Telecaster bridge pickup advice

[NOGE]

I want to replace the harsh original bridge pickup in my '72 Tele.

It's got a La Brea in the neck.

I've narrowed it down to the Jerry Donahue, the Vintage 54, and the Five-Two.

Which would best remove "ice-pick" at amp breakup and be a good match for the La Brea?

I've listened to the sound samples and like the Vintage 54 best. The Five-Two pickup seems like a great idea but sounds harsher than the Vintage 54 to me. And the Jerry Donahue sounds in between. Have I got this right?

 

[Mincer]

Welcome to the forum!
The JD is a hotter pickup than the other 2, so it tends to not only have a more rounded sound than a normal Tele bridge pickup, but it has some compression, too. The Five Two isn't really a harsh pickup...the EQ sounds like the JD, but it has more of vintage power. The Vintage 54 is the most 'Tele-sounding' of the bunch, in that it has a pretty pronounced treble.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

This is an oddball recommendation, but I really love the Lace Sensor Tele pickups in my Tele Plus. It’s the first Tele I’ve had where I didn’t need to wire the bridge pickup to the tone control by itself to get a good sound from both pickups.

 

[Ewizard]

The JD is my favorite pickup...

 

[skelt101]

If you like the Vintage 54 but want a little less “ice pick”, perhaps look at the Antiquity 55. :bigthumb:

 

[Lewguitar]

The JD. More mids. No ice pick.

Or the Custom Shop JD if you can swing the price. It's a little more three dimensional and transparent.

However, the stock JD is excellent.

 

[JOLLY]

A Vintage 54 came stock in my ESP Vintage Plus Tele. I usually have to roll back the tone control about half way. It's a pretty bright pickup.

 

[Lewguitar]

A Vintage 54 came stock in my ESP Vintage Plus Tele. I usually have to roll back the tone control about half way. It's a pretty bright pickup.

I have a real '54. It's my last vintage guitar.

I don't know what Seymour's version of that pickup sounds like but my original is a bright, steely sounding 6.1K pickup.

Not especially hot or thick sounding.

I prefer the JD.

 

[ToneFiddler]

i owned the SD '54 and fivetwo and still own the jerry donahue.
to remove the ice pick go JD. on the other i had to roll the tone back, too. also it will be match better with the la brea neck which is alnico 2 and has a brass cover so rather smooth /warm sounding...

 

[NOGE]

Thanks for all the great advice. I just ordered the JD. Can't wait til it arrives....:yourock:

 

[Mincer]

Give us a review after it is installed!

 

[NOGE]

Wow the Jerry Donahue is a hot pickup!

It's a good, well behaved high gain pickup and kicks my amp hard. But I can barely hear that Tele bridge vibe imho. It seems to have a lot of mids.

My shrill stock mid 70's pickup gives a lovely delay-like shimmer with the La Brea in the middle switch position. The JD just wipes that away.

I think I need a lower output pickup lol. Any advice?

The La Brea neck sounds glorious btw. Full, rich and beautifully balanced.

 

[beaubrummels]

I'm a Broadcaster user and fan myself. I've been able to do any kind of music I needed from country, funk, pop, hard rock for over 10 years in a cover gig. If you need a humbucker sound, just roll the tone off just under a quarter turn and you are there.

 

[jeremy]

the jd isnt overly hot but it does have a much middier tone than a typical vintage tele pup. the broadcaster is a good choice if you want more of the a5 spank but a bit more grunt than your old pup.

its worth lowering the jd to see if you can dial it is a little closer to what you want

 

[Ewizard]

I think the JD is about as balanced as they come. No ice-pick, solid low end, fat mid-range, and spanky. It is not a typical Tele pickup but can do that kind of stuff. I think it is more medium gain, but I guess compared to vintage outputs it is hot. Lowering it a little will even the level out and should reduce some of the fatness. I have mine coupled with a Twisted Tele neck. I really tried to like vintage output and sounding pickups in the Tele, but couldn't jive. The standard Tele neck is just so muted, dark and smokey, while the typical Tele bridge was brighter, significantly hotter, and had much more snarl to it. Great sound for a baritone, but for a blues and rock player, not quite what I was looking for. The JD is my idea of an ideal Tele pickup. Spank, twang, mids, just enough highs, and a solid low end.

 

[Dave R]

How about the La Brea bridge? It’s a great pickup and goes well with what you have in the neck.

 

[esandes]

The La Brea bridge is with alnico 4. The antiquity bridges are alnico 2 based. I have no tele pickup experience but I'd expect the antiquity pickups would have a real vintage, mellowed, aged magnet tone.

I have an antiquity jazzmaster pickups FWIW and they're epic.

I'm also tele pup window shopping. Great thread.

 

[Drak]

Anytime I'm pickup shopping I always hit Zhangs 'specials' page.
Have a look at specials #68, #69, and #29, about halfway down the page.
Seems pretty close to what you're looking for.
If sticking with Duncan's, disregard the link.
http://www.zhangbucker.com/specials.html

 

[EC Strat]

Hope you’re able to get along with the JD - I went from a vintage bridge to a JD in my tele and love it It can do anything really - clean twang or it can rock Try lowering it