Telecaster neck pickups - The Creme de la Creme?

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

OK, so what are peoples experiences with this oft maligned pickup.

 

The covered Tele pickup is loved and loathed in comparable measures.

 

Me, I love the GFS Fatbody, and I do hear some good tones from the Twisted neck on the Baja Tele, but outside of that the covered Tele neck pickups don't do it for me.

 

Over on TDPRI, there's lots of fans of Don Mare and Fred Stuart's take on the Hamel Tallneck

 

Now I'm not interested in bucker alternatives or uncovered pickups in general as this pickup is to go in a trad looking guitar.

 

Sensible middle o road wisdom says the Fender Custom Shop Nocaster set is pretty darn good

 

Suggestions?

 

Experience?

[clay sails]

I've been a bit of a hater of this pickup in the past. But then a miracle happened. I was playing my tele with a USA covered pickup in the neck by accident and, on a clear setting, it sounded springy and sweet.

 

I had been planning on replacing it (and I still might) but I definitely see the appeal for certain types of music. If I replace it, I will probably put a JB Jr. in the slot and call it a day.

[csm]

Some of the guys at Guitarist seriously rate Fender's 'Twisted Tele' necker ... Neville Marten's all-time fav Tele set pairs that with the Nocaster bridge unit.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

Some of the guys at Guitarist seriously rate Fender's 'Twisted Tele' necker ... Neville Marten's all-time fav Tele set pairs that with the Nocaster bridge unit.

 

 

Yup, as mentioned up there ^^^ but ya can't can't buy em

[soundcreation]

Mine has a Alinco pro II Seymour duncan and it's a fantastic pickup. Amazing bluesy rhythm. Pretty clean but sounds great with an amp that does nice dirt. Growls really well.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

Mine has a Alinco pro II Seymour duncan and it's a fantastic pickup. Amazing bluesy rhythm. Pretty clean but sounds great with an amp that does nice dirt. Growls really well.

 

 

As in the APTR-1?

 

Interesting

[akapuli]

I liked the Harmonic Design Vintage Plus, but yet I changed to SD Seth Lover at the end.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

I liked the Harmonic Design Vintage Plus, but yet I changed to SD Seth Lover at the end.

 

 

So liked it, but not loved it?

 

I can understand the Seth Lover

[soundcreation]

 

As in the APTR-1? Interesting

 

 

Yes that one. At least that's what is suppose to be in it! I was told the bridge was swapped out for a Fralin, but there was no mention of the neck. So I'm assuming it's still stock. Had it for ages and really haven't pulled it apart to check.

[metalheadUK]

Ignorant tosser that I am, I have to say that I just dont get this "Tele neck pickup doesn't work for me" thing.

 

Whats wrong with 'em....the neck pickups in my Teles sound great..maybe not as "snappy" as a Strat neck, but a really smooth fat tone.

 

I tend to use the neck pickup MORE than the bridge on a lot of my Tele playing.

 

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Ignorant tosser that I am, I have to say that I just dont get this "Tele neck pickup doesn't work for me" thing. Whats wrong with 'em....the neck pickups in my Teles sound great..maybe not as "snappy" as a Strat neck, but a really smooth fat tone. I tend to use the neck pickup MORE than the bridge on a lot of my Tele playing.

 

This thread is closed to real players Marc:facepalm:

 

This about my crusade to build a Tele that I like 110%, and in the peace of my playing room, sound exactly how I think it should sound, would you deny me my small piece of Tele solitude?

 

Despite builing quite a few, I still haven't found one I wish to keep, although I did get near the last attempt

 

Real players just shouldn't think about this.....anyway, I think the answer is Nocaster in the absence of a Baja Twisted Tele neck

[vintage clubber]

two of my teles are equipped with Kent Armstrongs. I'm very happy with those, especially for the price point.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

two of my teles are equipped with Kent Armstrongs. I'm very happy with those, especially for the price point.

 

 

Now ya see, I love price point and am a great believer in it, and the white Tele that Fretsy has, has a GFS Fatbody at the neck and that is just about the perfect Tele sized neck pickup I've ever used, but I know that a covered pickup can get a lot closer to that than I've yet found, I have two Tele builds coming up, both for me, and one is completely non Trad, and I want the other to be as close to trad looking as possible, and yet still make me want to keep it....s'all

[Gumkick]

 

Yup, as mentioned up there ^^^ but ya can't can't buy em

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Twisted-Tele-Telecaster-Guitar-Neck-Pickup-New-/360263904751

 

$80, 3 available

[vintage clubber]

Now ya see, I love price point and am a great believer in it, and the white Tele that Fretsy has, has a GFS Fatbody at the neck and that is just about the perfect Tele sized neck pickup I've ever used, but I know that a covered pickup can get a lot closer to that than I've yet found, I have two Tele builds coming up, both for me, and one is completely non Trad, and I want the other to be as close to trad looking as possible, and yet still make me want to keep it....s'all

 

they work great for the 4 way switch mod too...

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Twisted-Tele-Telecaster-Guitar-Neck-Pickup-New-/360263904751 $80, 3 available

 

 

Now my seraches didn't turn those up, but $80 ea?

 

I just bought a CS NoCaster neck pickup for $48:idk:

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

they work great for the 4 way switch mod too...

 

I'm bored with the 4 way mod, soz man, just am, I'm more Esquire than 4 way at the moment

[notjonahbutnoah]

The strat in my ave has the Duncan vintage for tele and its a damn fine how do you do.

 

Using that pickup, and my lowly nomad, I created my all time favorite tone..... of all time. Its got the juiciest surf/blues overdrive sound I've heard. Truly a delight.

 

Love me some tele neck pickups.

[the new guy]

Have you considered putting a cover on the Fatbody ?

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Have you considered putting a cover on the Fatbody ?

 

No, but I did consider a Brighton Rock

 

[gtrjones]

personally, I like something overwound a bit. Guitarfetish's 'fat', and rio's Muy Grande - more winds, bigger polepieces, sounds a bit 'thicker' than a stocker, but still plays well with a stock bridge.

[Mel Cooley]

For a neck pickup I've found that a plain ol' Fender Texas Special works great. Can't say the same for the bridge model.

[vintage clubber]

No, but I did consider a Brighton Rock

 

that would probably be sweet in a tele!

[Uma Floresta]

 

OK, so what are peoples experiences with this oft maligned pickup. The covered Tele pickup is loved and loathed in comparable measures. Me, I love the GFS Fatbody, and I do hear some good tones from the Twisted neck on the Baja Tele, but outside of that the covered Tele neck pickups don't do it for me. Over on TDPRI, there's lots of fans of Don Mare and Fred Stuart's take on the Hamel Tallneck Now I'm not interested in bucker alternatives or uncovered pickups in general as this pickup is to go in a trad looking guitar. Sensible middle o road wisdom says the Fender Custom Shop Nocaster set is pretty darn good Suggestions? Experience?

 

 

If you're willing to go humbucker sized, the GFS Surf 90 is an excellent neck pickup. It's single coil, and very clear sounding for a neck pickup. No mud at all.

[guitarcapo]

Fralin Blues Special or Tonerider Vintage Plus are my favorites. Not muddy. Just punchy clear and jazzy. Great for blues lead guitar or jazz chording.

Basically everything good about a telecaster minus the twang that you get at the bridge.