What pickup for my tele?

[sharpant]

Hi chaps!

I have a Fender Deluxe American telecaster which has great pickups in. However, I don't like the bridge pickup.

I have a problem though, I have noiseless pickups in the guitar with the S1-Switching.

If I change the bridge pickup but leave the neck will this actually work? Only the Fender pickup will be noiseless.

Anyway...the important bit...tone! I was the tele to sound like a tele but have a bit of umph and bite in the tone. I'm not a fan of it sounding super thin when you drive the amp a little bit. I'm not saying I want high gain but I'd like some sustain.

Any suggestions guys? Here's the guitar

[FernandoDuarte]

Flat '52 is the most usual people gets and everyone that bought it loved it! It's always describe as how a tele shall sound...

If you want extra bass, get the Flat '50, which is hotter and has more bass...

[Telerocker]

The Blackguard 52 gives you all the classic teletone with good mids and a nice, not shrill topend. Turn the toneknob a tad back and it darkens. Lots of tones on tap this way. Another option is The Boss, which has quite a flat voicing. All BKP's are very dynamic, articulate and not shrill in the upperregister.

Of course you can leave the S1-switching, but you can wire it also to classic tele 3-way or a 4-way switch. I took the S1-wiring out of my American Series HSS-strat: lots of sounds, but all a bit muffled. I changed it for a classic 5-way strat-wiring with a VHII and Mother's Milks. It's like a blanket is pulled away.

[BigB]

Another vote for the BGF52 here - the bridge and neck are both so amazing  you just won't care about this "noiseless" stuff -, but I have to say I'd like to try the new BGF50 bridge someday.

[sharpant]

Hey chaps,

Thanks so much for helping out! Any further opinions? The 52' sounds great, looking for a pickup that sounds tele / country esque but when drive has some bite, lead and sustain to it!

[bandmaster188]

hi ya,
i had a deluxe series custom telecaster  a year or so ago and i fitted a set of yardbirds in it. plenty of tele twang but with balls.
jonathan at feline fitted them for me and i'm sure he had to solder in an extra wire to the pickups (a ground i think) which then made them compatible with the s1 switching. i can't remember the exact details but it wasn't that complicated as i re-fitted the noisless pups when i sold it. i'm sure someone on here will know what to do though.
they did rock nicely though those yardbirds!

[sharpant]

Hey guys?

Any further comments here?

Once gain I'm looking for a pickup that sounds like a tele! I don't want to imitate rock etc, Hendrix is about as heavy as im looking for here.


Going to order something today :)

[roland_rat]

 Blackguard 52 maybe though I would consider a set a of yardbirds.  My favourite Bare Knuckle set.  Isuspect which ever you opt for you are in for a treat!

[38thBeatle]

Well I'll comment from the position of a happy owner of a set of Country Boy pups. Quintessential Tele tones- classic in every way. They have the Tele twang and came out very well in an A/B test/comparison with a vintage Tele   some years back In fact my Tele is enjoying the status of being my no 1 gig guitar and has done for around 6 months Having said all tta, the other recommendations you have had are all valid. Tough choice and I just wish I had a few more Teles as I think I'd definitely have few other sets too.