Wich model for a tele?

metallkrieger

New member
Hi everybody.
First of all I explain my situation.

I own a Squier John 5 signature, and the only thing i dislike in it are the pickups, so I'll change them.
Neck PU can wait, it works not at the best but not so badly at the same time, and moreover I don't use it so much, so it can wait.
The problem's about the bridge one.
So, wich model is the best?
Usually, Jb and Distortion are considered "classic" models, but i see their eq is pushed on highmid and treble, and I think that's because usually they're mounted on dark woods, like mahogany, that have huge bass and lowmids, so they have to rise highmids and treble.
BUT i'm gonna mount them on a telecaster, with...well, classic telecaster woods, alder body maple neck, so brilliant ones.
I think that, trying sh4, sh5 and sh6 I'm risking of having a really high tone.

In detail:
T/M/B
sh4 8/6/5
sh5 9/6/7
sh6 9/8/5

Sh6, more than others, has lots of high frequency and lack of lows...the only one who tries, from what i read on the SD's website tonechart, to pump a bit on the low frequencies is the sh5, but it still has lots of high.
I don't remeber where, somewhere I found someone saying that ....welll...dimarzio super 3 has the most similar eq to fender ones, and it's: 5/8/6.5, so low highs, hi mids and not so much lows.
I discovered that SD invader has very similar values: 4/8/7, so a bit less highs, same mids and a very bit more lows.
I also read on the net that many people found invader muddy and dark, but i think that could be mainly caused by the fact that mybe they tried it on mahogany or any other dark wood, so having a dark PU on a dark guitar obviously you'll get a dark tone.
On the other hand, i think that if you put a very blrilliant PU on a brilliant guitar you'll get a tone f***ing full of high freq but damn poor on lows.
So I thought: if i put a dark PU in a brilliant guitar, then I'll get more or less a well equalized tone.

Do you think I am right or not?

And more: wiche model would you suggest me for my needs?
sh4 (JB), sh5(custom) sh6(distortion), sh8(invader)?

Or....damn, should i betray SD and go for the DiMarzio Super3?

Please help me and i beg you not to suggest other models.
I spent days of my life to choose these five models, please don't add any other more or I'll never get out from here XD

Thank you all and excuse me for my poor english...
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

Welcome to the forum.

What amplification and/or pedals do you play through? The interaction between pickup and amplifier will influence the pickup suggestions.

EDIT: The stock pickups in the Squier J5 T appear to have ceramic (B) and Alnico 5 (N) magnets, respectively. Their overall tone might be improved by changing the magnet material.
 
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Re: Wich model for a tele?

You are way over thinking it.

That guitar would excel with a JB/Jazz combo. However, you could also use what John 5 uses in his main black and gold tele... The D Activator set from DiMarzio.
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

I vote JB. I use JB in a mahogany tele with 250k pot. It's awesome, no harsh treble whatsoever! :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

Tnx everybody.

Well, I forgot an important thing: i tune it 2 steps down in C.
My amp is a hughes&kettner tubemeister 36, but thinkin about changin it with the grandmeister.
No pedals in front of the amp, only a line 6 m9 in S/R.

I looked for d activator...BUT

his eq is T4 M6 B5.5
Very similar to SH4 but with lots of treble less (JB has got t8).
Really dunno what to do...
First i thought invader was the best fit, then i turned to JB, than to Distortion, than to Custom, then again to invader and now afeter ayrton's words i'm again turig to JB.

Can I Know why you should NOT recommend sh6 or sh8?

Thank you all!
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

The DC and EQ are only starting points. You have to think about what you do and don't like about the pickups now, and then make your best guess. The JB would be a good starting point.
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

Whay you do You mean genre?
Well, i liek heavy and big sounds...
Now i play in a "light" band but i like big sounding tones.
I'm not a solo man, and surely not a shredder.
Also important is that my amp is not really taht powerful...i mean, i get heavy metal tones but it needs a bit of help, but i don't like the option of using an OD between guitar and amp.

I know, I have difficult tastes XD
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

When I've had situations like this, where I'm unsure of what I want, I've always been happier in the end with classic staple pickups like JB+Jazz, 59's, DiMarzio Super Distortion, etc. because the odds are higher of a well rounded, time tested pickup combo meeting your needs, where as a less common niche pickup is more likely to land outside of what you're going for, because it's like you're throwing darts at a smaller dart board when you do that.
 
Re: Wich model for a tele?

Yeah - my experience isn't related to metal but I've always been very happy with the SD matched sets. Was playing around on a set of phat cats earlier today and just really dug the bridge single coil sound... Similar to the pearly gates matched set (I use mine with covers), it just sounds really good.

For dropped tuning metal though why not go with something like the custom or the pegasus/nagzul/black winter/100 million other dropped tuning-specific pickups?
 
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