Pickup for new Esquire Build

[electramone]

Hi Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving!

My wife gave me the nod to do "one more" chopper tele project. Doing a cool Esquire. I've owned many teles and was always happy with a Broadcaster in the bridge. Besides the wax potting how would the Broadcaster compare to the Antiquity in sound? I like it beefy and raw but unlike the old days do not crank the vol so the microphonic feedback will not be an issue. Mostly going through small low watt tweed stuff.

Thanks for any advice!!!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

Fender No-Caster treble pickup.

Seymour Duncan custom shop tapped Tele/Esquire pickups - either SD's own Signature Esquire pickup or the Jeff Beck style one. There is also a Pearly Gates for Tele/Esquire. Tasty!

 

[beandip]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

I wanna try the PG for Tele soooo bad. I think it'll be absolutely boner inducing.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

this is my absolute favorite tele bridge pup

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

but the antiquity tele lead pup (i prefer the flat pole version) is great too

 

[Baltar]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

i liked the donahue

 

[beandip]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

i liked the donahue

I have the Donahue in my ASAT Classic and it's pretty good. It has a tendency to be overly bright sometimes, especially on single note lead lines, but when playing lead chords, the clarity and crunch that I'm able to achieve with it just cannot be beat.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

The Jerry Donahue is a popular pickup. It has a strong thick, warm tone to my ears but I wish it had just a little more bite so I guess my experience with it is a little different than Beandip's.

In an Esquire (a Tele without a neck pickup) I'd go with one of the Duncan Tele Hot Tapped pickups for more versatility. You could go with the regular alnico 5 Hot Tapped pickups or the alnico 2 Custom Shop version Jeremy suggested. I use the CS version and love it - as Jeremy does.

The Broadcaster is cool as are all three Antiquity versions. I like the Alnico 2 Antiquity I version best myself. It's not as bright and snappy as the alnico 5 Antiquitys but it has a nice smooth chime to it.

As for the Fender Nocaster pickups, they're good. But I replaced them in my Nocaster with a set of the Antiquity I Alnico 2 Tele pickups and liked those much, much better. Not as glassy and sharp as the Nocaster pickups. I didn't miss the Fender pickups at all when they were gone and having owned a real '51 Tele with original pickups, I didn't think the Fender Nocaster pickups sounded like the originals much at all. Not fat, full and warm enough.

Duncan's Alnico 2 Custom Shop '53 and Antiquity Tele pickups sound more like the way I remember the pickups in my '51 sounding.

Lew

 

[beandip]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

The Jerry Donahue is a popular pickup. It has a strong thick, warm tone to my ears but I wish it had just a little more bite so I guess my experience with it is a little different than Beandip's.

In an Esquire (a Tele without a neck pickup) I'd go with one of the Duncan Tele Hot Tapped pickups for more versatility. You could go with the regular alnico 5 Hot Tapped pickups or the alnico 2 Custom Shop version Jeremy suggested. I use the CS version and love it - as Jeremy does.

The Broadcaster is cool as are all three Antiquity versions. I like the Alnico 2 Antiquity I version best myself. It's not as bright and snappy as the alnico 5 Antiquitys but it has a nice smooth chime to it.

As for the Fender Nocaster pickups, they're good. But I replaced them in my Nocaster with a set of the Antiquity I Alnico 2 Tele pickups and liked those much, much better. Not as glassy and sharp as the Nocaster pickups. I didn't miss the Fender pickups at all when they were gone and having owned a real '51 Tele with original pickups, I didn't think the Fender Nocaster pickups sounded like the originals much at all. Not fat, full and warm enough.

Duncan's Alnico 2 Custom Shop '53 and Antiquity Tele pickups sound more like the way I remember the pickups in my '51 sounding.

Lew

Ha! There you go man, Lew's got it down. If you're wanting a vintage tone, this fella's got 'em all!

What I wouldn't give to play some of the guitars you've owned, Lew. I've had my fair share of vintage instruments in my hand, but you take the cake my friend.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

Ha! There you go man, Lew's got it down. If you're wanting a vintage tone, this fella's got 'em all!

What I wouldn't give to play some of the guitars you've owned, Lew. I've had my fair share of vintage instruments in my hand, but you take the cake my friend.

I've been around a long time Dustin. Back in the day, those vintage guitars that are now priced beyond the reach of anyone except dentists, lawyers and rock stars were just used guitars. :cool2:

 

[beandip]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

I've been around a long time Dustin. Back in the day, those vintage guitars that are now priced beyond the reach of anyone except dentists, lawyers and rock stars were just used guitars. :cool2:

Haha, yeah I know. It's crazy to me. I see telecasters and les pauls going for outrageous amounts of money, but in every vintage guitar book I've read they talk about "Hell, back in the 80's, you couldn't GIVE 'em away. They were just used guitars". It cracks me up.

As for the JD pickup, it's nice. No doubt about that. I think I'm just using it for a little too much of a rock-ish vibe instead of a more country thing. That, and the ASAT is a very bright sounding guitar.

Either way, you can't go wrong with the A2 Ants, a JD, or another overwound vintage style pickup.

I still wanna try the CS Lil Pearly Gates. I have a feeling it'd be like Manna from Heaven for what I'm trying to go for.

 

[electramone]

Re: Pickup for new Esquire Build

Thanks for all the advice. A lt to think about. A PG Tele bridge sounds sweeeeet! My bud has some Antiquitys in his axes so I'll check them out. Love the look.

Thanks again!