# Anyone tried Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster pickups???



## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

While I'm patiently waiting for my Squier Classic Vibe Tele to come in, I'm of course already GASing over what pickups to put in it. 

Sticking to the Classic Vibe mentality, I'm looking for a really authentic, vintage Tele sound. Chimey, bright, twangy and down-right mean when it has to be. 

Having said that, does anyone know if these pickups will do what I want them to? Alternatively, what's a good set of pups to toss into my Tele to get the classic Tele sound???


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## noman (Jul 24, 2006)

You can't go wrong with nocaster pups! I have a Nocaster relic and it is the best telecaster that I have played........tone for days. In fact, the nocaster bridge pup is so good that I put one in my just built partscaster (the shell pink one). I would recommend that you first see how you like the stock pups in the classic vibe.......have heard that they are pretty good sounding themselves!

Here's a couple of pics of my Nocaster and my shell pink partcaster!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

noman said:


> You can't go wrong with nocaster pups! I have a Nocaster relic and it is the best telecaster that I have played........tone for days. In fact, the nocaster bridge pup is so good that I put one in my just built partscaster (the shell pink one). I would recommend that you first see how you like the stock pups in the classic vibe.......have heard that they are pretty good sounding themselves!


Yeah, I've heard the same thing and I'm super excited to give them a whirl, but I wanted to compile a short-list of other pups to keep my eyes peeled for just in case.

Man, I can't wait for this guitar to get here!


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## famouspogs (Jun 9, 2006)

I knew a guy at long and mcquade who bought them for his tele and really enjoyed them. He gave me his texas special pickups for free and I really like them, neck is tele like but without being dull and the bridge is incredibley hot and loves gain. However, the bridge pickup is actually microphonic which will cause microphonic feedback if really pushed. Potting them in wax will fix that though.


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

--nocaster pups are gr8t
-- seymour duncan 54's ?? (dang, I can't remember the mondel, its his most vintage tele pup)...was most impressive, and its not booteeek.

--I would call John @ tonefordays.com, he has wound a tele set and a p90 set for me and I love his work. Nothing beats having a custom wound set, just tell John what your after. I believe he's on this site as JSMoore

also, I absolutely love the the fralin tele bridge pup, I didn't like his neck tele pup, but the bridge is gr8t as well.

one more for ya: the lollar special bridge has more "zing" than his vintage bridge pup (I liked it alot ), his vintage neck/special bridge is another really good combo. (what I had on my kline.......kline is no longer with me


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

noman said:


> You can't go wrong with nocaster pups! I have a Nocaster relic and it is the best telecaster that I have played........tone for days. In fact, the nocaster bridge pup is so good that I put one in my just built partscaster (the shell pink one). I would recommend that you first see how you like the stock pups in the classic vibe.......have heard that they are pretty good sounding themselves!
> 
> Here's a couple of pics of my Nocaster and my shell pink partcaster!





nice t's ! :food-smiley-004:


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

ssdeluxe said:


> --nocaster pups are gr8t
> -- seymour duncan 54's ?? (dang, I can't remember the mondel, its his most vintage tele pup)...was most impressive, and its not booteeek.
> 
> --I would call John @ tonefordays.com, he has wound a tele set and a p90 set for me and I love his work. Nothing beats having a custom wound set, just tell John what your after. I believe he's on this site as JSMoore
> ...


Thanks, I'll check those out. And yeah, I've seen JSMoore's website and it looks like he has some interesting stuff for a pretty decent price. I might end up going that way.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Thanks, I'll check those out. And yeah, I've seen JSMoore's website and it looks like he has some interesting stuff for a pretty decent price. I might end up going that way.


Do it - you wont be sorry. The pickups he wound for me (humbuckers, not singles) are awesome - they leave other pickups in the dust. Search on here for various recommendations about his stuff.


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2008)

Look into the Kinman Broadcasters. All of that vintage Tele tone, I mean _all_, never microphonic and always noiseless. They cost more because you get what you pay for.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Yoda said:


> Look into the Kinman Broadcasters. All of that vintage Tele tone, I mean _all_, never microphonic and always noiseless. They cost more because you get what you pay for.


Gee I paid Jon .. 3 times ... got what I wanted .... though he doesn't make noiseless pickups all of them are quiet. My last set was wound to Lollar specs. He winds what you want. 

Plus I like keeping the money on this side of the border. 

I am now going to try a set of his humbucker in a guitar that I don't need to build just to hear them. 

He's a nice guy too :

:smilie_flagge17:


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

shoretyus said:


> Gee I paid Jon .. 3 times ... got what I wanted .... though he doesn't make noiseless pickups all of them are quiet. My last set was wound to Lollar specs. He winds what you want.
> 
> Plus I like keeping the money on this side of the border.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I'm with you on that. I've heard the Kinmans, and they're great, but pretty pricey. I liked the Nocasters because the set wasn't too expensive. I guess I'll dial up Jon once my Tele actually arrives (just talked to L&M, they said another couple weeks ). Then I'll put it through it's paces and decide if I actually want/need a new set in there.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

Yoda said:


> Look into the Kinman Broadcasters. All of that vintage Tele tone, I mean _all_, never microphonic and always noiseless. They cost more because you get what you pay for.


how can they have "all of that vintage tele tone" if they are also "never microphonic and always noiseless"?
perhaps they have "most of that vintage tele tone"?


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2008)

Well, I guess you're right. Allow me to reword for clarification. For those amoung us who are anal enough about the purity of their pickups that they also want the undesirable aspects of original Tele tone incuded in their sound then the Kinmans are prolly not the right choice. For the other 99.9% of us though ....


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Yoda said:


> Well, I guess you're right. Allow me to reword for clarification. For those amoung us who are anal enough about the purity of their pickups that they also want the undesirable aspects of original Tele tone incuded in their sound then the Kinmans are prolly not the right choice. For the other 99.9% of us though ....


I played a set of Kinman broadcasters + 59 strat in middle with the no solder TK9 harness. I had them in a AS Telecaster. I used them in the studio with a Dr Z Maz 38 head and 2X12 closed back cabinet. I used them very overdriven. I got a beautiful crunchy almost marshal sound. It was great for what I used them for. But for that nice Tele twang and bite give me the vintage single coil anyday. I wouldn't use the kinmans live or for much of anything else. I thought they came close to the single coil sound as Kinman claims but after picking up my AV52RI for comparison, not even close.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> While I'm patiently waiting for my Squier Classic Vibe Tele to come in, I'm of course already GASing over what pickups to put in it.
> 
> Sticking to the Classic Vibe mentality, I'm looking for a really authentic, vintage Tele sound. Chimey, bright, twangy and down-right mean when it has to be.
> 
> Having said that, does anyone know if these pickups will do what I want them to? Alternatively, what's a good set of pups to toss into my Tele to get the classic Tele sound???



When I bought my American Vintage 52 Reissue Tele I was allowed to take it out to play at a gig for trial from Long&Mcquade. I also was allowed to take out a Custom shop nocaster. The CS Nocaster was twice the price but I was willing to pay if I liked it better than the AV52RI. In the store I thought I might like the CS Nocaster better, especially the big neck. But live the neck was just a bit too big. I found it caused hand fatigue and the 52RI was a better size for me
Regarding the pickups. The Nocaster pickups were just a bit more full and round sounding. Not quite as much bite or twang to them as the 52RI. But they have a very sweet smooth sound. For me I was looking for the twang and bite so preferred the pickups in the 52. Who knows what the pups are going to sound like in your squire as the Nocaster is a Swamp ash body. So thats going to make some difference. Among other things. If your guitar has a rosewood fingerboard the nocaster pups may end up sounding a little too dark and maybe a bit muddy. The original Nocaster is a maple neck and that would have a bit more snap to it. If you have the money to experiment go for it.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> When I bought my American Vintage 52 Reissue Tele I was allowed to take it out to play at a gig for trial from Long&Mcquade. I also was allowed to take out a Custom shop nocaster. The CS Nocaster was twice the price but I was willing to pay if I liked it better than the AV52RI. In the store I thought I might like the CS Nocaster better, especially the big neck. But live the neck was just a bit too big. I found it caused hand fatigue and the 52RI was a better size for me
> Regarding the pickups. The Nocaster pickups were just a bit more full and round sounding. Not quite as much bite or twang to them as the 52RI. But they have a very sweet smooth sound. For me I was looking for the twang and bite so preferred the pickups in the 52. Who knows what the pups are going to sound like in your squire as the Nocaster is a Swamp ash body. So thats going to make some difference. Among other things. If your guitar has a rosewood fingerboard the nocaster pups may end up sounding a little too dark and maybe a bit muddy. The original Nocaster is a maple neck and that would have a bit more snap to it. If you have the money to experiment go for it.


Hmm...I definitely want to have the signature tele twang and bite, but you're saying the Nocaster doesn't serve up the goods on that front. 

FYI - the Squier is a maple fingerboard and the guitar itself is pine. I don't have the faintest idea how pine sounds compared to anything else, having never played a pine guitar, let alone had the chance to compare it to something else.

Any contrary opinions on the Nocaster sound that Terry described???


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## noman (Jul 24, 2006)

I have never heard someone describe the Nocaster pups as not being twangy!! Maybe the CS Nocaster that Terry was able to try was didn't have the modern wiring installed. My Nocaster has the twangiest and brightest tone of my 5 telecasters.......I also wasn't sure about fat necks before I tried the Nocaster but now I prefer them. I find the opposite of Terry's findings; hand fatigue is less with the big neck for me........I find my hand cramping up when I play my 62 reissues with their thinner necks. I think the Nocaster pups are some of Fenders' best telecaster pickups. Just my opinion though............


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

hollowbody-
i like the av52ri pup, used it in my pine esquire. snap and twang for days.
sorry, i dont have an opinion on the nocaster pups, just adding my bit to what guitarman2 found.



> Well, I guess you're right. Allow me to reword for clarification. For those amoung us who are anal enough about the purity of their pickups that they also want the undesirable aspects of original Tele tone incuded in their sound then the Kinmans are prolly not the right choice. For the other 99.9% of us though ....


sorry yoda, plz dont feel like im hassling you- if so, i apologize
i used noiseless pups for some years- but never on guitars i used for playing at home or to record with- just those that i used for high volume situations.
im not really a tonehound, i dont search around trying pups n all that, but i eventually realized something was missing-
that noise, and a touch of microphonic properties give something to a pickups sound. a lot of folks dont hear it- but i do, and as i said, im not a tonehound, just a guy who prefers single coil pups.
over on the telecaster forum theres a bunch of guys who would agree with me, i seriously doubt 99.9% of single coil users want noiseless pups. in fact i know 99.9% do not all want them.
to be sure, the kinmans are great pups, and worth every penny to those who want what they do- but there is a whole shitload of guys who wouldnt even consider them if looking for a vintage tone- simply because you can get pups at half the cost or less that have all of the vintage sound without any compromises


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2008)

I've never been a tone hound either. I know there are things that work well and things that don't sound good at all. Like for instance, Lace Sensors are shit. I like great tone but I'm not anal about it. Close is good enough for me. I've spent most of my life playing cover bands. In a cover band you don't have time to be a perfectionist because this song you try to sound like Bad Company and the next song you're doing Tom Petty, followed by Pink Floyd or The Hip or SRV or Zeppelin or the Stones. Who has the time or energy to perfect your tone for each of those sounds? What I do know is the Kinmans sound perfect to my ear. They are pure vintage Fender tone and they are noiseless (quiet, whatever) so you can crank it up safely for those songs that require it. I've tried a lot of pickups over the years. For a working man they can't be beat. And for my money, if I wasn't already happy with my Teles they'd be getting the Broadcasters. I do have a cheap Korean Strat with Seymores in it that are just not doing it for me and it's going to get a Blues set with the prewired kit this winter.

2¢.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I guess it seems like I need to go spend some quality time with a 52 reissue and a Nocaster and see if I like one of them a lot better. I gotta say, I like the price of the 52 Reissue pickups!


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> I guess it seems like I need to go spend some quality time with a 52 reissue and a Nocaster and see if I like one of them a lot better. I gotta say, I like the price of the 52 Reissue pickups!



If you can make the trip go to Long$Mcquade to try out the Nocaster they have there. Its been there for a few months. I know I've had it out on a gig and I go in and play it a couple times a week. To me the pups are fatter rounder and smoother sounding than the 52ri pups. Its a very solid sounding guitar and I do love the tone. I just prefer my 52RI and feel it has more the signature snap and twang that a tele is known. For. Also remember there can be differences from guitar to guitar even being the same model. As well Nocaster pups in your guitar can be dramatically different sounding as there are many variable. Your steel saddles as opposed to the nocasters brass saddles, your pine body as opposed to the ash body, etc.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

noman said:


> I have never heard someone describe the Nocaster pups as not being twangy!! Maybe the CS Nocaster that Terry was able to try was didn't have the modern wiring installed. My Nocaster has the twangiest and brightest tone of my 5 telecasters.......I also wasn't sure about fat necks before I tried the Nocaster but now I prefer them. I find the opposite of Terry's findings; hand fatigue is less with the big neck for me........I find my hand cramping up when I play my 62 reissues with their thinner necks. I think the Nocaster pups are some of Fenders' best telecaster pickups. Just my opinion though............



I didn't mean that they weren't twangy just to my ears not like the 52ri. And no it didn't have the modern wiring installed as none of them do right from the factory. I"m having mine converted as we speak. As for the fat neck its not that I hated it. Actually in some ways I really like it. I find that for picking lead its great. My hand fatigue comes after playing 6 or 7 songs and mainly from rythm. I just find for me that my 52ri is more comfortable over all. Beleive me when I compared the 2, I really wanted the CS Nocaster to be the guitar as I'm one of those guys that likes to think expensive is best. But being honest with myself the 52RI was a better fit for me. If I could have, I'd have bought both. This is why its really hard for someone to get accurate info based on whats best, from anyone else. Because everyone has a different idea of whats best. Telecaster's have been my first guitar of choice for 26 years. I've owned and played on many vintage and modern Teles over the years. I've probably owned a couple of hundred. Unfortunately I was one of those guys that would play a guitar for awhile and then get bored and trade it or sell it for another Tele. There have been a few that I look back on now and wish'ed I'd never sold them. 
And speaking of 62 RI's I love the neck on my hotrod Strat 62R!. Its got the rosewood fingerboard and its chunkier than the maple boards on the other 62RI's that I agree are just too thin.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> If you can make the trip go to Long$Mcquade to try out the Nocaster they have there. Its been there for a few months. I know I've had it out on a gig and I go in and play it a couple times a week. To me the pups are fatter rounder and smoother sounding than the 52ri pups. Its a very solid sounding guitar and I do love the tone. I just prefer my 52RI and feel it has more the signature snap and twang that a tele is known. For. Also remember there can be differences from guitar to guitar even being the same model. As well Nocaster pups in your guitar can be dramatically different sounding as there are many variable. Your steel saddles as opposed to the nocasters brass saddles, your pine body as opposed to the ash body, etc.


Yeah, I'm not too far from the Bloor St. L&M, so I'll swing by when I get a chance. 

And you're right about the variables between guitars too. I can always drop in a set of brass saddles, but I can't do too much about changing the body. I'll see what the stock pups are like, and if I think I need a change, I'll do an A/B shootout with the 52ri and the Nocaster. At worst, I can always flip the pups on here.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Yeah, I'm not too far from the Bloor St. L&M, so I'll swing by when I get a chance.
> 
> And you're right about the variables between guitars too. I can always drop in a set of brass saddles, but I can't do too much about changing the body. I'll see what the stock pups are like, and if I think I need a change, I'll do an A/B shootout with the 52ri and the Nocaster. At worst, I can always flip the pups on here.



I wouldn't change too much. I'd leave the steel saddles. Steel is supposed to be a bit brighter than brass so it may end up giving you a favourable bite to your sound. Changing and upgrading can get quite expensive. Especially when you don't get the expected results and you end up trying different part after different part. Sometimes, in the end its better just to buy the guitar that sounds the way you want from the onset. I've been through so many aftermarket pups and parts and right now I'm sitting with 2 stock fenders that I really like the sound and feel of.


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