USA Fender HOT Alnico 3 Pickups

[The O.K.]

I see many of these on ebay. What is the difference between these PUPs and OV's. The both used Alnico 3, right? Who has a pair or one of the HOT Alnico 3 PUPs in their Tele? Are these just the standard PUPs that come in Am. Teles?

[boris bubbanov]

The Original Vintage pickups are really great; I have 3 sets of them, I like them a lot in ash and alder bodies, different bridge assemblies, etc.

The similarity between the Hot Alnico 3s found in the Upgrade Highway One? About as different as 2 sets of Tele Alnico 3 pups can be different.

The Hot A3 has a plastic base, plastic insulation not cloth, plastic bobbin, etc. But the real difference is in the way it sounds and was meant to sound. It was drastically overwound in the hopes it would sound great heavily distorted; well it doesn't sound good distorted to me and it really sounds bad when you try and play clean.

I very much prefer the stock pickups in my Squier Standards to the Hot A3s.

The quantities of available Hot A3s is a direct result of the pup being a bust, IMO.

[The O.K.]

Thanks for the input. I am on the look out for OVs or NoCasters. They seem to be less expensive than SD or DiMarzios, and I have only read good things about both the OVs and the NoCasters. The OVs are a little darker than NoCasters, yes, due to the alnico 3s?

I have read that Fender has tried to make the newer Hwy 1's more "70's sounding". Does this explain the HOT alnico 3 PUP?

[Mojotron]

Mine sound great! They are my favorites. I love them, but you have to get the pickup height tweaked just right. Also you have to EQ your amp.

[madmark]

I agree I took mine out...

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

The Original Vintage pickups are really great; I have 3 sets of them, I like them a lot in ash and alder bodies, different bridge assemblies, etc.

The similarity between the Hot Alnico 3s found in the Upgrade Highway One? About as different as 2 sets of Tele Alnico 3 pups can be different.

The Hot A3 has a plastic base, plastic insulation not cloth, plastic bobbin, etc. But the real difference is in the way it sounds and was meant to sound. It was drastically overwound in the hopes it would sound great heavily distorted; well it doesn't sound good distorted to me and it really sounds bad when you try and play clean.

I very much prefer the stock pickups in my Squier Standards to the Hot A3s.

The quantities of available Hot A3s is a direct result of the pup being a bust, IMO.

[Ringo]

I had a Highway One Tele neck pu in one of my Teles for a while, I thought it sounded great, both clean and with gain. At the time my buddy had a Classic Player Baja Tele , everyone seems to think the neck pu in that guitar is great, we both thought the Hwy One neck pu in my guitar sounded better in an A/B comparison , same amp, same settings etc...

I guess everyone hears things differently.

[Telecaster52SE]

I have the Hotwound Alnico 3 pickups in my FSR Butterscotch BG Tele. If you play Rock'n'Roll through a Marshall tube amp on medium gain pushed by a Route 808 with bass boost on to add bottom end, or use a similar Tubescreamer, these pickups scream classic, articulate, overdriven 80's Rock tones (think Billy Squier). That's what I use my Tele for, so the Hot Alnico 3's are perfect for me. If you play clean alot for Country, Country-Rock, Chickin' Pickin', etc...through a Fender tube amp, get the Fender OV's or Seymour Duncan Five-Two's.

[Suicideking]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

The Original Vintage pickups are really great; I have 3 sets of them, I like them a lot in ash and alder bodies, different bridge assemblies, etc.

The similarity between the Hot Alnico 3s found in the Upgrade Highway One? About as different as 2 sets of Tele Alnico 3 pups can be different.

The Hot A3 has a plastic base, plastic insulation not cloth, plastic bobbin, etc. But the real difference is in the way it sounds and was meant to sound. It was drastically overwound in the hopes it would sound great heavily distorted; well it doesn't sound good distorted to me and it really sounds bad when you try and play clean.

I very much prefer the stock pickups in my Squier Standards to the Hot A3s.

The quantities of available Hot A3s is a direct result of the pup being a bust, IMO.

+1 could not have said it better myself..

[Telecaster52SE]

Now without the VS Route 808 and Bass Boost, I think the Hot Alnico 3's sound kinda thin compared to Gibson humbuckers. But overdriven with a Route 808 and my Marshall stack I can drown out Les Pauls with normal Gibson pickups and can keep up with a Bridge Burstbucker 3 Les Paul. Try doing that with Fender OV or SD Vintage Tele pickups.

[Telecaster52SE]

The key to using Hot Alnico 3 Tele pickups is to not use too much gain on your tube amp, and boost the pickups with a Tubescreamer. If you overdue the gain on the amp any Hot Tele Pickup, even Hot SD Humbuckers are going to sound mushy.

[Telecaster52SE]

QUOTE: "The quantities of available Hot A3s is a direct result of the pup being a bust, IMO"

The reason there are so many Alnico 3 Tele pickups is Telecasters are typically used for Country, Country Rock, and Blues/Boogie not Hard Rock. Those guys want cleaner pickups for that type of music. For Hard Rock a Hot Alnico 3 is better than vintage type Tele pickups. It just depends on what type of music you play and the tone you want from your Telecaster.

[spayne99]

Hot AND tasty! They've grown on me just fine but I tend to gravitate towards a hotter sound. Check this out, these are the same pickups I believe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5YR...e_gdata_player