Tele pick-up overwound

[Zippy]

I have only replaced two pups in my whole 55 years of life. I have always wanted to try out different types but never did.

Perhaps by now you are more confident in your soldering skills.

[vibratoking]

I've tried quite a few pickups as well. To stay with the original thread...I like the Fralin bridge 5% over and the stock neck for the Tele. My original Tele pickups sounded decent, not great, and they were microphonic as well. The Fralins are quiet and sound very good.

diagrammatiks - care to share any conclusions about all the pickups you tested? Although, I hate to derail the original thread. I have tried a few humbuckers too.

[Structo]

What gets me is how many times I have replaced pickups only to find there wasn't much change or difference from the old one.......

Usually the difference becomes more apparent when you crank up the amp and push some power through it but for just goofing around it can seem like the money you just spent could have gone to something more worthwhile...

[vibratoking]

What gets me is how many times I have replaced pickups only to find there wasn't much change or difference from the old one.......

Usually the difference becomes more apparent when you crank up the amp and push some power through it but for just goofing around it can seem like the money you just spent could have gone to something more worthwhile...

I can happen that way. It depends on how good or bad the old and new pickups are. I could say the same thing about speakers, strings, etc... You have to have a decent idea about what you are dealing with before you make the change. Sometimes that is hard to figure out.

If you are just goofing around you probably don't need a Dumble either.

[diagrammatiks]

I've tried quite a few pickups as well. To stay with the original thread...I like the Fralin bridge 5% over and the stock neck for the Tele. My original Tele pickups sounded decent, not great, and they were microphonic as well. The Fralins are quiet and sound very good.

diagrammatiks - care to share any conclusions about all the pickups you tested? Although, I hate to derail the original thread. I have tried a few humbuckers too.

I think my tastes are very different then yours but here's what I learned:

I think the most important thing is finding the right pairing of the pickup and the wood/resonance of the guitar.

I've had pickups that I didn't really like at all one guitar that sounded completely amazing in another. Also, almost every aftermarket pair I've tried has been better then anything stock that my guitars came with, gibson burstbuckers, classics, prs hfs, archop pups, mira pickups etc.

my favorites so far...

les paul style mahogony with a maple cap - bg pickups - hellabucker bridge/smokestack neck. Almost everything else I've tried in the les pauls I've owned have bene really bland. The Bg pups have a perfect balance between highs and lows.

prs hollowbody spruce - the original 10k archtop pups made this guitar way to bright. I have a pair of bareknuckle warpigs with ceramic magnets in there now. It's the only way to get the guitar to work for me. It's a spruce on mahogany hollowbody so the unplugged sound of the guitar is already way to bright.

Ibanez S style thinner slab mahogony - bareknuckle nailbombs. I didn't like the nailbombs in any other guitar I tried them and was looking to sell them until I got the S and decided to throw them in. Night and day difference, really brought out the highs and mids that the guitar needed since it's pretty dark to begin with.

[boldaslove6789]

Well today I took possession of the Telecaster 2day.

I got to finally take the Neck off and inspect the guitar more. Turns out the guitar is not a 58' like the original owner thought it was. I should have known by the larger 60's style logo, guess that's what happens when you're over excited.

The guitar is dated June 68 (not 58 or 62 like I thought), I was a whole decade off.

It's a Fender Telecaster Custom that was originally Sunburst aka "ClownBursts", the finish was stripped and sanded. Why it was stripped I have no clue...

2 piece Maple neck and board

Still a great vintage guitar with uber Mojo' none the less.

I'm sending the microphonic bridge pup off to Ron Ellis 2morrow. He's gonna rewind it like Robben Ford's 62' tele bridge pup.

Here's some detailed pics:

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... eBody1.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... eNeck2.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... eLogo3.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... stock4.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... eRear5.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... stamp6.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... gepup7.jpg[/img]

[IMG682]http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq16 ... rside8.jpg[/img]

[Zippy]

Well today I took possession of the Telecaster 2day.

I got to finally take the Neck off and inspect the guitar more. Turns out the guitar is not a 58' like the original owner thought it was. I should have known by the larger 60's style logo...

... or the binding 'round the body.

Still, I almost prefer this one to the '58.

Nice choice on the rewind - that'll be sweet!

[Mark]

What did Ron have to say about magnets?

They make a big difference in humbuckers.

[dr.barlo]

I've tried quite a few pickups as well. To stay with the original thread...I like the Fralin bridge 5% over and the stock neck for the Tele. My original Tele pickups sounded decent, not great, and they were microphonic as well. The Fralins are quiet and sound very good.

diagrammatiks - care to share any conclusions about all the pickups you tested? Although, I hate to derail the original thread. I have tried a few humbuckers too.

I think my tastes are very different then yours but here's what I learned:

I think the most important thing is finding the right pairing of the pickup and the wood/resonance of the guitar.

I've had pickups that I didn't really like at all one guitar that sounded completely amazing in another. Also, almost every aftermarket pair I've tried has been better then anything stock that my guitars came with, gibson burstbuckers, classics, prs hfs, archop pups, mira pickups etc.

my favorites so far...

les paul style mahogony with a maple cap - bg pickups - hellabucker bridge/smokestack neck. Almost everything else I've tried in the les pauls I've owned have bene really bland. The Bg pups have a perfect balance between highs and lows.

prs hollowbody spruce - the original 10k archtop pups made this guitar way to bright. I have a pair of bareknuckle warpigs with ceramic magnets in there now. It's the only way to get the guitar to work for me. It's a spruce on mahogany hollowbody so the unplugged sound of the guitar is already way to bright.

Ibanez S style thinner slab mahogony - bareknuckle nailbombs. I didn't like the nailbombs in any other guitar I tried them and was looking to sell them until I got the S and decided to throw them in. Night and day difference, really brought out the highs and mids that the guitar needed since it's pretty dark to begin with.

Very cool!

Generally, some dudes just turn out to be fanatics, recommending the same pickup without ever being aware of the issues regarding the match between the wood and the pickups. What you say is absolutely correct, in fact for a while I owned those expensive Holmes, with a4 mags. But my R7 did not like it at all. Am not saying that they are bad and all, yet, they did not work for me. On the other hand, a set of Timbuckers I have sound magnificient on my R8, yet sound really bad on my R7...

Go figure!

The ones I like:

- LP: Tim White's buckers or Rolph's 59s. Yet, Duncan Antiquities, Pearly Gates and 59s are very good buckers as well... For the overwound PAF thing, I adore the Duncan Brobucker...

- Tele: Ron Ellis Broadcaster and Hamel STD-B (Broadcaster) and STD-A (Blackguard)... Closely followed by Duncan Donahue lead. Don't like tele neck pickups, mine has an Antiquity neck HB.

- Strat: Van Zandt vintage +, Fralin Vintage hot (underwound to 5.75K). The former for SRV stuff, and the latter for Clapton's Brownie...

- p90: Lollar!

Regarding the overwound tele lead pickups... I had my share of swapping pickups. Even got my self a duffy overwound (8.00K $42 PE a5 tele lead, which sounded quite thick and open, sorta p90) tele lead... Have to confess, tried many. But the ones I like (depending on the wood) are Duncan Broadcasters (if the wood doesn't have too mcuh highs) Donahue (basically a Broadcaster with different wind and a2s, and works great on "thin" and trebly teles), Fralin Blues Sp (nice pickup, a bit dark, and sounded a bit more compressed than I prefer), O.C. Duff 8.00K (sounded great, but I already have a p90 equipped guitar, so did not need it anymore; was a great pickup though, so make sure to check it out), Rio Grande Muy Grande (did not like it at all, sounded sorta too uppermid heavy, not my thing), bunch of Fenders (those that come stock on R2s are quite good actually), ... I am sure am forgetting some.

I ended up my search with Hamels. Looks like I love a3s... Recently my Hamel STD-B Broadcaster, died. And I started asking whom to send (over on the tele forum, my nick is DrB over there)... Now that Hamel is not winding pickups anymore. Was advised to contact Ron, who I've known since the time that I was ordering the Hamels. But the super cool thing is that, he was faster. He sent a pm on the forum, before I could... And wound that busted Hamel STD-B for FREE... He is such a super cool!... So while waiting I ordered one of his Broadcasters as well. I have to add that currently am living in Istanbul. And getting such a service, believe me, is heavenly!

The rewound pickup (to Hamel STD-B specs, 9.00K not 10.00K as he is winding his) sounds exactly how it used to. So good that I did not have the heart to desolder and try Ron's Broadcaster.

B

[skeezbo]

One last thing to consider on this guitar is the wood/resonance match to the pickup that was mentioned by diagrammatics. The bound tele bodies were usually made of alder, like most strats, rather than ash. Yours is probably alder, although it is hard to see the grain in the picture and the color seems lighter than the natural finish alder guitars I have been around, so who knows. The alder guitar will sound a little different than an ash one. The good news is that the same '62 pickup, if done right, will sound killer in either body wood material.

I have owned and played extensively both '62 and '68 Teles. The lead pickup on the '62 is the one to try to match, in my opinion. The '68 seemed ice-picky compared to the meatier '62. The alder body might make it even less so, but if the bodies that you are comparing are both nice and light you may not hear that much of a difference. I'll bet yours is light. Tell Ron Ellis that the pickup is going in an alder body guitar (if you determine that it is alder); maybe he'll have some extra mojo that he can apply.

Skeeper

[Structo]

I think it is alder.

The alder with the maple neck is going to make it snappier than if it was a rosewood board.
More twang.

Still a great guitar and by all means a classic.

Weird how he thought it was a '58.

[boldaslove6789]

Yeah it's alder...

Yeah the guitar is nice and balanced sounding. they can be a bit uncomfortable sitting down though. The Ron Ellis pup should make all the difference.

I really wanted to go the Robben route with this guitar as it already has that vibe with a NON-HRM circuit.

[wicker]

I've got question guys, I've changed strings from 10-52 to 11-54 on my Tele, and I like them, but I've got problem with setting the scale right, I've got nearly C on 12 fret of B string...
Someone suggested me changing bridge, from classic (3 saddles) to modern 6 saddles. Now I'm a bit confused about that, I know that bridge is really important in Tele, and have heard that changing it will change tone too, what do you think ?

[rogb]

I've got question guys, I've changed strings from 10-52 to 11-54 on my Tele, and I like them, but I've got problem with setting the scale right, I've got nearly C on 12 fret of B string...
Someone suggested me changing bridge, from classic (3 saddles) to modern 6 saddles. Now I'm a bit confused about that, I know that bridge is really important in Tele, and have heard that changing it will change tone too, what do you think ?

How about a Callaham compensated bridge?

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partstel.htm

See halfway down

Callaham 3 Slant Compensated Tele Saddles $37

[greiswig]

I've got question guys, I've changed strings from 10-52 to 11-54 on my Tele, and I like them, but I've got problem with setting the scale right, I've got nearly C on 12 fret of B string...
Someone suggested me changing bridge, from classic (3 saddles) to modern 6 saddles. Now I'm a bit confused about that, I know that bridge is really important in Tele, and have heard that changing it will change tone too, what do you think ?

How about a Callaham compensated bridge?

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partstel.htm

See halfway down

Callaham 3 Slant Compensated Tele Saddles $37

Yeah, the Callaham bridge is pretty close, but not as perfect on intonation as you can get a 6-saddle bridge. I settled for the Callaham because of not wanting to change the Tele tone too much.