Best pickups?

[mcitrin18]

Hey all,
I'm about to start building a jazzcaster, which is basically a jazzmaster with telecaster hardware and routing, and I wanted to hear your pickup suggestions. My playing style is rock/blues/funk if that helps.

Thanks!!!

[Jadguitar]

Lindy fralin telecaster pickups are good. So are rumplestiltskin black rope (look them up)

[JamonHamon]

Don Mare is all I use

[Phelonious Ponk]

Got any kind of budget in mind? There are great-sounding pickups out there from <$40 to >$100. One thing I'd seriously consider for rock/blues is a humbucker or P90 in the neck.

P

[chipbutty24]

Lollar

[gusironside]

I'd definitely go for a p90 in the neck. The Lollar ones do have a very good rep, although I like the Warmann p90s- great for an old-school p90 tone and exceptionally good value.

[StratBluesRock]

I really like D. Allens, or GFS when I'm on a budget.

[Ronkirn]

this is like asking what is the best meal….

there are many, many great pickups, all are going to give you great results. The differences are rather subtle when compared to the big picture.

All the names mentioned, with the exception of GFS, would be like having a list of esoteric $200,000.00 + autos and having to pick one…. do you really think you could make a bad choice?

Best bang for the buck is Bill Lawrence….

Best "tone" would be the one YOU like. That can not be determined without getting out there and trying 'em, and certainly cannot be determined by considering other player's preferences which are established with the help of our totally abused hearing.

Ron Kirn

[guitarpreston]

Ron's right. I have DAllens in my no1 and Tts in another. Both very nice pickups. Fralin is obviously awesome. Played a king bee with lollars, they were also very nice. I had some fender custom shop Texas specials that I hated. It's all personal preference. Like I said the DAllens are in my no1 and there's a reason for it. But it doesn't mean you will like the same set. I have to paraphrase colt here: pickups are kinda funny, either you like them or you don't. So basically do research on a bunch and if you listen to sound clips online use good quality headphones and take into consideration that the number of variables on YouTube clips is ridiculous. Best of luck

[Gusdaq]

And Ron himself winds a very toneful set, my Barnbuster still has them on and ive no plans to change that!!

Ron Ellis makes a nice set too.....!

[HotRodTele]

Don't forget to consider Joe Barden t-style pickups for a great Tele sound without the interference single coils get from bad electric wiring found at some venues.

[StratBluesRock]

Originally Posted by HotRodTele

Don't forget to consider Joe Barden t-style pickups for a great Tele sound without the interference single coils get from bad electric wiring found at some venues.

I have D. Allens in two of my Strats, and they have less noise than most traditional single coils.

The GFS pickups in my Tele have an average amount of hum.

[Phelonious Ponk]

The GFS Tele bridge pup in my Telemaster hums a bit. It's worth it, IMO. I really like its rather rude, muscular sound. To torture Ron's analogy, if Fralins and Lollars are Ferraris and Lambos, a GFS Alnico Fatbody is a 62 vette with a 3/4 race cam in its 327. It ain't all that refined, a little bit noisy, but it sure rips.

Not a bad place to start for $35. Then pick up a couple of boutiques on ebay, swap them out, find out what you like. You're never really going to know until you're playing them in your rig, on your music.

P

[Commodore 64]

Originally Posted by Phelonious Ponk

You're never really going to know until you're playing them in your rig, on your music.

Yep. Find a set you think looks cool, costs cool, or whoever's website looks like it needs the most help. Install 'em. Rinse and repeat. Always keep the PUPs, you never know when you are gonna want to swap them in to a $45 Craig's List find.

I tend to use Rose Pickups. But really, I don't think any pickups are better than another. Just different.

[musicalmartin]

IMHO the bottom line for great sounding useful general purpose pickups are for me ,Toneriders ,Keystones,Micro Coils .These are very good decent priced pickups .Same for strats but Rose Mariposas are really good for 30 USD.i have tried all these and sold them on as I only have one Telecaster now ..That has a Texas Special neck ,a Van Zandt (great) bridge .P90's and Humbuckers ,Toneriders ..I can at least attest to those and others agree on this forum .After that its up to price and what tone you want .There are so many that you takes your choice and advicebut at least I know that the ones have recommended decent useable pickups .

[vanguard]

Don Mare has nailed the classic fender secrets, and he has so many options there's something for everyone. i'm particularly tempted by his new early CBS-era tele pickups

[misterdontmove]

Fender CS Nocasters sound incredible in my partscaster! Love them !!!!

[Lee Harvey]

I don't think there is a best pickup, it's more about what pickup you like.

[mg426]

Ron just built me a barn Buster....loaded with Bill Lawrence keystones...Never heard anything quite like them...MY BB does anything from johnny cash to AC/DC with no problem...wonderfull does not begin to describe them...just my 2 cents

[mefgames]

Check out http://www.kinman.com/index.php I put a set of his Mark II's in my AM Std Strat, and have yet to hear anything better, IMO


Mike