Which Tele bridge pickup?

[T50]

Gents,

I will have a Warmoth tele body coming soon.
It has the normal tele bridge routing and P90
routing in the neck position.

Now, I want to put a Duncan Antiquity II mini-humbucker
in the neck position. But I'm not sure which pickup to
put in the bridge position. I want that ZZ Top sound from
this tele.

You can vote for up to 2 pickups!

 

[-CB-]

Which engine should I put in my VW to make it sound like a vintage Harley?

To that I add - WHICH vintage Harley?

Which ZZ top sound do you want to "APPROXIMATE"??

A good deal of BFG's tone is his unique blend of amp and speaker, as well as guitar and, obviously...FINGERS

 

[Mor Paul]

ZZ Top, from the top of my head, has used Gretchs Bo Diddly's, LP's, Teles, some modified tele-shape with a special pup, and probably others.

 

[T50]

Thanks for the help, guys.
I'm after the tone coming from songs like
"Just Got Back from Baby's" and "I Need You Tonight".
:help: :dontknow:

I've seen Billy Gibbon on TV playing a modified tele shaped
guitar with a bridge pickup similar to Duncan Little 59.

I guess it would be very difficult to "nail" ZZ Top sound with
just a guitar and a Marshall tube combo amp. But if I can
get to the vicinity... anywhere near his sound, it would be
satisfactory.

 

[blue313]

I've seen Billy Gibbon on TV playing a modified tele shaped
guitar with a bridge pickup similar to Duncan Little 59.

These are the available versions of the pickup in that guitar. 
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/telecaster/pearly_gates_fo/
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/stratocaster/strat_pearly_ga/

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Get the SD Custom shop to wind you a Tele sized Pearly Gates. That is the pick-up that Billy used the most through the modern ZZ Top years up until he started playing the Billy-Bo Gretsch.

 

[T50]

Excellent info!!! Thanks, guys.  :hello2:
I wonder how different this Pearly Gate tele pickup will sound
compared to the Little 59... I had Little 59 on my Tele briefly
and liked the way it sounded.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

The Pearly Gates will be slightly hotter and slightly brighter.

 

[jackthehack]

I only ever saw Gibbons playing that Tele on the VH1 "Honors" show, and it didn't sound like what you reference.

Going back to the day (first time I saw them was ca. 1970 in Dallas and cover was $2) and on the First Album, Billy was playing through a Bassman head with a CryBaby and a couple of other pedals or a smallish Fender tube amp - Princeton(?) in clubs and the studio.

"Just Got Back From Baby's" tone = '59 LP and a Fender tube amp.

"I Need You Tonight" is one of my favorite Top songs, that tone is more easily reproduced, but different - any hot/competent pickup; there's so much distortion/chorus/delay layered.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Billy Gibbons has played guitars not finished in Nitro, .008 gauge strings, and solid state amps and still has tone for days.  Gotta love it.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I only ever saw Gibbons playing that Tele on the VH1 "Honors" show, and it didn't sound like what you reference.

He does play it on their latest concert DVD.

 

[Return of Guitlouie]

Huge guitar collection, that guy.  It's been said he owns over 1000 Esquires. 
One of my favorite BFG tones is on Blue Jean Blues, which is reportedly a 59 start straight into a Neve recording console.

 

[T50]

After days of researching, asking around and the result of this poll,
I am leaning towards Rio Grande Dirty Harry tele bridge.

My next question is then:
Let's say I have a mini-humbucker in the neck and Dirty Harry in the bridge.
Do I use 250K pot or 500K pot?

 

[Mor Paul]

Are you trying to beat me to that Dirty Harry?  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[T50]

Are you trying to beat me to that Dirty Harry?  :icon_jokercolor:

Max, don't worry. I don't even have the body and the neck yet.
I'll take my time on this one and get it right.
Why don't you write up a review on that pickup when you get it?

 

[Mor Paul]

I can't say I've tried enough pickups to really develop an ear yet. I can try a review, but it'll be a while before I get everything. I think I've got to get around 8 times as much money as I have now  :laughing7:

 

[mayfly]

no experience with the proposed pickups, but for my 8-ball build i'm gonna use one of these:

married up with one of these:

 

[Mor Paul]

Is that a lollar charlie christian tele bridge?
And by that, I'm guessing the other is a lollar p90

 

[mayfly]

Is that a lollar charlie christian tele bridge?
And by that, I'm guessing the other is a lollar p90

yep.yep.

 

[T50]

those are eXpensive stuff....