Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post - Upgrading Pickups

aunchaki · May 16th, 2008, 11:45 AM

Good question! Here's my answer:

I have two Teles. I'm NOT a lead player, I'm a rhythm guy. I'm trying to learn some fills and stuff, but I'm about driving the melody through tasteful chording and some arpeggios. For my playing, I don't use the bridge pickup alone very often. Usually I'm using the neck or neck+bridge.

So, with that in mind, I found a bridge pickup I liked (GFS Vintage Alnico 50) and put it in both of my Teles. When I buy/build another Tele, I'll likely put another one of the same in it. Since I don't use the bridge too much, I'm happy to have the same pickup in both, so I don't have to remember which bridge pickup is in which guitar.

I use the neck pickup a lot (alone or in combo), so this is where I put my energy. I have a P-90 in one and a Fender Classic in the other. Since the bridge pickup is identical, I pick the Tele based on the neck sound I need (rough or smooth). I'm tempted to swap the Fender Classic with one of Harmonic Designs' mini-Strat neck pickups, just for experimentation.

So, to review, my philosophy is to keep one pickup (the one I use the least) the same across all my Teles and get different pickups for the position I use the most. Maybe it's the scientist in me: reducing the variables to one.

May 16th, 2008, 11:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
aunchaki Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Western New York Posts: 1,192 16 Photos	Good question! Here's my answer: I have two Teles. I'm NOT a lead player, I'm a rhythm guy. I'm trying to learn some fills and stuff, but I'm about driving the melody through tasteful chording and some arpeggios. For my playing, I don't use the bridge pickup alone very often. Usually I'm using the neck or neck+bridge. So, with that in mind, I found a bridge pickup I liked (GFS Vintage Alnico 50) and put it in both of my Teles. When I buy/build another Tele, I'll likely put another one of the same in it. Since I don't use the bridge too much, I'm happy to have the same pickup in both, so I don't have to remember which bridge pickup is in which guitar. I use the neck pickup a lot (alone or in combo), so this is where I put my energy. I have a P-90 in one and a Fender Classic in the other. Since the bridge pickup is identical, I pick the Tele based on the neck sound I need (rough or smooth). I'm tempted to swap the Fender Classic with one of Harmonic Designs' mini-Strat neck pickups, just for experimentation. So, to review, my philosophy is to keep one pickup (the one I use the least) the same across all my Teles and get different pickups for the position I use the most. Maybe it's the scientist in me: reducing the variables to one. __________________ Two Teles, One Strat, Two Acoustics (6 & 12 strings), Two Mandolins (4 & 8 strings), One Bass (5 strings)