Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

[The Convert]

Rolling Stones mythology repeats a story of Keith Richards (hereafter to be known respectfully and affectionately only as Keef) providing parts and instructions to the master builder of his telecasters. As I've heard it, in short, he would find a vintage instrument, a broadcaster-era pickup set, and a Gibson vintage PAF, and various other parts, and he would instruct the builder to overwind the broadcaster bridge and put the PAF under the neck.

So, we can quibble about details, but looking at Micawber, Sonny, etc., we see the same basic design, but here is the VERY weird thing to me. In EVERY picture I can find of Keef on stage playing one of his Teles, the pickup selector switch is always set on the bridge! I cannot find a single image of him switching up to the neck, but hundreds of him playing with the switch all the way back. Seems weird to put that PAF in and never use it.

The only thing I can guess is that he's using a wiring similar to the early 50s wiring that allows him to use the tone knob to blend the pickups, but I can't find any evidence/confirmation of this.

I love Teles and I'm thinking of building a 5-string Open G Sonny clone just for me, and since I'm spending the time and money, I figure I'd make it as authentic as I can (although I'll start fresh and make my own nicks and dents--no relics for me, ty).

So does anybody have any information on this? Or am I just blind and missing the other pics?

Thanks all!

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

A '52 / Broadcaster-era Tele had a blend control on the bridge position allowing the neck pickup to be mixed in. It's not a tone knob, however.

 

[The Convert]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

A '52 / Broadcaster-era Tele had a blend control on the bridge position allowing the neck pickup to be mixed in. It's not a tone knob, however.

Well, it's not a pot/cap tone knob, but I get your meaning--I guess I should have said "second knob" or used quotes. In any case, I did describe blending the pups, so yeah, I get that.

Except that Sonny is a '66, Malcolm is a '54, and Micawber is a '53 and my information indicates that it was only between 1950 & 1952 that pickup mixing was last used in a standard 'Broadcaster' factory Fender. From 1953-1967, the third position of the switch was wired essentially like a modern Tele: bridge only + cap tone.

So again, is there any evidence that Keef used pre-1953 'Broadcaster-era' wiring and blending of pickups?

 

[Southbound Suarez]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

Sorry I can't help you on the historical aspects of "Keef's" teles but, I will highly recommend Don Mare's 0038 / 10K Keefer setup as seen in this video...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

Steve Cropper used an Esquire for a lot of the sessions he did at Stax. That bridge pickup sounded great and if you know what you're doing you can play great rhythm parts using it.

When I saw Robben Ford a year or two ago at the Niwot Jazz Festival here in Colorado, I was right at the front of the stage and could see what Robben was doing when he played his Tele.

I was surprised that Robben spent so much time playing rhythm with his Tele set for the bridge pickup. Most of the time he was on his bridge pickup and it sounded just fine.

He also used only one pedal: EP Booster. No Zendrive or anything fancy. Just his old Tele, an EP Booster and a rented Super Reverb amp.

 

[Southbound Suarez]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

Steve Cropper used an Esquire for a lot of the sessions he did at Stax. That bridge pickup sounded great and if you know what you're doing you can play great rhythm parts using it.

When I saw Robben Ford a year or two ago at the Niwot Jazz Festival here in Colorado, I was right at the front of the stage and could see what Robben was doing when he played his Tele.

I was surprised that Robben spent so much time playing rhythm with his Tele set for the bridge pickup. Most of the time he was on his bridge pickup and it sounded just fine.

He also used only one pedal: EP Booster. No Zendrive or anything fancy. Just his old Tele, an EP Booster and a rented Super Reverb amp.

There's another great. Don Mare's "Green Onion" tele pup set covers Cropper territory.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

This comes up every now and again on boards. If you listen to the tone of his guitar when played live he's simply playing on the bridge pickup all of the time.

I have the Don Mare 0038 10k wound "Keefer" and that's the tone. Just roll back the tone knob a bit and that's it.

He hasn't actually used those neck buckers in a long time. In fact on the most recent tour he can be seen playing a green Tele in open G and it's got the standard single coil neck pup. Still sounds like Keef because he's using the bridge pickup as usual.

Here's me playing my Tele with just the bridge pickup in my Stones tribute band.

 

[Southbound Suarez]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

This comes up every now and again on boards. If you listen to the tone of his guitar when played live he's simply playing on the bridge pickup all of the time.

I have the Don Mare 0038 10k wound "Keefer" and that's the tone. Just roll back the tone knob a bit and that's it.

He hasn't actually used those neck buckers in a long time. In fact on the most recent tour he can be seen playing a green Tele in open G and it's got the standard single coil neck pup. Still sounds like Keef because he's using the bridge pickup as usual.

Yeah buddy!

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

Now he's Keef playing Malcolm on the same song. He's on the bridge pickup.

 

[The Convert]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

This comes up every now and again on boards. If you listen to the tone of his guitar when played live he's simply playing on the bridge pickup all of the time.

I have the Don Mare 0038 10k wound "Keefer" and that's the tone. Just roll back the tone knob a bit and that's it.

He hasn't actually used those neck buckers in a long time. In fact on the most recent tour he can be seen playing a green Tele in open G and it's got the standard single coil neck pup. Still sounds like Keef because he's using the bridge pickup as usual.

Here's me playing my Tele with just the bridge pickup in my Stones tribute band.

I gladly accept this explanation as that of an expert researcher.

And way to rock! Very nice.

 

[The Convert]

Re: Keef's Tele Pups and Wiring

Closed