tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

[Big Flannel]

...or whatever it's called.

Basically I have one of those FSR lite ash teles with the bird's eye maple neck/fretboard. It has a set Duncan alnico 2 pros and I love the guitar to death. Granted, I haven't changed the string is a while but it's sounding a little dull lately. Hypithetically speaking, if I were to invest in the tapped set would it be a marked improvement and what should I expect? Any and all opinions, criticisms, and insights are more than welcome.

Thank you in advance.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

I have been running a set in my main Tele for 10 years now and love them.

What do you want that the stock Alnico II Pros are not giving you?

[Big Flannel]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Well It's not that I dislike the a2p's, it's more of just looking for something else. I can say that I think the bridge a2p is a tad too bright for my tastes, maybe even shrill. Eq'ing definitely helps. More output from the bridge pickup would be welcome and I like the idea of still having a tame tone from the bridge with the tapped set. The neck a2p is something akin to mud city. I don't remember it being so...bland (?) before. Maybe a height adjustment is needed. The neck pickup looks a good deal lower than I remember it being. I like my neck pickups to be full-bodied with an articulate, bluesy clean tone.

[Big Flannel]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

And thanks for the response, btw.

[Geraldo]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

I have been running a set in my main Tele for 10 years now and love them.

What do you want that the stock Alnico II Pros are not giving you?

Really nice, good job.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Well It's not that I dislike the a2p's, it's more of just looking for something else. I can say that I think the bridge a2p is a tad too bright for my tastes, maybe even shrill. Eq'ing definitely helps. More output from the bridge pickup would be welcome and I like the idea of still having a tame tone from the bridge with the tapped set. The neck a2p is something akin to mud city. I don't remember it being so...bland (?) before. Maybe a height adjustment is needed. The neck pickup looks a good deal lower than I remember it being. I like my neck pickups to be full-bodied with an articulate, bluesy clean tone.

Fair enough!

The bridge on the low output tap is a fairly bright, articulate sort if vintage Tele tone. When you get to the hot tap it's hotter, thicker and meaner but don't think it's some massive difference in output or anything but it's not subtle either.

The neck might be an issue for you...stock the matching neck pickup is the same as an Antiquity neck pickup and with the old style cover can be a tad dull. However, if you want more clarity order it with a nickel/silver cover and not the stock chromed/brass cover.

The stock cover will kill a lot of articulation and high end but with a nickel/silver cover you'll get a lot of it back.


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[Big Flannel]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Can I ask a dumb question? How does one go about adjusting the height of a tele neck pickup? I'm assuming I'd have to remove the pickguard but I've literally just thought about trying it. I can upload a pic if necessary. The neck pu is like half an inch away from the wound strings

[the guy who invented fire]

tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Not dumb at all...Pull the guard and adjust...when you get it right put the guard back on.


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[Big Flannel]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Excellent. I appreciate your help, man. Maybe some adjustments will do the trick for me.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Could be. If you get it where you like it better than the old style covers might work for you, if not them maybe the nickel/silver cover will be a welcome change.


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[the guy who invented fire]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Good luck and have fun!


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[Lewguitar]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Fair enough!

The bridge on the low output tap is a fairly bright, articulate sort if vintage Tele tone. When you get to the hot tap it's hotter, thicker and meaner but don't think it's some massive difference in output or anything but it's not subtle either.

The neck might be an issue for you...stock the matching neck pickup is the same as an Antiquity neck pickup and with the old style cover can be a tad dull. However, if you want more clarity order it with a nickel/silver cover and not the stock chromed/brass cover.

The stock cover will kill a lot of articulation and high end but with a nickel/silver cover you'll get a lot of it back.


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I have one too. I've used the same pickup in three guitars. Well actually two guitars: one Tele and two versions of my old Strat.

I really like it. Moved it from my Strat into my Tele because I was switching from hot to vintage output with a push/pull switch in my Strat and I don't like push/pull switches.

Put it in my Tele with a 5 way switch and liked that much better but I've always found a 5 way switch on a Tele difficult to change positions quickly. It's crowded.

So I ordered a new pickguard for my Strat with only a bridge Tele cut out and a Strat neck cut out and I absolutely love it!



Sound wise, both outputs are smooth and thick and not the sharp, steely bright sound of some Tele bridge pickups. I don't really like that steely sound for my own playing - I like this sound better. There's still plenty of that Tele bite that you'd expect but it's easier on the ears and more pleasant to listen to.

Both outputs combine beautifully with my Strat neck pickup. I tend to use the vintage output for my rhythm tones and the hot output for my soloing tones.

This pickup and the Custom Shop version of the Jerry Donahue are my two favorite Duncan Tele pickups.

In a Tele, I prefer the CS Jerry Donahue because I prefer a three position switch on a Tele.

But in my Strat-o-Tele I prefer the 53 Tapped because the 5 way switch allows for a lot of versatility of tone and the switch is not so crowded by the volume control (as it is in a Tele) so I can reach it and use all 5 positions more easily.

I tried it with both 50's wiring and Modern wiring and decided I preferred Modern wiring.

Sounds great with my Klon Klones, BTW. Unlike TGWIF, I am not Klon free. I use one most of the time when I'm playing my single coil guitars and leave it on most of the time.

I go from clean to overdrive with my guitar's volume control and my picking hand.

[Lewguitar]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

BTW, MJ did originally wind this for me as a set with the CS Tele neck pickup.

I used it as a set in my Tele but I really do prefer the sound of a Strat neck pickup so I broke up the set and sold the neck pickup.

As far as covered Tele neck pickups go it's a really good one. But they all lack the throaty tone I get from my vintage output Strat neck pickups and that's the tone I want to hear.

Here's my Tele Custom with a Jerry Donahue that MJ wound for me:

[Big Flannel]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Lew, that tele is beautiful. And thanks for the info. I'll have to look into the JD as well at some point.

[Lewguitar]

Re: tell me about the 53 tapped tele set.

Lew, that tele is beautiful. And thanks for the info. I'll have to look into the JD as well at some point.

Thanks! I use the Custom Shop JD. MJ winds it for a little more treble and transparency (for lack of a better word) than the stock version. It's a great pickup.