Best pickups for made in Mexico tele with neck humbucker and bridge single coil

[sweetdreams]

I've got a Made in Mexico telecaster from around 2003-2004 with a beck humbucker and a bridge single coil.... Thinking about changing the tuners and pickups to upgrade it.

Wondering if you have any recommendations for pickups, and also do you think it would be worth upgrading them?

I assume that tuners such as these locking tuners from Fender would be a drop-in replacement: Amazon product ASIN B000L6GD04

 

[Beachbum]

I'm running a Duncan "Seth Lover" at the neck and a "Jerry Donahue" at the bridge on my thin line. Don't know what sound you're looking for but this pair balances nicely and the Tele twang is still there when you want it.

 

[Bruxist]

If the guitar feels good to you, it is totally worth upgrading. But I think most MIM pickups are underrated so I would not upgrade those unless you know what different sound you want. I have no familiarity with that humbucker, but the bridge is likely a 048610 Alnico. They put the same ones in the USA made ones (same part number and build, made in both the US and Mexico). I think they are really great-sounding pickups.

 

[SPUDCASTER]

If you're looking for a same company pairing. Bootstrap makes HB's and single coils.

They're getting some pretty good press here. Prices seem pretty reasonable too. Maybe worth a call?

What are you looking for to improve over what you have? Pickup wise. Tons of options out there.

The JD/Seth Lover combo does come up on a regular basis as a good pairing too.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[sweetdreams]

I'm quite happy with the sound of the neck humbucker, don't love the bridge pickup. But I'm a bit naive when it comes to tone, the affect new pickups would have on the tone, etc. Was just curious to know if it would be worth upgrading to nicer pickups than the stock, especially consider that I think I only paid around $400 for the guitar new. But good to hear that they are considered not bad quality. I've seen some videos where people A/B before and after and I found the after sounded distinctly nicer.... I tend to like a fatter smooth tone, maybe what you'd call a jazzy sound, which is why the bridge single coil isn't as appealing to me, has a very thin sound. I appreciate the good idea by the way!

 

[Bruxist]

Wonder what pots are in it. If it has 500k pots, that would favour the humbucker but usually that would make the bridge sound shriller rather than thinner (IME, at least). There could also be a short in the coil.

I would first try raising the bridge pickups incrementally and see what that does for you.

If that does not work, I would recommend a Bootstrap Pretzel bridge pickup. It is less than $30 for the single pickup and even shipping to Canada, it's a helluva deal and you won't be out that much if you don't like it.

 

[JL_LI]

Don’t upgrade anything until you’ve had the guitar six months. It will take that long to find what you love, like, can tolerate, and despise about a guitar and in those six months you’ll change your mind a few times. And especially, don’t replace perfectly good pickups with other perfectly good pickups until you’ve optimized pickup height, tilt, and pole pieces on your humbucker and height and tilt on your bridge pickup. You may find you like the humbucker better lower with the pole pieces raised. And you may find you’re satisfied with what you have. Different isn’t necessarily better.

 

[tomasz]

Fully with @JL_LI on this. If, after playing a while, you know exactly what you miss and that you cannot have that with setting pickup height, then go for it. Or if you have your favourite set, that is your sound. Otherwise, give it some time and try to understand the instrument and what it does

 

[cactusrob]

I like the Seymour Duncan Vintage Broadcaster for the bridge pickup. I have it in one of mine. It kicks butt and still has plenty of twang when needed.

 

[bigben55]

Cavalier Fat Lion bridge
Seymour Duncan Jazz neck

Perfect volume match, great middle tone, works with 250k pots.