Telecaster Pickups

[Skip Ellis]

OK, what's everybody's favorite single coil, stock rout Tele pickup? Need warm & clean for jazz and swing on the neck and some original type country twang for the bridge but don't want overwound super hot rock pickups. I have a SD Alnico II currently in the neck and it's sorta OK but the Lawrence Keystone that I've had in the bridge for along time just doesn't sound like a Tele and I'm thinking of going with a whole new set of.......something. Preferably under $150 - the boutique stuff is out of my budget. Bring on the suggestions.

[sgosnell]

My first preference is a Vintage Vibe CCRider, but it's larger than a stock Tele neck pickup. I have very little experience with Teles, and with their pickups, so take everything with lots of salt. The Fralin split-blade noiseless pickups look very interesting, but I haven't tried one. $125. Fralin Tele Split Blades: Noiseless Tele Tone, From Vintage to Modern.

[fws6]

Crazy idea perhaps, but how about a set of “Fender” pickups ?

the 60s ri models sound a bit fuller and less trebly than the 50s models imo

Genuine Fender '62 Telecaster Tele Custom Bridge Pickup 0056075000 | eBay

And

GENUINE Fender Telecaster '62 Reissue Tele USA Neck Pickup Made In USA 1962 RI | eBay

[backdrifter]

I have a Don Mare Big Box in the neck of my Tele and I love it. It's fat, warm, sparkly, etc. It's everything that I was hoping it would be. It certainly retains all of the great characteristics of single coils, but sounds warmer, fatter, and fuller. I would buy another. I believe it's $130 for this pickup. Personally, I would buy something like this and then find a less expensive used Fender or other bridge pickup.

[ThatRhythmMan]

My standard recommendation is Fender Custom Shop ‘51 Nocaster pickups. As far as I’m concerned, they can’t be beaten.

Fender Fender(R) Custom Shop ’51 Nocaster Tele Pickups, (2)

[marcwhy]

Porter.

[omphalopsychos]

I only have ever tried the Lollar 52s as far as stock route Teles go. All I can say is that I've been happy enough not to go on investigating others.

[rintincop]

MY TELE NECK LOOKS LIKE A TRADITIONAL CHROME COVERED TELE PICKUP ... BUT ITS REALLY A STACKED MINI HUMBUCKER, FAT AND CLEAR. IT'S THE SD VINTAGE STACK PICKUP ($60) . MY BRIDGE IS THE $40 FENDER AMERICAN '62 REISSUE PICKUP, CLEAR AND WARM ALSO.

oops just noticed all caps lock was on, sorry

[Jehu]

I've been very happy with the Bare Knuckle Flat 50s, but they can be a bit on the spanky side. I bet the Scatter 55s would be perfect for what you describe.

[mad dog]

Don Mare's "Joel Foy" set. Perfect.

[Greentone]

Custom Shop '51 Nocasters are great. However, I have been a broken record on the forum for these:

Rumpelstiltskin Pickups. The Blacks are like a '50-'51. The Whites are like a '55-'58. I like the White variety.

[medblues]

Wilde (Bill Lawrence) micro coils

[entresz]

Wilde (Bill Lawrence) micro coils

+1 on these

I have them in my MIJ 62 Custom Tele - very low noise for a true single coil, big and rich sounding but not muddy either. They're amazing pickups.

[73Fender]

So many choices already mentioned. I'd add the Fender 64 reissues.

A nice thing about a Tele (one of them anyway) is how easy they are to work on. If cost is a factor, buy used then if you want to experiment more, sell them and try others. That way it ends up costing little if anything other than the initial cost.

[jazzbow]

I have a SD AlNiCo II in the bridge of me Tele and have been more than pleased. Not so harsh on the lugs.


I switched out the neck pickup for a Vintage Vibe CC Rider blade pickup. I actually bought the Tele to put the pickup in.


Obviously the pickup is humbucker size and all modern Teles have a H/B rout so it wasn't traumatic to fit.

The pickup is so sweet its been in three different guitars and I wouldn't part with the Tele set up I have now.


So scratching aroung on the VV site he does a thinner version.


But the form of the base probably wouldn't fit.


But he does a Strat shape. And also he can custom wind any configuration you may want.

Curtis Novak gets lots of praise. He also does some unique builds.
CurtisNovak.com - Pickups and Guitars | Telecaster Replacement Pickups



The Jazzmaster style.


No Telecasters were harmed!


A unique take on hum cancelling bridge pickup.

Custom winds etc.

[Namelyguitar]

Telecaster pickup answer for me: AlNico V.

Not a boutique version, either.

[cosmic gumbo]

A little detail to keep an eye on when looking at vintage style tele pickups is the bridge pup polepieces being staggered for 7.25" radius necks instead of modern 9.5" specs.

[fep]

I don't like 60 cycle hum. I put the Fender Gen 4 noiseless pups on my Tele and I'm happy.

[Dhango]

Try a regular Tele pickup on the bridge position(any style: '52, American Std., anything) and one of two things on the neck position: a Strat pickup(Texas Spl. if you could get one or a American Std.) or a Jazzmaster pickup. Just my 2¢...

[Cunamara]

Dimarzio Area T. Dead silent in terms of buzz, great jazz tone.

[0zoro]

I have been, increasingly so with age, become sensitive to all forms of unwanted hum. Dead silence is my preference. After a build from Warmoth, my first, I tried a SD pu but was not satisfied due to the hiss. I now have a DiMarzio Area T in the bridge. To my ears it is very similar to the SD, but it is dead silent.

[Hep To The Jive]

Living in NYC, true single coils are not a good choice, so you need yo compromise for noisless. But the Area T is such a good pickup, I would still use it even if there was a choice.

[MrGiraffe]

I used a tele as my main touring and recording guitar for about 7 years. I had a set of Lollars in it. A Special neck and a 52 bridge. That nexk pickup was one of the three best pickups I have ever heard. period. The other two were a set of OTPG PAFs I had in my R8 and a set of actual 1953 soapbars in an old R6.

[archtopeddy]

I have a lefty Nash T52 and it came with Lollar pickups. They're perfect -- never a thought to change them. I'm not exactly sure what Lollar model Nash used but I think it might be the Lollar Vintage T series. Maybe someone else here can confirm. Anyway, if that's the case, there's a used set for sale right now on Reverb at $105 for the neck and $115 for the bridge.

[Timo]

I'll have to go with the Fender Custom Shop 51 Nocaster pickups. Beautiful mid-range, smooth jazz tone on the neck and super country tone on the bridge. These pickups seems to have a very even EQ - not excessive treble or bass and lots of mids.