Hot Rodding the Tele!

I've posted a few weeks back about needing something more from my tele (I've recently replaced it at the gigs with a Strat....(gasp!)

I want to Hod Rod it, to match up better with the Les Paul Deluxe (which has Mini-Humbuckers). I still want it to be a Tele, but a fat Tele. I want the output more in that ball park.

Any suggestions? I'm open to all possibilities here. Thanks.

Mini HB or P-90 neck and a Broadcaster bridge PUP, maybe a BG1400 bridge PUP.

Hi,

I do own a 52 Hot Rod Tele for a few days now. And I really LOVE the mini-humbucker in the neck position. I highly recommend it. It doesn´t suck away the treble like normal humbuckers do (but you probably know that, because you own the Les Paul Deluxe).

It doesn´t rob the Tele´s identity. It´s still a Tele, but with a very full and fat tone. Go for it! And combine it with a slightly hotter bridge pickup, so that the volumes of the two PUs may match. But it doesn´t need to be too hot, I guess the Broadcaster PU, as mentioned above, would be a great choice.

Daniel :wink:

I'm running a Lollar Special T in the bridge and a mini HB in the neck, couldn't be happier. The Special T is higher output, a little rounder in tone, but still has some twang to it, sounds great with the mini HB (also Lollar)

A Tele is not a Les Paul. :wink:

However, if you need a little more output, there are some possibilities. I've used a clean boost in the past. Just make sure you roll off the tone knob...

A Tele is not a Les Paul. :wink:

However, if you need a little more output, there are some possibilities. I've used a clean boost in the past. Just make sure you roll off the tone knob...


True, When I use the Seymour Duncan PUP Booster with single coils, it does fatten them up, especially with the resonance shift employed. And with the 2 resonance setting I don't even have to come off the tone setting either. Easier to reverse than a pickup swap too. ;)

How about a Duncan Little 59 (or Hotrails or something similar) in the bridge, and using the four conductors for coil-splitting? Anybody try this?

Lollar Special T bridge 8.0 output, mini hummer neck 6.6....

Hey Idaho,

Try a Don Mare Tweed Monster in the bridge and one of his "S" types for sweet strat neck sound in the neck. This is a really nice combo that has nads. Retire that strat and bring back the Tele!

Barncaster

Hi,
I use a Rio Grande Muy Grande bridge pickup in my Tele, and I think it matches up well with my Les Paul Deluxe.

I'd suggest visiting Rio Grande pickup website...

I put Lollars in my '69 Thinline and the tone, when pushed, is decidedly fat & full. I have the (already recommended) Special T in the bridge and a Charlie Christian in the neck. The wiring is non-standard, as I have a four way switch set up thus:

- bridge
- bridge & neck in parallel
- neck only
- bridge & neck in series

Finally, I have a push/pull tone pots that engages a .0047 uf cap for the bridge pickup only when pulled. This is the "cocked wah" tone that's usually associated with Esquires. It's very fat on it's own and when you mix it in with the neck pickup in series watch out.

How about a Duncan Little 59 (or Hotrails or something similar) in the bridge, and using the four conductors for coil-splitting? Anybody try this?

This is how I have mine configured and it definitely adds a lot of punch. It can get my amp to crunch when played hard at lower volumes which seems like something you might want. It's a much hotter pickup. When I want single coils I pull the tone knob and get my twangy tele tone back. Not a boutique pup but sounds pretty good for my purposes.

I was thinking of switching to Lollars but why fix it if it ain't broken, right?