Telecaster Pickup Question Blue Lace sensor?

Its taken awhile but I've finally saved up enough money for a Fender American Standard Telecaster(getting a used one). My question is though when I purchase the Tele, will the pickups that come with it be able to match my playing style,for this will be my first Telecaster. I will be playing an Alternative/indie rock style, i.e. Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, The Strokes, Red Hot Chili Peppers (John Frusciante). But I also would like to get sort of a blues sound such as The Black Keys. I've played the American Standard Telecaster in my local guitar shop but didn't have time to really see what sounds I could get with it. I like the light sound to it but I'm not big into the twang sound. I've been told that Telecasters are very versatile guitars, with that being said i've been doing a lot of research on some pickups that might get the sounds i'm looking for. For the bridge I was thinking maybe American Texas Special or DiMarzio's Fast Track T (I want to stick to single coil while also getting some Frusciante sound) and for the neck pickup put in a Lace Sensor- Blue pickup (Jonny Greenwood is a huge influence haha). What do you guys think, Hell this might be the worst combination you could do to a tele... but thats why i'm asking, maybe some of you experienced guys could help guide me into making this excellent guitar sound the way I want and meet me needs. If you have any other pickup ideas throw them at me. Thanks!

The guitar will sound as good as you do.

Forget about all those names etc. you mentioned. Play the axe every day as-is for a good long while & see if you can get something happening with it. Concentrate on the setup & getting used to the axe's inherent sound & feel. Changing out bunches of stuff right away on an axe you are unfamiliar with seems wrong to me.

No I wasn't going to just buy it and first thing change the pickups. I don't have that kind of money first of all haha. But i'm definitely going to spend some time playing and seeing what I can really get with it. I just thought I would ask in advance and see some opinions.

Glad to hear that!

Welcome to TDPRI, by the way.

You will find no end to discussions on this forum of what parts to change out, or leave be, on teles or just about every guitar out there.

Glad to hear that!

Welcome to TDPRI, by the way.

You will find no end to discussions on this forum of what parts to change out, or leave be, on teles or just about every guitar out there.

+1 I have learned so much here. The pickups forum is huge and will help you out greatly if you ever decide to change the pups. Till then just play it as is and I'll bet you end up finding what you are looking for with some simple adjustments.

Far be it for me to tell you what you want, but it almost sounds like you might like a Strat instead. John Frusciante plays a Strat all the time, and if you want blues tones, well Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan sure managed to get a whole mess of blues tones out of their Strats. The thing is, Teles twang. And if you don't want twang than you might be better served playing other types of guitars, e.g. Strat, Jaguar, before you make your final decision. Although I certainly wouldn't blame you if you stuck with the Tele.

Rossduff3,

Welcome to the Board. Sounds like you are getting a solid, versatile Tele. A Tele has been used to play all of the styles of music you noted. I think you will be surprised how well the stock pickups hold to the styles you mentioned.

After playing it, if you decide you would like to change them, you will find that there are a myriad of pickup options that are reasonable priced and easy to change. That is the great thing about a Telecaster, two single coils are almost always cheaper than three SC's or two HB's.

Have fun and post photos!

Don

First thing: Changing pickups will only change how the vibrations of the strings that are already there are picked up. Teles will always sound like Teles. Jonny Greenwood's tone may be thicker and louder, but you can hear that it's a Tele still. I tried for so long to turn my Les Paul into a Tele, and with single coils I did manage to get a clearer sound from it, but it was always as powerful and sustaining as the beginning. It's good to get pickups that pick up the frequencies you want and have the clarity, or lack of, that you desire, but your guitar will sound like the same guitar still.

I think Jack of Hearts also has a point, a Strat might suit you too.


I can say from experience that Lace Sensors are great pickups. They have this stigma of being some sort of unnatural, fake pickup or something, but really it's just that the materials inside are arranged and designed a little differently. The will give a really clear sound with good all around frequencies, just like you'd hear from the clean sounds Jonny Greenwood and early Smashing Pumpkins. To me, they make an excellent neck pickup.

In the end, I think you could get the sounds you want with a good amp, single coil Fender-style guitar, and competent playing. The way you play being the most important part. There's a lot of overlap in tones from Fender guitars (as with most brands, Gibson included). I've heard a Jazzmaster sound like a Strat, a Strat sound like a Tele, and so on. It's basically the bolt on maple neck with alder or ash body sound. You can't go wrong. You might even love a Jaguar or Jazzmaster. Look into all the Fenders, and go back to that store and try them ALL! You shouldn't buy guitars based on speculation if you can help it. Only the most elitist of people here will judge you for straying from the path of the Tele.