqjvc0ij8mgu095517ok1jc76cspdccm@4ax.com...
>> kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:
>>
>> >Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message
>news:<Xns93D5CF9CC7945nilch1@204.127.204.17>...
>> >> On 12 Aug 2003, "Odin" <res0jmoj@verizon.net> wrote in
>> >> news:3f3929aa$1@shknews01:
>> >>
>> >> > They don't sound like Bill Lawrence pickups. "Bad" in in
>> >> > the ear of the beerholder. I've never heard any positive
>> >> > comments about them.
>> >>
>> >> But I wonder if they really sound unlike Bill Lawrence pickups. I used
>> >> to have a Lawrence pickup in my Strat in the late '70s. It was a
>> >> humbucking design (I think) with a single blade across the length of
>> >> the pickup... it looked much like the L-250 I see on the "false"
>> >> Lawrence web site. The L-250 that the REAL Bill Lawrence sells has 2
>> >> blades. So, I wonder if the evil bill lawrence pickup might sound
>> >> closer to the one I used to have, which I loved at the time.
>> >
>> >FYI - The single bladed pickup you had in the late 70's was either an
>> >L-220 or an L-250 which was basically an updated version of the L-220.
>> > In "Guitar Electronics for Musicians" the L-250 is described as an
>> >"attenuated flux version of the L-220". By 1983 the L-220 was not
>> >listed in the catalog anymore - just the L-250.
>>
>> True afaik.
>> >
>> >Bill designed both of these back when his company was called Lawrence
>> >Sound Research.
>>
>> True.
>>
>> >Bill has not been with the company since '84 but it
>> >has been in business ever since,
>>
>> No it hasn't. "Lawrence Sound
>> Research" does not exist and
>> hasn't for about twenty years.
>>
>> >is still owned by one of the original
>> >partners, and the name has been changed to Bill Lawrence Guitar
>> >Pickups.
>>
>> No, it hasn't. "Bill Lawrence
>> Guitar Pickups" (if it actually
>> exists as such) is another
>> entity entirely. Ask the
>> incompetent you're supporting
>> what happened to "The Lawrence
>> Connection."
>>
>> >I own an L-250 made back when Bill was still with the
>> >company and several made since then (one was even bought from
>> >Stew-Mac) and they ALL sound the same, so I know they still make them
>> >like they used to.
>>
>> This is incorrect. First of
>> all, you could just be lucky
>> and/or have a tin ear (as
>> Stew-Mac's catalog stated,
>> the "Lawrence" pickups they
>> sold were very inconsistent).
>> The pickups are not the same
>> because the bootlegging
>> thief you're supporting
>> cannot buy the magnet wire
>> from the company that has
>> BL's original specs due to
>> the fact that he failed to
>> pay his bills (an old and
>> ongoing story with his guy!).
>> The devil's in the details,
>> and this man wouldn't know a
>> detail if it crawled into
>> his ear and blew a chorus of
>> "Cherokee!"
>> >
>> >The L-250's sound fantastic. They are quiet, warm (but brighter than
>> >regular humbuckers) and full of tone. I play Kenny Burrell-style
>> >jazz, blues, classic rock and Santana-style latin and they sound great
>> >for each style. You'll even find good reviews of them on Bill's Forum
>> >- there are a couple of threads about his single-bladed pickups on
>> >there.
>>
>> To achieve BL performance
>> you must to more than just
>> approximate his designs
>> with second-rate skills and
>> cheap materials -- a true
>> BL pickup must be built
>> strictly according to BL's
>> exact sequence of
>> manufacturing operations
>> using BL's specified parts
>> and materials.
>> >
>> >> This is all academic. I have bought several pickups from the real Bill
>> >> in the past few years, and have been totally satisfied with their
>> >> products and the way they do business. I would avoid doing business
>> >> with a company that steals another man's name and tries to fool their
>> >> customers into thinking they were buying something they're not.
>> >
>> >The Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company isn't fooling anyone anymore
>> >than the Fender company fooled people after Leo was no longer
>> >involved.
>>
>> Bad analogy. Fender (FMIC)
>> is not legally allowed to
>> use the name "Leo Fender"
>> on their products and this
>> ethically-impaired
>> bootlegger is not legally
>> allowed to use the name
>> "Bill Lawrence." Now that
>> BL is in California, a
>> reckoning won't be long
>> in coming -- CA has the
>> strongest laws in the
>> country when it comes to
>> abuse of a well-known
>> person's professional
>> identity without
>> permission, and your ill-
>> chosen buddy is in clear
>> violation. You can't cut
>> a Tony Bennett CD without
>> Tony Bennett's consent
>> and you can't sell a
>> pickup with the name
>> "Bill Lawrence"
>> without Bill Lawrence's
>> consent. Period.
>>
>> >The confusion comes from Bills prominent use of the "Bill
>> >Lawrence" name in ads for his "Wilde" pickups. (Guitar history would
>> >really be confusing if Leo had continued to use "Fender" in large
>> >print in ads for his Music Man or G&L products!)
>>
>> Bill Lawrence holds the
>> uncontested registered
>> service mark for his
>> name. His use of that
>> name clearly implies
>> the use of his services
>> (design and manufacturing
>> supervision) in
>> producing what are
>> commonly called "Bill
>> Lawrence pickups." G&L
>> can continues to use
>> "Leo Fender" in whatever
>> font they want, because
>> Leo Fender and his estate
>> have consented to that
>> use. The distinction is
>> that "Fender" is a brand
>> name, but "Leo Fender" is
>> the professional identity
>> the person born as
>> Clarence Leo Fender.
>> Similarly, "Lawrence" can
>> be a brand name, but
>> "Bill Lawrence" is the
>> professional identity of
>> the person born as Willi
>> Lorenz Stich.
>>
>> When it comes to a man's
>> professional identity,
>> the name and the person
>> are inseparable.
>>
>>
>> Disclaimer: I occasionally
>> consult with William
>> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
>> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"
>
>
>Good even handed informative post, Bruce!

Thanks, Don!

>I tried to come up with comments
>on the Fender analogy, but you said it much better than I could.

Always glad to help out.
:-)

>I use
>them, I like them, but even if I didn't, I'd still feel the same way about
>Bill. His level of dedication to excellence in design is unquestionable,
>and he rides on no one's coat tails. Unlike the other guys.
>
Bullseye!

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

howldog

08-18-2003, 08:12 AM

On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 01:58:08 GMT, Teddy Salad
<toneguru_uk@see-sig.invalid> wrote:

> Sure you are, Mr. Roots Rock. The last time I saw you you were wanking
>away on a floral pattern Ibanez Jem. Complete with green vine
>fretboard inlay and, dare I say it, a FLOYD ROSE!!

he heard david lee roth needed a new hobbit.

> B-bender, indeed!
>
> What would Keef say?
>

"buuuuurrrrp.... oh, did i write that one too?"

lbrty4us@aol.com

08-18-2003, 09:38 AM

> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he never
> used the 'bucker.

It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place. One
suggestion: to make one fatter, forget pickups & just try wiping it
with toilet paper twice a day (it works on your butt, right<G>?).

howldog

08-18-2003, 10:56 AM

On 18 Aug 2003 08:38:59 -0700, lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:

>> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
>> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he never
>> used the 'bucker.
>
>It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
>roundabout at best,

hey, i'm sold already

to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
>much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.

none of them have fur.

Bruce Morgen

08-18-2003, 11:29 AM

lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:

>> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
>> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he never
>> used the 'bucker.
>
>It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
>roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
>much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.

That's a disputable claim.
Teles (particularly MIMs)
are a very good value imo,
and the usefulness of both
one- and two-'bucker Teles
has been established for
years. Denny Dias played
a highly-customized two-
'bucker Tele in the early
days of Steely Dan and
Keith Richards has used a
neck 'bucker Tele for
decades. I don't think
either of these guys had
"marketing" in mind.

I'm not a 'bucker fan
myself, but I do play a
"Reverse Fat Tele"
partscaster with a Gotoh
'bucker-cut bridge holding
one of BL's L-490L pickups
-- a 'bucker-sized "airgap
noisefree" model that
sounds like a refined,
hum-free cross between a
Jazzmaster pickup and a
P-90.

Bottom line: afaik Tele-
style guitars with Gibson-
sized pickups in one or
more positions comprise a
time-tested concept --
even Fender sells quite a
few one- and two-'bucker
models straight from the
factory.

[snip]

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

howldog

08-18-2003, 11:50 AM

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:29:25 -0400, Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com>
wrote:

>lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:
>
>>> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
>>> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he never
>>> used the 'bucker.
>>
>>It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
>>roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
>>much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.
>
>That's a disputable claim.

probly just a troll or a bit of a wink. I like humbucker equipped
Teles, i think its a great sound. Some guys dont, ok, whatever. I use
the Duncan Lil 59 in mine sometimes, love it.

Friend of mine has an old Tele that he had a custom bridge plate
milled to accept this ancient P90. Thats a great sounding guitar.
Another friend of mine, shut up Teddy, i actualy DO have friends, has
a Tele with full sized humbucker bridge plate. Old Gibson humbucker in
it. Sounds great.

Teddy Salad

08-18-2003, 01:06 PM

howldog <howldog-AINT-NO-SPAM-MAGNET@yahoo.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:29:25 -0400, Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com>
> wrote:
>
> >lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:
> >
> >>> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
> >>> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he
> >>> never
> >>> used the 'bucker.
> >>
> >>It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
> >>roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
> >>much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.
> >
> >That's a disputable claim.
>
>
> probly just a troll or a bit of a wink. I like humbucker equipped
> Teles, i think its a great sound. Some guys dont, ok, whatever. I use
> the Duncan Lil 59 in mine sometimes, love it.

That guitar does sound pretty good. Even with you playing it.

> Friend of mine has an old Tele that he had a custom bridge plate
> milled to accept this ancient P90. Thats a great sounding guitar.
> Another friend of mine, shut up Teddy, i actualy DO have friends, has
> a Tele with full sized humbucker bridge plate. Old Gibson humbucker in
> it. Sounds great.

A 'bucker in a Tele can be a very good thing.

I knew you had friends, I just assumed they were all inflatable.

ts

--
toneguru_uk-at-yahoo-dot-com

howldog

08-18-2003, 01:11 PM

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 19:06:12 GMT, Teddy Salad
<toneguru_uk@see-sig.invalid> wrote:

>> probly just a troll or a bit of a wink. I like humbucker equipped
>> Teles, i think its a great sound. Some guys dont, ok, whatever. I use
>> the Duncan Lil 59 in mine sometimes, love it.
>
> That guitar does sound pretty good. Even with you playing it.

that wasnt me, i hired warner hodges to sit in that night for me so i
could get drunk, shoot pool, and chase skirts.

yer welcome

> A 'bucker in a Tele can be a very good thing.
>
> I knew you had friends, I just assumed they were all inflatable.

those are business partners. friends are the people i pay large sums
of money to let me hang around them.

Rick N. Backer

08-18-2003, 07:16 PM

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 19:06:12 GMT, Teddy Salad
<toneguru_uk@see-sig.invalid> spewed forth:

>howldog <howldog-AINT-NO-SPAM-MAGNET@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:29:25 -0400, Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:
>> >
>> >>> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
>> >>> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he
>> >>> never
>> >>> used the 'bucker.
>> >>
>> >>It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
>> >>roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
>> >>much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.
>> >
>> >That's a disputable claim.
>>
>>
>> probly just a troll or a bit of a wink. I like humbucker equipped
>> Teles, i think its a great sound. Some guys dont, ok, whatever. I use
>> the Duncan Lil 59 in mine sometimes, love it.
>
> That guitar does sound pretty good. Even with you playing it.
>
>> Friend of mine has an old Tele that he had a custom bridge plate
>> milled to accept this ancient P90. Thats a great sounding guitar.
>> Another friend of mine, shut up Teddy, i actualy DO have friends, has
>> a Tele with full sized humbucker bridge plate. Old Gibson humbucker in
>> it. Sounds great.
>
> A 'bucker in a Tele can be a very good thing.
>
> I knew you had friends, I just assumed they were all inflatable.
>
> ts

Ouch. That's almost as nasty as telling your best bud all his dates
come with a bicycle pump and a patch kit.

Ken Wilson

Amer. Dlx. Tele, Gary Moore LP,
Jeff Beck Strat, Morgan OM Acoustic,
Rick 360/12, Standard Strat (MIM),
Mesa 100 Nomad, Mesa F-30

"Just because people don't understand
you doesn't mean you are an artist"

Not A Speck Of Cereal

08-18-2003, 09:02 PM

As howldog <howldog-AINT-NO-SPAM-MAGNET@yahoo.com> so eloquently put:
[] <toneguru_uk@see-sig.invalid> wrote:
[] >
[] > I knew you had friends, I just assumed they were all inflatable.
[]
[]
[] those are business partners. friends are the people i pay large sums
[] of money to let me hang around them.

You pay money?! I just spend a little time with them in a dark room,
and, well... you know.

Chris

----
"...there would have been no Holdsworth or
Hendrix without the genius of Boxcar Willie"
-- Mark Garvin
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

kwells

08-20-2003, 10:22 AM

Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in message news:<7mcqjvc0ij8mgu095517ok1jc76cspdccm@4ax.com>...

>
> Bill Lawrence holds the
> uncontested registered
> service mark for his
> name. His use of that
> name clearly implies
> the use of his services
> (design and manufacturing
> supervision) in
> producing what are
> commonly called "Bill
> Lawrence pickups."
>
> Disclaimer: I occasionally
> consult with William
> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"
>
>
The registered "Bill Lawrence" mark has nothing to do with the pickups
that Bill and Becky produce and sell. Mr.Morgan and I have already
had a discussion about this on another thread. You can find my
comments here:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g:thl4255841611d&dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=632ede44.0307031812.5c3ad7ec%40posting.google .com&rnum=28

Anyone interested in this topic can go to www.uspto.gov and do their
own research. You can start by reading the "Basic Facts About
Trademarks" (http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/) and the
"Frequently Asked Questions About Trademarks"
(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmfaq.htm). For more in depth
info, check out the "Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure"
(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/), specially chapter 1300
which talks about the distinction between the different types of
marks, and chapter 900 which talks about how the registered mark can
and cannot be used in commerce. Also check out chapter 1400 which
covers the various trade and service mark classes.

Once you've got the basics down, go to the www.uspto.gov home page,
click "Search Trademarks", and look up the registered "Bill Lawrence"
mark (reg #2303676). And for contrast look up the registered marks
for other pickup manufacturers such as "Seymour Duncan" (reg
#2662289), "Van Zandt" (reg #1817810), "Rio Grande" (reg #2514773) and
"DiMarzio" (reg #2578242). Notice that all of these EXCEPT "Bill
Lawrence" are registered as TRADE marks to market pickups and
designated in class 9 (for electrical and scientific apparatus). Only
"Bill Lawrence" is registered as a SERVICE mark to market a
consulting/design service and designated in class 42 (before 2002 all
consulting services were assigned to class 42).

And since Mr. Morgan likes to compare Bill's consulting/design service
to what clothing designers do, look up the registrations for the "Bill
Blass" mark – it's registered as a SERVICE mark to market his design
services, and also as TRADE marks to market the various products that
he sells (reg #'s 1070427, 2288060, 1384355, etc). In contrast, "Bill
Lawrence" is ONLY registered as a SERVICE mark and is NOT registered
as a TRADE mark to market ANY products whatsoever. [FYI - The pickup
designing that Bill does for his own company does not fall under the
"service" category because it is done for his own business, rather
than for someone else. You can verify this at
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/1300.htm#_Toc2249593 - look
up TMEP 1301.01.]

Even though Bill did not register "Bill Lawrence" to market his
pickups, he has been using the federal registration symbol next to
"Bill Lawrence" in ads for his pickups, making it APPEAR that it's
registered for marketing his pickups and obviously creating a lot of
confusion in the market place.

Robert Barker

08-20-2003, 10:36 AM

"Bruce Morgen" <editor@juno.com> wrote in message
news:1522kv47q9u5n1h46gtuooqa6du4q9i01r@4ax.com...
> lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:
>
> >> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
> >> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he
never
> >> used the 'bucker.
> >
> >It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
> >roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
> >much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.
>
> That's a disputable claim.
> Teles (particularly MIMs)
> are a very good value imo,
> and the usefulness of both
> one- and two-'bucker Teles
> has been established for
> years. Denny Dias played
> a highly-customized two-
> 'bucker Tele in the early
> days of Steely Dan and
> Keith Richards has used a
> neck 'bucker Tele for
> decades. I don't think
> either of these guys had
> "marketing" in mind.
>
> I'm not a 'bucker fan
> myself, but I do play a
> "Reverse Fat Tele"
> partscaster with a Gotoh
> 'bucker-cut bridge holding
> one of BL's L-490L pickups
> -- a 'bucker-sized "airgap
> noisefree" model that
> sounds like a refined,
> hum-free cross between a
> Jazzmaster pickup and a
> P-90.
>
> Bottom line: afaik Tele-
> style guitars with Gibson-
> sized pickups in one or
> more positions comprise a
> time-tested concept --
> even Fender sells quite a
> few one- and two-'bucker
> models straight from the
> factory.
>
> [snip]
>
>
> Disclaimer: I occasionally
> consult with William
> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Now, if you'd just get rid of your TRS-80, or whatever software it is you're
using that forces you to post in that *annoying* narrow-column
format.....;+)

Bruce Morgen

08-20-2003, 11:38 AM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

>Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in message news:<7mcqjvc0ij8mgu095517ok1jc76cspdccm@4ax.com>...
>
>>
>> Bill Lawrence holds the
>> uncontested registered
>> service mark for his
>> name. His use of that
>> name clearly implies
>> the use of his services
>> (design and manufacturing
>> supervision) in
>> producing what are
>> commonly called "Bill
>> Lawrence pickups."
>>
>> Disclaimer: I occasionally
>> consult with William
>> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
>> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"
>>
>>
>The registered "Bill Lawrence" mark has nothing to do with the pickups
>that Bill and Becky produce and sell.

The hell it doesn't -- the
pickups Bill and Becky
sell are designed by BL,
manyfactured under his
personal supervision, and
carry his personal
endorsement and signature.
This is an entirely
legitimate and logical
application of a service
mark!

Mr.Morgan and I have already
>had a discussion about this on another thread. You can find my
>comments here:
>http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g:thl4255841611d&dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=632ede44.0307031812.5c3ad7ec%40posting.google .com&rnum=28
>
You comments were foolish
then and they're just as
foolish now. The whole
issue will soon be moot
now that BL is doing
business in CA.

>Anyone interested in this topic can go to www.uspto.gov and do their
>own research. You can start by reading the "Basic Facts About
>Trademarks" (http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/) and the
>"Frequently Asked Questions About Trademarks"
>(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmfaq.htm). For more in depth
>info, check out the "Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure"
>(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/), specially chapter 1300
>which talks about the distinction between the different types of
>marks, and chapter 900 which talks about how the registered mark can
>and cannot be used in commerce. Also check out chapter 1400 which
>covers the various trade and service mark classes.
>
>Once you've got the basics down, go to the www.uspto.gov home page,
>click "Search Trademarks", and look up the registered "Bill Lawrence"
>mark (reg #2303676). And for contrast look up the registered marks
>for other pickup manufacturers such as "Seymour Duncan" (reg
>#2662289), "Van Zandt" (reg #1817810), "Rio Grande" (reg #2514773) and
>"DiMarzio" (reg #2578242). Notice that all of these EXCEPT "Bill
>Lawrence" are registered as TRADE marks to market pickups and
>designated in class 9 (for electrical and scientific apparatus). Only
>"Bill Lawrence" is registered as a SERVICE mark to market a
>consulting/design service and designated in class 42 (before 2002 all
>consulting services were assigned to class 42).
>
>And since Mr. Morgan likes to compare Bill's consulting/design service
>to what clothing designers do, look up the registrations for the "Bill
>Blass" mark – it's registered as a SERVICE mark to market his design
>services, and also as TRADE marks to market the various products that
>he sells (reg #'s 1070427, 2288060, 1384355, etc). In contrast, "Bill
>Lawrence" is ONLY registered as a SERVICE mark and is NOT registered
>as a TRADE mark to market ANY products whatsoever. [FYI - The pickup
>designing that Bill does for his own company does not fall under the
>"service" category because it is done for his own business, rather
>than for someone else. You can verify this at
>http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/1300.htm#_Toc2249593 - look
>up TMEP 1301.01.]
>
>Even though Bill did not register "Bill Lawrence" to market his
>pickups, he has been using the federal registration symbol next to
>"Bill Lawrence" in ads for his pickups, making it APPEAR that it's
>registered for marketing his pickups and obviously creating a lot of
>confusion in the market place.

Well then, anyone who feels
there's been wrongdoing can
register a complaint -- the
fact that there has been no
such complaint over the 7-8
years that BL has been
using his registered mark
speaks volumes. Why has
your ill-chosen buddy not
complained (any merit to
his stance put aside for
the moment)? That's easy:
to be a plaintiff in a such
a procedure requires that
one have "clean hands" --
and that guy's are dripping
with decades of tax evasion
and outright theft from his
suppliers. Even UPS is
trying to collect unpaid
freight bills from him!

The "confusion in the
market place" is entirely
the result of what amounts
to an imposter selling so-
called "Bill Lawrence"
pickups that don't meet the
historical quality standards
associated with that name.
Iow, he just about *ruined*
the name with poor-quality
products and sleazy business
practices -- until BL
himself registered the name
as a mark and proceeded to
rehabilitate it by making
sure it was once again
associated with *quality*.

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Nil

08-20-2003, 11:45 AM

On 20 Aug 2003, Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in
news:a9b7kvcgplpan7c3rnigdn59e1si1cg956@4ax.com:

> The whole issue will soon be moot now that BL is doing business in
> CA.

Is this the reason they moved to California from Penna.?

Bruce Morgen

08-20-2003, 12:17 PM

Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote:

>On 20 Aug 2003, Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in
>news:a9b7kvcgplpan7c3rnigdn59e1si1cg956@4ax.com:
>
>> The whole issue will soon be moot now that BL is doing business in
>> CA.
>
>Is this the reason they moved to California from Penna.?

No, it's just a fortunate
side-effect. The main
reason was his consulting
work with Fender -- now
that both BL and Fender
are in Corona, BL can
more efficiently and
effectively divide his
work day between helping
Fender and attending to
his own projects.

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Mike McKernan

08-20-2003, 09:07 PM

On 20 Aug 2003 09:22:05 -0700, kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

Just so it's clear, the "Bill Lawrence" pickups people rave about are
the ones that Bill and Becky Lawrence produce and sell.

Once in a while, someone will post an "I bought Bill Lawrence pickups
and they sucked!" post. Invariably, these are the other ones.

>The registered "Bill Lawrence" mark has nothing to do with the pickups
>that Bill and Becky produce and sell. Mr.Morgan and I have already
>had a discussion about this on another thread. You can find my
>comments here:
>http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g:thl4255841611d&dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=632ede44.0307031812.5c3ad7ec%40posting.google .com&rnum=28
>
>Anyone interested in this topic can go to www.uspto.gov and do their
>own research. You can start by reading the "Basic Facts About
>Trademarks" (http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/) and the
>"Frequently Asked Questions About Trademarks"
>(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmfaq.htm). For more in depth
>info, check out the "Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure"
>(http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/), specially chapter 1300
>which talks about the distinction between the different types of
>marks, and chapter 900 which talks about how the registered mark can
>and cannot be used in commerce. Also check out chapter 1400 which
>covers the various trade and service mark classes.
>
>Once you've got the basics down, go to the www.uspto.gov home page,
>click "Search Trademarks", and look up the registered "Bill Lawrence"
>mark (reg #2303676). And for contrast look up the registered marks
>for other pickup manufacturers such as "Seymour Duncan" (reg
>#2662289), "Van Zandt" (reg #1817810), "Rio Grande" (reg #2514773) and
>"DiMarzio" (reg #2578242). Notice that all of these EXCEPT "Bill
>Lawrence" are registered as TRADE marks to market pickups and
>designated in class 9 (for electrical and scientific apparatus). Only
>"Bill Lawrence" is registered as a SERVICE mark to market a
>consulting/design service and designated in class 42 (before 2002 all
>consulting services were assigned to class 42).
>
>And since Mr. Morgan likes to compare Bill's consulting/design service
>to what clothing designers do, look up the registrations for the "Bill
>Blass" mark – it's registered as a SERVICE mark to market his design
>services, and also as TRADE marks to market the various products that
>he sells (reg #'s 1070427, 2288060, 1384355, etc). In contrast, "Bill
>Lawrence" is ONLY registered as a SERVICE mark and is NOT registered
>as a TRADE mark to market ANY products whatsoever. [FYI - The pickup
>designing that Bill does for his own company does not fall under the
>"service" category because it is done for his own business, rather
>than for someone else. You can verify this at
>http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/tmep/1300.htm#_Toc2249593 - look
>up TMEP 1301.01.]
>
>Even though Bill did not register "Bill Lawrence" to market his
>pickups, he has been using the federal registration symbol next to
>"Bill Lawrence" in ads for his pickups, making it APPEAR that it's
>registered for marketing his pickups and obviously creating a lot of
>confusion in the market place.

Nil

08-20-2003, 09:51 PM

On 20 Aug 2003, Mike McKernan <mikemck333@optonline.net> wrote in
news:0pd8kvg7sfaeu82vaqv3mpcp3tv4vqduoc@4ax.com:

> Just so it's clear, the "Bill Lawrence" pickups people rave about
> are the ones that Bill and Becky Lawrence produce and sell.

I know! I've bought several from them and they are all excellent.

> Once in a while, someone will post an "I bought Bill Lawrence
> pickups and they sucked!" post. Invariably, these are the other
> ones.

But I've never actually seen such a message. I asked a question here to
that effect but didn't ever get a real answer. Ethical questions aside,
do the bogus Bill Lawrence pickups actually sound bad? Can anyone speak
from experience - best would be a side-by-side comparison - and not
from simply a position of defending the Lawrences?

Mike McKernan

08-21-2003, 05:30 AM

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 03:51:50 GMT, Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote:

>On 20 Aug 2003, Mike McKernan <mikemck333@optonline.net> wrote in
>news:0pd8kvg7sfaeu82vaqv3mpcp3tv4vqduoc@4ax.com:
>

>But I've never actually seen such a message. I asked a question here to
>that effect but didn't ever get a real answer. Ethical questions aside,
>do the bogus Bill Lawrence pickups actually sound bad? Can anyone speak
>from experience - best would be a side-by-side comparison - and not
>from simply a position of defending the Lawrences?

You should be able to Google a thread from just a few months back.
There were some who liked the other pups, but plenty who said that
they were inconsistent at best.

Dana Craft

08-21-2003, 10:56 AM

This was not an obvious solution. I've had the Power Deluxe Nashville Tele
for a year now. This particular guitar came with 2 TexMex pups and middle
Strat TexMex. I planned on changing to BL's because I didn't like the tone
until. Recently, I put about $250 into maintenance upgrades to my 73 SFDR -
caps, Jensen ceramic speaker and a BF mod. My primary guitars are 2 LPs, 1
with P-90's, the other with SD-1's and a Rick 12 string. And was very happy
with the results. Then one day, I plugged in the Tele and WHOA! Lush tones
and harmonics, incredible sustain.

Now I can't put it down. Every guitar in the house got the benefit of that
amp modification. For now, I'll just leave the stock pickups in the Tele. If
I were shopping for pups now, I would try to find them installed and take
the amp to test-drive them.

Thanks,

A man in love.

"Robert Barker" <rwbarker@spambegonecox.net> wrote in message
news:gsN0b.38838$Ij4.34333@news2.central.cox.net.. .
"Bruce Morgen" <editor@juno.com> wrote in message
news:1522kv47q9u5n1h46gtuooqa6du4q9i01r@4ax.com...
> lbrty4us@aol.com wrote:
>
> >> "Fat Tele"s get a humbucker, full sized, in the neck position.
> >> Albert Collins was a notable player who had a guitar like that, but he
never
> >> used the 'bucker.
> >
> >It seems like a marketing ploy and somewhat pointless art worst, or
> >roundabout at best, to turn a Tele into a 'bucker axe, when there are
> >much better & cheaper 'bucker axes all over the place.
>
> That's a disputable claim.
> Teles (particularly MIMs)
> are a very good value imo,
> and the usefulness of both
> one- and two-'bucker Teles
> has been established for
> years. Denny Dias played
> a highly-customized two-
> 'bucker Tele in the early
> days of Steely Dan and
> Keith Richards has used a
> neck 'bucker Tele for
> decades. I don't think
> either of these guys had
> "marketing" in mind.
>
> I'm not a 'bucker fan
> myself, but I do play a
> "Reverse Fat Tele"
> partscaster with a Gotoh
> 'bucker-cut bridge holding
> one of BL's L-490L pickups
> -- a 'bucker-sized "airgap
> noisefree" model that
> sounds like a refined,
> hum-free cross between a
> Jazzmaster pickup and a
> P-90.
>
> Bottom line: afaik Tele-
> style guitars with Gibson-
> sized pickups in one or
> more positions comprise a
> time-tested concept --
> even Fender sells quite a
> few one- and two-'bucker
> models straight from the
> factory.
>
> [snip]
>
>
> Disclaimer: I occasionally
> consult with William
> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

Now, if you'd just get rid of your TRS-80, or whatever software it is you're
using that forces you to post in that *annoying* narrow-column
format.....;+)

kwells

08-21-2003, 01:52 PM

Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in message news:<a9b7kvcgplpan7c3rnigdn59e1si1cg956@4ax.com>...
> kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:
>
> >Bruce Morgen <editor@juno.com> wrote in message news:<7mcqjvc0ij8mgu095517ok1jc76cspdccm@4ax.com>...
> >
>
> Well then, anyone who feels
> there's been wrongdoing can
> register a complaint -- the
> fact that there has been no
> such complaint over the 7-8
> years that BL has been
> using his registered mark
> speaks volumes.

FYI - The BL mark was registered on 12/28/99, so Bill's only been
using it for a little over 3½ years.

What really speaks volumes is that, since Bill and Mr. Wajcman parted
ways 19 years ago, the Bill Lawrence Guitar Pickups company
(www.billlawrenceusa.com) has continued to use the "Bill Lawrence
Products" common-law trademark and Bill hasn't registered a complaint
- nor has he registered "Bill Lawrence" as a trademark to market his
new pickups. Instead he has resorted to mis-using the registered
service mark of his consulting service in his pickup ads.

> The "confusion in the
> market place" is entirely
> the result of what amounts
> to an imposter selling so-
> called "Bill Lawrence"
> pickups that don't meet the
> historical quality standards
> associated with that name.
> Iow, he just about *ruined*
> the name with poor-quality
> products...

Speaking of "historical quality": The owner of the Bill Lawrence
Guitar Pickups company (www.billlawrenceusa.com) has been a co-owner
of the BL company on and off since he co-founded it in 1965 (when it
was known as Lawrence Electro Sound) and he's been running it on his
own since 1984. Businesses don't usually last that long by selling
poor quality products - and I wouldn't have used their pickups for the
last 16 years if they weren't high quality.

> Disclaimer: I occasionally
> consult with William
> Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
> dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"

[BTW - I don't work for ANY musical instrument related company, nor am
I
friends with anyone who does - I just happen to like the single-bladed
L-250's made by the folks at www.billlawrenceusa.com and am trying to
correct some of the misinformation that is being spread about the
pickups and the company that produces them.]

kwells

08-22-2003, 07:40 AM

Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93DDF2BF531Bnilch1@204.127.199.17>...
> On 20 Aug 2003, Mike McKernan <mikemck333@optonline.net> wrote in
> news:0pd8kvg7sfaeu82vaqv3mpcp3tv4vqduoc@4ax.com:
>
> > Just so it's clear, the "Bill Lawrence" pickups people rave about
> > are the ones that Bill and Becky Lawrence produce and sell.
>
> I know! I've bought several from them and they are all excellent.
>
> > Once in a while, someone will post an "I bought Bill Lawrence
> > pickups and they sucked!" post. Invariably, these are the other
> > ones.
>
> But I've never actually seen such a message. I asked a question here to
> that effect but didn't ever get a real answer. Ethical questions aside,
> do the bogus Bill Lawrence pickups actually sound bad? Can anyone speak
> from experience - best would be a side-by-side comparison - and not
> from simply a position of defending the Lawrences?

Like I've said before, I've used the L-250 pickups by the folks at
www.billlawrenceusa.com for the last 16 years and love them. Both
companies make great pickups, but the only pickups the two make in
common are the L-500 / L-500XL series, full size humbuckers with
blades. Only the www.billlawrenceusa.com folks make the single-bladed
L-250 (Strat- and Tele-sized humbucker) and the Black Label
single-coil pickups. And only Bill makes the double-bladed L-250, the
L-280 / L-290 noiseless Strat-style pickups w/poles, as well as a
number of other humbucker sized pickups.

If you want to know how they sound, you should just buy some from
www.billlawrenceusa.com, try them out and see for yourself.

Bruce Morgen

08-22-2003, 09:11 AM

kwells@kdsi.net (kwells) wrote:

>Nil <rednoise0@lycos.com> wrote in message news:<Xns93DDF2BF531Bnilch1@204.127.199.17>...
>> On 20 Aug 2003, Mike McKernan <mikemck333@optonline.net> wrote in
>> news:0pd8kvg7sfaeu82vaqv3mpcp3tv4vqduoc@4ax.com:
>>
>> > Just so it's clear, the "Bill Lawrence" pickups people rave about
>> > are the ones that Bill and Becky Lawrence produce and sell.
>>
>> I know! I've bought several from them and they are all excellent.
>>
>> > Once in a while, someone will post an "I bought Bill Lawrence
>> > pickups and they sucked!" post. Invariably, these are the other
>> > ones.
>>
>> But I've never actually seen such a message. I asked a question here to
>> that effect but didn't ever get a real answer. Ethical questions aside,
>> do the bogus Bill Lawrence pickups actually sound bad? Can anyone speak
>> from experience - best would be a side-by-side comparison - and not
>> from simply a position of defending the Lawrences?
>
>Like I've said before, I've used the L-250 pickups by the folks at
>www.billlawrenceusa.com for the last 16 years and love them. Both
>companies make great pickups, but the only pickups the two make in
>common are the L-500 / L-500XL series, full size humbuckers with
>blades. Only the www.billlawrenceusa.com folks make the single-bladed
>L-250 (Strat- and Tele-sized humbucker)

For now. Stay tuned!

>and the Black Label
>single-coil pickups.

Awful quality -- the Black
Label knockoffs along with
the ugly open-coil "S"
pickups have pole pieces
that look like they were
cut to length with a dull
meat cleaver. "Design"
is only the beginning of
quality; proper
manufacturing with the
correct materials and
unfailing attention to
detail is completely and
obviously absent from
these unauthorized "Bill
Lawrence" pickups.
They're not even up to
minimal commercial
quality criteria, let
alone BL's much higher
standards.

>And only Bill makes the double-bladed L-250, the
>L-280 / L-290 noiseless Strat-style pickups w/poles, as well as a
>number of other humbucker sized pickups.

True.
>
>If you want to know how they sound, you should just buy some from
>www.billlawrenceusa.com, try them out and see for yourself.

Why would anyone do that
knowing the severe
ethical and technical
shortcomings of the
manufacturer? Is this a
"support your local
thieving tax evader"
campaign?

Disclaimer: I occasionally
consult with William
Lawrence Designs (Wilde),
dba "Bill Lawrence Guitars"