by JimN » 04 Aug 2012, 14:09
Arthur,
It's almost - but not quite - pointless asking questions like this, because the answer is always so subjective. On the other hand, I can sense exactly what you mean when you describe hearing a fantastic sound from this or that guitar and then wondering whether this or that mod will enable you get the same sound.
The two schools of thought usually encountered in reply are (a) "it's all in the fingers" (an over-simplification, in my view) and (b) "you've got to have exactly the same gear as Hank or as near as you can get" (an over-complication, in my view).
Given what you say about "useless" Rez-O-Matiks, I recognise your plea as meaning just one thing: you don't like the sound of the Burns pickups. Fine! There's no rule that says you have to. And if you'd be happier with a different set of pickups, there's nothing wrong with that either.
I'll give you a parallel instance. In 1999, I bought - on something of an impulse - a Squier Vista Series Jagmaster. Jaguar body and 24" scale neck, Stratocaster type tremolo bridge, simplified circuitry (equivalent to the lead circuit of the Jazzmaster) - and two open coil humbucker pickups. Over the next few years, I occasionally tried out that guitar at Shads nights and jam nights. To my ears, it sounded awful. A few other posters here have mentioned a P90-type mod for the Jagmaster and that seemed a good idea to me, because for a clear, resonant sound, I just don't like the sound of the Gibson-style humbucker (though I love it in other contexts). So I ordered a pair of custom made P90s in humbucker form-factor cases of white plastic and had them fitted (the scratchplate apertures had to have the corner radii changed, and I wasn't confident on that job). Coupled with a change in string gauge, that Jagmaster came back from the luthier's shop as an incredibly-improved instrument. Clear, penetrating (even Fender-style) tone, holding its tuning perfectly (as a result of a nut adjustment) - and sounding uncannily like the early Hank sound. Maybe a bit of that is in the fingers, but my fingers couldn't get it out of the guitar when it had the humbuckers fitted and that's a fact.
P90s, despite what others may say, can give a very convincing Fender sound. I also have another custom-made pair retro-fitted to a Jazzmaster, and that was improved out of all recognition as well. You ask which set of Kinmans you should fit. It seems to me that you already know the set you want: the same ones as fitted by your friend. Can you not ask him which set it was?
Then go for it. I bet you won't be sorry.