Help me save my Tele from eBay

[bgood]

I've been playing my MIM50's classic for a while now and after changing the saddles to brass and adding a SD Jerry D bridge PUP I've finally decided that the traditional Tele sound isn't for me. I have a Les Paul and the growl and balls of buckers suits my playing style (and probably ability) better than the tele. However, I love this guitar. The neck is great, and I like playing it as much or better than my Lester. So, I am looking to save it by turning it into a more ballsy blues machine. Can anyone suggest some PUPS that will get me there. I am thinking that if I can keep some of that Tele spank but get the drive and thick tone of a bucker I will have a dream ax. I'm looking for output and sustain with good mids and sparkle but not overly trebly top end. Thanks for any suggestions you have. Right now I'm thinking of SD hotrails but I'm open to other ideas as long as they don't break the bank. I'm figuring that $125 is about the top end. What do you guys say?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

lil 59 for tele in the bridge, and maybe leave the neck alone...

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

Quarter Pound set if you don't mind 60 cycle hum.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

I'd be inclined to go Lil '59 too. I haven't played one in a Tele but I had one in my Strat when I was using it to back up my Les Paul. It thickens up the tone a lot, but the Fender character is still there - partly from the guitar itself, and also from the narrower field of the pickup. So it still twangs a bit.

I think the Lil '59 would "keep some of that Tele spank but get the drive and thick tone of a bucker". The Hot Rails may be a step too far for what you're asking. You always have the 21-day exchange policy if you don't get it right first time.

Another option might be the QP.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

Quarter Pound set if you don't mind 60 cycle hum.

The QPs have a more traditional look too - if you go with Hot Rails or Lil '59 you'll be losing that classic look. That may not be an issue but it's worth considering.

 

[bgood]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

Thanks for the great feedback. I am coming down to a 59 or possibly a Harmonic Design Super 90. I've heard some really great things about the HD. Either option probably will work fine. After reading I think the Hot Rails will be too - well - hot. Does anyone have any experience with the Harmonic Design 90?

Bob

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

I had the same problem once. Loved my tele, most comfertable neck. But the single coils drove me nuts. So what I suggest you do. Is go buy yerself one of the Tele humbucker Bridges (they sell em on warmoth, and sometimes on ebay pretty cheap). Find one made out of a ferous material if you can (I.e. Semi magnetic). The ferous bridge material will help keep some of the tele twang, but still let the Humbuckers do they're job.
So Yeah get a tele humbucker Bridge, And Then I'de suggest getting A Alnico II pro humber an popping that in the Bridge. Cause the Mim tele's are made of Poplar and The alnico II will help even out the tone. Then, If ya wanna change the Neck Pup. Take off the scratch plate. and check to see what its routed for. I know my Mim Tele was already routed fer a Humber for some reason. So dropping a humbucker in there was a piece of cake. You would just need to get a new Pickguard. Or Get a nice little razor saw and cut the hole yerself. Or cut it oversize and get a pup mounting ring and save yerself alotta trouble (much easyer than really getting Right the first time). Fer a Neck Humbucker I'de suggest a 59' or an Alnico II pro. I'de personally go for the 59' but thats mainly cause thats what I already got in my MIM tele.
But yeah. Thats my suggestion. Getting the new bridge might add to the cost. But it also opens up alot more options. were your stuck with single coil sized humbuckers as it is.
And if you get a New scratch plate rather than cutting up the old one. Then you can just leave the single coils attached to the old parts you take out. For easy reassembly should you ever decide to sell.

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

While you're contemplating your options, I'd suggest that you raise the JD to approx. 1/16" from the little E and 3/32" from the big E, and then roll back the tone control half way or more -- close your eyes and you might hear something humbuckerish or P90ish lurking in that Tele steel.

 

[bgood]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

Low Fidelity2100,

You know that's interesting. I have a tele bridge sitting around that's sized for a bucker. I couple years ago I make a single PUP tele project with a Warmoth body. The guitar is long gone but the bridge and the DiMarzio Super Distortion are still around my shop............hmmmmmmm. Metal anyone

I will try raising up that JD. I was thinking that too. Thanks all.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

I went with a Little 59' in the bridge and a Vintage Stack in the neck.

Bingo...instant #1 again. The guitar had EMGs in it for ten years and I always hated the sound of them but was convinced that there was nothing else out there that woulg give me both that Classic Tele tone and a little bit of growl on top of it.

Best guitar related decision I've ever made. I'm getting cocy with it to. Last night I showed up to band rehearsal and where as I usually bring a Strat and a Les Paul I just brought the Tele. It covered all the bases for me all niggt long.

One thing I did do that others seem to take notice of; I went with 500k push/pull pots and wired the volume push pull to split the neck pickup and the tone to split the bridge pickup. I get a whole lot more tonal diversity that way.

I'm extremely happy with my set up. If I'd sat down in a shop and played a Tele with this set up while I had EMGs I probably would of asked what it was and gladly thrown down twice the cake to make it happen.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

do this...change the bridge to a Custom Shop BG-1400, and change the neck to a classic stack strat pickup, and then ship it to me...I promice that it will not end up on Ebay! :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Help me save my Tele from eBay

the tele in question is ash, so you might want to talk to MJ in the custom shop about the hotrails or little 59 with alnico 5 magnets. It should cost much more than the normal pickups, then like the guy who invented suggested a classic stack in the neck would be great