Hi. I just bought a 78 tele deluxe yesterday. It's the kind with two humbuckers instead of the single coil setup. It sounds amazing but the bridge pickup has way too much twang and absolutely no body to it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should get for a really full, tight tone for distortion. The music I'm playing right now is pretty heavy. The guitar weighs a ton so I know there's potential for some really big sounds out it. It feels like a les paul when It's on me. If it helps any for pickup suggestions, I'm using a Dual Rectifier through a Marshall 1960 cab. The neck pickup right now has that nice, fat, fender tone to it and sounds pretty decent, so should I check into changing out that pickup for something a little tighter since it's closer to what I want to begin with? Thanks a lot.
suggestion: 78 tele deluxe bridge?
- Thread starter evanmania
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BS123
New member
Re: suggestion: 78 tele deluxe bridge?
evanmania, Welcom to the forum! I think you're speaking of the Fender Classic series '72 Tele right? I know it has 2 humbuckers in it. At any rate, if they are those Fender Wide Range pickups, they are chrome-covered and have the Fender logo on them and have 3 exposed poles per side. If they are what you have then you're going to need a new pickguard as the Wide Range humbuckers are physically larger than standard humbuckers. You can get a pickguard from Warmoth and they'll route it for a couple of regular-size humbuckers.
Here's the Fender Wide Range Humbucker.
evanmania, Welcom to the forum! I think you're speaking of the Fender Classic series '72 Tele right? I know it has 2 humbuckers in it. At any rate, if they are those Fender Wide Range pickups, they are chrome-covered and have the Fender logo on them and have 3 exposed poles per side. If they are what you have then you're going to need a new pickguard as the Wide Range humbuckers are physically larger than standard humbuckers. You can get a pickguard from Warmoth and they'll route it for a couple of regular-size humbuckers.
Here's the Fender Wide Range Humbucker.
Re: suggestion: 78 tele deluxe bridge?
If that is an original rather than a reissue, as it sounds like it is, then it may have some serious collector value some day. If you must change the pickups, then consider a rewind from only the best (Duncan and Fralin get very high marks from a lot of people). Or look into replacements (Duncan Custom Shop, or a new pickguard and regular HBs) and store the originals for possible reinstallation in the future.
If that is an original rather than a reissue, as it sounds like it is, then it may have some serious collector value some day. If you must change the pickups, then consider a rewind from only the best (Duncan and Fralin get very high marks from a lot of people). Or look into replacements (Duncan Custom Shop, or a new pickguard and regular HBs) and store the originals for possible reinstallation in the future.
Re: suggestion: 78 tele deluxe bridge?
Yes it is an original. Unfortunately, however, the bridge was replaced in the 80's with another bridge then the previous owner put the original back in and filled in where the second bridge had been. If you look at the close up picture, you can kind of see what I'm talking about. So I'm pretty sure this has already killed the resale value, so I'm not quite as worried about it as if it were mint. There is also a LOT of finish worn off in the back that was refinished with a clear coat. I've never really heard about rewinding before. Would I be able to tell someone what kind of sound I want and have them do it for me? How exactly does it work?
Yes it is an original. Unfortunately, however, the bridge was replaced in the 80's with another bridge then the previous owner put the original back in and filled in where the second bridge had been. If you look at the close up picture, you can kind of see what I'm talking about. So I'm pretty sure this has already killed the resale value, so I'm not quite as worried about it as if it were mint. There is also a LOT of finish worn off in the back that was refinished with a clear coat. I've never really heard about rewinding before. Would I be able to tell someone what kind of sound I want and have them do it for me? How exactly does it work?
BS123
New member
Re: suggestion: 78 tele deluxe bridge?
You would just call up the Duncan Custom Shop. Only two people work in it; MJ (she's been with Seymour for a long time) and Seymour himself. As I said, you would call the Custom Shop and tell them about the pickups you have and that you want them to be rewound to sound like whatever...
evanmania said:
You would just call up the Duncan Custom Shop. Only two people work in it; MJ (she's been with Seymour for a long time) and Seymour himself. As I said, you would call the Custom Shop and tell them about the pickups you have and that you want them to be rewound to sound like whatever...
