Fender Wide Range

Infobox Guitar Pickup
title = Fender Wide Range


manufacturer=Fender
period = 1971–1979 (original) 1998–current (reissue)
type = humbucker
magnettype = CuNiFe-(original), Ceramic-(Japanese RI),
alnico-(Mexican RI)
outputrms=211.9 mV at 7.135 kHz resonant frequency
outputpeak=
outputnoise=
outputimp=602 kΩ at 7.135 kHz resonant frequency
outputcurrent=
resonantfreq=7.135 kHz
The Fender Wide Range Humbucker is a humbucker guitar pickup, designed by Seth Lover for Fender in the early 1970s. This pickup was intended to break Fender's image as a "single coil guitar company", and to gain a foothold in the humbucker guitar market dominated by Gibson.

The pickups enjoyed some popularity, though they certainly were never as widespread as Fender's single-coil pickups. Original Wide Range pickups were available from 1971 and subsequentially installed in the Deluxe, Custom and Thinline Telecasters as well as the Starcaster, ceasing production successively in 1979 when these models were discontinued. Fender Japan were the first to introduce a reissue around 1990, followed by the Made in Mexico version around 1998. The Wide Range Pickup found on American made Fender guitars is actually the Made in Mexico model introduced in 1998. All reissues differ from the original Seth Lover design in both construction and sound (see below).

Construction

The Wide Range pickup was conceived to be sonically closer to Fender's single coil pickups than Gibson humbuckers. This concept called for the use of CuNiFe (Copper/Nickel/Iron) rod magnets as pole pieces within the coil structures, more closely resembling a regular Strat pickup than a Gibson humbucker. The CuNiFe magnets were threaded and slotted to function and resemble the adjustable screw type poles of a Gibson humbucker. The pickup bobbins were wound with approximately 6800 turns of copper wire around the pole-pieces and the Wide Range pickup has a DC resistance of around 10 kΩ.

There have been two reissues of the pickup, one manufactured in Japan using ceramic magnets and one more recently in Mexico using alnico. Despite an almost identical appearance, both are constructed differently from the original 1970s unit. The current Mexican reissues, much like a Gibson humbucker, feature a bar magnet underneath the bobbins that abuts to 6 screw type pole-pieces in each coil; they are simply conventional humbuckers placed in the larger "wide range" humbucker casing, and the gap is filled with wax. Although neither pickup precisely replicates the sound of the original, they are at least tonally similar with the Japanese reissue sounding hotter and the Mexican reissue sounding more like a standard Gibson humbucker.

Sound

Original "Wide Range" pickups are described as sounding "fat" but with a noticeable improvement in clarity and detail over Gibson humbuckers. Combined with a bridge single coil pickup on a Telecaster it gives a smooth, warm yet biting sound. Famous users include Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, Ryan Adams, Win Butler of Arcade Fire, Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, Roy Buchanan, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Thom Yorke of Radiohead as well as Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth's modified "Jazzblasters" which featured "wide range" pickups on modified Fender Jazzmaster guitars.

Market value

Due the use of the Wide Range Humbucker by legends of rock Sonic Youth as well as modern bands as Franz Ferdinand and the fact that the reissue FWRH sounds different from original, vintage pickups, demand has grown for the original pickup. As of 2007, the value of an original WRH in excellent condition was approximately $200,Fact|date=February 2007 while by 2008 the value had risen to $300-$400.

References

* [http://online.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys498pom/498emi_guitar_pickup_results.html Pickup Measurements]

External links

* [http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Guitar+Pickup/product/Fender/Wide-Range+Humbucker/10/1 User Reviews on Harmony Central]