AVRI '64 Telecaster Pickups - Available through a tech?

[bmurphyhd28]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, and should have my first Telecaster, and American Special, in about a month.

Today, I took a trip to the shop I'll be buying from, hoping to be able to check out an American Special. They didn't have one, so I figured I'd spend some time on other Tele's to get a feel for what I like, what I don't like, etc. I happened upon the new AVRI '64 Tele, and I fell in head over heels in love with those pickups. The rest of the Teles on the wall didn't come close, in my opinion, to the character of tone coming from that guitar. Two things kept me from buying it and calling it a day: the price and the neck. I had a MIM 60's Strat for a few years and found that I just don't like vintage frets and fingerboard radii. Or Strats.

This brings me to my question. Fender does not offer the pickups for sale to the general public as of yet. I was wondering if any of you fine people knew if they would be available as parts to a Fender authorized tech.

If not, can anyone familiar with these pickups suggest an alternative. The Fender pickups would probably be cheaper than boutique, but I'm not at all opposed to going that route. There's nothing saying that I won't dig the Texas Specials that come in the guitar, but the '64 that I played today embodied that amazing Tele tone I'm looking for. The Klein 61's and the Creamery 64's seem to be up this alley, but again, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks!

[Mark Davis]

You can get the 64's for $80 each from The Stratosphere on ebay.

[bmurphyhd28]

It looks like he doesn't have any for sale right now unless I missed something, but I totally forgot about the sellers that strip guitars and sell them for parts, so thank you! I'll keep an eye out.

[dogfootblues]

I was wondering this same question, but for the new 52'. Why dosen't Fender offer these guys?

[bmurphyhd28]

From a business standpoint, I'd think that they'd want you to buy the guitar and not the pickups. What better way to motivate sales for a particular line than to offer something that no other guitar from that manufacturer has and is not available aftermarket? Fender stakes most of their reputation largely on two models (Strat and Tele). They have to diversify the lines to keep interest up.

[bmurphyhd28]

What's more is that these pickups are so good, in my opinion, I really wouldn't be motivated to change them upon buying the guitar. That's not something I think I've ever said. Typically I'm a buy it and gut it guy.

[vintage clubber]

I would think it'd be a matter of time before those are available on an aftermarket basis and ebay venders like Angela and joshmr are selling them. I got my twisted tele neck pickup from joshmr on ebay for $44 brand new.

[musicmatty]

Originally Posted by bmurphyhd28

What's more is that these pickups are so good, in my opinion, I really wouldn't be motivated to change them upon buying the guitar. That's not something I think I've ever said. Typically I'm a buy it and gut it guy.

The bridge pup out of the MIM Classic 60s Series Tele, and the Pro Series'63 bridge pup from GFS, Will give you the sound of that 64 Tele.

Height staggered poles, That are a low 6k output, is what gives those Teles, that great classic sound.

The classic 60s Series bridge pup, can be found at the stratosphere on eBay just about any day.

I have both of these pickups and have played the 64 Tele, and they are all very identical in sound. Good luck.

Fender Classic 60s Series bridge pup





GFS Pro Series 63 bridge pup

[YoGeorge]

I am thinking that these pickups can't be that much different from the AV '62 Custom reissue pickups, which are available for $53 with a full '62 bridge on EBay...(?) The neck pickups also seem to be around for $50 each. I have a staggered US pickup as OEM in my Muddy Waters tele--it measures a bit under 7k ohms as I recall and it is a GREAT pickup.

I'm old enough to remember these guitars when they were relatively new and I don't think there were any major changes in the formula thru the early 60's until CBS fully took over Fender, which would have been '66ish or so. Edit--checked the Duchossoir book and Fender pickups were pretty similar from mid 50's (when they got the raised center poles) thru the later mid 60's...

Good luck,
George