Tele Pickup recommendations

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aeroic

aeroic

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I just got a new Tele, and it has Fender Texas Specials in it, and I'm not that fond of them. The guitar by itself sounds awesome. It's a traditional Tele setup, and I am looking at the Rio Grande Halfbreeds, or the Suhr Classic T's. Has anyone played both?

Just curious what folks here think. I'm looking for a bit hotter than vintage pickup, but with a lot of warmth on the neck, and that traditional "tele spank" but without the super highs. The Suhrs look quite interesting from his description, but real world is always good :).

Eric
 
Hi Eric, I have tried the Grande Halfbreeds, but really didn't like them at all....they sounded lifeless to me....unless I got bad pickups, but I don't think so. I ended up with the Bill Lawrence T1 & T2 which I like very much!!! I haven't tried the suhr's but I think I would start there for sure.
 
Eric
I would recommend the Bare Knuckle Pickups Yardbird model

"The Yardbird Tele set is based on a hot vintage spec of scatterwound plain enamel coils together with special Alnico IV hand bevelled magnets. The tone is hot enough to drive an amp with plenty of top end sizzle yet still oozes beautiful clean Tele twang. "

BKP are a boutique UK maker , but with the £ being weak against the $ may be worth considering
http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/ZT-yardbird.html
 
I know they're expensive, and they might be too clean/bright, but;

I've never heard a negative thing about Bardens. Good enough for Danny Gatton.
 
I'm bumping 'cause I'm in the same boat. My Tele sounds allright, but it could use some huevos. Any more suggestions.
 
I don't own a tele, but I put some halfbreeds in the neck and middle position of my Alder body, maple neck rosewood fretboard Kramer and I thought were flat and lifeless as well.
 
I'm not a fan of Rio Grande's... same thing for me. Kinda flat. I bet they were designed with loud volumes and lots of gain in mind.

Seriously, right now, I'm rockin' some Dimarzio Twang Kings. Freaking AWESOME pickups. Clearest tele neck pickup I've ever tried. I love it. And the bridge has got that klank and twang, but more bottom end, and less high end slice than a traditional tele pickup.

But there's nothing dimarzio-shreddy about them at all, really. Just a great set up pickups that won't cost you more than $110 for the pair.
 
Ive never used them (I dont have a Tele), but I cant imagine the Suhrs being bad. All of his other pickups are incredible.
 
Yea Matt. That's exactly what I was thinking. I really like the buckers I put in my Les Paul and I here a lot about their single coils, so ...

... seems like a no risk proposition.
 
i have a nash tele, it has lollar pickups not sure which ones, but they sound amazing, not ice picky like alot of tele pickups, they're hand wound, i would def recommend them :thumbsup:
 
Man, the Fender Nocaster pickups I have in my Tele sound pretty good. Not the typical ice picky bridge.
 
3 Mile Stone":1ewy1fna said:
Yea Matt. That's exactly what I was thinking. I really like the buckers I put in my Les Paul and I here a lot about their single coils, so ...

... seems like a no risk proposition.
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I havent found anything that John makes that I dont like yet. I have his V60LP single coils in my Strat and they are just stellar. Im sure his Tele pickups are also awesome.
 
Bardens are cool if you have a darker amp as they're a really articulate pickup. Really balanced tone.

I really like Lollar or Harmonic Designs for single coils regardless of if its Strat or Tele.

Robert
 
Norjef":3vdk9toc said:
Try Kinmans http://www.kinman.com Several levels of "gain" availabull
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Maybe it was the set that I had (AVn Blues), but I absolutely hated those pickups in my Strat. They made my Strat sound overly bright, shrill, and thin. The Suhr V60LPs I replaced them with are much much much much (did I say much?) MUCH warmer, sensitive, sweet, and vintage sounding.
 
Actually compared my Kinmans in Tele to a well-equipped friend's 51 flat-polepieced blackguard-- both are bright yet roaringly fat when loud -we liked both sets equally. Kinmans (like old Fender p/u) need 250k pots and to be adjusted none-to-close to strings.

If one is used to humbuckers, "single coil" types are tonal and gain worlds apart. As Egnater amps can be very fat, IMHO single coil types are the ticket.
 
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