On a search

tele_wah_fuzz · May 10th, 2006, 05:59 PM

I'm on a search for a thick, dense, warm, but clear pair of Tele pickups. I mostly play blues based rockin' roll (Cream, Zeppelin, etc.) I've checked out the Duncan 59 and quarter pounders, Harmonic Design V+ and Super 90, some Fralins, some Bare Knuckles, and some Fenders. Right now I'm thinking the HD super 90 and the V+ neck would be my best bet. Are there any other brands out there that you think I should check out? Thanks

BB · May 10th, 2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tele_wah_fuzz

I'm on a search for a thick, dense, warm, but clear pair of Tele pickups. I mostly play blues based rockin' roll (Cream, Zeppelin, etc.) I've checked out the Duncan 59 and quarter pounders, Harmonic Design V+ and Super 90, some Fralins, some Bare Knuckles, and some Fenders. Right now I'm thinking the HD super 90 and the V+ neck would be my best bet. Are there any other brands out there that you think I should check out? Thanks

I think you are on the right track with the HD's. Also, check out Steve Kertsing at S.K Guitar Specialties. He winds a T-90 bridge pickup that is killer. Add an S-90 in te neck and you would have a kilelr set for the tones your after. Also, A Dimarzio Tone Zone T in the bridge with a Twang King or VV neck would be oh so bluesy in that wonderful, Creamy, Zeppy way.

I hate to sound like a broken record here.....but contact TPDRI member Benbo to see what he could do for you. I've been digigng the bridge pup he did for me. I like girthier tones from the bridge position and this one does the trick quite nicely. Last night with the Benbo pup, I was having a blast getting Albert Collins meets Buddy Guy meets Eric Clapton tones. Good stuff and dirt cheap. No affiliation ( although it may seem that way since i've been touting his wares ) just another great option to consider.

Telenator · May 10th, 2006, 07:29 PM

I would venture to say that, if you've tried all those p'ups and still haven't found your sound, you might want to try a different guitar.

tele_wah_fuzz · May 10th, 2006, 08:23 PM

Yeah those S.K Guitar Specialties might be something to think about. My only concern is the price. At this point I don't think I can afford $125 per pickup. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

BB · May 10th, 2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tele_wah_fuzz

Yeah those S.K Guitar Specialties might be something to think about. My only concern is the price. At this point I don't think I can afford $125 per pickup. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

WOW!! He's raised his prices quite a bit since the last time I did bidness with him. Have you checked out the Lollar Specials?

tele_wah_fuzz · May 13th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Actually, I have not checked out Lollar pickups. But I will right now.

fractal · May 13th, 2006, 02:44 PM

Hmmmm, Lollar Specials... Yum!

Twang · May 13th, 2006, 07:33 PM

+1 on the Lollars

I've a set of the GVCG/Lollar AL3s with the staggard poles and they are fantastic. Loud, hot and clear. The neck pickup sounds great, played clean it is beautiful and overddriven it's really full and creamy...no mush at all. The bridge is twangy but without the ice pick, more of a rounder sound to my ears.

My brother has a GVCG tele that came with Lollar specials in it and it sounds unbelievable as well. Very hot but more twangy.

tele_wah_fuzz · May 14th, 2006, 01:34 PM

Yeah, Hmmm Lollars. I hear a lot of great things about his pickups on this forum. I guess now I'm between the HD Super 90 w/ V+ neck and the Lollar Specials.

Like I said, I'm heavily influenced by the blues based rock of the late 60's and early 70's. And although I love my telecaster, I feel it needs to be more beefy w/less twang to get the job done. Is there anybody else here who has had experience with either one of these pair of pickups? Thanks again everybody.

TDPRI · May 14th, 2006, 02:11 PM

Are you sure you don't want a Humbucker? It sure seems that way to me from what you've said.

You "might" like Bardens. They are bright but with the tone control turned down a bit they can be strong and blusey.

Paul Green

tele_wah_fuzz · May 14th, 2006, 05:22 PM

Your probably right about the humbuckers, but don't want to mod my guitar anymore than I have to. Plus I like the look of a stock guitar. I know I would probably be just as happy, if not more, with a Les Paul, but when I chose a Telecaster, money had a lot to do with it. An American Fender costs about 1 grand were as a top of the line Gibson costs twice that. And if I was going to get a Les Paul it would have to have a flame top. I mean if a Telecaster could get the job done for Jimmy Page, I'm sure it can for me. But everytime I sit down and listen to Led Zeppelin 1, I just can't get over how thick his guitar sounds. For a tele I mean. Thats kind of girth I'm after here. Besides, I'm very happy with everything about my Tele. The feel of the neck, the weight, the simplicity of the circut. Everything except for the rather thin sounding pickups. All I'm asking for a pair of somewhat full sounding single coil pickups, that will come close to a vintage humbucker or P-90 w/ when the treble is rolled off a tad. They don't have to be super high output or overwound to heavens. I don't play country, so of course I'm going to go for the warm set of pickups.

And I'm sure I would love the Bardens, especially if they are as great as everybody says they are. But $170 a pickup? No thanks! I just can't afford to pay that much per pickup. I think once in awhile you have to take a step back and realize what your paying for.

getbent · May 14th, 2006, 05:30 PM

You might even try texas specials... they are not terribly expensive and they are pretty meaty, I have a set in my thinline right now and they are good.... I am probably gonna put nocasters in shortly as I would like more twang... but, for price performance... the texas specials might do the trick for the pagey rock thing...

bagpipe · May 14th, 2006, 05:57 PM

I'd try one of the single coil sized 'buckers from GFS. I installed a Lil Puncher in my tele and I really like it. I was having problems getting a "heavy" enough tone from the single coil I had in there. I had a VanZandt and those are beefier than the standard tele single coil. However they weren't getting the job done (for me!).
The other bonus with the GFS pickups is that they're not as ridiculously expensive as some of the other pickups on the market.

tele_wah_fuzz · May 14th, 2006, 07:05 PM

Thanks guys. I'll check them out.

Nub · May 14th, 2006, 10:38 PM

Rio Grande Muy Grande set and a 4-way switch will get you there, for sure (and they're only about $130 for a set). The new RG Dirty Harry pups look pretty cool, too...

http://www.riograndepickups.com/3.html

May 10th, 2006, 05:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	On a search I'm on a search for a thick, dense, warm, but clear pair of Tele pickups. I mostly play blues based rockin' roll (Cream, Zeppelin, etc.) I've checked out the Duncan 59 and quarter pounders, Harmonic Design V+ and Super 90, some Fralins, some Bare Knuckles, and some Fenders. Right now I'm thinking the HD super 90 and the V+ neck would be my best bet. Are there any other brands out there that you think I should check out? Thanks

May 10th, 2006, 07:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Telenator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,617	I would venture to say that, if you've tried all those p'ups and still haven't found your sound, you might want to try a different guitar. __________________ Dogs have the right idea!

May 10th, 2006, 08:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	A bit pricey Yeah those S.K Guitar Specialties might be something to think about. My only concern is the price. At this point I don't think I can afford $125 per pickup. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

May 13th, 2006, 02:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
fractal TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 95	Hmmmm, Lollar Specials... Yum! __________________ ____ "Nothing but the best for my dog." - Frank Zappa
$fractal is offline$

May 13th, 2006, 07:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Twang Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 44 Posts: 664	+1 on the Lollars I've a set of the GVCG/Lollar AL3s with the staggard poles and they are fantastic. Loud, hot and clear. The neck pickup sounds great, played clean it is beautiful and overddriven it's really full and creamy...no mush at all. The bridge is twangy but without the ice pick, more of a rounder sound to my ears. My brother has a GVCG tele that came with Lollar specials in it and it sounds unbelievable as well. Very hot but more twangy. __________________ "we don't wear rhinestones because we think we're cool, we wear rhinestones because we think they're cool" - gp

May 13th, 2006, 01:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	Actually, I have not checked out Lollar pickups. But I will right now.

May 14th, 2006, 01:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	Yeah, Hmmm Lollars. I hear a lot of great things about his pickups on this forum. I guess now I'm between the HD Super 90 w/ V+ neck and the Lollar Specials. Like I said, I'm heavily influenced by the blues based rock of the late 60's and early 70's. And although I love my telecaster, I feel it needs to be more beefy w/less twang to get the job done. Is there anybody else here who has had experience with either one of these pair of pickups? Thanks again everybody.

May 14th, 2006, 02:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
TDPRI Administrator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: TDPRILAND Posts: 5,562 36 Photos	Are you sure you don't want a Humbucker? It sure seems that way to me from what you've said. You "might" like Bardens. They are bright but with the tone control turned down a bit they can be strong and blusey. Paul Green

May 14th, 2006, 05:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	Your probably right about the humbuckers, but don't want to mod my guitar anymore than I have to. Plus I like the look of a stock guitar. I know I would probably be just as happy, if not more, with a Les Paul, but when I chose a Telecaster, money had a lot to do with it. An American Fender costs about 1 grand were as a top of the line Gibson costs twice that. And if I was going to get a Les Paul it would have to have a flame top. I mean if a Telecaster could get the job done for Jimmy Page, I'm sure it can for me. But everytime I sit down and listen to Led Zeppelin 1, I just can't get over how thick his guitar sounds. For a tele I mean. Thats kind of girth I'm after here. Besides, I'm very happy with everything about my Tele. The feel of the neck, the weight, the simplicity of the circut. Everything except for the rather thin sounding pickups. All I'm asking for a pair of somewhat full sounding single coil pickups, that will come close to a vintage humbucker or P-90 w/ when the treble is rolled off a tad. They don't have to be super high output or overwound to heavens. I don't play country, so of course I'm going to go for the warm set of pickups. And I'm sure I would love the Bardens, especially if they are as great as everybody says they are. But $170 a pickup? No thanks! I just can't afford to pay that much per pickup. I think once in awhile you have to take a step back and realize what your paying for.

May 14th, 2006, 05:30 PM	#12 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 10,021 37 Photos	FWIW You might even try texas specials... they are not terribly expensive and they are pretty meaty, I have a set in my thinline right now and they are good.... I am probably gonna put nocasters in shortly as I would like more twang... but, for price performance... the texas specials might do the trick for the pagey rock thing... __________________ 'never pet a burning dog'

May 14th, 2006, 05:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
bagpipe Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 235	I'd try one of the single coil sized 'buckers from GFS. I installed a Lil Puncher in my tele and I really like it. I was having problems getting a "heavy" enough tone from the single coil I had in there. I had a VanZandt and those are beefier than the standard tele single coil. However they weren't getting the job done (for me!). The other bonus with the GFS pickups is that they're not as ridiculously expensive as some of the other pickups on the market. __________________ "Assistant to the Travelling Secretary"

May 14th, 2006, 07:05 PM	#14 (permalink)
tele_wah_fuzz TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 46	Thanks guys. I'll check them out.

May 14th, 2006, 10:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
Nub Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal Posts: 895	Rio Grande Muy Grande set and a 4-way switch will get you there, for sure (and they're only about $130 for a set). The new RG Dirty Harry pups look pretty cool, too... http://www.riograndepickups.com/3.html