›

Tele Pups

What's Hot
BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24584
in Guitar
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.
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • benmurray85benmurray85 Frets: 1414

    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 

    How very rock and roll
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 15430
    tFB Trader
    Tele for me - neck pick up man, so why not take that option

    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
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 28098
    I have a monstrous 18k P90-alike from Oil City in my Jaden Rose Tele. Most likely not what you're aiming at, but it's great for heavy rock and metal :D
    <space for hire>
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • mgawmgaw Frets: 5529
    Don Mare pickups from the USA ...best i have heard by some distance any set from him would be killer, i have a set from him in my strat and tele...the tele bridge is tapped which works brilliantly and the neck is a nocaster type
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • johnhejohnhe Frets: 192
    I've had BK Brown Sugars, Kinman Broadcasters, but my fav of the lot is the BK The Boss set. The reason I mention this is that I was looking for something very close to what you describe - good all rounders; not too hot, not too weak. Nice and ballsy, but still lots of detail.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2481
    Oil City Wapping Wharf for the bridge: It has classic Tele twang in the tapped position then a fuller but distinct Tele sound when untapped. If I added a neck pickup to my Esquire I'd be very tempted to use a TV Jones Classic, as suggested by @guitars4you. It depends how traditional you want to be.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 9128
    Jimbro66 said:
    Oil City Wapping Wharf for the bridge: It has classic Tele twang in the tapped position then a fuller but distinct Tele sound when untapped.....
    This gives you both the 50s and 60s Tele bridge sound. What you choose for the neck is a matter of taste: traditional bland Tele, P90, TV Jones, humbucker etc. Personally I like an Oil City Californian. It covers a number of bases, and also parallels [is that a verb?] nicely with the Wapping Wharf for an "in-between" sound.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • olafgartenolafgarten Frets: 1649
    Whapping Wharf + TV Jones is pretty much the perfect Tele Pickup selection. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • stimpsonslostsonstimpsonslostson Frets: 5424
    I've got an Oil City FortyNiner in my Esquire (I have one of Ashs harnesses in there too). It's brilliant- has the tele twang, but with a bit more "oomph" when needed. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 7343
    tFB Trader
    mgaw said:
    Don Mare pickups from the USA ...best i have heard by some distance any set from him would be killer, i have a set from him in my strat and tele...the tele bridge is tapped which works brilliantly and the neck is a nocaster type
    I have Don Mare pickups in one of my Telecasters. They really are very nice indeed but I don't know if they are any better than similar pickups from say @Mojopickups ;
    Lacquer demos here: https://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/category/finish/
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24584
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. 

    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...?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 9128
    stimpsonslostson said:
    I've got an Oil City FortyNiner in my Esquire (I have one of Ashs harnesses in there too). It's brilliant- has the tele twang, but with a bit more "oomph" when needed. 
    My main guitar has a FortyNiner, but I'm going back to Wapping Wharf for the next build
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 15430
    tFB Trader
    Bridgehouse said:
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. 

    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...?
    ref Customs - won't it go in a jiffy bag as spare parts with nominal value and as such little/no duty ????? - not sue latest on this
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24584
    guitars4you said:
    Bridgehouse said:
    Thanks for the suggestions guys. 

    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...?
    ref Customs - won't it go in a jiffy bag as spare parts with nominal value and as such little/no duty ????? - not sue latest on this
    Depends on what the maker declares it as...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.