Tele buy-blind pickup suggestion?

peter_schoen · July 20th, 2003, 02:35 PM

Dear y'all,

I am completely overwhelmed by the many replacement pickup options available. I also don't have the possibility to test drive any (there are only smaller dealers in my area that don't stock such stuff).

What pickups would you suggest for traditional Blues, bluesy Jazz, Soul, Funk (no Rock or Country)?

Which pickups can be easily recommended for such a buy-blind purchase?

(On Harmony-Central, most products from Harmonic Design, Kinman, Fralin, Torres Engineering, SD, Rio Grande, Van Zandt, etc. get great reviews. So should I just randomly choose one?)

Very best wishes

-Peter-

Kevin · July 20th, 2003, 04:16 PM

You're right...

Many good pickups out there.

IMO, you can't go wrong with the Fralins or SD Broadcasters. Just good, basic pickups.

Wayne Alexander · July 20th, 2003, 04:45 PM

Peter, you can get some ideas here or from other experienced players, but ultimately you'll have to judge for yourself what you like, and there's no substitute for putting those pickups in your guitar and playing them with your hands through your amp. Only then will you get a clear reading. What I've done is to buy a bunch of pickups over time USED, then resell the ones I don't want, usually at about the same prices. In my case, I ended up with Bardens in my 52 reissue, and those are absolutely the best pickups for what I needed, but they may or may not fit you.

You could get a bit more focused help here if you would tell us what guitar you've got now, what pickups are in it, what kind of strings and bridge it's got, what amp you use, and some recorded songs we know that have a tone you like.

Joel66 · July 20th, 2003, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne Alexander

You could get a bit more focused help here if you would tell us what guitar you've got now, what pickups are in it, what kind of strings and bridge it's got, what amp you use, and some recorded songs we know that have a tone you like.

I don't know why it struck me the way it did but this is just about the finest summary I've read on what's needed to help someone along in the pick-up search. I know that I've read all of this information here before but Wayne, you did a good job summarizing it into one paragraph.

Joel

TwinReverb · July 21st, 2003, 03:40 AM

There are so many pup's out there it will drive you crazy (or buying them for the next couple of years). If you like twangy on the bridge without getting shrill sounding and jazzy/bluesy on the neck pu, try some Suhrs. Little talked about but great value and sound. I like them a lot.

PS John Suhr used to work for Fender. He knows his business.

peter_schoen · July 21st, 2003, 03:46 PM

Dear y'all,

many thanks for the suggestions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne Alexander

You could get a bit more focused help here if you would tell us what guitar you've got now, what pickups are in it, what kind of strings and bridge it's got, what amp you use, and some recorded songs we know that have a tone you like.

I am sorry, but I can't tell you much about the guitar. It's a Japan Telecaster. There's a Serial Number that reads: E723922. I could only find the info that these numbers indicate a build date between 1984 and 1987 (although it was bought new in 1990).

The pickups are stock (single coil) pickups. I bought the guitar used (but in a new condition) a few months ago from a friend who wanted to learn to play guitar back then but ultimately didn't.

I am currently using 009-042 Fender 150 strings.

It has a bridge with 6 saddles.

I use a Flextone 3 amp (I mostly use the Fender Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb or Roland JC-120 models).

As for the guitarists: I love the Memphis sound so I dig Steve Cropper. Johnny Guitar Watson's early sides for Modern (Hot Little Mama, Too Tired, etc.). Albert Collins is one of a kind.

Then there are current cats like Kid Ramos, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Kenny Blue Ray, who all have killer tone. I would have to check the CD liner notes for the song titles that feature a Tele, but I don't have them here right now.

Very best wishes

-Peter-

bek · July 21st, 2003, 10:48 PM

Gotta say, I am in the middle of analyzing the results of a pickup change I just made in my Tele (ash/maple) and found the Rio Grande Big Bottom set got me immediately into Albert Collins tonal territory. Fender .009-.042 bullet set, Marshall JCM 800 1x12" 50-Watt Lead combo, Fender large triangular heavy pick or fingers. I also use a cheap solid-state Washburn combo amp with about 15 watts and an 8-inch speaker, and it just sounded fabulous. Just got the Albert Collins Deluxe CD and this just gets there. The difference between this Rio set and Duncans Broadcaster set is the character of the neck pickup; the bridge seems very similar. Of course, the guitar will do a lot of other tones, depending on your knob-twisting. The Broadcasters are excellent, but the Rio neck pickup is less "restrained," if you will.

Brick · July 21st, 2003, 11:31 PM

Many, myself included, really like the SD Broadcaster. Even those who later went for something else in a bridge PU rate it as an excellent choice. It does everything well and mates with a Rio tallboy for a great combo. My other fave bridge PU is a Van Zandt flatpole. I really like Gibson P94s and mini HBs in the tele neck position, but that requires surgery.

KC · July 22nd, 2003, 01:30 PM

. . . but the first thing I would do is screw on a vintage 3-saddle bridge with brass saddles -- did this to my test-bed tele and it improved it as a blues machine 100%. something funky about what this does to the sound of the note, a lot like johnny watson in the "three hours past midnite" era. under half an hour to do it, under $30 for the parts. good luck.

peter_schoen · July 22nd, 2003, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC

. . . but the first thing I would do is screw on a vintage 3-saddle bridge with brass saddles -- did this to my test-bed tele and it improved it as a blues machine 100%.

many thanks for the hint.

Unfortunately, my Japan Tele has 3 mounting holes under the saddles and is a toploader.

So far I could only find bridges with the older 4 hole pattern and the string-through-body pattern.

Cheers,

-Peter-

sjfoote · July 23rd, 2003, 07:17 AM

I have the same MIJ bridge plate as you and have found a couple of replacements that might work. This one looks like a direct replacement (MM2112) and I have verified the measurements on my own guitar:

http://www.mightymite.com/bridges/fixed/index.html

Another one that looks promising is here:

http://mailboxmusic.zoovy.com/product/GBR_T2BK

Hope this helps...

July 20th, 2003, 02:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
peter_schoen TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 40	Tele buy-blind pickup suggestion? Dear y'all, I am completely overwhelmed by the many replacement pickup options available. I also don't have the possibility to test drive any (there are only smaller dealers in my area that don't stock such stuff). What pickups would you suggest for traditional Blues, bluesy Jazz, Soul, Funk (no Rock or Country)? Which pickups can be easily recommended for such a buy-blind purchase? (On Harmony-Central, most products from Harmonic Design, Kinman, Fralin, Torres Engineering, SD, Rio Grande, Van Zandt, etc. get great reviews. So should I just randomly choose one?) Very best wishes -Peter-

July 21st, 2003, 03:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
TwinReverb Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 476	Suhr There are so many pup's out there it will drive you crazy (or buying them for the next couple of years). If you like twangy on the bridge without getting shrill sounding and jazzy/bluesy on the neck pu, try some Suhrs. Little talked about but great value and sound. I like them a lot. PS John Suhr used to work for Fender. He knows his business.

July 21st, 2003, 11:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Brick Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Jose Age: 57 Posts: 781	Some suggestions Many, myself included, really like the SD Broadcaster. Even those who later went for something else in a bridge PU rate it as an excellent choice. It does everything well and mates with a Rio tallboy for a great combo. My other fave bridge PU is a Van Zandt flatpole. I really like Gibson P94s and mini HBs in the tele neck position, but that requires surgery.

July 22nd, 2003, 01:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
KC Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Missoula, Montana Posts: 1,231 15 Photos	I know this is the pickup forum . . . . . . but the first thing I would do is screw on a vintage 3-saddle bridge with brass saddles -- did this to my test-bed tele and it improved it as a blues machine 100%. something funky about what this does to the sound of the note, a lot like johnny watson in the "three hours past midnite" era. under half an hour to do it, under $30 for the parts. good luck.

July 23rd, 2003, 07:17 AM	#11 (permalink)
sjfoote Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: Lawrenceville, GA Age: 54 Posts: 362 4 Photos	Hey Peter check out this link I have the same MIJ bridge plate as you and have found a couple of replacements that might work. This one looks like a direct replacement (MM2112) and I have verified the measurements on my own guitar: http://www.mightymite.com/bridges/fixed/index.html Another one that looks promising is here: http://mailboxmusic.zoovy.com/product/GBR_T2BK Hope this helps... __________________ no better, just older

July 20th, 2003, 04:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kevin Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Terre Haute, IN Posts: 2,967	You're right... Many good pickups out there. IMO, you can't go wrong with the Fralins or SD Broadcasters. Just good, basic pickups.

July 20th, 2003, 04:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wayne Alexander Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA Posts: 1,017	Peter, you can get some ideas here or from other experienced players, but ultimately you'll have to judge for yourself what you like, and there's no substitute for putting those pickups in your guitar and playing them with your hands through your amp. Only then will you get a clear reading. What I've done is to buy a bunch of pickups over time USED, then resell the ones I don't want, usually at about the same prices. In my case, I ended up with Bardens in my 52 reissue, and those are absolutely the best pickups for what I needed, but they may or may not fit you. You could get a bit more focused help here if you would tell us what guitar you've got now, what pickups are in it, what kind of strings and bridge it's got, what amp you use, and some recorded songs we know that have a tone you like.

July 21st, 2003, 10:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
bek Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: California Posts: 543	Gotta say, I am in the middle of analyzing the results of a pickup change I just made in my Tele (ash/maple) and found the Rio Grande Big Bottom set got me immediately into Albert Collins tonal territory. Fender .009-.042 bullet set, Marshall JCM 800 1x12" 50-Watt Lead combo, Fender large triangular heavy pick or fingers. I also use a cheap solid-state Washburn combo amp with about 15 watts and an 8-inch speaker, and it just sounded fabulous. Just got the Albert Collins Deluxe CD and this just gets there. The difference between this Rio set and Duncans Broadcaster set is the character of the neck pickup; the bridge seems very similar. Of course, the guitar will do a lot of other tones, depending on your knob-twisting. The Broadcasters are excellent, but the Rio neck pickup is less "restrained," if you will.