Right, planning ahead for my partsocaster build (started in Making & Modding)
I've got a
@GSPBASSES Obeche body and a maple/rosewood neck. Going to finish in Daphne Blue with matching headstock - nitro on the way from the fab
@SteveRobinson
I've never owned a Tele before *blushes* and so I don't even know where to start with pickups. I know my Gibson Onions and if it were a LP build I'd be clicking 'add to cart' already. But there's just so many Tele options... urrggh!
Question 1: Tele or Esquire?
Question 2: Given the above, which pickups?
Now, given I've never possessed a Tele before I have no reference point to give a starter for you as to the kind of sound I want. I think I want a neutral starting point - nothing to raucous, nothing too bland - just something that makes a Tele sound unique.
Most popular choice gets bought and lobbed in.
Comments
I've made a few partscasters (tele & esquire) the esquire wiring is always tempting but I find you always miss not having that neck pickup when you dont physically have it so I would go tele style.
In terms of pickups I love the GFS Fatboy for the bridge (plus its bloody cheap!) and an SD Quarter Pounder for the neck. Apart from the CS Fender Tele I had those two are the best pickups Ive ever found in a tele but thats purely because they suit my taste more than anything
good luck and get some pics uploaded of the build
Bridge is easy for me - Broadcaster based from early 50's - flat polepieces - balls, body and twang, edge and bite
Neck - I like the melodic nature of a 63 yet also an early 50's Nocaster - I'm also a fan of a Twisted Tele, but unless you go used, Fender Custom Shop don't sell them (effectively a Strat pick-up in a Tele casing) - Chucking something else in the pot, a TV Jones Classic works or me
Good package I fitted a fewweeks ago on a Nash-Caster was the Oil City Honky Tonk Angel - worked fine
I'm floating towards esquire - try it, then move to tele with a new pick guard later.
Don Mare looks like a proper crazy guy - if he weren't in the US and it would take 2 years to get here and customs would be excessive I'd get one just cos I want some of his crazy in my playing!!
However, given that, looks like I'm going for esquire bridge, and probably trad wiring for it for now...?