I would think a dual-rail bridge pickup like. DiMarzio Chopper would be perfect here, but if you want to stay single coil, a SD Quarter Pounder or Cavalier Huge or Humungous Lion would be a good choice.
Telecaster for metal
- Thread starter Adrianofrr
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- bridge metal pickups telecaster
If you'd like something really versatile I'd go with a hum canceling broadcaster style pickup. Once you get over 10k in resistance I think you can get a pretty good metal sound. It'll "chug."
I've been really happy with Revel Pickups. Excellent quality and great prices. He'll do custom as well. So if you want his Humdinger to be more metal, ask for Alnico V magnets and to add a kohm or two to each coil (if the windings will fit). But the stock Blackwatch wind should work. And it will look vintage as well.
revelcustompickups.com
I've been really happy with Revel Pickups. Excellent quality and great prices. He'll do custom as well. So if you want his Humdinger to be more metal, ask for Alnico V magnets and to add a kohm or two to each coil (if the windings will fit). But the stock Blackwatch wind should work. And it will look vintage as well.
Humdinger™ Humbucking Tele Bridge Pickup - Revel Custom Pickups
The Revel Humdinger humbucking Tele bridge pickup combines classic Telecaster single coil bridge pickup tone without the single coil hum. The Humdinger is NOT a stacked pickup and does not suffer from the sterility and blandness of a stack. The Humdinger is lively, touch sensitive, dynamic, and...
revelcustompickups.com
nickmsmith
Tele-Holic
I have a hot rail type in one of my Teles, actually the one in my avatar. added a push-push coil tap. What a versatile pickup.
And I found it in my parts box. Must be a cheap Chinese made one. Sounds awesome too. It’s the only pickup in the guitar as well.
Beauty of it, is that it rocks and it still sounds like a Tele when you play it at low/mid gain.
I don’t know where mine came from, but guitar madness has never failed me.
Here is their super hot version
And their regular 7.5k one
You can get both of these for cheaper than one of a big brand. And you can’t beat the sound at these prices.
And I found it in my parts box. Must be a cheap Chinese made one. Sounds awesome too. It’s the only pickup in the guitar as well.
Beauty of it, is that it rocks and it still sounds like a Tele when you play it at low/mid gain.
I don’t know where mine came from, but guitar madness has never failed me.
Here is their super hot version
G.M. Tele Hot Rails Telecaster Bridge Pickup Alnico 5 for Fender 15k | eBay
Nice and warm sounding with an aboundance of. ---Resistance: 15k ohms, 10 Hennries. ---4 conductor wire with bare for coil tapping and the like. You can find the matching RAIL Neck Pickup HERE! ---Brass Base Plate.
www.ebay.com
And their regular 7.5k one
G.M. Tele Rails Telecaster Bridge Pickup Alnico 5 718645241480 | eBay
Shrill frequencies. Brass base plate. ---Magnet -Alnico 5. You can find the matching RAIL Neck Pickup HERE! Series (humbucking) wiring adds compression to the sound squashing those unwanted. ---Brass Base Plate.
www.ebay.com
You can get both of these for cheaper than one of a big brand. And you can’t beat the sound at these prices.
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Peegoo
Doctor of Teleocity
I was waiting for this comment, I just love pink guitars!
You can play metal on any guitar.
I remember Zakk before he started juicin'. He was such a nice boy.
Cosmic Cowboy
Tele-Afflicted
The cats in Baroness play teles.
radtz
Tele-Afflicted
My jackson came with "designed by Duncan" hot rails in all 3 positions. I wanted more oomph in the bridge position for metal so I put in a Duncal Little 59 and I love it. They make a tele version:
Seymour Duncan Little '59/Vintage Stack Tele Humbucker Pickup 2-piece Set - Black
Passive Humbucker Set with 1 STK-T1n Vintage Stack and 1 x SL59-1b Little '59 Bridge Pickup - Black
www.sweetwater.com
Peegoo
Doctor of Teleocity
I have the Duncan Li'l '59 in this horrific guitar-shaped thing and it sounds fantastic. If you split it, it gets close to the tone of a traditional Tele bridge pickup.
nickmsmith
Tele-Holic
Yeah I love a splittable hot rail on a Tele bridge. It is both the hottest sounding Tele I have, and the least. And both positions sound great.I have the Duncan Li'l '59 in this horrific guitar-shaped thing and it sounds fantastic. If you split it, it gets close to the tone of a traditional Tele bridge pickup.
ReverendRevolver
Friend of Leo's
The type of metal you're after is important. Doom/sludge/stoner metal doesn't exist without fuzz, and while all pickups work with fuzz, certain ones work better with muff vs ff, etc. And hotter single coils work better with muff style fuzzes, single coils shaped buckers such as little 59s and some rails are even better. "Evolved " muffs are great for the genres I mentioned.
Speedier metal likes hot and cutting, so some rails/jerry Donahue stuff works better.
Old school metal flies fine with hot tele pickups in both slots, or a neck bucker and hot bridge (I'd refer you to Bootstrap pickups for that combo).
90s to 00s metal loves an active EMG, if that's your bag go tele neck, active emg in the middle on its own knob perhaps, then tele Bridge.
Lastly, look at lace sensors, as they have a cornucopia of high output offerings that can do whatever.
I could make my tele sound metal enough for covering Pantera by turning some knobs different in the Frenzel I use for psychobilly, and using my stock 89 us Standard tele(and my pedals are a delay and an ABY box to switch channels on the Frenzel on days I Don't pack a 535 as my "clean" amp).
The amp makes metal. Pedals make metal. You put a 4 way switch ona Standard pickup tele and use pedals you're there. I recommend hotter ones (again, reach out to Bootstrap for some Extra Crispy before blowing money on Bareknuckle) or the big brands mentioned.
Have fun.
Speedier metal likes hot and cutting, so some rails/jerry Donahue stuff works better.
Old school metal flies fine with hot tele pickups in both slots, or a neck bucker and hot bridge (I'd refer you to Bootstrap pickups for that combo).
90s to 00s metal loves an active EMG, if that's your bag go tele neck, active emg in the middle on its own knob perhaps, then tele Bridge.
Lastly, look at lace sensors, as they have a cornucopia of high output offerings that can do whatever.
I could make my tele sound metal enough for covering Pantera by turning some knobs different in the Frenzel I use for psychobilly, and using my stock 89 us Standard tele(and my pedals are a delay and an ABY box to switch channels on the Frenzel on days I Don't pack a 535 as my "clean" amp).
The amp makes metal. Pedals make metal. You put a 4 way switch ona Standard pickup tele and use pedals you're there. I recommend hotter ones (again, reach out to Bootstrap for some Extra Crispy before blowing money on Bareknuckle) or the big brands mentioned.
Have fun.
This guy has a video series that makes that point well. Here he is making an American Ultra Tele, with noiseless pickups similar to the OP's, "chug." He's using a clean power amp and a high gain distortion pedal.
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Kotzen does okay with the Chopper and a Twang King neck pickup.
DisharmonicDark99
TDPRI Member
I've used a Tele for playing metal quite often, and from my experience the best pickup I've found for getting the most versatile metal tones was the SD Hot Rails. Add coil splitting into it and you really have a wide variety of tones to choose from.
As others mentioned here too, the Little 59 is a good choice as well. It's a really full sounding pickup and works great in most scenarios but I think the Hot Rails provides a bit more bite and harmonics that I really like for playing heavier stuff.
As others mentioned here too, the Little 59 is a good choice as well. It's a really full sounding pickup and works great in most scenarios but I think the Hot Rails provides a bit more bite and harmonics that I really like for playing heavier stuff.
TinkerSolderTry
Tele-Meister
i know the chopper and the lil59.
i think the duncan quarter pounder is better for metal although not noiseless.
having said that, the bare knuckle CobraT is definitely my 1st choice for metal on a tele.
i think the duncan quarter pounder is better for metal although not noiseless.
having said that, the bare knuckle CobraT is definitely my 1st choice for metal on a tele.
Duggo
TDPRI Member
Me too. Quarter Pounders will get the job one.I was waiting for this comment
highwaycat
Tele-Holic
I have the dimarzio billy corgan stacked pickup that works well I don’t know if they make a tele version though.
The noiseless single coils have articulation, think yngwie malmsteen. Great for shredding.
The active emgs are good but unforgiving if the guitar naturally doesn’t sound good.
I set up guitars for metal bands, it’s all in the setup, I wouldn’t point you in the wrong direction.
My other 2 cents is strats are perfect for metal.
The noiseless single coils have articulation, think yngwie malmsteen. Great for shredding.
The active emgs are good but unforgiving if the guitar naturally doesn’t sound good.
I set up guitars for metal bands, it’s all in the setup, I wouldn’t point you in the wrong direction.
My other 2 cents is strats are perfect for metal.
northernguitar
Poster Extraordinaire
Tom Morello used a stock MIM Tele for the first RATM album.
fleezinator
Tele-Holic
I meant to post this Ola video when I first chimed on. Glad to see it referenced. Teles: what can’t they do?!
radiocaster
Poster Extraordinaire
I don't think you really need all that stuff. A modern high gain amp will provide enough gain for doom, and the tone can be just right. In fact, non-doom metal players use an overdrive to tighten the sound, but the flabbly low-end is just right for doom.
I also don't think you need high output pickups. If you just use a muffy pedal in front of a clean amp you might, but not if you have lots of gain already.
A lot of doom bands have bad tones, one or two fuzzes with the gain maxxed into a distorted amp, and it just craps out.
You do need to back down on the tone knob on a telecaster with standard pickups.
For most other types of metal, humbuckers tend to sound better.
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