willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
my american special tele came stock with fender texas special pickups...but are they the same as the "custom shop" texas specials?
Fender Texas Special vs Fender "Custom Shop" Texas Special (Tele)
- Thread starter willyredeemed
- Start date
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psyched
Tele-Holic
Do they have staggered pole heights and white wrap on the bridge pickup? If so, you have a CS Texas Special. You might also be able to confirm by taking the control plate off and seeing if you have three wires coming from the neck pickup into the cavity. Another giveaway is the bridge pup should have a CS sticker on the bottom of the baseplate. If you don't see any of these things... then at least it doesn't jive with the CS Texas Specials I have in a guitar. Someone else might know better than I...
rebelwoclue
Poster Extraordinaire
I believe the answer to your question is no- they are not the same.
Rod Parsons
Friend of Leo's
The stock Telecaster Special comes with different 'Tex Sp. pups than the Custom Shop variety.
According to threads on the "just pickups" section they are not the same and do not have the same ohm readings. Actually higher readings for the ones like yours. I don't know why they call them Texas Specials. They sound pretty good though, I've played an American Special several times, you can get some really good tones out of the guitar.
rebelwoclue
Poster Extraordinaire
I had them in my American Special and changed them out to Fender Original Vintage pups. Love the guitar now.
willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
thanks for the confirmation, fellas. i like the fat sound of the stock texas specials...wondering if i will get more out of the custom shop series.
psyched
Tele-Holic
Depends on what type of sound you're looking for, and if what you have is different than I don't have a good point of reference for what you have in there right now. CS Texas Specials are warmer and a bit hotter-sounding than most tele pickups, OVs will twang more, it might be that your ear would be happier Alnico 5 mags as opposed to Alnico 3 regardless of windings, DC, ohms, etc.
That said, something like OVs might give you different sonic headroom with the ability to dial the tone down--that's why Leo put knobs on it!
That said, something like OVs might give you different sonic headroom with the ability to dial the tone down--that's why Leo put knobs on it!
willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
atm, i have suhr classic t's on my tele and am finding vintage-style pups dont satisfy my musical tastes. i'm debating if i should reinstall the stock texas specials or if i should jump on "custom shop" texas specials. where i'm leaning is to reinstall the stocks for the time being.
JohnK24
Friend of Leo's
Before jumping to CS Texas Specials, I'd opt for Lollar Special Ts...
willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
i thought about lollars, too...and am a BIG lollar fan. would u think they lean more toward vintage than non-vintage specs?
special t neck: 6.3k, bridge: 8k
cs tx special neck: 9.5k, bridge: 10.5k.
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The one thing I've learned though my personal experience with changing pickups, there really isn't a whole lot of difference in decent quality pickups. Probably get a more dramatic difference by changing cap values, and pot values, and actually using the tone control, and volume. (contrary to popular belief the are not stuck in full on) Experimenting with pickup heights and amp settings often yield similar results to pickup swaps. 500K pots will make ANY single coil twang, a lot!
willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
agree @ 500k pots. i have rsguitarworks 280k pot and have noticed a "bright" difference.
Twang Tone
Friend of Leo's
I'd like to know what the American Special Tele's "Texas Specials" measure in ohms. I know the Custom Shop "Texas Specials" have staggered pole magnets and measure around 10K ohms. I'd be interested to see what the American Special Tele's "flush magnets" version measure in ohms.
Also, what do you do with the "3rd wire" on the neck pickup? Is that some kinda ground for the cover?
Thanks,
Also, what do you do with the "3rd wire" on the neck pickup? Is that some kinda ground for the cover?
Thanks,
Clump
Tele-Meister
I had them in a MiM FSR. I didn't take them out to measure them. Somebody mentioned on here that they are around 15K Ohms. I will say they sound very nice, but not very vintage.
The 3rd wire on the neck is a cover ground. It's separated for a 4 way switch.
As stated, Custom Shop Texas Specials are different from the Texas Specials that come stock with the Amer. Special (and some MIM FSRs) Tele
The latter are hotter than the CS version, as they measure at 15K, if not slightly more (some owners reported a range of 15.6-15.9K, IIRC).
willyredeemed
TDPRI Member
i pulled the suhr classic t's i had out last night for the stock texas specials. as mentioned, the texas specials not vintage (like the suhr classic t's) by an means, but they sound rawkin! was going to go with the CS texas specials, but i like the hotter output the stocks deliver.
bendercaster
Friend of Leo's
The Neck pickups in both sets sound the same to me and have the same dc resistance--about 9.5k. The bridge pups are definitely different--the one in my American special tele has a dc resistance of about 15k, if I remember correctly. I actually really like the set. The neck pickup is not muddy at all, like most of my other tele neck pups have been. And by lowering the bridge pup, you can still get some nice twang with the tone knob all the way up on the guitar. By lowering the tone a little, you get an almost p90 sounding tone out of the bridge.
73Fender
Friend of Leo's
I was pleasantly surprised after installing the CS Texas Specials along with a 4 way in my Am Standard that I had hum-cancelling in the two dual pickup positions. One of the CS pick ups (the bridge) is RWRP. Even if I reinstalled the original neck pickup which I really liked, I would still get the hum cancelling.
Twang Tone
Friend of Leo's
Clump, kinkstah & Jesse - thanks for the info. 15K sounds kinda too hot! I'm looking for a flat-pole bridge pickup that's around 10K, like those fitted to the Cunetto-era Nocasters. Looks like the CS Texas Specials might be close, but with staggered magnets. I guess they're also Alnico V magnets and 43 guage wire?
Also, with a stock 3-way switch fitted, does the Texas Special neck cover wire just go to ground (i.e. volume or tone pot)?
Thanks,
Also, with a stock 3-way switch fitted, does the Texas Special neck cover wire just go to ground (i.e. volume or tone pot)?
Thanks,
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