By the sounds of a Telecaster.

After 27-years of playing, never had a Telecaster. All of the sudden, in a matter of a week, I have 2 Tele Copies.

We're getting ready to record our 2nd HaleAmano album. I'm writing a new song and I wanted something with a lot of bite to it. Saw a video on youtube, and I HAD to get one. What happened after that decision is actually quite amazing. Although it doesn't involve a Fender at the moment. Let's just say, it will eventually.

Pics will be coming as this thread progresses. I'm in the middle of working on the guitars. Between the two, there's some parts swapping going on. One involves a Korean made Hamer, the other a Japanese copy. So in the end, they will both be parts-casters.

I just got through putting some Fender hot alnico 3 pickups in one of them, and I'm completely hooked. I hit one chord with the bridge pickup, and it was exactly what I wanted.



For the other one, I want to ask for some advice from some forum members on Tele pickups. I want it to be different. Not that I don't like the Hot Alnico 3s, I just want a variety between the 2 guitars, and it will need to be very versatile. I want to use it for our live shows.

I'm playing Reggae, so the clean channel is important. I'm also the lead guitar player, so pickups that distort smoothly are equally important. I also typically use a wah with a neck pickup in the clean and distortion channel at times, so that position can't be too bright. Would I be better off with a humbucker neck (like a Blacktop or Gibson)?

What are your thoughts? What are some of your favorite Telecaster pickup sets or combinations?

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You`ll probably upgrade to an MIA Tele at some point. I had 5 Tele`s before buying my MIA `07 Deluxe. I had 2 Affinity`s, a Blacktop, a Nashville then I had a Hwy 1 that I sold too. The Hot Rod Tele has a humbucker in the neck but it`s a bit pricey so you would have to go by what your budget allows. Their versatile guitars and have their own unique sound but many famous guitarists that play Strats use them also. Guys like Clapton and Jeff Beck and many others that you wouldn`t expect to have used them did or still do. Have you ever listened to Albert Collins, Danny Gatton, or Brent Mason play them ? Look them up on youtube, you`d be amazed at what you hear. Post a picture of it when you get a chance we`d like to see it.

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The twisted Tele neck pickup is really good, IMO.

For recording, hard to beat the DiMarzio Area Ts.

It's hard for me to NOT like a Tele!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

i've got a Seymour Duncan Little 59 in the bridge of my Tele. Its a stacked humbucker. I love this pick up. It does clean and dirty both really well.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... _59_for_t/

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I haven,t played a Tele since the 70,s so I decided to get one. I bought a 52 ri hot rod and been enjoying it so far. Love the bridge p/u sound alot.

Thanks for the responses everyone! And merry Christmas to all of you.

I'm still trying to figure out some good pickup combinations that will be able to withstand the versatility of all of our songs. I mainly use the neck and neck middle for our shows due to extensive wah use, and as a texture to Ryan who plays a bright Blacktop Strat sound. But when I'm not using the wah, or if Ryan puts his guitar down to sing, I like using the bridge for both rhythms and solos. Otherwise it just won't cut through. A TELECASTER BRIDGE CUTS THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR. hahaha.

What I'm really liking so far is the way the Fender Hot Alnico 3 set cuts through in the bridge, but not too trebly. It's a very nice vintage sound. And the neck pickup almost sounds acoustic with a tight bass.. They blend together nicely to create a funky scooped mid kind of sound.

I'm going to try things out a little more tonight with the full rig and see how the neck pickup performs. If I feel like I'm not getting enough out of it, I will probably go with a Fender bridge (possibly an alnico 5) and a Humbucker (Blacktop) in the neck. I HAVE to have that Fender Tele bridge sound regardless. I'm 100% addicted to it right now.

Anyway.. Here's some pics so you can see what I'm working on.

First, here's a link to the Hamer I won on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320815012452?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

3-days later I ran across someone selling a Japanese made "Photo Genic" Telecaster.. Never heard of one, but I liked what I saw. It was in perfect shape. And it came with a Roland Micro Cube all for $80.

When I got the two side-by side, I really wasn't feelin' the look of the Maple neck on the Hamer. I felt like the sunburst was taking away from the awesomeness of the neck. It should really stand out and shine. And it just didn't seem to be a good combo to me as far as body/neck looks. But what if I put the maple neck on the Photo Genic??

So I swapped necks and pickguards, and this is what they look like now.

Hamer body with Photo Genic neck:



Oh yea, and Gibson Amp knobs


And Fender Hot Alnico 3 pickups..



Photo Genic body with Hamer neck:

Black headstock.


Nice maple grain.


Very nice cream binding.


Now the neck really stands out.

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So as it turned out, I actually had a SD 59 tele pickup here. It wasn't Ryan's favorite, so he opted for a custom set earlier this year for his Squier and had me make the swap..

I decided to pop it in and give it a try. See if I might like it. And it's really nice!! Some very good advice from Yodacaster. It'll work perfectly. I think I'm gonna pair it up with a Fender Blacktop neck pickup. I can't wait to get it finished. This thing is gonna scream too.



It's a basswood body btw which is a plus for me. I love basswood.

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