Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

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RMosack

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Putting together a parts Tele. I'm by no means a country wizard, but I think Tele should twang a bit. So I'm not looking for anything like a LP Jr or anything distinctively non-Tele.

I tend to like some rock guitar players that have used Tele over the years. Jimmy Page is a great example, especially in the studio. (David Gilmour, Mike Campbell, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, even Alex Lifeson). Which Duncan bridge pickup would be good for making an all-around Tele bridge pickup good for clean and dirty tones?
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

I should have included more in the OP. I assume I'm looking for a vintage type lead pickup. I see three on the SD site that jump out to me as possibilities:
1) Vintage '54
2) Vintage Broadcaster
3) Alnico II Pro

Of these three, which one fits the bill best ... and why?
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Broadcaster has a gnarly mid bite that many find appealing. The 54 is a cleaner, twangier classic country kind of thing. Beautiful.
A2P ive not tried but going on the other a2 pups ive used in teles and other axes, you will get a looser, more forgiving, sweeter sustaining tone with a little less presence and low end.
Im sure all three will make you happy once you get used to their own characters and how they work with yiour amp. You really can't go wrong.
However...
Dont overlook the jerry Donahue. That is also a killer pickup both clean and dirty.
Also, apologies to SD...I really dig the fralin 5% overwound tele bridge. Gutsy and twangy in equal measure. keep an eye open for the flat pole "broadcaster" style one he makes. Same recipie, flat poles for modern radius necks.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

I use a Revel Custom Pickups Blackwatch with Degaussed A5 magnets. Best sounding Tele bridge pickup I've ever used. Broadcaster style pickup that can get Twangy but also gets some serious Rock tones.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Steve Howe used a Tele in the mid 70s, and got a wonderful sound on albums like Relayer. Other than putting a PAF in the neck, and using an Echoplex Groupmaster, I think his Tele bridge pickup was stock.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Decided to go with the STL-1B Vintage Lead for Broadcaster.

FWIW, there will be a SM-1N Vintage Mini Humbucker in the neck position. Still undecided on whatever Strat pickup should go in that middle position for the "Nashville Tele" type stuff.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

A big part of the tone is the bridge plate and the saddles. All the guys you listed used Teles that had stamped steel bridge plates. Page and Gilmour at least (on the old stuff) had smaller diameter steel saddles, like the '60s Teles.

FenderTele60sPhillpsBridge.jpg


Overall, you're looking at people that used brighter Tele pickups with raised D & G poles that aren't nearly as hot and thick sounding as a Broadcaster.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Oops. Due to out of stock issues, my pickup order that included that Broadcaster got refunded. I guess I can start over on my search.

Guitar body is ash. Neck is maple with a rosewood board. Pickup configuration is Tele bridge, Strat middle, and Mini Humbucker neck.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

antiquity II firebird pup neck, ssl2 middle, jd tele bridge would be my suggestion unless you want to go custom shop or try an antiquity tele bridge pup. i love the antiquity I tele bridge but the 1955 or antiquity II is brighter and spankier
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

I use the Vintage 54/Vintage set in my Tele, and it has a very Jimmy Page-esque tone. Clean, it's classic Tele, and dirty it has a fantastic sound that cleans up nicely with the volume knob.

For your setup, I would recommend a warmer neck pickup. I don't know mini buckers very well so I can't comment on which one would be best. Personally, in the Nashville Configuration, I think a StratBro-90 sounds best in the middle with a P/P or mini toggle to activate it, just to thicken up the tone for rhythm playing.

I definitely recommend adding a switch that activates either both the bridge and neck, or activates the middle pickup on any 3 pickup configuration though. Opens up the possibilities a little more.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

I don't know what a "StratBro-90" is. I can't find it on the Duncan Strat page.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Jerry Donahue (APTL-3JD) Sweet highs, more pronounced mids, and punchy bass. Sounds great under gain. Folks talk about the bridge being a prime element in the tone. I don't agree. There are too many great Tele players who, not only don't use the ashtray bridge, but also don't use brass saddles. Neither Brent Mason nor Jimmy Olander use the ashtray bridge assembly and they get great tone and twang.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Yeah, the Jerry Donahue still gives great twang, but sounds amazing distorted, too. It has some power behind it. That and a Seth Lover in the neck would be the only way I'd play a Tele...haha.
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Mincer said:
Yeah, the Jerry Donahue still gives great twang, but sounds amazing distorted, too. It has some power behind it. That and a Seth Lover in the neck would be the only way I'd play a Tele...haha.
Click to expand...
I loves me so bright humbuckers in the necks of Teles.

dbcbd0ca35cb9f79acddabe80be76524.jpg
0c9c7e0088db860be959bfdcf6e2f444.jpg


Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

Butch Snyder said:
Jerry Donahue (APTL-3JD) Sweet highs, more pronounced mids, and punchy bass. Sounds great under gain. Folks talk about the bridge being a prime element in the tone. I don't agree. There are too many great Tele players who, not only don't use the ashtray bridge, but also don't use brass saddles. Neither Brent Mason nor Jimmy Olander use the ashtray bridge assembly and they get great tone and twang.
Click to expand...

I'd love any resident Tele and SD experts to clarify this a bit.

You mention Brent Mason. I'm basically going with a Mason configuration, but not necessarily his pickup choices. What I want out of a Tele bridge pickup is more Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters, Albert Collins and Buck Owens ... not "modern country".

As I understand it, Mason uses a stacked bucker in the bridge position AND now I read he doesn't even use a normal Tele bridge? Wow! Does that SD Vintage Stack (I think that's what he uses) actually do the classic Tele thing? Is it voiced like a Vintage 54?
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

RMosack said:
You mention Brent Mason. I'm basically going with a Mason configuration, but not necessarily his pickup choices. What I want out of a Tele bridge pickup is more Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters, Albert Collins and Buck Owens ... not "modern country".
Click to expand...

I think the List looks cleaner like that ^
 
Re: Tele Bridge Pickup --> Jimmy Page

RMosack said:
I'd love any resident Tele and SD experts to clarify this a bit.

You mention Brent Mason. I'm basically going with a Mason configuration, but not necessarily his pickup choices. What I want out of a Tele bridge pickup is more Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters, Albert Collins and Buck Owens ... not "modern country".

As I understand it, Mason uses a stacked bucker in the bridge position AND now I read he doesn't even use a normal Tele bridge? Wow! Does that SD Vintage Stack (I think that's what he uses) actually do the classic Tele thing? Is it voiced like a Vintage 54?
Click to expand...

Brent Mason uses a Duncan Vintage Stack. His bridge is a 6-saddle stainless (non-ferrous) bridge. He has a Glaser B-Bender and that's why his bridge is the way it is. Jimmy Olander has the same bridge but with B/G-Benders. He uses a Duncan 5-2 in his Tele; which is now basically an Esquire because he removd the neck pickup.

You asked about the Vintage Stack's tone. All you have to do is listen to Brent's stuff on everyone's CDs from the late 90s on. You can also Youtube him and hear as well as listen to his Hot Wired CD.

I already recommended the APTL-3JD and I'm sticking with that unless you want more of a Broadcaster tone.
 
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