I have a MIM tele that needs some work under the hood. While I'm screwing around with it, I'd like to upgrade the pickups ... the factory p/u's are lifeless. Anybody found anything they like?
Replacement pickups for a Tele
- Thread starter capnjuan
- Start date
krysh
Guildarist in the mod squad
lieber johannes,
probably not what you want to hear, but I love the emg's in my t-250.
probably not what you want to hear, but I love the emg's in my t-250.
Thank you Michael; are they still in production? I'm open to suggestions. Other than the SD Antiquities, I really don't know what else is out there. I'm not going to mess with custom hand-wounds ... just something off-the-shelf that people think well of.
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
John! My tech, also known as www.steffsen.be winds a custom "Seatsniffers special" set he designed with/for yours truly, I have to call him next week, I'll ask him if he can do a special price thing for you, that is, if you're interested. I'll get back to you about that if you are - needless to say I like them a lot... :mrgreen:
coastie99
Enlightened Member
Walter Broes said:
Ah, I just love the fraternity here !!
VEER ALERT!krysh said:l but I love the emg's in my t-250.
I'm still learning about my T-250. Were the EMGs the only option, and were they all the same models in the stock guitar, and if so, which EMGs were used? Except for a Tele with a humbucker at the neck I had for a year or so in the 70s, all my electric experience has been with archtops with stock PUPs, so I'm still learning about this guitar.
Brad
krysh
Guildarist in the mod squad
Brad Little said:VEER ALERT!krysh said:l but I love the emg's in my t-250.
I'm still learning about my T-250. Were the EMGs the only option, and were they all the same models in the stock guitar, and if so, which EMGs were used? Except for a Tele with a humbucker at the neck I had for a year or so in the 70s, all my electric experience has been with archtops with stock PUPs, so I'm still learning about this guitar.
Brad
brad,
as far as I know the other option was DiMarzios. But I really don't know if these emg-pickups (and the ones in the hightbirds/nightingale and pilot basses) have been stock. I have read somewhere that emg did make special pickups for guild.
CALLING HANS???
@ john,
yes, emg still makes different sets for telecasters:
http://www.emginc.com/products/category/13/1
but I don't know which are in my T-250 :-(
Yes; interested! Please PM with a ballpark price ... needn't be to the penny ... just want to know if I would be getting in over my head. Thank you!Walter Broes said:
Thank you Michael; I put the EMGs on my short list.krysh said:
I'm a big fan of Don Mare's pickups. His 2324 "Nancy" set on a partscaster tele is the best tele tone I've heard meself. Low output, not overwound. Beautiful. Plenty of people swear by Lollars. Truth is, there are any number of well regarded makers:
Fralin
Amalfitano
Van Zandt
OC Duff
Ron Ellis
David Plummer
Manlius
Tom Short
It's hard to choose. I have a Van Zandt bridge p/u in hand, might not get to use it. You're welcome to it for what I paid. Around 8k.
MD
Fralin
Amalfitano
Van Zandt
OC Duff
Ron Ellis
David Plummer
Manlius
Tom Short
It's hard to choose. I have a Van Zandt bridge p/u in hand, might not get to use it. You're welcome to it for what I paid. Around 8k.
MD
Depends on what your budget is.
If you want the ultimate in tone go for the Kinman Broadcaster Set Zero Hum, these are what I am putting in my Telecaster project I am putting the finishing touches on. They are pricey but worth every penny.
Other solid options are, as mentioned, the Seymour Duncan Antiquity, Lindy Fralin blues set is a nice sounding pup, Fender NoCaster sound really nice and vintage.
Also, these guys are local to my town and they make great handwound pickups at a very affordable price.
http://www.mojotone.com/Custom-Wound
If you want the ultimate in tone go for the Kinman Broadcaster Set Zero Hum, these are what I am putting in my Telecaster project I am putting the finishing touches on. They are pricey but worth every penny.
Other solid options are, as mentioned, the Seymour Duncan Antiquity, Lindy Fralin blues set is a nice sounding pup, Fender NoCaster sound really nice and vintage.
Also, these guys are local to my town and they make great handwound pickups at a very affordable price.
http://www.mojotone.com/Custom-Wound
Hi MJT and thank you; I put the Mojotones on my list; ... attractive prices. Not sure how else to say it but mostly looking for a one order of magnitude upgrade ... a noticeable improvement ... considering the cheese that's in there now, getting that shouldn't be too hard ... it's just a matter of wading through the options. Thanks again. JMojoTooth said:
jcwu
Senior Member
You'd probably want to define what you'd consider a "good" tele tone, too.
There are lots, I mean LOTS of great pickup manufacturers out there, and they all make excellent pickups, but most of these pickups won't be everyone's cup of tea. What sounds great to one player because of its twang may sound terrible to another player as too harsh. What sounds nice and smooth and rich to one guy could be described as lacking luster by another.
Know what I mean?
(I have no idea what a good tele sounds like, or is supposed to sound like, but I think the principle still applies...)
There are lots, I mean LOTS of great pickup manufacturers out there, and they all make excellent pickups, but most of these pickups won't be everyone's cup of tea. What sounds great to one player because of its twang may sound terrible to another player as too harsh. What sounds nice and smooth and rich to one guy could be described as lacking luster by another.
Know what I mean?
(I have no idea what a good tele sounds like, or is supposed to sound like, but I think the principle still applies...)
dogman
Member
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I'm suprised no one mentioned Joe Barden pickups, used by the late great Danny Gatton.
Check here: http://www.joebarden.com/main.php
I hav ethese in my 69 tele and I haven't had a need to look anywhere else.
Just my 2 cents worth
Check here: http://www.joebarden.com/main.php
I hav ethese in my 69 tele and I haven't had a need to look anywhere else.
Just my 2 cents worth
:lol: Yes; I know exactly what you mean. As our BBer JP once put it; in France, there are 246 registered, distinguishable types of cheese ... any every type has its fans:jcwu said:
Cheese Dude A: 'I like Camembert '
Cheese Dude B: 'You're crazy ... Roquefort is king'
Looking for warm, fizzy, not too t(w)angy ...
guildzilla
Senior Member
I think I would at least consider using what Fender uses in an American Tele as the replacements. Maybe look for an e-Bay bargain, CJ.
Before you buy active EMG's, as used in the Guild T-250, make sure there's room under the hood in the back compartment for a 9-volt battery.
Best luck with the project.
Before you buy active EMG's, as used in the Guild T-250, make sure there's room under the hood in the back compartment for a 9-volt battery.
Best luck with the project.
guildzilla
Senior Member
I just wouldn't want to see your parts dangling out, amigo. :wink:
Hi John,
I only have three Teles, so what do I know? :lol:
I currently have a MIM tele. The original pickups sounded fine to me, through a classic Fender preamp, but I don't know how they'd sound through your particular Gibbie amps.
So, I called a friend of mine who, among many other guitars and amps, has a small mid-'60's Gibson amp and a couple of Teles. He currently has Vox, Gibson and Fender amps in various sizes and shapes. He's been chasing tone for close to 40 years and is fairly well plugged into the Concept of Pickup, Amp and Speaker working together.
He said that the MIM pickups typically have 'glare' to them that actually works well with the gainier Fender preamps. For the Gibsons, he thought that you would probably like a pickup with 'real magnets and wire' that hit the front end of your amps a little bit harder.
Having said that, I would consider a tele pickup that has the hotter '50's sound to it.
Personally, I like Fender Vintage reissue pickups (I bought a Custom Shop '50's Tele pickup set that was absolutely wonderful one time, albeit with my Fender amps), as well as Van Zandt pickups. If a 'Vintage plus 5%' pickup is too hot for you, you can always drop the pickup down further away from the strings.
Better yet, I like the idea of Mad Dog's 8K Van Zandt pickup. That's gonna have a beefy '50's sound to it (I think?). In comparison, the '60's Van Zandt's will sound treble-li-er and not quite as meaty.
On the other hand, you could get a nice 'clean-boost pedal' and hit the front of your amp a little bit harder, too.
Oh yeah, get some 250K CTS metal shaft pots with audio taper, a real Switchcraft switch and a what, a .047 cap? Go all the way, Ray!!
I only have three Teles, so what do I know? :lol:
I currently have a MIM tele. The original pickups sounded fine to me, through a classic Fender preamp, but I don't know how they'd sound through your particular Gibbie amps.
So, I called a friend of mine who, among many other guitars and amps, has a small mid-'60's Gibson amp and a couple of Teles. He currently has Vox, Gibson and Fender amps in various sizes and shapes. He's been chasing tone for close to 40 years and is fairly well plugged into the Concept of Pickup, Amp and Speaker working together.
He said that the MIM pickups typically have 'glare' to them that actually works well with the gainier Fender preamps. For the Gibsons, he thought that you would probably like a pickup with 'real magnets and wire' that hit the front end of your amps a little bit harder.
Having said that, I would consider a tele pickup that has the hotter '50's sound to it.
Personally, I like Fender Vintage reissue pickups (I bought a Custom Shop '50's Tele pickup set that was absolutely wonderful one time, albeit with my Fender amps), as well as Van Zandt pickups. If a 'Vintage plus 5%' pickup is too hot for you, you can always drop the pickup down further away from the strings.
Better yet, I like the idea of Mad Dog's 8K Van Zandt pickup. That's gonna have a beefy '50's sound to it (I think?). In comparison, the '60's Van Zandt's will sound treble-li-er and not quite as meaty.
On the other hand, you could get a nice 'clean-boost pedal' and hit the front of your amp a little bit harder, too.
Oh yeah, get some 250K CTS metal shaft pots with audio taper, a real Switchcraft switch and a what, a .047 cap? Go all the way, Ray!!