Best vintage pickup

[rotheryrules]

Ok do I know am opening a whole can of worms here but I am looking for the best vintage tone tele bridge pickup.

Am looking at buying a MIM Esquire shortly and plan on Changing the saddles to compensated brass and change the pickup.

Am not brand loyal so would welcome any suggestions. Nothing with to high an output!

[scrumley]

Fender Original Vintage.

[sjtalon]

Fender Custom Shop Nocaster

Can of worms is an understatement.

[rotheryrules]

Have never been a huge fan of Fender pickups but am willing to try them.

There is a lot of love for the D Allen pickups over on strat talk, wondered if he does tele as well.

[arakele]

D.Allen does do tele pickups (He is a member/vendor here), a few sets were part of the giveaway this year.

I recently swapped out the alnico5 CV pickup for an OV AVRI52 pickup and did not notice much of a change. It was a waste of my time actually. A lot of people like the alnico3 CV pickup in the CV VB for esquires.

I have noticed a lot of guys use the SD Broadcaster for esquires as well.

[Teleglide]

Personally I like Don Mare's pickups - many to choose from.

[BoogerRooger]

If I was going Esquire I'd pack a Bare Knuckle Flat 50 but if that's too hot how about a 52?

[rotheryrules]

As I'm in the uk I'd need to factor in postage and customs charges for the D.Allens, tho I am curious.

I Havent heard of Don Mares, I'll google!

Like the idea of the SD broadcaster pickup.

[mabley123]

+1 don mare pickups. when i have a tele built it will have his nancy's in it.

[rotheryrules]

Originally Posted by BoogerRooger

If I was going Esquire I'd pack a Bare Knuckle Flat 50 but if that's too hot how about a 52?

That is a very good idea, I have dealt with Tim Mills at Bare Knuckles through my day job and he really knows his stuff.

[benhenny]

What is the justification for charging $80 for six little magnets, cardboard, and a little wire - whose material cost is around $8 ? Even at $100/hr, the labor would bump it up to about $30 each.

[WaylonFan76]

Originally Posted by benhenny

What is the justification for charging $80 for six little magnets, cardboard, and a little wire - whose material cost is around $8 ? Even at $100/hr, the labor would bump it up to about $30 each.

I guess an item is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it.

[stilesg57]

Fender OV is the best vintage sounding bridge pup I've ever heard in a Tele. CS Nocaster sounds awesome in the bridge but just not as "vintage" to my ears. I have not heard the Don Mare ones though but people seem to like them.

[rotheryrules]

Originally Posted by benhenny

What is the justification for charging $80 for six little magnets, cardboard, and a little wire - whose material cost is around $8 ? Even at $100/hr, the labor would bump it up to about $30 each.

If you've ever wound pickups and then had them sound like crap u think you'd know!

[TeleKato]

Ummmmmmmm .... wormmmmmmmms.

I have a '62 Custom in two diff Esquires and a Texas Specialnin another. Love all ... And all combine with other parts to give unique voice to each.

Does one eat worms with a fork like pasta?

[Ronkirn]

Well since no one has answered your question with any information you can use... i'll give it a try....

Since a guitar is an amalgam of many different components coming together to produce the final voice... of which the pickups are only one part.... every single pickup will sound different in every different guitar....

How does that help? Well since if I were to tell yea Don Mares were the best... and they are very good pickups, and you put 'em in your guitar, and didn't like the sound...the would hardly be the best would they? So... remember... there is never any universal best... there is only what you personally like.... and finding it is a big part of the fun..

So... you gotta do what everyone else has done... take a leap of faith.... there are a boatload of great pickups out there... you know the names... go get ya a set and see what ya think... that is as close to an exact definition of what they will sound like in your guitar as you're likely to get, at least an honest definition. Nobody can tell ya what YOUR ears are going to hear.

Ron Kirn

[rotheryrules]

That is very good advice, I think we can get hung up on wanting the best, even though we tint actually know what is wring with what we have.

A lot of people may turn their nose up at what are classed as budget guitars/pickups, but I've tried and loved some cheap pickups over the years. My go to guitar at the mo is a hard tail squier bullet modded with single cheap Select by EMG humbucker. My les Paul and custom Flying V gather dust whilst that is played daily.

I guess I'll try the stock pickup before deciding I don't like it because I've convinced myself it can't be very good.

I knew there was a reason I come here!

[Roku]

You can't go wrong with the SD Broadcaster. It's a great price, but it's a great pickup regardless of how much it costs.

[WaylonFan76]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Well since no one has answered your question with any information you can use... i'll give it a try....

Since a guitar is an amalgam of many different components coming together to produce the final voice... of which the pickups are only one part.... every single pickup will sound different in every different guitar....

How does that help? Well since if I were to tell yea Don Mares were the best... and they are very good pickups, and you put 'em in your guitar, and didn't like the sound...the would hardly be the best would they? So... remember... there is never any universal best... there is only what you personally like.... and finding it is a big part of the fun..

So... you gotta do what everyone else has done... take a leap of faith.... there are a boatload of great pickups out there... you know the names... go get ya a set and see what ya think... that is as close to an exact definition of what they will sound like in your guitar as you're likely to get, at least an honest definition. Nobody can tell ya what YOUR ears are going to hear.

Ron Kirn

Very well put, Ron.

[GuitarJim]

I have a 2004 MIM Standard that I put a set of Texas Specials in and love them. I don't know what is considered "classic" but as has been said I personally love the tone that I get out of my guitar and you may not....

JC