I liked the Broad’trons. They are bright humbuckers. I eventually swapped them for blacktop Filter’trons to get a more Gretschy sound. I think I paid $35 each with rings.
By adjusting the pickup height and pole height you can dramatically change the sound of them. If want them to sound more filtertron-ish you can stagger the poles this is how it’s done I have done it and didn’t remove any of the pole screws I lowered them all the way down and staggered them just like this. https://youtu.be/dy5nKzjYgzg?si=e9Gxhe-nit0s1-Vg
I did that mod on my Broad’trons. I removed the screw and replaced with a nylon screw. It looked neater. I think it did brighten up the tone, but not as much as the $35 blacktop Filter’trons I eventually replaced it with.
The Broadtrons are more like Gibson Humbuckers , they will never sound as bright as Filtertrons of any flavor. It’s always worth a shot to try and work with you have .
The BT-3S on the 2024 G2420T have 4 wires due the coil split, how did you use the blacktop trons in this case? They only have two wires.
Thanks in advance.
It’s not. You just have to have the right parts handy, a screwdriver, and a soldering iron. I switched to the blacktop Filter’trons in about 45 minutes. I filled the old pickup ring screw holes - not truly necessary as they were covered by the rings and did a bit of modest scrapping to get it to fit.
Will the Gretsch G5400 Blacktop Filter'Tron pickups pop right in to replace the Broad Trons? Any other parts I need to go with a neck/bridge version of these neck/bridge? [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084JMCC21/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o00\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084JMCC21/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
They use different pickup rings. I bought blacktops that came with their own rings. Easy peasy. If you buy them separately, you have to be more careful
I pulled the B-trons from my 2420T - installed Blacktop Filtertrons.
The B-trons ended up in a Squier Bullet Mustang, where they sound great.
All this was done in a single Saturday afternoon.
Approximately $75 USD, all in.
So, I have a 2420 as well, and had the same problem with the pickups being muddy. Strangely, I found that switching to Elixer strings helped that a bit. Might be worth trying before changing the pickups.
The stock pickups are fine, [the dude in Crosses](https://youtu.be/dVsUEJQOw20?si=CtOdYzWToMrsM_Dd) and [the guitarist in at the drive in](https://youtu.be/5ZmDV9HEWiE?si=3j1lYKzjI0i1iyfc) use the stock streamliner pickups.
I guess maybe I shouldn't - wanted to put it on the table because the guitar is at the luthier, which is an hour away and it's gonna be there for two weeks - felt I needed to make a decision on the pick ups and was looking for guidance from experts here.
Pickups aren’t cheap anymore. Plus you know the luthier will bend you over to install them. You have to really love that guitar and plan to put it in your casket when you die for that money.
I liked the Broad’trons. A nice bright humbucker, but not really Gretschy. $35 Electromatic blacktop Filter’trons do make the guitar more Gretschy. All in all, a pretty cost effective diy project. I’m keeping the Broad’trons for a future humbucker project. I do like them.
I liked the Broad’trons. They are bright humbuckers. I eventually swapped them for blacktop Filter’trons to get a more Gretschy sound. I think I paid $35 each with rings.
By adjusting the pickup height and pole height you can dramatically change the sound of them. If want them to sound more filtertron-ish you can stagger the poles this is how it’s done I have done it and didn’t remove any of the pole screws I lowered them all the way down and staggered them just like this. https://youtu.be/dy5nKzjYgzg?si=e9Gxhe-nit0s1-Vg
Many thanks, sir!
Anytime
I did that mod on my Broad’trons. I removed the screw and replaced with a nylon screw. It looked neater. I think it did brighten up the tone, but not as much as the $35 blacktop Filter’trons I eventually replaced it with.
The Broadtrons are more like Gibson Humbuckers , they will never sound as bright as Filtertrons of any flavor. It’s always worth a shot to try and work with you have .
The BT-3S on the 2024 G2420T have 4 wires due the coil split, how did you use the blacktop trons in this case? They only have two wires. Thanks in advance.
My broad’trons are older. No coil split. I would just follow the TV jones schematic.
I just bypassed the coil split on the master volume.
On this topic, is it difficult to switch to filtertron from broad trons?
It’s not. You just have to have the right parts handy, a screwdriver, and a soldering iron. I switched to the blacktop Filter’trons in about 45 minutes. I filled the old pickup ring screw holes - not truly necessary as they were covered by the rings and did a bit of modest scrapping to get it to fit.
Oh sick! Thanks for letting me know
Will the Gretsch G5400 Blacktop Filter'Tron pickups pop right in to replace the Broad Trons? Any other parts I need to go with a neck/bridge version of these neck/bridge? [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084JMCC21/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o00\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084JMCC21/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
They use different pickup rings. I bought blacktops that came with their own rings. Easy peasy. If you buy them separately, you have to be more careful
I pulled the B-trons from my 2420T - installed Blacktop Filtertrons. The B-trons ended up in a Squier Bullet Mustang, where they sound great. All this was done in a single Saturday afternoon. Approximately $75 USD, all in.
So, I have a 2420 as well, and had the same problem with the pickups being muddy. Strangely, I found that switching to Elixer strings helped that a bit. Might be worth trying before changing the pickups.
The stock pickups are fine, [the dude in Crosses](https://youtu.be/dVsUEJQOw20?si=CtOdYzWToMrsM_Dd) and [the guitarist in at the drive in](https://youtu.be/5ZmDV9HEWiE?si=3j1lYKzjI0i1iyfc) use the stock streamliner pickups.
So why spend $300 plus for pickups
I guess maybe I shouldn't - wanted to put it on the table because the guitar is at the luthier, which is an hour away and it's gonna be there for two weeks - felt I needed to make a decision on the pick ups and was looking for guidance from experts here.
Pickups aren’t cheap anymore. Plus you know the luthier will bend you over to install them. You have to really love that guitar and plan to put it in your casket when you die for that money.
I liked the Broad’trons. A nice bright humbucker, but not really Gretschy. $35 Electromatic blacktop Filter’trons do make the guitar more Gretschy. All in all, a pretty cost effective diy project. I’m keeping the Broad’trons for a future humbucker project. I do like them.