Bill Nash TL-72 with Lollar Regals

As we take a brief Strat pause... Check out the Nash TL-72!

Based on the classic Fender 1972 Tele Thinline, Nash adds his standard nitro distressed magic. But a key bonus here is the Lollar Regal pickups. Anyone really into Fender Wide-Range humbuckers knows the current production pickups are severely altered from the original versions-- and originals are highly sought/priced.

My Vintage '72 Thinline (not for sale)

Lollar is one of the few pickup makers recreating this design with real magnet slugs instead of the steel slugs Fender went to. Part of the issue was the CuNiFe that is more scarce and expensive today. Back in the day, CuNiFe was used because it was easier to thread, whereas AlNiCo was more brittle and difficult. Evidently, Lollar or whoever threads his slugs has an improved process for threading AlNiCo.

This is a big deal because, Fender's 72 Thinline RI's don't sound anything like the vintage ones. And this is all about the pickups.

Do Lollar Regals sound as good as the classic Wide-Range HB's? Let's just say they sound a helluva lot better than the new ones. Remember that Seth Lover went with CuNiFe for ease of threading, and not necessarily because it was tonally superior to an AlNiCo type. I did my homework on these, kids! In fact, I found out first hand at NAMM, that Advanced Plating in Nashville makes the covers (and probably base plates too) for the Regals. This is good, because they spec original alloys which contribute to the magnetic field characteristics.

Bill Nash Guitars

Current listings - T/S/J types

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