Started a Tele build

[PINKBITS]

I've never owned a Tele and thought is was about time I got myself one. I really love the look of the 52' Hod Rod so am going for this sort of style.

I picked up a nice Warmonth Butterscotch body and an 09 American standard neck and am now onto pickups.

Looking at either an Antiquity Firebird or standard Duncan SM-1 minibucker. For the bridge I'm pretty sure I'll grab a BKP Piledriver.

I like the idea that the Piledriver is a Broadcaster type with serious balls and as I believe I need to use around a 500k volume pot for the Mini bucker the Pile driver should also work well with this.

Here's a couple of pics. The pickguard and pickups in the body are obviously coming out. This is just how I purchased it.

[FernandoDuarte]

Will be awesome!!! Congrats!

[Philly Q]

Nice one!  :D

We all love a Tele round here.  Well most of us.

[gwEm]

Looking at either an Antiquity Firebird or standard Duncan SM-1 minibucker.

Lollar

[Philly Q]

Looking at either an Antiquity Firebird or standard Duncan SM-1 minibucker.

Lollar

Yeah, I have a Lollar Firebird in a Tele, I like it a lot. 

Haven't tried those Duncans for comparison, though.  I did once have a Hamer with the SM-2 (harsh) and SM-3 (cool neck pickup!)

[PINKBITS]

I'll check out the Lollar, thanks very much  8).

Am I correct in thinking a 500k volume pot will be required for a minibucker?

I really dislike dark tone. I much prefer having things on the bright side and taming it.

Thanks for the kind words too lads. The research I did on the Piledriver just seems as though it was made for this project.

I plan on this being a pretty versatile axe, blues and classic rock through to harder rock styles.

[PINKBITS]

Just checked out the Lollar firebird, pretty expensive but will research a bit further and see what I come up with. Thanks for the heads up either way.

I should also say that I am still considering just grabbing the Piledriver set or maybe a Yardbird neck. I wish there were more clips of these. I'd love to hear a bit of the neck pickup. One of my favourite tones is lead on the neck pickup of a Strat.

[WezV]

tbh i think pot value is a judgement call with this kinda pickup arrangement - try it and see or take your best guess based on what you already use


edit - why not get a strat neck pickup then???

[Philly Q]

I have regular 250K pots on my Tele, but personally I like a dark, warm neck pickup tone.  

Having said that, the Lollar mini is pretty bright and clear anyway!

[PINKBITS]

tbh i think pot value is a judgement call with this kinda pickup arrangement - try it and see or take your best guess based on what you already use


edit - why not get a strat neck pickup then???

Fair enough question. It's more the clarity and chime you get from a single coil pickup that I love. The minibucker seems to be the middle ground between a single coil and a bucker. I'm just after something different from what I already have.

Strat with Fender CS 69's and a Les Paul with Habanero's.