I have a paisley Partscaster I built that I am looking to replace the newer pickups in. I want a twangy Fender sound true to that era and wanted any recommendations anyone may have. I have heard the SD La Brea’s are good but would rather spend a little more to get something truer sounding. Thanks
Looking for a ‘66-‘68 Tele sound
- Thread starter plexi69
- Start date
Why would spending more sound better than SD? He has been winding pickups for about 50 years, has worked with more artists than anyone. It's silly but common around here to think the Johnny Come Lately booteek winder that just bought a machine 5 years ago makes better pickups.
I don't think you could do a blind test with 100 Tele players and have any of them reliably tell you what a 66-68 Tele sounds like. But if that's the sound you want, find out how they were wound that year and look for those specs. This would be the Alnico type, the magnet diameter, the wire (Formvar or Plain Enamel) and the ohm range. That will get you in the ball park, and from there your amp choice will make a way huger impact on your tone than splitting hairs looking for the ideal pickup wind.
These forums can send you down some costly rabbit holes if you let them. It's fine if you can afford it, but the nickle and diming of trying pickups can add up and you might end up thinking you could've added some more amps to your quiver where there is just way more tonal variety to be had. YMMV.
I don't think you could do a blind test with 100 Tele players and have any of them reliably tell you what a 66-68 Tele sounds like. But if that's the sound you want, find out how they were wound that year and look for those specs. This would be the Alnico type, the magnet diameter, the wire (Formvar or Plain Enamel) and the ohm range. That will get you in the ball park, and from there your amp choice will make a way huger impact on your tone than splitting hairs looking for the ideal pickup wind.
These forums can send you down some costly rabbit holes if you let them. It's fine if you can afford it, but the nickle and diming of trying pickups can add up and you might end up thinking you could've added some more amps to your quiver where there is just way more tonal variety to be had. YMMV.
Cosmic Cowboy
Tele-Afflicted
I use the La Breas. I think they're based on Brad Paisley's 60 telecaster when those pickups became unusable.
Incredible bridge pickup. The neck can be a bit on the bassy side depending on how you run your amplifier. But great pickup nonetheless.
Incredible bridge pickup. The neck can be a bit on the bassy side depending on how you run your amplifier. But great pickup nonetheless.
What did Fender put in the AV64 guitar? Those sound pretty much right for that era.
Teleguy61
Friend of Leo's
Dawgtown Brad Paisley Scatter-wound are excellent, bit hard to find.
He's on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Dawgtown-Custom-Shop-112342182163001
OC Duff also excellent.
He's on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Dawgtown-Custom-Shop-112342182163001
OC Duff also excellent.
nic'o'caster
Tele-Afflicted
The Pickup Wizard (from Canada) has a great sounding set called the "1965-68 CBS Style Tele". Otherwise the Pure Vintage 64 Tele set is one of the best Fender set. You can't go wrong with either.
Tele295
Poster Extraordinaire
I know around 1968, Fender started using 1-meg pots in the thinlines. It sounds like the late 60’s to me
RodeoTex
Doctor of Teleocity
66-68 were the maple board era of Fenders.
Zac Child's says there there's something different about that.
Maybe just stock pickups from the era and a maple slab board.
Ask Zac.
Zac Child's says there there's something different about that.
Maybe just stock pickups from the era and a maple slab board.
Ask Zac.
here's StewMac doing a '66 bridge rewind
www.stewmac.com
at the end, he says it meters in the "mid-5k range, perfect for an old Tele pickup"
1966 Telecaster pickup torn down and rewound - StewMac
Erick Coleman has a 47-year-old pickup that's nearly dead: It's making a little bit of sound, but not much. Erick opens it up to find the trouble, and we get a good view of the guts of this vintage Fender pickup before he rewinds it.
at the end, he says it meters in the "mid-5k range, perfect for an old Tele pickup"
Brad Paisley has Fralins in a lot of his guitars.
But @schmee nailed it. There are a lot of pickups made to the same spec. Technique is the tone.
(and pedals
)
But @schmee nailed it. There are a lot of pickups made to the same spec. Technique is the tone.
(and pedals
)Give a stock Tele to Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, James Burdon, Keith Urban, Danny Gatton etc and it will wound like whatever they want it to sound like...Brad Paisley has Fralins in a lot of his guitars.
But @schmee nailed it. There are a lot of pickups made to the same spec. Technique is the tone.
(and pedals
Totally. Same with any polished player. Give me EJ’s Strat and I’ll make it sound like a toolbox falling down stairs.
Hey.... I know a drummer like that!
j0Nasty5150
TDPRI Member
I have what's supposed to be a Fender OV bridge pickup 6.6 sounds awesome and twangy! I bought it used off the bay. That should get you in the ballpark... I would think.
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