Pickup Suggestions Anyone??????

superlightweigh · April 18th, 2007, 01:11 PM

I just bought my second Telecaster- a used Nashville Tele. I basically wanted it for that 'out of phase' sound with the 5-way switch.

For cosmetic reasons, I wanted to do the same thing I did to my MIM Tele, which was to put on the Pearl White Pickguard so they'd match, sort of- one Wine Red and one Black.

Got the middle pickup hole routed out okay and got everything put back together- but no neck pickup. I guess I let if flop around a little too much when I had the pick guard off.

I got out my continuity tester and found I had good signal from the two solder blobs where the leads come into the pickup back to the switch, and the switch checked out okay. I called the place where I bought it and told them what I did and they pretty much confirmed that if I broke any of those itty bitty copper wires coming off the solder blobs, then it was pretty much dead.

I can live with that, chalk it up to experience handling the delicate innards of an electric guitar. Besides, now I am fully justified in buying replacement pickups. I just don't know where to turn from here.

I LOVE the sound of my stock MIM Tele. LOVE it. I've been playing guitar over 30 years and never knew that was the tone I really wanted until I finally picked one up and tried it. Long story. Anyways, the only thing I missed was that snappy out-of-phase sound you get with a 5-way switch.

Now the Nashville Tele is supposed to have come with two Texas Tele pickups and a Texas Strat pickup in the middle, at least that's what the Fender website claims. Frankly, I never really liked the sound as much. Too bright and harsh. What I want is for it to sound EXACTLY like my stock MIM Tele, or close enough. I don't want a really noticeably different sound.

Now, places like Musician's Friend sell Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickups and Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Pickups and probably other things as well. One thing I don't see is stock replacement pickups due to damage or misuse. And if I do find stock pickups or something like that, will they sound okay blended with the middle Strat pickup? If not, how do I go about buying a single strat pickup?? What to do, what to do......

marc sosnoff · April 18th, 2007, 01:57 PM

if you are happy with the pickup alll you need to do is send it to a pickup guy have it fixed years back i broke a pup in a 61 strat send it to duncan he repaired for little cost fralin will do that and many guys will
do that type of repair

tonfarbe · April 18th, 2007, 02:11 PM

If you love the sound of the neck pickup in your MIM Tele, why don't you just get
another MIM Tele neck pickup from ebay?

Charlie Bernstein · April 18th, 2007, 02:55 PM

Ford Ranger.

edwardjeffrey · April 18th, 2007, 03:33 PM

Ford ranger?Cmon he's already got one dead pickup!

superlightweigh · April 18th, 2007, 07:12 PM

Ha Ha You got me!

You got me good, too, 'cause when I look out my window I can see my '96 Ford Ranger sittin there in the driveway. Well at least it runs, and its paid for....

Thanks for all the replies guys I will check out E-Bay. Guess it's time to see if my old Pay Pal account is still active

6x47 · April 18th, 2007, 08:19 PM

I bought a neck pickup which arrived with the two fine wire from the winding broken off from the 'solder blobs'.

It would have been a money losing proposition to send it back so I got out my magnifying glass and my solder iron.

JohnnyCrash · April 18th, 2007, 08:27 PM

If you like the MIM pickups I'd suggest the "bargain" GFS pickups Guitarfetish sells:

http://store.guitarfetish.com/mapatevistpi.html

The MIM's are slightly overwound ceramic magnet pickups if I recall correctly. The GFS I don't think are overwound, but they'll be closer in sound than a lot of pickups out there. Plus, they're dirt cheap!

superlightweigh · April 18th, 2007, 08:55 PM

Thanks for the tip Johnny Crash- They've got a lot of different models to choose from tho- can you point me in the right direction?
They got the Lil Puncher, the Lil Killer, the Alnico, the Fatbody----
The names all sound good to me, but which one's the right one??

kubton · April 19th, 2007, 03:01 PM

This should help:

http://www.fenderpick.com/showthread.php?t=3883

BritishBluesBoy · April 19th, 2007, 03:06 PM

I'd get on eBay and buy yourself a neck pickup from a 50's or 60's classic... (same p'up in either one) Cheap, sounds beautiful... can't go wrong IMO etc...

BBB.

April 18th, 2007, 01:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
superlightweigh Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Schenectady, NY Age: 43 Posts: 388	Pickup Suggestions Anyone?????? I just bought my second Telecaster- a used Nashville Tele. I basically wanted it for that 'out of phase' sound with the 5-way switch. For cosmetic reasons, I wanted to do the same thing I did to my MIM Tele, which was to put on the Pearl White Pickguard so they'd match, sort of- one Wine Red and one Black. Got the middle pickup hole routed out okay and got everything put back together- but no neck pickup. I guess I let if flop around a little too much when I had the pick guard off. I got out my continuity tester and found I had good signal from the two solder blobs where the leads come into the pickup back to the switch, and the switch checked out okay. I called the place where I bought it and told them what I did and they pretty much confirmed that if I broke any of those itty bitty copper wires coming off the solder blobs, then it was pretty much dead. I can live with that, chalk it up to experience handling the delicate innards of an electric guitar. Besides, now I am fully justified in buying replacement pickups. I just don't know where to turn from here. I LOVE the sound of my stock MIM Tele. LOVE it. I've been playing guitar over 30 years and never knew that was the tone I really wanted until I finally picked one up and tried it. Long story. Anyways, the only thing I missed was that snappy out-of-phase sound you get with a 5-way switch. Now the Nashville Tele is supposed to have come with two Texas Tele pickups and a Texas Strat pickup in the middle, at least that's what the Fender website claims. Frankly, I never really liked the sound as much. Too bright and harsh. What I want is for it to sound EXACTLY like my stock MIM Tele, or close enough. I don't want a really noticeably different sound. Now, places like Musician's Friend sell Vintage Noiseless Tele Pickups and Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Pickups and probably other things as well. One thing I don't see is stock replacement pickups due to damage or misuse. And if I do find stock pickups or something like that, will they sound okay blended with the middle Strat pickup? If not, how do I go about buying a single strat pickup?? What to do, what to do......

April 19th, 2007, 03:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
BritishBluesBoy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 40 Posts: 4,420 62 Photos	I'd get on eBay and buy yourself a neck pickup from a 50's or 60's classic... (same p'up in either one) Cheap, sounds beautiful... can't go wrong IMO etc... BBB. __________________ BBB.

April 18th, 2007, 01:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
marc sosnoff Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: new jersey Age: 55 Posts: 531 10 Photos	if you are happy with the pickup alll you need to do is send it to a pickup guy have it fixed years back i broke a pup in a 61 strat send it to duncan he repaired for little cost fralin will do that and many guys will do that type of repair

April 18th, 2007, 02:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
tonfarbe Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Berlin, Yer-up Posts: 750 18 Photos	If you love the sound of the neck pickup in your MIM Tele, why don't you just get another MIM Tele neck pickup from ebay?

April 18th, 2007, 02:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
Charlie Bernstein Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Augusta, Maine Posts: 2,459	Ford Ranger.

April 18th, 2007, 03:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
edwardjeffrey Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: san francisco Age: 55 Posts: 235	Ford ranger?Cmon he's already got one dead pickup!

April 18th, 2007, 07:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
superlightweigh Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Schenectady, NY Age: 43 Posts: 388	Ha Ha You got me! You got me good, too, 'cause when I look out my window I can see my '96 Ford Ranger sittin there in the driveway. Well at least it runs, and its paid for.... Thanks for all the replies guys I will check out E-Bay. Guess it's time to see if my old Pay Pal account is still active

April 18th, 2007, 08:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
6x47 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Northern ON - Northern MN Age: 64 Posts: 486	I bought a neck pickup which arrived with the two fine wire from the winding broken off from the 'solder blobs'. It would have been a money losing proposition to send it back so I got out my magnifying glass and my solder iron.

April 18th, 2007, 08:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	If you like the MIM pickups I'd suggest the "bargain" GFS pickups Guitarfetish sells: http://store.guitarfetish.com/mapatevistpi.html The MIM's are slightly overwound ceramic magnet pickups if I recall correctly. The GFS I don't think are overwound, but they'll be closer in sound than a lot of pickups out there. Plus, they're dirt cheap!

April 18th, 2007, 08:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
superlightweigh Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Schenectady, NY Age: 43 Posts: 388	Thanks for the tip Johnny Crash- They've got a lot of different models to choose from tho- can you point me in the right direction? They got the Lil Puncher, the Lil Killer, the Alnico, the Fatbody---- The names all sound good to me, but which one's the right one??

April 19th, 2007, 03:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
kubton TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: turnsile of the american west Posts: 27	This should help: http://www.fenderpick.com/showthread.php?t=3883