Best tele pickup for a parts caster.

[Grandfunkfan]

I'm getting ready to built my first tele and I'm trying to find the right pickups. I like the idea of the twisted tele for the neck, but the bridge pickups I'm seeing paired with it are usually described as hot. My experience with teles is pretty limited. I like how other people sound but I have trouble taming the high end. I'd like to find a bridge pickup that's compatible with the twisted neck pickup as far as being balanced volume wise. I play blues and classic rock, clean to moderate over drive and I'd also like to be able to play open chords with good balance string to string. I may find I'll have to pass on the twisted tele neck pick up if I don't want a high out put set, and that's fine, I'm just trying to avoid building a tele that's shrill and harsh without turning the volume and tone down to halfway. Thanks in advance

 

[Chipss36]

My take, the guitar will tell you what it needs, and that’s the best approach, with a new build, I install a pickup set I know well.
in My case that’s the cs51 nocaster set, then I talk to a winder after that.
but I let the guitar tell me what it wants, and select pickups that best fit that guitar.
it simply does not work very well the other way around.

sometimes it takes a few sets to finally get to the place, I feel I have pulled everything I can out of that build. May be a bit overboard for many.
but the point is, it’s hard to recommend anything without knowing the guitars voice to start with, is it warm? Is it an ice pick?, is it mid forward?
once that is established, you have an idea of corrective pickup selection.

it’s something to consider.

 

[Vanzant]

Don Mare

 

[tlsmack]

I think twisted tele neck is frequently paired with a Broadcaster type bridge pickup. I wouldn’t call the Broadcaster hot, more like vintage plus.
Pickup height adjustment should help you balance the level.
My cure for a shrill tele is a good compressor pedal. One with a blend knob. Much easier than constantly swapping pickups.

 

[Grandfunkfan]

I think twisted tele neck is frequently paired with a Broadcaster type bridge pickup. I wouldn’t call the Broadcaster hot, more like vintage plus.
Pickup height adjustment should help you balance the level.
My cure for a shrill tele is a good compressor pedal. One with a blend knob. Much easier than constantly swapping pickups.

Thanks for the input. I starting to find that higher out put doesn't necessarily equate to treble. The broad caster is described as a fatter tone which would be perfect. I didn't include that in my list of things I was looking for. I'm reading that the broadcast is a great match for the twisted neck pickup. I check out compressors. Thanks again

 

[CalebAaron666]

Bootstrap Pretzel
It’s got power, but it’s all the tele tone. It’s never anemic, and there’s no ice-pick in the brain.
It’s awesome.

Also, Bootstraps are not expensive so it’s worth the try.

 

[jvin248]

... I have trouble taming the high end. I'd like to find a bridge pickup that's compatible with the twisted neck pickup as far as being balanced volume wise....

Get a left handed bridge plate with a viable routed body and that will take off the highs.

Lower the treble side and raise the bass side of the bridge pickup to take off highs.

Adjust pickup heights to balance output volume.

.

 

[SPUDCASTER]

SD Jerry Donohue

"Best" is usually pretty subjective.

 

[fenderchamp]

I'm getting ready to built my first tele and I'm trying to find the right pickups. I like the idea of the twisted tele for the neck, but the bridge pickups I'm seeing paired with it are usually described as hot. My experience with teles is pretty limited. I like how other people sound but I have trouble taming the high end. I'd like to find a bridge pickup that's compatible with the twisted neck pickup as far as being balanced volume wise. I play blues and classic rock, clean to moderate over drive and I'd also like to be able to play open chords with good balance string to string. I may find I'll have to pass on the twisted tele neck pick up if I don't want a high out put set, and that's fine, I'm just trying to avoid building a tele that's shrill and harsh without turning the volume and tone down to halfway. Thanks in advance

hot overwound pickups are compressed thick even muddy if you get too hot less high end, than.

Underwound and vintage wound pickups are bright, sparkly, detailed, dynamic airy.


If you want to "tame" the high end, get something wound a little hotter. A hot overwound pickup in the bridge will be less shrill than a vintage wound.

The cavalier website and pickup line are graded in terms of output and have very nice descriptions, check it out.

 

[Grandfunkfan]

SD Jerry Donohue

"Best" is usually pretty subjective.

Best,
based on the things I listed as the qualities Im looking for.

 

[Grandfunkfan]

hot overwound pickups are compressed thick even muddy if you get too hot less high end, than.

Underwound and vintage wound pickups are bright, sparkly, detailed, dynamic airy.


If you want to "tame" the high end, get something wound a little hotter. A hot overwound pickup in the bridge will be less shrill than a vintage wound.

The cavalier website and pickup line are graded in terms of output and have very nice descriptions, check it out.

Good info thank you. I'm leaning towards the twisted tele set so far. Luckily I still have plenty of time to decide. They are slightly overwound and emphasize mids. I have a strat with mid heavy fat 50s and it has sweet high end and never ice pick unless I go nuts with the gain.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

Don't underestimate a good tone control. Try out different cap value to see which you like best. A cheap experiment and, given the typical Telecaster layout, an easy one, too.

 

[Grandfunkfan]

Don't underestimate a good tone control. Try out different cap value to see which you like best. A cheap experiment and, given the typical Telecaster layout, an easy one, too.

That was gonna be my next question once I get a little more research done. I'm hearing good things about the Obsidian wiring harness. Still poking around to see if they're all they cracked up to be.

 

[fenderchamp]

That was gonna be my next question once I get a little more research done. I'm hearing good things about the Obsidian wiring harness. Still poking around to see if they're all they cracked up to be.

it's funny that people are running away from gibson circuit boards, and running towards obsidians. I think you should have a crack at wiring yourself, the money you'd save would easily buy the tools you need.

 

[SPUDCASTER]

Best,
based on the things I listed as the qualities Im looking for.

And you'll certainly get everyone's idea of "best".

 

[Tommy Biggs]

Don't be shy about a quarter turn on the tone pickup for your bridge pickup alone. An Awful lot of players over the years relied on that.

I agree that hot/overwound isn't the best for tele pickups. A little extra is ok though

 

[Timbresmith1]

I'm getting ready to built my first tele and I'm trying to find the right pickups. I like the idea of the twisted tele for the neck, but the bridge pickups I'm seeing paired with it are usually described as hot. My experience with teles is pretty limited. I like how other people sound but I have trouble taming the high end. I'd like to find a bridge pickup that's compatible with the twisted neck pickup as far as being balanced volume wise. I play blues and classic rock, clean to moderate over drive and I'd also like to be able to play open chords with good balance string to string. I may find I'll have to pass on the twisted tele neck pick up if I don't want a high out put set, and that's fine, I'm just trying to avoid building a tele that's shrill and harsh without turning the volume and tone down to halfway. Thanks in advance

Fralin 5% overwind.

 

[Raising Arizona]

I just got a Chopper T and installed a splitter… wOwza! It covers any kind of music. Rock to country… for clean it sounds perfect split, and volume around 7-8

 

[Sax-son]

There is no "best"! Only those that fit your tonal requirements and at your price point. Anything else is purely someone else's subjectivity. I could sling your way all kinds of possibilities, but that could end up being overwhelming and wrong for you.

 

[gonzo]

boy, i gotta say,
i'm really diggin' the Fralin Split Blade i put in my recent build,
that in the bridge,
and a Fralin P-92 (noiseless P-90 in a humbucker setup)