Pickups for that twangy tele tone?

[Surf n Music]

So let's open a can 'o' worms. What is the best or at least your favorite single coils for that twangy tele tone. Musicispeace suggested some Kleins and after listening to clips of their 52's I like them. I also listened to some Lindy Frallin stock teles and they were pretty nice too. All opinions are welcome 

 

[pabloman]

I have a buddy with a Crook Tele that some sort of Voodoo pickups in it. For about half a second I thought I was Brad Paisley. IMO you need a really good compressor. That is the key to the chickin pickin twang tone of Appalachia.  :guitaristgif:

 

[jackthehack]

On my last Tele build I used an SD '52 STR52 at rhythm and an SD Vintage '54 Lead STL-1 at bridge and couldn't be happier

 

[mayfly]

It's really a matter of taste.  You need to pick a set for yourself.

However, my tastes run to Lollar pickups.  I have the super-T set install in all my telecasters.

 

[Surf n Music]

It's really a matter of taste.  You need to pick a set for yourself.

However, my tastes run to Lollar pickups.  I have the super-T set install in all my telecasters.

True enough Mayfly  :toothy11:, I am trying to listen to as many as I can, thank god for youtube so I can get a general idea of what I might get with a set. Thanks for the suggestion too I will try and find some clips.

 

[Surf n Music]

On my last Tele build I used an SD '52 STR52 at rhythm and an SD Vintage '54 Lead STL-1 at bridge and couldn't be happier

Thanks for the mention Jack, looking up some clips right now, not bad at all.

 

[Surf n Music]

I have a buddy with a Crook Tele that some sort of Voodoo pickups in it. For about half a second I thought I was Brad Paisley. IMO you need a really good compressor. That is the key to the chickin pickin twang tone of Appalachia.  :guitaristgif:

Ohh that voodoo defiantly has some twang! Saw a vid of Brad doing a demo. I like it.

 

[stratamania]

You might find this interesting.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Bill_Crook_Mike_Dr_Z_Zaite_and_Robert_Keeley_on_Brad_Paisley

I've been planning on the possibility of some Kinman's in a Tele at some point. But also the Seymour Duncan vintage stack for Tele I have in my Warmoth does a good job. Apparently that is also used by Brent Mason.

 

[SoundAsAnOldEngineer]

I think that the bridge might also play a big part. I recently did a Tele bakeoff between a Fender '52 re-issue Tele and my Warmoth, both with the Fender '52 re-issue bridge pickup, and both with Ash bodies. Both sounded great, but the Fender had more twang. As it happens, I think the Warmoth guitar is more versatile, if a bit more generic. I suppose that the difference is in the bridge design. My Tele has the modern Gotoh bridge, whereas the Fender has the old-school bent tin design.

 

[Surf n Music]

You might find this interesting.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Bill_Crook_Mike_Dr_Z_Zaite_and_Robert_Keeley_on_Brad_Paisley

I've been planning on the possibility of some Kinman's in a Tele at some point. But also the Seymour Duncan vintage stack for Tele I have in my Warmoth does a good job. Apparently that is also used by Brent Mason.

Thanks stratamania. Killer article. Can't wait to study up a bit!

 

[Surf n Music]

I think that the bridge might also play a big part. I recently did a Tele bakeoff between a Fender '52 re-issue Tele and my Warmoth, both with the Fender '52 re-issue bridge pickup, and both with Ash bodies. Both sounded great, but the Fender had more twang. As it happens, I think the Warmoth guitar is more versatile, if a bit more generic. I suppose that the difference is in the bridge design. My Tele has the modern Gotoh bridge, whereas the Fender has the old-school bent tin design.

I was wondering about that. I like the separate saddles and modern aspect of the gotoh but was wondering about tone.

 

[stratamania]

If you want to try a more traditional Tele bridge look at Callaham or Glendale. Barrel saddles but compensate for intonation purposes.

Also  make sure whatever bridge you get matches the mounting holes or vice versa for your body. There usually either a three or four hole mount.

Bridge mounts are described here.

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/BridgeRoutingOptions.aspx

Other twang tone essentials are a compressor. But a lots in the fingers of both hands too and I think a Gotoh six saddle can work.

 

[Surf n Music]

Thanks for the great info. Just got a Don Rich album since all this lead me to see him on you tube. Really diggin it!!

 

[bagman67]

Here's a demo of Duncan Alnico II Pros.


https://youtu.be/ozjq-fjPH2g


Sounds pretty twangy to me.

 

[Surf n Music]

Here's a demo of Duncan Alnico II Pros.


https://youtu.be/ozjq-fjPH2g


Sounds pretty twangy to me.

Mighty fine in the twang department and a good price to boot  :icon_thumright:

 

[Surf n Music]

Well after listening to numerous sound clips I went with a set of Klein 61s. They are a A5 set with the bridge wound at 5.8k and the neck at 6.5k. I am excited. Sounded like good twang to my ears. We shall see when all the parts arrive for the build. 

 

[Strat Avenger]

Dimarzio Area T 615.

 

[rgand]

Well after listening to numerous sound clips I went with a set of Klein 61s. They are a A5 set with the bridge wound at 5.8k and the neck at 6.5k. I am excited. Sounded like good twang to my ears. We shall see when all the parts arrive for the build.

I look forward to your input. I've been on the fence between the DiMarzio Area T 615 and the Duncan Alnico II Pro bridge pickups. The youtube vid Bagman posted shows the Duncans best but that could be only because I couldn't find a good demo of the others.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I'm diggin the GFS NeoVins.

 

[Surf n Music]

Well after listening to numerous sound clips I went with a set of Klein 61s. They are a A5 set with the bridge wound at 5.8k and the neck at 6.5k. I am excited. Sounded like good twang to my ears. We shall see when all the parts arrive for the build.

I look forward to your input. I've been on the fence between the DiMarzio Area T 615 and the Duncan Alnico II Pro bridge pickups. The youtube vid Bagman posted shows the Duncans best but that could be only because I couldn't find a good demo of the others.

Well I am not always so good at explaining but I can say this. With the Kleins in the neck position it makes me want to play finger style jazz. It is so smooth sounding. The bridge when I dig in over the pickup some serious twang results. Just what I wanted. I am finding with both pickups selected I can change my tones with emphasizing my picking towards to bridge or neck. I am really liking the twang aspect, kinda why I put a tele together.