Upgrading Telecaster pickups

[Dylan the rabbit]

I put a post up at the beginning of the year about upgrading my Tele pickups, got a great response, but didn't keep any details of the responses other than in links to the forum. Doh! Anyway, all the links are gone after SD upgraded the website. So I'm, going to ask again!!

I've got a 50's reissue Japanese Telecaster, and I'm looking to upgrade the pickups to give me that Keith Richards neck humbucker type and biting neck sound. A basic Stones/Black Crowes sound, but also the pickups should be versatile enough to be able to cover pop/rock stuff I play too. Basically, am looking to upgrade to a 72 Tele without having to buy a 72 Tele!

Am thinking of putting either a Seth Lover or a 59 humbucker in the neck, and either a 54 or Broadcaster in the bridge.

Anyone got any experience of these pickups?

Thanks!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

Read the Ultimate Tele thread for reviews of many of the best Tele bridge pickups.

I'd go with either a Duncan Jerry Donahue or Antiquity for the bridge pickup.

And a Seth Lover or an Antiquity HB for the neck pickup.

Couldn't go wrong with the Antiquitys...there's nothing finer.

Lew

 

[reswot]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

My favorite tele lead pup of all time is the Duncan Broadcaster; good mids and punch, but still has that tele twang.

My favorite humbucker is the Seth Lover; I've used that in two teles, AWA a Les Paul -- and I've bought some of them from Lew, too!

You might want to consider, though, going with something like a '54 for the lead pup if you're using a humbucker in the neck. I'm getting ready to assemble my second tele with the '54/Seth combo. The brighter bridge pup balances really nicely with the warmth of the Seth in the middle position.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

I just got some neck PhatCats in...

Since I'm still messing with the neck pickup on my test Tele, the James Burton, I'm going to install a neck Phatcat next in this guitar and see how it sounds with the Antiquity bridge pickup.

I'm also going to put the Jerry Donahue bridge pickup back in and see how IT sounds with the neck Phatcat too.

Under the pickguard, the James Burton is routed for a humbucker/Phatcat sized neck pickup or Tele neck pickup.

I'll try to do it this week...

Lew

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

read the thread on this board called ultimate tele tone. that will give you some great reviews. that said my suggestion would be to go with the antiquitiy bridge and the seth neck. I use a set of antiquities and they are very versitile pickups. They have a voice unlike any of the other duncans. they can be either smooth or gritty depending on where you have your volume knob and they have more of a textural sound to them. they are a little thicker than most tele pickups but still retain that great twangy sound. Good luck

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

I have a Phat Cat in the neck of an ash American Tele with the JD at the bridge, and they sound great. They are hum-canceling when combined. The Phat Cats and most full-size HBs have more output than most traditional-style Tele lead pickups, so balancing things can be difficult if you like using the bridge pickup alone. I would love to hear the Antiquity Tele flatpole lead pickup, but I would be concerned about whether it has enough juice to keep up with the Phat Cat or a full-size HB. The JD and Fender Nocaster have just enough output to cut it for my tastes.

You might also consider a Firebird-style mini-humbucker. I have an SM-3n neck pickup paired with a Fender Nocaster lead pickup, and that combination is very nice, too. The SM-3n doesn't seem quite as hot as the Phat Cat or most full-size HBs, and it really seems to combine some of the best characteristics of HBs and single coils.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Upgrading Telecaster pickups

that mini humbucker idea is pretty good. i think one of those would match better with a single coil bridge pickup but it also depends on how you want it to balance out in that combined postion. If you want more neck and a little bridge sound in there then you will be fine with a normal humbucker but if you want more bridge then you may need a really hot bridge pickup.