tele q's

[DustyCat]

Hi,

I am trying to recall an experience i had many years ago in my country lab when i was the only student without a telecaster.

I seem to recall a noticeable 'chime' to the tone, even with a straight signal, no pedals, clean tone. All of the teles maybe 5 or 6 of 'em (single coils) seemed to have this same tonal quality.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon,  possibly verify another source that said it was the metallic plate surrounding the pickup that was the culprit.

I am thinking about matching a body to the neck I ordered because the high e string keeps sliding off the edge of the fingerboard and under the edge of the pickup.

I'm thinking about going with a padouk top on a canary top, thinline, and dual humbuckers with the extra 'chime'.

And do you guys do any kind of beveling on the edge of the body?

 

[swarfrat]

I think the operative terms of the equation are:

1) That bridge pickup
2) Hardtail, String through.

The ashtray is just window dressing that's endearing to some.

 

[Cagey]

Chunky Maple on Maple necks, heavy bodies, single coil pickups designed specifically for the Tele. Maybe that metal ground plane the bridge pickups is mounted to. Fender used a steel plate, which will behave differently than the brass parts like Gotoh makes.

I've never heard a humbucker of any design sound anything like what a Tele single coil sounds like. Not even close, no matter how bright they are. However, I think if I were trying to get a Tele sound in a noise-free (humbucking) pickup, I'd be tempted to try a set of Bill Lawrence parts (scroll down). If anyone could do it, he could. Also, the Microcoils are supposed to be pretty nice.

It's a pitiful web site, though. You'll get more info on their forum, and there's a thread on Tele pickups here.

 

[swarfrat]

actually cagey is right. I was thinking acoustically, but the big conductive plate does slash right through the magnetic field. The Tele is actually not as bright as the strat bridge pickup. at least thats been my experience (surprised me too)

 

[DustyCat]

Thanks for the replies.
Not too sure yet what I got brewin' but these pups look like they are worth a shot.