# Telecaster Pickups, which ones?



## Daniel Gorman (Sep 21, 2016)

hey guys, I bought one of those classic vibe telecasters and I am in LOVE with the playability. In fact, it's the best 'feeling' telecaster I've played, and I've tried some pretty expensive American ones. I'm looking to upgrade the pickups though and could used some feedback. Here are my details:



Squier Telecaster Classic Vibe
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Boss Tuner
Rothwell Lovesqueeze Compressor
MXR micro amp
Tubescreamer 808
Wampler cataPulp distortion (in the process of finding)
MXR stereo chorus
Looking for a phaser * probably a phase 90 if it's versatile enough for what I need
Boss DD3 delay
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Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue 65 Blackface



LOVE all of these for my sound! I do my own stuff but also some live cover gigs which is why I need some of these. I suppose my favourite guitar tones come from Blur's Graham Coxon and Alain Whyte and Boz Boorer from Morrissey's band... I was looking at Tone Specific Tele Pickups, they have rock set and a country set... see below... any one have any experience with those? anything you'd suggest otherwise? they would need to play with distortion for ACDC, and Sex Pistols, but also frusciante, come together, surf/rockabilly... thoughts? 

Ignore the first tone, which I hate. 

Rock Telecaster® Pickup Set

Country Telecaster® Pickup Set

THANKS!


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

Vineham's are a great pickup.

www.vineham.com


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

I put my money on the Fender Vintage Noiseless, here a song I recorded on the neck position of my tele, used a TS9 for the solo:


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

What don't you like about the stock pickups?


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I love the stock pickups on my CVC, in fact I'm thinking about putting some in my US tele. I read they are made by Tonerider and are actually the Alnico II Blues model. 

Alnico II Blues | Tonerider


Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

The CVC Tele's are great bang for the buck. I have tried a few different sets and settled on JS Moore P90 in neck and and bridge is single coil. I also tried Lollars in another one and after playing it for a few months decided they where not for me. I really think its subjective. No pickups are good or not good. I have come to the conclusion that stock USA Fender pickups work well in Tele's and are much cheaper to buy used than boutique type. Best of luck with your search.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

zurn said:


> I love the stock pickups on my CVC, in fact I'm thinking about putting some in my US tele. I read they are made by Tonerider and are actually the Alnico II Blues model.
> 
> Alnico II Blues | Tonerider
> 
> ...


I took mine out and I miss them dearly. They're going back into my #2 Tele.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

SaucyJack said:


> Vineham's are a great pickup.
> 
> www.vineham.com


Yup. I have Vinehams in my Warmoth Tele and they aren't going anywhere.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I'd look at a Broadcaster spec bridge pickup. A little extra mid bite, and can roll off the volume to get the sparkle.


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Since you're in Toronto, book an appointment with MJS Custom Pickups in Mississauga. Smitty has samples loaded in guitars that you can hear in person. I put the hum cancelling set in my USA Standard Tele, and love them.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I picked up a used Hwy 1 Tele and found the pickups too hot. Swapped them for Fender Nocaster CS pickups and have been very happy. It sounds like a Telecaster should, IMO. And it covers a huge range from chicken pickin' to ZZ Top. I get my gain from the amp, not the pickups.


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## Daniel Gorman (Sep 21, 2016)

Good question, I guess I should've mentioned that. I find they are only useful with the tone between 35 and 75 % and that switching from the bridge p/u to the neck p/u has me having to tweek a lot to avoid an ice-picky bridge or a muffled neck. Forgive the references but it's the best way to describe tones; ideally this is what I would like to have at my disposal (preferably without too much tone knob tinkering); Neck Pickup (say it ain't so verses/come together,the cramps/surf), Middle (under the bridge/fruscianteish/graham coxon from blur), and use the bridge pickup for Rebel Rebel, Ziggy Stardust, and solos. Make sense? Obviously I know some of these are Les Pauls and Stratocasters but I can get pretty close with what I've got, I'd just like a little warmer overall tone with keeping clarity on the neck.

thanks!

@Budda


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## Daniel Gorman (Sep 21, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> I picked up a used Hwy 1 Tele and found the pickups too hot. Swapped them for Fender Nocaster CS pickups and have been very happy. It sounds like a Telecaster should, IMO. And it covers a huge range from chicken pickin' to ZZ Top. I get my gain from the amp, not the pickups.


Ya, I'd definitely prefer 'not too hot'. Especially with the deluxe reverb Reissue. I need something complementary, so mostly mids I would think.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Daniel Gorman said:


> Good question, I guess I should've mentioned that. I find they are only useful with the tone between 35 and 75 % and that switching from the bridge p/u to the neck p/u has me having to tweek a lot to avoid an ice-picky bridge or a muffled neck. Forgive the references but it's the best way to describe tones; ideally this is what I would like to have at my disposal (preferably without too much tone knob tinkering); Neck Pickup (say it ain't so verses/come together,the cramps/surf), Middle (under the bridge/fruscianteish/graham coxon from blur), and use the bridge pickup for Rebel Rebel, Ziggy Stardust, and solos. Make sense? Obviously I know some of these are Les Pauls and Stratocasters but I can get pretty close with what I've got, I'd just like a little warmer overall tone with keeping clarity on the neck.
> 
> thanks!
> 
> @Budda


That is normal for any Tele set. The neck is dark and the bridge gets sweet with the tone rolled off a bit. An uncovered neck pickup (or twisted tele), and a higher wound bridge pickup will solve that.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Daniel Gorman said:


> Ya, I'd definitely prefer 'not too hot'. Especially with the deluxe reverb Reissue. I need something complementary, so mostly mids I would think.


When I play my Tele through my DRRI, to me that is the quintessential country tone. And with pedals, I can kick it up a notch and get into old or classic rock.


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## Ronbeast (Nov 11, 2008)

Since you mentioned 'Say it ain't so' type of music, I'd be looking towards Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio pickups. I believe in 94 Rivers was using his lightning bolt warmoth strat with a trembucker in the bridge and a humbucker from hell in the neck. That's been a guitar I've lusted after for a long long time.


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## BRXM (Nov 25, 2010)

I have Bill Lawrence single coils in my Squire Strat (L280 set) which are noisefree and would fit a Tele, but I also have a Bill Lawrence Keystone in the neck position of the telecaster. I can't recommend them enough. I also replaced the Dimarzio Super Distortions in my LP with Bill Lawrence L90's and they are better than Gibson's. I highly recommend you check them out and they are dirt cheap compared to all other brand name pickups. They are hand wound on Bill's original machines to his specs and all the ones I have tried blow everything else away. My Strat with the L280's can get a Brian May sound through my Blackstar 5watt amp and a Brian May treble booster that sounds as good as my friends actual Brian May guitar with the Bournes TriSonics and the Red Special pedal.

www.wildepickups.com
this is the real Bill Lawrence website, do not go to the other one, its a fake.


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## EchoWD40 (Mar 16, 2007)

DaddyDog said:


> Since you're in Toronto, book an appointment with MJS Custom Pickups in Mississauga. Smitty has samples loaded in guitars that you can hear in person. I put the hum cancelling set in my USA Standard Tele, and love them.


this.


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