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Post subject: Got a MIM Tele, what pickups should i put in?
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:05 pm
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For playing some English Beat? I am new to the Tele world. Please dont tell me to try some other guitar type. Its gonna be a Tele. Thanks!

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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:11 pm
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Hey Bro!

Welcome to the Tele world! There is a great group of guys here who think the Tele is the best guitar made. You'll probably hear us all tell you about the same thing...

Don't mess with 'em for awhile...

Get use to your Tele and how it sounds. They are a pretty flexable guitar and will fit a wide variety of music.

The second thing we'll all tell you is make sure your amped right. Your amp probably has a greater effect on your overall sound than your pickups.

Your MIM Tele is a great guitar. Play it for awhile and see what you really need and don't have before you go changing anything.

Again - welcome!

Rick

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:26 am
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+1 to RickyD!

I too had the same dilemna. Got my MIM Tele back in January and straight away wanted to "upgrade" things. Following some wise words from this forum, I left it alone until I figured out what I didn't like about it and what I actually wanted from it. I have played my Tele through several amps now (Marshall, Kustom, Line6, Peavey) and have come to the conclusion ther's nothing wrong with my standard pickups. I just don't like the amp I have!

Stick with it and get to know your guitar before you go changing things over.

Cheers.

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:29 am
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I would have to say the same thing i found adjusting the height of my pickups just a hair changed the sound of the guitar and like the others on the site said try different amps i have a Vox, and Fender amp and the guitar sounds like different animals thru both jam fo awhile and see what you think i like the Tex mex pickups but thats me good luck and have a nice holiday latter. Abe :wink:


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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:42 am
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I agree with playing 'as is' for awhile. Experiment with tweaking the pickup heights also.

If I were to make a change, I'd listen to several to find exactly the sound that you're looking for.

Filtertrons might be good for English Beat stuff...?

Good luck!

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:28 pm
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RickyD wrote:
Hey Bro!

Welcome to the Tele world! There is a great group of guys here who think the Tele is the best guitar made. You'll probably hear us all tell you about the same thing...

Don't mess with 'em for awhile...

Get use to your Tele and how it sounds. They are a pretty flexable guitar and will fit a wide variety of music.

The second thing we'll all tell you is make sure your amped right. Your amp probably has a greater effect on your overall sound than your pickups.

Your MIM Tele is a great guitar. Play it for awhile and see what you really need and don't have before you go changing anything.

Again - welcome!

Rick


+2 Welcome to Fenderland.. :D As my twin brother Ricky said!! He is right on with his advice! Plus he has a LOT of Teles..:) so his opinion is IMO gospel!!
ABS


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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:50 pm
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My wife gave me a MIM Tele 3yrs ago for Christmas and I still love the spank in the original pups,I would never consider changing them unless someone gave me the pups from a scrapped original 50s Tele and we all know that would never happen.

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:51 pm
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I agree with all my bros here. Get used to it first. The stock pickups are fine and the Tele is so versatile, we all play different styles here.

Like Ricky D said, get used to it first and whatever amp you are using as that will affect your tone more. Then once you are used to it you can see what you are missing, if anything, and sort it out then. It's like zoning in first.

Enjoy and welcome to Tele land!!

CC

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 7:36 pm
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Thanks for all your replies. I will try tinkering more. Let's pretend I tinker more and still think its the guitar. What pickups would u suggest? AThanks again!!

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:16 pm
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Quote:
Let's pretend I tinker more and still think its the guitar. What pickups would u suggest?


Well......... I'm gonna put a Twisted Tele in the neck and a Hot Nocaster in the bridge of my RickyD-ecaster, but that's probably not the sound you're going to be looking for...

Dunno... maybe look at what's in a Joe Strummer or a Jim Root Tele. Those guys play some "non-traditional" Tele music. Maybe even some John 5 stuff.

I kinda stick w/ traditional Tele sounds. I'm more a Luther Perkins, Buck Owens, Don Rich, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Springsteen kind of Tele and Esquire guy. 8)

But hey, the Tele is pretty versatile, so your sound is in it somewhere...

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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:04 pm
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I'd have to agree with the Forum on this and look at different amps first. But if I were to change any it would be to put a humbucker or maybe a P-90 in the neck I really like the way a humbucker blends with the stock bridge pickup. 8)


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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:07 am
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Hey Bro,

One other thing on amps...

Have you tried your Tele with a Super Champ XD? I bought one several weeks ago based on a recommendation from airbornestrat on how much he liked his. I had never played through one before and in fact, had not heard one at all before I took mine out of the box.

That is an amazing little amp. I can't imagine you can't find a voicing mixed in with your Tele that won't be just what you are looking for.

They aren't expensive either. I paid $300 delivered for mine. I think Guitar Center prolly has them for $20-30 cheaper if you have a GC w/in $20-30 driving distance.

But serious - check one out. You'll probably find the sound you're looking for.

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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 7:21 pm
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i fooled with my pup hieght and it does make a difference in the sound


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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 7:04 pm
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Has anyone else noticed the bridge pickup has to be lowered to 10mm and the neck to 6mm to get them to balance out? {strings to pole pieces at the last fret}


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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:32 pm
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I like the stock pickups too.

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