Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

[papersoul]

Hey gents!

Just got a 2012 Telecaster. Twisted Tele neck pickup and Broadcaster brixdge pickup. They are nice but I tend to much prefer humbuckers for hard rock and rock, grunge, etc. Only guitar I ewant with single coils, is my strat! I want my Tele to be humbucker bridge and single neck.

I don't want it to be dark...I want to still retain some bright Telecaster characteristics.

However, I don't want it to be a monster pickup, I would rather it be warm, clear, vintage, and something where the amp does more of the work. Something that won't over power the neck Twisted Tele too much!
Maybe a Duncan Little 59?

Seymour himself says that it's one of his favs for bridge position mini buckers in teles!

Feel free to recommend another pickup manufacturer as well like Dimarzio!

My tech says the Dimarzio rails pickups are really nice, like the Fast Track. I will also look into the Rio Grande baby buckers.

-Rich

[papersoul]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

?

[papersoul]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

My tech says to let a Tele be a Tele and leave it stok or use a Duncan Jerry Donahue or Broadcaster........maybe even a P90 style pickup but no humbucker!

[phred]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

Chopper T

[bluesbend]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

You can't go wrong with either a Broadcaster or JD.

[AniML]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

The right A3 tele bridge pup gets really nasty when provoked. I have the BG Pups Rockwind set in my tele. They go from crude to complex at the turn of a knob. Very vintagey

[jumble jumble]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

The JD is really lovely, but just because your tech likes Teles as they are, don't let that pressure you. If you fancy a little 59 then go for it. It will up the "raunch" factor significantly.

[scorch]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

I had a JD in my tele due to raves at this site. I guess I'm just not a traditional tele guy because I just couldn't dig it. Just too bright and thin.

I put in a Lil Tele 59 and was much happier. More mid-range punch, more growl, MUCH less spikey highs. I liked it.

That tele now has a Zuagh (sic) Paul Bunyan (9.5k) tele single coil and I'm pretty happy with that. It barks and snarls - tons of fun.

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

If you want a humbucker in the bridge you could go with an A2 JB per Jeff Beck and Seymour Duncan.

If you are looking for something a little lower output you could go with a TV Jones/Gretsch pickup. I've seen a few teles with those and they have sounded nice.

[papersoul]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

I had a JD in my tele due to raves at this site. I guess I'm just not a traditional tele guy because I just couldn't dig it. Just too bright and thin.

I put in a Lil Tele 59 and was much happier. More mid-range punch, more growl, MUCH less spikey highs. I liked it.

That tele now has a Zuagh (sic) Paul Bunyan (9.5k) tele single coil and I'm pretty happy with that. It barks and snarls - tons of fun.

I hear ya, stock telecasters sound too spikey and bright to me. My strat is very bright and thin but I use it for clean. I may look at Duncans and Dimarzio....although my tech says noiseless Dimarzios are amazing, very rich single coil tone with no hum at all.

[ErikH]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

Don't listen to your tech for everything. Every single one of them that I have met has differing opinions. Go with what you want out of the guitar, not what he thinks it should be.

[Psykel]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

Bruce Springsteen got something like the Hot Rails in his '52 reissue Tele. Unsure about the make on that one, but the tone is really nice.

[teleblooz]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

As others have said...it's your guitar, make it sound like you want it to! While my number 1 guitar is a tele, I am not a country player, so the more traditional twangy spank from the bridge pup does not suit my playing style. I've used a wide variety of beefier tele bridge pups and I can heartily recommend the forementioned Zhangliqun Paul Bunyan. One the all time best sounding tele bridge pups I've used. In the Dimarzio realm, I currently use a Tone Zone T and have been very happy with it. The Chopper, Fast Track and Super Distortion T are also excellent as it the Pre B-1. The Lil 59'r did not work very well in my guitar, but others love it.
Lots of options out there....best to buy used so it it doesn't flaot your boat, you can fip it for another one. Good luck!

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

Bruce Springsteen got something like the Hot Rails in his '52 reissue Tele. Unsure about the make on that one, but the tone is really nice.

These look more like Bardens to me. When I think Hotrails I don't think Bruce Springsteen lol.

Another good tele pickup. Almost Hi-Fi like and very expensive.

[jimlp]

Re: Suggested humbucker for Telecaster?

Dimarzio Pre-B1