Pickup advice

I want to change out my pups on my 52 tele. I play country, southern rock, blues, and rock. This is my do everything guitar, since falling out of love with my MIA strat.

I like the bridge pup but it needs a little something extra, when distorted it is a little mushy, lack string articulation. I have changed the pots out for rs vintage kit with modern 3 way, and jensen .47 pio cap. This made a difference. The neck pup, not liking it much at all.

I spoke to Don Mare, and he made some suggestions, but his wait list kind of put me off. I know he is great at what he does and gets right to you, I just dont want to wait right now. I have spoken to Lindy, and he gave me some of his suggestion. Which were a set of over wound blues specials like he makes for Brad.

I like to play when I play clean. I am using a 65 ri and the clean sound is awesome (except the neck pup) and the distorted sound is also pretty great, just lack flavor. I like the "spank" a tele has and I dont play metal or really over distorted stuff. Most of my distorted channel comes from g2d cream tone (awesome pedal btw) so at most its a zztop would be my most distorted sound. I ofund with my strat I did not like hot pups, like texas specials, or seymour duncan hot stacks, which Ironically I loved on an older strat I had. I notice hot pups seem to dead tone, at least with my strat. I have crays in it now and they are set very very very low.


The neck pup I was thinking about the TEF300 from voodoo, and maybe a fralin in the bridge.

My uncle has a 52 that he put SD brent mason 5-2's and they are pretty awesome sounding, but they seem to be missing something. Almost if the SD's were not potted, or maybe potted very mildly I wonder if that would make a difference. They just seem to be missing a little crispness that I hear in my stock set, but are more balanced.

You are gonna get several different opinions on pickups, I would guess. I think you just need to try them out to get the sound that YOU want.

I can't personally vouch for them yet, but Keystones get a lot of love on this forum, I've noticed.

I put in an order for a standard tele set, still waiting. Hopefully I can give you all an update soon once I receive and install them.

You can hear Arlo West playing a guitar with them on their site: http://www.wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Keystones.html

I know the sound just not sure how to get there. I think I will just go with the Paisley set up and be dont with it.

[my post was pointless, so i removed it]

Reminds me of a story. To tell it short, man was selling apple trees; homeowner said he didn't want to wait for it to grow; seller asked why, what else you got to do?

Point is, compared to the length of time you'll have the guitar, provided Mares are what would please you best, what difference does a little wait make? Or you could go off on an endless quest for the unobtainable.





My prediction is that you won't be satisfied no matter what you put in. Based on how you wrote your question, I predict that you will always be looking for something else. You "like [your] bridge pickup, [its] clean sound is awesome... but when distorted it is a little mushy"; your uncle's pickups are "pretty awesome, ... but they...are missing crispness". I think you'll find a deficiency with whatever you choose. So just pick one and live with it, or put quick-disconnects on the pickup leads so you can do perpetual swaps more easily.

Every pickup is a collection of compromises - you just have to find the set of compromises you can live with.

And will you be able to tell the difference on the bandstand, in a noisy bar?





Why this choice?


I was most trying to comprise what I like

for example the stock one is great but it doesnt quite have the "color"
The seymours have more personality, but when drive they loose separation


The tef just appeared to be a lower cost alternative to the adder from a reputable pup mfr. and was hoping to have some input from those who are familiar with it.


The lack of demos on youtube for these more boutique winds, is frustrating. Most of the videos you find on youtube are distorted or driven guitars, and you dont get a good feel of what it really sounds like