Barbeque Bucker

Barbeque Bucker Sound Perceived output level: output seems to be about 25% more than stock pickups but very controllable and without "excess" distortion. the extra power appears as "punch" instead of gain. cool. Tone: the tone is brighter than the original and the bbq has much more punch and a mid boost i think. this pick up is really neat. it is certainly more sonically interesting than your average replacement pick up. Sonic Evaluation: I use a '97 Hamer sunburst archtop with a Line 6 Flextone and no effects. this combo is hot. you have some real sonic flexibility with this amp. when you combine it with the BBQ humbucker you can dial up just about any type of sound that you desire. this set up can really run the gamut of music styles. For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: for the type of music i play, classic rock, rock and alternative, this pick up is great. it gives me the punch i need on clean sounds and the power i need for rhythm and leads. Overall Rating Comments: i would buy this pick up again and i am thinking about replacing the neck pickup with another rio grande h.b. i am not sure which one though. i have been playing for about twenty years and have changed a lot of pickups and this rio grande pickup is cool. it is available as a two lead or four lead h.b. so you should specify if you want to be able to tap a coil (i did not need this capability). their web site is informative and they do answer their e-mails so that is cool. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value Submitted by: craig schneider

“Well, Here Goes” I thought as I un-soldered the stock pickups of my 98 Les Paul Standard. The pickups in this guitar are exceptional as far as G*bson Pickups are concerned and I really love the tones I get from this guitar using them. One of the best I’ve had in my 29 years of learning to play guitar. That is, until now... I got a set of Rio Grande pickups recently - 'Zebra Coil' Genuine Texas for the neck and BBQ for the bridge - I bought them to put in my Firebird Studio, but on reading some great reviews and ‘thinking about it’ I decided to pop them into the ‘Burst instead, just temporary, to see what they were like. Temporary became Permanent very quickly as the tone, sparkle and guts of these pickups ensured that they would be staying put in the guitar from now on ! I cannot find enough superlatives to describe the sublime sheer depth of sound these pickups have and what they have done to my Tone, Playing and the Feel of my playing, it’s all been taken up to another level, maybe even another dimension if that’s not overdoing it. I can’t believe the response, it’s Alive!! -I pick softly, the pickup obliges with lovely whispered weepy tones- especially the neck, I hit the strings harder on the bridge setting (through my valve amp and 4x12) and it’s with me all the way; plenty of spice, and full, rounded big tones, especially on that big ringing open ‘G’ chord- wow- and don’t get me started on the solo sounds, just lovely. This guitar was great before, now it’s nigh on close to legendary. Where have I been? Hiding under a rock? I should have got some of these years ago. Here in England, we’ve heard that ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas’, that so obviously includes Guitar Tone. Thank you very, very much Rio Grande. -Craig H Reynolds, Derbyshire, England.

Energy, sweetness, push, expressiveness behind the notes are a geat way to describe the BBQ. I always knew there were some intangibles I couldn't get a handle on. All I can say, is there has always been something about having the BBQ in the bridge of a guitar that just makes me want to play. They really sing better than most. Is it the compression? Then again, sometimes I find them fairly open. Some say they are modern sounding pickups but I get some of the best classic rock tones with the BBQ in a Les Paul....EVEN over a 9.7K hot PAF. Ritchie D

Dude! I spoke w you over a year ago and you referred me to bill Richardson here in Albuquerque and he has loaded my tokai love rock w/ a genuine Texas and bbq bucker. It is the best! I have been tearin it up here in new Mexico and other guitar players are amazed w the sound of these p/u's. Although I'm not famous by any means these reviews I get for my guitar make me feel like I am.. thanks again for the awesome tone! Norm Splude Abq New Mexico

Dear owner of Rio Grande Pickups: I want to give a long overdue thank you!!! The Texas BBQ Pickups you cut me a sweet deal on are the best pickups I’ve ever played. I just want to say it means a lot that you’re a true good ‘ol Texan and support the military! You have made a fan of me for life. I don’t have a lot of money doing what I do so it was just so cool!!!I wanted to give you something back...it’s not much but it’s something from what I do. I got you two stickers: One a "Why not Minot" sticker, because that is a saying up here "Why not Minot, Freezes the Reason". Then there is the 91st Missle Wing stickers because it’s personal...it’s the mission I am a part of.....keeping ICBM’s on on alert 24/7, 365, day and night. Again thank you sooo much! If you have any Rio Grande stickers you want people to see, send ‘em up and I will rep your awesome pickps. God Bless and keep making kick ass pickups!!! Johny Cole