Esquire Pickup Options

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

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

Yep...Jeff Becks Yardbirds Esquire also had one of those 54 style pickups...it's all in how you use it and the amps and so on, of cource you know that. I can teke any of these pickups and run thorugh say my Deluxe or Mission Super and get really close to the tone on the first Zep album...just crank the amp and add some fuzztone and you're there...a little echo and space micing doesn't hurt either!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

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.

I hear ya...the MIM Classics don't come in LPB but don't buy into the internet crap...those guitars are nice...the wood is great, mine is light as a feather and rings like a bell...in fact all the ones I have played are!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I hear ya...the MIM Classics don't come in LPB but don't buy into the internet crap...those guitars are nice...the wood is great, mine is light as a feather and rings like a bell...in fact all the ones I have played are!

I've played some sweet MIM Tele's that I almost pulled the trigger on but know full well that the neck will bother me at some point. Tele neck profiles as they are just don't work for me (if you remember the story of the MIA I had how it bothered my hand). I haven't played the Classic Esquires but I know that the wood I get from Tommy @ USACG will be a good piece. It'll be a long process painting it (doing it myself) but worth it in the end.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I've played some sweet MIM Tele's that I almost pulled the trigger on but know full well that the neck will bother me at some point. Tele neck profiles as they are just don't work for me (if you remember the story of the MIA I had how it bothered my hand). I haven't played the Classic Esquires but I know that the wood I get from Tommy @ USACG will be a good piece. It'll be a long process painting it (doing it myself) but worth it in the end.

I hear ya...not sure what you mean about Tele neck proifiles thought...the MIA are the same as Strats and so on but whatever works for you. The biggiest reasons Imentioned the MIM Classics is that a good body and neck will run you ballpark 5 bills...a MIM Esquire is around tht use and it's a while guitar...

Best of luck!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I hear ya...not sure what you mean about Tele neck proifiles thought...the MIA are the same as Strats and so on but whatever works for you. The biggiest reasons Imentioned the MIM Classics is that a good body and neck will run you ballpark 5 bills...a MIM Esquire is around tht use and it's a while guitar...

Best of luck!

The 1991 MIA Tele had a way different profile than my 1994 MIA Strat. Even with the early 2k models I've felt differences in the neck profiles and visually I can see the difference with them side by side. The Tele had a more sharper C, not quite a soft V but not the soft C like the Strat.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

One more question on that CS Hot Tapped for Tele pickup. How much does that bad boy run? Typical $160.00 CS price or more/less?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Bump for Lew and Christian. See my last post about the $$$ question.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Bump for Lew and Christian. See my last post about the $$$ question.

Not sure...I ordered mine in a set with a neck pickup and got some other CS stuff too...I think it might be a little more than $160 but Im not at all sure...

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Cool, thanks.

What value pots do you recommend using with it?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

im late to the party but i have the same pup in my esquire. i use 250k pots

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/1953_tapped_jb/

i think that is what they are calling the pup now, so a little more than $160 but its worth every penny

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

Thanks, Jeremy. I was wondering if that was the one myself. That last sentence in the description is what peaked my interest in that one. I LOVE the tone on Guitar Shop.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

42 gauge pe wire rather than the 43 that the normal tapped hot tele uses along with the alnico 2 pups is just wonderful. i think mine is a little hotter like 6.5k tapped, 10k full. i use the tapped setting most but its nice to have the bigger louder option. killer slide tone all around. i like this pup so much i had the custom shop make me a version that fits in a strat.

i have it wired to a three way so i get tapped with treble roll off, tapped with tone control and full with no tone. it took a little expirimenting to get the treble roll off cap right but its very usable now. i think i ended up with .012 or something like that.

this guitar into my tweed deluxe always turns heads

 

[ErikH]

Re: Esquire Pickup Options

I'm not sure how I'd wire it right away. Probably just take the Esquire (alternate) wiring diagram and start with that, then try the Seymour W. Duncan Sig wiring.

Even though the Tele I had was loaded with the stock American Standard pickups, I loved how the thing sounded.

Thanks for all the help. Now if I can just get the body and neck in house so I can get the finish on them.