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The classic Filter’Tron sound resides somewhere between a Gibson ES-335 and a Fender Telecaster on the guitar tone spectrum. These hum-canceling pickups were designed by Ray Butts in the mid-50s, with input and direction from Chet Atkins for the Gretsch company. At that time, Atkins was working on an improved version of his signature guitar and voiced concerns about the noise produced by the single-coil pickups in the earlier iterations of his guitars.
The Filter’Tron is similar in its basic design to the Gibson humbucker. It utilizes two coils to generate the output and cancels unwanted noise when the coils are connected in series (Gretsch patent no. 2892371).
By the early 60s, this combination quickly became the choice for Rockabilly guitar players, and the sound of this pickup became the go-to sound for George Harrison on many of the Beatles' early recordings.
DiMarzio’s New’Tron™ is our modern take on a Filter’tron-style pickup and is a direct size replacement. It is not a clone of a vintage Filter’Tron but rather a modern twist, capturing the best characteristics of this great guitar tone and enhancing them. The top-end response is dynamic but not overly bright, with just the right amount of presence and twang. The midrange has a unique growl and bite, especially when used with digital modeling amps and distortion, and the low end is consistently tight and punchy without becoming muddy. Altogether, the DiMarzio New’Tron™ Neck is a versatile pickup perfect for anything from clear, chiming cleans to a snarling Rockabilly edge.
The New'Tron™ Neck includes optional mounting hardware for humbucker mounting applications.
Filter'Tron and Gretsch are registered trademarks of Gretsch Guitars, with which DiMarzio, Inc. is not affiliated.
Gibson is a registered trademark of Gibson Brands, Inc., with which DiMarzio, Inc. is not affiliated.
Fender and Telecaster are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corp., with which DiMarzio, Inc. is not affiliated.
Here are some of the differences when comparing the traditional Filter’Tron to its Gibson counterpart from the same period:
- Lower output and DC resistance
- Narrower spacing between the coil pole pieces, which gives it a brighter, twangy characteristic
- A Filter’Tron uses two rows of adjustable poles, whereas the Gibson uses one row of adjustable poles and one row of studs
With its lower output, the Filter’Tron produces less distortion than a humbucker pickup. The narrower magnetic field window samples a smaller segment of the string, naturally reducing the low-frequency information in the generated signal.
Filter'Tron and Gretsch are registered trademarks of Gretsch Guitars, with which DiMarzio, Inc. is not affiliated.
Gibson is a registered trademark of Gibson Brands, Inc., with which DiMarzio, Inc. is not affiliated.
Tone Guide
