Okay, can't decide between these pickups

[Blonde Tele]

I have a vintage blonde CV tele. I like twang, and I play anything from country to jazz blues to classic rock. I just can't decide between these pickups and thought I'd ask you guys for help.

Dimarzio Twang king set
Seymour Duncan Vintage 54 set or vintage 54 neck and broadcaster bridge
Lollar vintage T set
Van zandt Vintage TL set

I want a 50's or early 60's tele sound.

I'm open to other sugestions too.
The van zandt and lollars are a bit too epensive for me actually. My budget is around 120-160€.

Thanks in advance.

[Teleglide]

No experience with the Duncans, but Twang Kings are great sounding pickups with a good balance of twang and balls.

[el cheapo]

Dude, I doubt that you will see much improvement over your stock bridge pup. The CV 50's Alnico III runs about 9k. It can twang, and it can rock too. If you do some research you will find a lot of love for it here on TDPRI. I have one in my Esquire, and am very satisfied with it. The Esquire nails the 50's tone, by the way.

The neck pup on the other hand, may be a candidate for replacement. Before you do that though, I would try the Fezz Parka mod. It has been known to breathe life into many a dead-sounding neck pup.

If you still don't like the neck, I hear that the new run of American Standard neck pups are very good. Good luck!

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by el cheapo

Dude, I doubt that you will see much improvement over your stock bridge pup. The CV 50's Alnico III runs about 9k. It can twang, and it can rock too. If you do some research you will find a lot of love for it here on TDPRI. I have one in my Esquire, and am very satisfied with it. The Esquire nails the 50's tone, by the way.

The neck pup on the other hand, may be a candidate for replacement. Before you do that though, I would try the Fezz Parka mod. It has been known to breathe life into many a dead-sounding neck pup.

If you still don't like the neck, I hear that the new run of American Standard neck pups are very good. Good luck!

Thanks for your help bro, there is just one problem. I have a disease, it's called GAS () and it makes me hate stock pups. A voice in my head says 'yank out those stock pickups and put in something new'

LOL. Just jokin', but, I kinda' want to swap out the stock pups. Dunno' why exactly, because I kinda like them, but I really want to. Damn you GAS....
I guess I just want different options. If I prefer the stock pups, I'll just put the new ones in my other tele.

[Flattpickin]

i just stuck a broadcaster bridge and a rio grande dirty harry in the neck of one of my teles..50s road worn and il tell you that it exceeded my expectations and definitely covers the sound spectrum you mentioned...has an interesting but very musical and very good sound out of the mid position on the switch..i had to play with the heights a bit and i also have a 2 tone controls 1 for each pickup so theres alot of sound options...its taken over as my #1 out of 4 teles 1 being american and my country band that plays the occasional rock n roll song its been perfect...but thats my experience good luck and have fun swappin around til you find what you like

[Blonde Tele]

I'd love to try the SD broadcaster bridge/54' neck set. Although there are some mixed oppinions about them (depending on player experiance and how the pickup reacts on different wood types I guess) so say it's bright and thin, others say it's a fat sounding pickup. Some say it's twangy others say it's not. A question for the more experianced tele players/pickup testers, jow would the broadcaster bridge/ 54 neck set sound in a pine guitar (CV50) ?

The twang kings are cool, but I heared they're not your average vintage tele set. (too dark)

Also I'm not looking at the van zandt and lollars anymore, too expensive, and not necessarily better than the cheaper ones.

[Tele-phone man]

Why are you limiting your choices to the ones you mention? There are so many good choices out there. If you wish to stay with true single-coils, there is no better value out there than a set of Keystones. They are extremely versatile, well made, and very inexpensive.

[JKjr]

Originally Posted by Blonde Tele

Also I'm not looking at the van zandt and lollars anymore, too expensive, and not necessarily better than the cheaper ones.

How good is your amp? Run through my Blues Jr the Lollar Specials and Fralins I have don't sound tremendously better than the stock CV, but plug into an old Fender, Dr Z, and especially an AC30 and you know why you paid through the nose for them.

I have an old SD Broadcaster. It's in a box. So are the CV pickups. Food for thought.

[WaylonFan76]

SD Antiquities. You can choose wether you want 50s Blackguard tones ( Ant I ) or 60s ( Ant II ).

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by JKjr

How good is your amp? Run through my Blues Jr the Lollar Specials and Fralins I have don't sound tremendously better than the stock CV, but plug into an old Fender, Dr Z, and especially an AC30 and you know why you paid through the nose for them.

I have an old SD Broadcaster. It's in a box. So are the CV pickups. Food for thought.

I have good amps, Marshall bluesbreaker, 2204, 1987x, Mesa/boogie Mark III.
Blakstar HT5 and fender pro Jr for practice at home.

I'm not saying expensive pickups are bad (I'm using/I have used them a lot) but really, cheaper ones are just as good or better IMHO. I don't have much experiance with teles and tele pickups, but I have quite a bit of experiance with humbuckers and strat pickups.

[paulswifka]

I had the Twang King set before...sounds very very nice.....

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by Tele-phone man

Why are you limiting your choices to the ones you mention? There are so many good choices out there. If you wish to stay with true single-coils, there is no better value out there than a set of Keystones. They are extremely versatile, well made, and very inexpensive.

I AM open to suggestions, mentioned that in the op.

[Rob DiStefano]

sigh ... eyeing words can never do justice to what yer ears hear. so hear's (pun intended) my suggstion - find a pup winder that's willing to allow you to try before you buy,

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

sigh ... eyeing words can never do justice to what yer ears hear. so hear's (pun intended) my suggstion - find a pup winder that's willing to allow you to try before you buy,

That would be great, but it's hard to find a pickup winder in holland, let alone one that'll let you try before you buy.

We (guitarists/pickup upgraders) need a website full of clips of different pickups.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Blonde Tele

... We (guitarists/pickup upgraders) need a website full of clips of different pickups.

sound bytes mean next to nothing - they won't sound one bit like you playing the pup in your guitar through your gear.

too bad you didn't live stateside for a pup tryout.

[mefgames]

Originally Posted by Blonde Tele

I AM open to suggestions, mentioned that in the op.

+1 on the Keystones. I put them in my MIM and they are excellent. IMO, they have the sound you're looking for, and are easy on the wallet.


Mike

[Lee Harvey]

Twang Kings

Twang Kings

Twang Kings

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

sound bytes mean next to nothing - they won't sound one bit like you playing the pup in your guitar through your gear.

too bad you didn't live stateside for a pup tryout.

Well, a website where they have clips all recorded with the same recording gear. And clips of every pickup in a few different guitars. All clips in high quality.

Maybe not the same as in real life, but still, much much better than youtube.

[Blonde Tele]

Originally Posted by mefgames

+1 on the Keystones. I put them in my MIM and they are excellent. IMO, they have the sound you're looking for, and are easy on the wallet.


Mike

I read you have to order them from bill lawrence himself. And since I live in holland shippng costs are high, and waiting time is long.

[Blonde Tele]

I guess I'll just get the seymour duncan broadcaster set.

I think the twang kings are too dark for me.