Other Pickups for telecaster

[dizthewiz]

Can you use pickups made for guitars such as a strat etc. for a telecaster? Is the wiring different/difficult?

[beandip]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

The wiring isnt difficult, it's the size and construction of the pickups. on a Tele, the neck pickup is smaller than a Strat pickup, and the bridge pickup's base is bigger than a Strat pickup. Now, if you had a body, pickguard and bridge routed for Strat pickups, you could do it, but if not, then you're kinda SOL.

[jeremy]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

the bridge is much mroe of a problem than the neck. i never use a tele neck pup, usually a strat pup but ive used p90's and minihumbuckers with great success as well

[BS123]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

Yes, I agree about the bridge pickup; but, IMO, the Tele bridge pickup is the best pickup ever designed. Teles were made for modding though. It's a slab of wood that just screams "Route me." You can install fullsize humbuckers in the bridge position too. You have to route and get a bridge designed for fullsize humbuckers. A Lil 59 would be fine though...

[dizthewiz]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to pickups........when u change the bridge pickup to a humbucker, wouldnt u have to change the bridge (same thing with the neck pickup, except u'll have to change the pickguard)

[dr.barlo]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

+ have to do some routing underneath the bridge as well! HB's won't fit into a tele bridge cavity!

[dizthewiz]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

routing? I'm guessing that involves cutting away some of the body to make space? Is it a difficult job?

[BS123]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

Yes, you can get a bridge designed to fit a fullsize humbucker and you'll have to route the bridge pickup's cavity. Honestly though, I would go with a Lil 59 and just drop it in the bridge. It'll fit in a standard Tele bridge.

[Hellion]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

routing? I'm guessing that involves cutting away some of the body to make space? Is it a difficult job?

It's not a difficult job, but it's not something that you want to try if you're not familiar with woodworking. Take it to a luthier in your area and tell them what you want to do. They should be able to help you out.

[dr.barlo]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

I agree with Butch.

+ if you go hb routing, the bridge you'd have to use would cover sligthly more area than the usual tele bridge. That means if you wanna go back, the usual single coil tele bridge would not cover the whole hole underneath (since then you'd have a HB routed cavity).

Getting that routing will cost at least $50. (I think it would be like $80) And using a stop&dremel is not that easy. It is if you know what you are doing, yet you gotta learn it. Thus I'd say if you are quite serious about it, get another body from warmoth with HB routing (and modern strat bridge). Would be something like $150-200, but you can swap the necks whenever you want. tung oil is great, no problems there. The bridge would be for like $40, and add like $10 for the caps and pots.

B

[mrfjones]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

i would try something like the lil 59 before i would cut up the guitar. If you want a different neck pickup then you might want to take it to a shop and have them route that out for you but that can be covered by a pickguard if you ever go back to the standard tele neck

[mrfjones]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

oh yeah, one more thing. If you are looking for something more like a strat pickup in the bridge position check out www.peterflorance.com He makes voodoo pickups and he has a model that is a bottomless tele pickup, i think it would sound more like a strat but i have never tried this pickup.

[dizthewiz]

Re: Other Pickups for telecaster

Ok thanks, i think im gonna try the lil 59 first