Rio Grande Texas BBQ

Passive Humbucker bridge pickup. Did not put it on the ohm meter.

Dropped this into the bridge position of a Czech made Dean eVo. It has stock ( I am guessing) Schaller pickups that were in the range of a '59 set. The neck pickup was fine. Thought I would try a BBQ Bucker and what a difference. The "scratch" disappeared and I did not have to roll back the treble as I always do on my Duncan Pearly gates set.

This is a medium/high output passive pickup that has a tone to die for. My Czech eVo has a 7/8" thick maple cap and an ebony board so it has warmth and treble and sustain for days. The Texas BBQ bucker has made this guitar my go to for gigs. I have owned all of the classic rock Duncans, Dimarzios, some boutique, some custom wounds and this one fits all of the music we cover. ACDC and ZZ Top just ooze from my eVo. I have quite and assortment of guitars and pickup configurations and each has their moments but the BBQ bucker can do everything from Hagar to Journey to Metallica to Aerosmith without compromise. Not a "jack of all trades" mind you, but a master of all tone. I have gone to see numerous live shows thinking about the tone I heard and have been chasing for years. Now I have it and I want more. I will be selling my 490R 498T set and my Air NOrton and Tone Zone set and one of me Pearly Gates sets and loading up on the Rio Grande Magic!

I would certainly buy and install another Texas BBQ bucker if anything ever happened to my guitars. I have been playing off and on for about 30 years. The past 6 years I have taken it more seriously and have put together the band I had always hoped for and now my tone search is over.

Pickup features: passive HBs - Zebra Set
Impedence or other specs: Neck (Texas) about 9k, Bridge (BBQ) about 12K

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 498 set
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: many
You musical style(s): rock - blues
Reason for pickup change: stock 498 just don't have it

Perceived output level: bit more than the 498s
Tone: bite - tight bass - well balanced. Well balanced set.
Sonic evaluation: Gibson Les Paul Std. Echolette M40, Marshall JTM 45 (with 412 Tv Cabinet G12H100) - Fender Vibro King. Some stomps - TS, RAT, CS9, Dan-Echo, CryBaby.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, Blues, Country sometimes Jazz

Comments: The BBQ has a bit too much bite (my opinion). i have to roll back the tone pot slightly. considering to change the vol pot to a 250-300K type and the tone cap to 22 should help. The Texas is fantastic. No regrets i bought them. I definitely would buy them again. I have mor Grandes and i can highly recommend them. great value - great tone. I give them a 9. Yes not 10. Maybe they will come up with a new type that even sounds bette :-)))

Pickup features: Humbucking Active
Impedence or other specs: texas neck 9.6K /BBQ Bridge 11.6K

Model of guitar or bass: Guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Ducan Pearly Gates Chrome Covers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Billy Gibbons ZZ Top,Cars
You musical style(s): Bles,Rock,Jazz,Country,Fusion
Reason for pickup change: laking the Hot Sauce

Perceived output level: output of the texas is 9.6K and the BBQ is 11.6K
Tone: Texas is very balance and has a lot of a balls. When vol on gtr is at 3-4 nice jazz, woman tone,When vol on the gtr is at 5-6 nice blues tones Robben ford,Larry Carlton,ZZ Top,Warren Hanes. When Vol on the gtr set at 8-10 nice rock tones Cream,Micheal Landau, ZZ Top with hot sauce,Leslie West ,Gaint (Dann Huff) / BBQ nice blues tones gtr vol 4-6 Rooben Ford,Larry carlton,ZZ Top, Micheal Landau. rock tones gtr vol 7-10 Black Crows,Micheal Landau,Steve Lukather Toto IV, White Snake, ZZ Top with hot sauce . Both Humbuckers on: very Balanced can get B.B. King tones,335ish tones,Robben Ford Tones,Early Clapton/Cream tones. Texas Split nice hendrix,Landau tones,Clapton tones,Robben Ford tone. /BBQ Split nice Brent mason country tones, Clapton,Robben Ford,Buddy Guy. Both humbuckers on split nice Stratish tones. This coming from Humbuckers amazing!
Sonic evaluation: Rivera Custom Rake 100W Made by Paul it's like a Dumble and Marshall 800. This is my Dry head use Marshall Bottom 4X12 Loaded with Weber (2) Chicago and (2) Thames Marshall cab at 16 ohms. Use a CAE Line out box this goes to the speaker Jack of Rake head and then to 4X12 inputs of the TC-D-two and TC G-Force inputs go to Line out. When using more than 1 efx need to make a y cable or have bob and Martin put extra 1/4 in. jacks in the line out box.
Rack:
Furman PL8
CAE Mini Mixer
Carvin DCM 1000 Pwr amp Killer pwr amps for wet/efx only
T.C. Electronics D-Two
T.C. Electronics G-Force
Rack shelf:
Keeley Compressor
Analon Man Jucier Comperssor Killer!
Voodoo Lab Micro-Vibe
Arion Chorus
Frantone Peach-Fuzz
after the shelf comes a CAE Interface
CAE 1/2 Rack pwr supply DC and AC
CAE 2X4 Killer!
Pedal Board
CAE RS-10
I run (2) Boss 300L to the RS-10 Port 1& 2 to contoll the vol of the TC D-Two and TC G-Force
Boss 100 Gtr Vol pedal no longer made this goes to the Rake 100 Efx Loop
Boss TU-2 Tuner
Vox Wah moded by CAE
Wet Cabs Rivera 2X12 Loaded with weber (2) Chicago's
Vencenzo 2X12 Loaded with weber Thame and Vintage 30
Dry cab Marshall 4X12 all cabs run at 16 ohms
Guitars I us an: Tom Anderson with John Suhr V60 single coils and Duncan 59 humbucker. PRS McCarty with Tone Pro Tune-O-Matic rap around bridge and Duncan Pearly Gates Humbuckers.
Thanks Bob and Martin Killer Rig!!
http://www.analogman.com/rossmod.htm
http://www.robertkeeley.com/home.php
http://www.webervst.com/hps.html
http://www.frantone.com/
http://www.carvin.com/pro_sound/poweramps/dcm/index.html

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Style I play is Blues,Jazz,Rock,80's Rock,Progesive rock,Country. The McCarty PRS with the Rio Grande Texas and BBQ are excelent match. If you in to Metalica and New metal these are not the PU for you.

Comments: would buy the Texas and BBQ again, been playin 32yrs,Own a Tom Anderson Drop top with Suhr V60 single coils and Duncan Pearly gates
I love these pu there very touch senitive the lighter your picking hand the cleaner the pu's gets I have tried every humbucker and these are the only ones I have come across that does this with the vol on 10! Also the Rio Grande are sealed in wax even the back of the pu's are filled up to the chrome covers very cool no microphonics.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass:
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: This is a f/u to my 3/27 posting: the ringing I described was simply the spring in the trem in the guitar. Padded it with poly material, problem solved. Still love these pups!!
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: It took almost a month for my 1st posting to show up - thought it wasn't gonna - that's why there's 2 from me - like you care....:^)

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: BC Rich Mockingbird NJ
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock BC Rich 'buckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Many & growing
You musical style(s): Classic/hard rock, new country, Christian rock, some jazz.
Reason for pickup change: Stock pups sounded thin/brittle. The BBQ-bridge and the
Texas Original-neck were just the cure!

Perceived output level: Hot, but not a distortion pup.
Tone: This is where these babies shine! Nice mid-scooped tone. Fat, round tone. Guitar's tone knobs finally work better than just a "treble roll-off". Did I mention tone? TONE, TONE, TONE!
Sonic evaluation: I use these on my Mockingbird through a Line 6 Flextone (there's that "tone" word again). With the exception of single-coil sounds, I can get any tone I want now.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic/hard rock, new country, Christian rock, some jazz. These pups can handle any style nicely - from smooth, round clean to wide-open super-saturated scream.

Comments: I've played for 23 years. As others have mentioned, these are THE pickups to have if you like warm/fat tone. My fave right now is clean on the neck - sweet! The BBQ will shine for lead as well. I think I've found THAT sound for me. Of course, it's all opinion, but these pups are a good place to start. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: BC Rich Mockingbird NJ
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock BC Rich
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Many by now...
You musical style(s): Classic/Hard Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country
Reason for pickup change: This set is a BBQ (bridge) & Texas Original (neck). The stock pickups in the Mock just didn't do anything for me.
The sound was sterile, brittle.

Perceived output level: Like the manfuacturer says, not a distortion pickup, but it's got muscle.
Tone: This is where these pickups shine-as you've read. For my taste, the tone is beefy, plenty of bottom & top, not muddy, not brittle. GREAT TONE!
Sonic evaluation: BC Rich Mockingbird through a Flextone II Plus.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic/Hard Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country. These pups will cover all the bases.

Comments: I spent a good bit of time reading the reviews here at HC about p/ups. Everybody talks about the TONE of the Rio Grandes. I believe they are RIGHT! I DID play a guitar with these in it BEFORE I decided. I suggest you do the same. However, I did not compare other p/ups head-to-head in my guitar (that's hard to do without spending big bucks).
I had this set installed & got it out of the shop yesterday. Immediately, I noticed the tonal difference. The only thing I noticed that I DIDN'T like was: on high gain amp settings, there seemed to be some microphonic noise (even a slight ringing of a B note) - so much tone it's gotta come out?? I'll play with my settings more & tweak it to try to correct.
That said- I AM SATISFIED! Others have said it, I'll repeat it: I believe my SEARCH FOR TONE IS OVER! Seriously considering putting a BBQ in my Ibanez SA160QM.
Hey - got Rio Grandes for my axe and made it with the wife (all in one day). Does it get any better than that?? I'm tellin' ya, TONE IMPROVES YOUR LIFE!

Pickup features: A pair of Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 96 Les Paul Studio
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Gibson 490R and 498T
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Check out the website
You musical style(s): Christian Rock mainly but classical, classic rock, and country sometimes
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups lacked clarity and was impressed by them at the Dallas Guitar show. Oh yeah, David Thomas McNaught puts them on all of his guitars now also.

Perceived output level: Never did check to see the resistance but is definately hotter than the Gibsons
Tone: Extremely well balanced bridge a little bassy for the neck.
Sonic evaluation: These Pickups are amazing. The definition is superb, the tone cuts with authority not squeal, and allows my 3 channel Dual Rectifier to put out tones not thought possible with this amp. I can get sparkling clean tones an when I switch to distortion I can be anyone from Santana to Tremonti to Wylde. The only hold back I have is the Rhythm "Texas" is bassier than the Treble "BBQ". This may be because I bought them seperately and not as a matched pair. But it can be dealt with(I lowered the pu on the bass side and helped but didn't completly fix the problem). The pickups are hotter than stock but are not overdrive pu's. I have played some pickups that are very trebly or lack definition for the sole purpose of adding distortion. These don't do that at all, they allow the amp to sound like it should. They allow you to use the amp tone knobs to get the sounds you want instead of using the amp to make the pickups sound good. In fact if I had bought these before I bought the Mesa I might have stuck with my Johnson JM250 amp(which I still have) because it really added some more soul and clarity to what I still consider the best modeling amp out there.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Unplugged is the only style the don't do well

Comments: Can't imagine a better sound or replacing them with anything else, but if I personally buy a new guitar I will do my best to not switch them out automatically just to try out something new. Although I'm sure Rio Grandes will end up in all of my guitars.

Pickup features: humbucking- passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Squire double fat strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Tone Zone and Air Norton
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues and blues rock
Reason for pickup change: Dimarzios had too much bottom end.They are good pickups, but not right for musical style I play and were a bad decision from the start.

Perceived output level: Hot, but just right. Very smooth output and expressive.
Tone: Balanced. They provide a great range of tone from top to bottom. Silky smooth.
Sonic evaluation: Fender Champ 30 watt and Vox Pathfinder. No effects except the amp's built-in overdrive channels.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues and blues based music. These pickups are very well suited for humbucking style blues. The Original Texas at the neck position and the Bar B Que at the bridge are a perfect match.

Comments: If lost or stolen, I would replace as soon as possible. I have been playing guitar poorly for 30 plus years and have tried many different makes and models of pickups. I have two other Fender strats with single coils and an Am Standard Tele with Rio Grandes. I have compared the Rio Grandes with other products including Dimarzios and stock humbuckers. No doubt, these pickups are top notch if you want a versatile tone. The sustain is unbelievable and tone is excellent.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson 490R & 498T
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: AC/DC,Z.Z.TOP (Both Billy & Dusty),Lynard Skynard.
You musical style(s): Metal,Rock, Jazz,Blues,Southern rock,folk,contemporary (Pat Metheny),melodic Santana latin rock.
Reason for pickup change: To get more under the hood yet vintage sound. I never have like Gibson muddy sound pickups. I think some gibsons just sound that way others have more bite and better tone.
Tone is what its about for me. Not output levels.

Perceived output level: With the LP set in the middle position both pups provide good midrange therefore bite. Tone full up vol full up. This combination works well to produce harmonic bite & crunch. Oots of character to your sound if you have the talent! I played some of Santana 's riffs and got that fat round sound . Juicy is the word with never ending sustain. I don't have a mesa boogie amp either. That alone speaks volumes. Now that I am on that subject of volume they are not as hot as some pups but yet they do overdrive and not breakup like the others. You will notice more presence and good scooped midrange if the amp is set that way. Allot of contour to the sound.
Tone: The sound in the bridge pickup can be as hard and heavy as you like depending on your amp settings. No extra noise from the pickup noted so they worked like they should have right out of the box. The Neck position provides real warm to very nice crying tones. Chords are fat full well defined notes. Bell like tone when the tone level is set a 5-7 on the guitar. Provided the amp is set on a clean sound. The bridge position provides what metal heads need. I can go from a fat jazz sound articulate tone like Al Dimeola to Santana and then Z.Z.Top with the Rhythm pickup alone. Did you need more that that? When I kick the lead position in, it just turns to slicing ,tasteful harmonic poetry. Man this is a pretty dam good pair of pups.
Sonic evaluation: I used the Texas BBQ set on one guitar only. A Les Paul Standard. My am is a Benchmark 212 by Tech-21 producing 120 watts, and VF-1 Boss effects processor in the effects loop, on the guitar side input a MXR dynacomp compressor(red box) on the guitar side to input of amp.
The equipment can produce fender clean sounds to Megadeath. (Black face to Marshall). That is a failry wide spectrum of sound! Oh I almost forgot,when the amp is set to produce sensitive string attack/harmonics and such the sound awesome very vintage. My rig is reasonably versatile and therefore I feel gives an interesting perspective for future customers interested in these PUPS.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Jazz, fusion, country or heavy metal this is a great match for all the styles I play. Rio Grande I beleve has developed a signature sound here so I used them as they are inteded with the BBQ in bridge and texas in rhythm position. Standard two wire connections.

Comments: I would buy this set again! Especially for other gibson solid bodies. I plan to purchase a n S.G. soon so I will update the sound they produce with mohagany wood bodies.
I love the look as much as the sound, I chose the zebra set (no cover) because it made my cherry sunburst finish really pop. Gorgeous guitar.
I have a cumulative total of ten years playing time. I am 47 years old but started playing at 18. I love any style from Pink Floyd,Z.Z. TOP, SRV, CREED, NINails,Al dimeola,Santana,Allman Brothers band,AC/DC,Robin Trower,Earl Klug George Benson it goes on and on. I compared it to stock pickups only. However I spent endless hours researching here at Harmony Central. I have used Dimarzios,Carvin,Gibson and Fender before. no need to compare. I feel I have a very,very,very good sound. ON a 1-10 scale an 8. But the search never ends. How could it end when I am a junior artist. I need at least 25 years more just to say I think I know what I am doing. Hope this helped some people. :)

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Classic 1960 Reissue
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Gibson 590T ceramic
Other pickups on guitar: Rio Grande Genuine Texas humbucker (Neck)
Artists using this pickup: Don't know.
You musical style(s): Blues-Rock, R&B, rockabilly, hard rock, country.
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were not clear. Also, the 500T was hard to get clean, so it wasn't versatile (though it had a pretty good high-gain overdriven sound).

Perceived output level: Typical humbucker output
Tone: Well balanced in the bridge position, with an emphasis on the low frequencies
Sonic evaluation: Great bridge pickup for rock, Texas/Southern rock, hard rock and other styles. Natalie Merchant's lead guitarist uses sounds this pickup, and its companion Genuine Texas humbucker, easily gets. Never shrill or thin, always thick and full from smooth to gritty when overdriven. I use mainly Mesa Boogies for recording original material in a project studio.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great for Blues, Blues-Rock, R&B, rockabilly, hard rock, country.

Comments: The Texas Barbeque and Rio Grande Genuine Texas humbuckers make a great combination for that thick, southern hard-rock sound, and have the clarity and range to accommodate many other styles as well. I like to mix up sounds from one style into another, and these give me that versatility without backing me into a stylistic corner. I have Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers in my Guild Starfire semi-hollow body, which are also wonderful in various musical contexts. The Seth lover is brighter, and a little thin sometimes, for my taste, in the bridge pickup, especially when played clean or just clipped, but gets a twang and can pierce through a crunchy lead better than the Texas Barbeque. The Rio Grande is beefier and can't be made whimpy, even played clean. I'm very grateful to have both. I'm completely satisfied with the Rio Grande pickups, and would definitely buy them again.