BG Flat 50 vs MIM Tele Stock Ceramic - your experience?

[southpaw]

Hi,
Yesterday I bought my first telecaster after 22 years of Strats. It's a Mexican-Made Tele Standard with Ceramic Pickups and the are HOT as 10K bridge and 8.4K Neck. I tested 4 "identical" models in the shop ( a rare treat for a left hander) and picked the most resonant and tonally complex (sweetest) one of the four. 
Although I actually quite like the meaty sound of the stock ceramics and in no particular rush (it's only been a day), I suspect a set of BKP pups would bring out more harmonic content as they have with the two Strat pickup sets I have (custom 62s - that's my demo on youtube with LH Strat Deluxe & Mothers Milk).

The Flat 50s seems to be described at meaty rather than twangy and I really like Roy Fulton's demo. Has anyone done a replacement of a 2008-2010 model MIM Tele with Flat 50s and could offer some insight on how they felt they compare to the stock Ceramic? Or your experience with other Pickups in comparison to the stock ceramic.

Thanks in advance.

[BigB]

Ceramic Pickups and the are HOT as 10K bridge and 8.4K Neck.

Beware, DC resistance is only helpful to compare pickups with similar build / magnets / wire material and gauge (well, a 20K pup will probably be hotter than a 4.5K one for most magnets and wire, but...).

The Flat 50s seems to be described at meaty rather than twangy and I really like Roy Fulton's demo.

IIRC, these were the first Flat 50 incarnation, now known as Flat 52 (please someone correct me if I'm wrong). The new Flat 50 are hotter and beefier (as far as I can tell from soundclips), but the neck don't have the "stratty" character of the F52 neck.

I have no experience with the MiM ceramic pickups so I can't compare, all I can say is that the BFG52 bridge is rather powerful but not OTT, very "raw" sounding, with enough twang to sound like a Tele but no ice-pick and definitly more meat and growl than most Tele bridges I've played, and it fattens nicely when rolling off the tone pot. The neck is something special, sounds very stratty, which may or not fits your needs - I just love it as far as I'm concerned but YMMV.

My 2 cents.

[southpaw]

Ceramic Pickups and the are HOT as 10K bridge and 8.4K Neck.

Beware, DC resistance is only helpful to compare pickups with similar build / magnets / wire material and gauge (well, a 20K pup will probably be hotter than a 4.5K one for most magnets and wire, but...).

Yes I agree - maybe I should of said they are Hot AND are 10K and 8.5K (this is only indicative as you said). They are much louder than any of the Strats I have but not quite as big as Gibson P90s I have in a LP Studio Tribute .

[Telerocker]

The BG52-bridge is already quite beefy for a telepickup and when you roll the tone down a bit, it gets very full. I guess the BG50 will be ever fuller.

[roland_rat]

Hi, 

Congrats on the new guitar.  Has a fellow left hander I am shocked you found a shop where you could try four identical left handed guitars. Which shop was it? 

Regarding the pickups I only have experience of  yardbirds and the boss bridge.  Yardbirds are really nice.  The Flat 50's I hear good things about them. Though have no personal experience of them. 

Enjoy that guitar.   :D

[southpaw]

Hi, 

Congrats on the new guitar.  Has a fellow left hander I am shocked you found a shop where you could try four identical left handed guitars. Which shop was it? 

Strings Direct (Holiday Music)
http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/

There are just around the corner from me. Owner is left handed.

[southpaw]

So I thought I would answer my own question as I have just installed a set for Flat 50's in my MIM Tele.

Output levels are in the same ballpark as the MIM stock pickups, maybe a little lower but they have much more interesting tone.

The Neck Pickup is brighter than stock but with no less bass; just a richer sound.

The Bridge Pickup has less sterile tone; has a nice "bloom" which adds richness to the twangy character.

I am very happy with the results.

[Telerocker]

Congrats! Did you fiddle with the height to find the sweet spots? Scatterwoundpickups are sensitive for that.