Esquire Pickup Options

[ErikH]

As some on here know, I have plans to build an Esquire. Right now the plan is to put a humbucker (Brobucker) in the bridge slot but tonight that may have changed. The family and I were out at a local market where they have outdoor entertainment while the patrons enjoy some good burgers, beer or whatever else you can get from the market.

Anyway, the band tonight was David Millsap, a local blues player who has quite a resume nationally as well. He was playing a Fender Tele in to a Dr. Z amp and had such an incredible raunchy tone from it. I'm sitting there listening to this incredible rauchy and punchy tone jump out of the speakers and was blown away. Normally he plays either a PRS or a Les Paul R8 but tonight, that Tele slayed them both, IMO.

So now I'm about to change the original plan and go with a traditional Tele bridge but the pickup options I'm not sure about. The two that jump in my head right away are the JD, BG-1400 (Custom Shop) or Quarter Pounder.

What's the consensus on these?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

The Quater Pounder IMO is not really all that Tele like and the BG-1400 can be even less so...

What do you want?? Tele tone or tele look wiht high output, or a kind of tele tone but different...if so, how???

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I'd go for the Custom Shop Tele Hot Tapped. ALNICO 2. Not alnico 5.

It's what Seymour uses and, IMO, it's the best single coil Tele pickup I've ever had.

It's a little breathier than the JD. The JD is great but it can sound a little to thick and lacks some of the treble and twang that I expect from a Tele pickup.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I'd go for the Custom Shop Tele Hot Tapped. ALNICO 2. Not alnico 5.
It's what Seymour uses and, IMO, it's the best single coil Tele pickup I've ever had.
It's a little breathier than the JD. The JD is great but it can sound a little to thick and lacks some of the treble and twang that I expect from a Tele pickup.

This is the pickup I use in my #1 Tele...killer pickup but I think that the "hot" tap might not be as much "hot" as you'd like (mine is just above 6k on one tap and around 9.5k on the other)...you could order one a bit hotter (more like the standard Hot Tapped Tele (which is 8 and 16k)).

FWIW, I use a Barden in my Esquire and really like it...tele tone all day long, no noise and plenty of output...

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

The Quater Pounder IMO is not really all that Tele like and the BG-1400 can be even less so...

What do you want?? Tele tone or tele look wiht high output, or a kind of tele tone but different...if so, how???

I want that Tele twang and punch, but with a little more kick than vintage output gives.

I'd go for the Custom Shop Tele Hot Tapped. ALNICO 2. Not alnico 5.

It's what Seymour uses and, IMO, it's the best single coil Tele pickup I've ever had.

It's a little breathier than the JD. The JD is great but it can sound a little to thick and lacks some of the treble and twang that I expect from a Tele pickup.

I totally forgot about that pickup, Lew. Is it on the Custom Shop page under another name?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I want that Tele twang and punch, but with a little more kick than vintage output gives.
I totally forgot about that pickup, Lew. Is it on the Custom Shop page under another name?

Well, Im not sure that is the pickup for you...it has something extra but it's not at all like going from a vintage to a hot pickup, at least not to me.

If you want one just call MJ and tell her you want a tele lead pickup like the one Seymour uses, alnico II and tapped...she knows!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

This is the pickup I use in my #1 Tele...killer pickup but I think that the "hot" tap might not be as much "hot" as you'd like (mine is just above 6k on one tap and around 9.5k on the other)...you could order one a bit hotter (more like the standard Hot Tapped Tele (which is 8 and 16k)).

FWIW, I use a Barden in my Esquire and really like it...tele tone all day long, no noise and plenty of output...

I know what 'cha mean, but if the pickup is wound "hotter" it starts to get to thick, IMO, and lose some treble and twang. I have a custom shop Jerry Donahue too, BTW. It's like a "hot" alnico 2 Tele Hot! :laugh2: It's cool as anything, but like the CS Tele Hot better.

You know what I think of the Barden Tele pickups Christian: the Duncan CS Tele Hot is my favorite true single coil and the Bardens are my favorite single coil size humbuckers.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I hear ya Lew.

The standard Hot Tapped Tele is HOT on the high output side, the Alnico II/CS version not so much...both are cool pickups but to me that CS version is just killer...I put it in my #1 Tele over 4 years ago nopw and have not once felt the need to mess with it...it just has "it"!

Bardens on the other hand are completely different...I like them both but the truth is that my Tele with the CS Duncans is my #1 Tele for a reason!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I don't need over the top high output. Heck, I'm using a Texas Specials set in my Strat and LOVE the output I get from those. A slightly hotter than vintage wind is what I'm after. Sounds like the one Seymour uses is the ticket.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I don't need over the top high output. Heck, I'm using a Texas Specials set in my Strat and LOVE the output I get from those. A slightly hotter than vintage wind is what I'm after. Sounds like the one Seymour uses is the ticket.

I have one in my Tele...Imnot positive it's the same one that Lew has but I about 99% sure it is...I didn't know that Seymour used one until after I had it I orrdered mine a little differently but the output is like I said above around 6k on one sire and just over 9k on the other...great tone for sure.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

What does Mrs. H have to say about all this??

:foldsarms:

:tapsfoot:


:no:

 

[ModestCargo]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I have nothing to add other than, now I know what pickup to throw in a Tele when one somehow magically falls in my lap.

Thanks Lew and Fire.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I have one in my Tele...Imnot positive it's the same one that Lew has but I about 99% sure it is...I didn't know that Seymour used one until after I had it I orrdered mine a little differently but the output is like I said above around 6k on one sire and just over 9k on the other...great tone for sure.

That's about what I'd like in there. And like you said, I can always tell MJ what I'm looking for and she could wind it to however.

What does Mrs. H have to say about all this??

:foldsarms:

:tapsfoot:


:no:

:laugh2:

She was sitting right there and I had explained to her that the pickup/bridge assembly is part of what gives the Tele that sound. She didn't say anything either way, but she liked the sound David had last night.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Let us know what you end up with...the pickup that Lew and I are talking about is not cheep but I think it's the best Duncan Tele pickup I've ever used...it still sounds old school on both taps but the hot one has an extra puch in the mids and a little more kind of grab to it...nice pickup!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I will, and thanks for the feedback. That CS pickup seems like the right option just by the way you describe it. I've already got 3 humbucker loaded guitars. This one needs to have a true Tele pickup in it. It'll be a little while yet though. Still need to get the body and neck in house. Finances aren't allowing me to get either just yet.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I will, and thanks for the feedback. That CS pickup seems like the right option just by the way you describe it. I've already got 3 humbucker loaded guitars. This one needs to have a true Tele pickup in it. It'll be a little while yet though. Still need to get the body and neck in house. Finances aren't allowing me to get either just yet.

Right on. Im tellin' ya...if you want an Esquire and don't want to drop big bucks the MIM Classic is a true deal...killer guitars and not too much green. However the neck might not be to your liking but you could always flip the neck an just buy a new one...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Right on. Im tellin' ya...if you want an Esquire and don't want to drop big bucks the MIM Classic is a true deal...killer guitars and not too much green. However the neck might not be to your liking but you could always flip the neck an just buy a new one...

Christian, how would you describe the Barden compared to the pickups you've been discussing: Broadcaster, CS Tele Hot and Vintage 54?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Christian, how would you describe the Barden compared to the pickups you've been discussing: Broadcaster, CS Tele Hot and Vintage 54?

Well first off I'd say that we are almost getting to the point of splitting heirs in a way...all these pickups are killer and all for them have great Tele tone!

but anyway...

I think that the the Broadcaster is a little fatter in the mids more nasty and compressed when compared to the 54, the 54 has more of that kind of tone that pops...a smaller sound but I don't mean that in a bad way at all...just a smaller quicker sound with more of a pop to it and more chime on the high end while the CS Hot AII has 2 different voices...the low DC tap is kind of clean but still has a solid midrange (I think becasue of the Alnico II magnets) while the hot side is even fatter and has a little of that edgy nasty side of the broadcaster but is still sweeter and the harmonics of the CS AII are unbeatable IMO. Now the Barden is just a different beast...it has (to my ears) a more extended high end and low end w/o sounding to scooped in the mids and by working the volume control you can get the smaller brighter pop of the vintage 54 or the fatter nesty/edgy tone of the broadcaster...very special pickup and quite too boot!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Well first off I'd say that we are almost getting to the point of splitting heirs in a way...all these pickups are killer and all for them have great Tele tone!

but anyway...

I think that the the Broadcaster is a little fatter in the mids more nasty and compressed when compared to the 54, the 54 has more of that kind of tone that pops...a smaller sound but I don't mean that in a bad way at all...just a smaller quicker sound with more of a pop to it and more chime on the high end while the CS Hot AII has 2 different voices...the low DC tap is kind of clean but still has a solid midrange (I think becasue of the Alnico II magnets) while the hot side is even fatter and has a little of that edgy nasty side of the broadcaster but is still sweeter and the harmonics of the CS AII are unbeatable IMO. Now the Barden is just a different beast...it has (to my ears) a more extended high end and low end w/o sounding to scooped in the mids and by working the volume control you can get the smaller brighter pop of the vintage 54 or the fatter nesty/edgy tone of the broadcaster...very special pickup and quite too boot!

That's exactly what I hear as well. Interestingly, Jimmy Page recorded the first Led Zep album with a Tele with the bridge pickup that the 54 is based on. That guitar sounds fat like a Gibson the way Jimmy recorded it.

Lew

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Right on. Im tellin' ya...if you want an Esquire and don't want to drop big bucks the MIM Classic is a true deal...killer guitars and not too much green. However the neck might not be to your liking but you could always flip the neck an just buy a new one...

I thought about that MIM Classic but I'm set on slapping one together. I want the body to have the gut cut on it and a "good" piece of wood. Can't leave out that the wife picked the color it will be, Lake Placid Blue.