Changing just one pickup...

[agger86]

Hi everyone

I apologise if these are some stupid questions but I'm new to modding guitars so be gentle!

I'm looking at buying a squire tele (http://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-vintage-modified-telecaster-custom-black/68646) and thinking about swapping out the single coil bridge pickup for something a bit more 'aggressive'. I was wondering firstly, will it work swapping only one pickup and having an unmatched set, and secondly, if it does work is it possible to buy individual bare knuckle pickups rather than a set?

Oh and finally if I were to buy a set, are there any s/h bare knuckle sets?


Thanks in advance for any advice :-)

[Dave Sloven]

People install bridge pickups without changing the neck pickup all the time, most likely because they don't use the neck pickup very much or they are happy with it for what they use it for.  I changed neck and bridge on my SG because I didn't like either (especially the neck pickup), but some people leave one or the other as is.  You can buy them separately too and mix them up, I have a neck and bridge from different sets but I consulted with BKP first to check that would work in my guitar.

With the Telecaster there are special pickups just for that model.  Besides the ones with humbuckers in the telecasters are quite similar, the main differences between maple versus rosewood fingerboards.  Apparently some of them are optimized for one or the other but this doesn't seem to be as much of a factor in the hotter ones.

Here's the page where you will find information on the different pickups.  You might be interested in the Boss or Piledriver pickups.  https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=teles

Here's the page where you can find pricing and order the pickups:
https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2&zenid=20b0c8140034bc3e415335fa9cefa71e

You'll find that you have a number of options.  I would check in with BKP as to whether these suit you.  On single coil sets you have the option of uncovered or covered (with various covers) neck pickups, standard or RW/RP polarity, 'aging' of the neck pickup (to match an older guitar), and 4-way wiring on the neck pickup.

The pickup prices for neck, bridge, and set are on the site.  Sets work out cheaper, in part because you get one box, with one set of strings, one pick, etc.  If you bought them individually you get two lots of everything.

If you are located outside of the EU the 20% VAT is deducted from the price (as you are exempt).  You will however be responsible for any taxes your own government might charge you (this does not happen in Australia, but other places will differ).

Anyway everything is on the site somewhere.  There are also FAQs for all of this. Have a look around and listen to the clips.  You can also find stuff on Youtube, like this video of a tuned down Tele playing metal through a 6505+ 112 combo and what looks like a 112 Orange cab connected to it as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GkBLyIzKjs

[agger86]

Thank you for that brilliant reply, really appreciate you taking the time to give me all that info. That's good to hear about changing single pickups, I'm need to give the guitar a play before deciding for definite what ill do but it's good to hear my options are open.

Thanks again

[Dave Sloven]

Looking at the specific Tele you are considering that has a humbucker size single coil in it, so there is no BKP set to suit.  You could combine a Tele style bridge like the Piledriver with a Stockholm P90 (for example, if you wanted a black metal tone perhaps) but you wouldn't get them as a set.

Alternatively if you want a more traditional Tele as a starting point I hear that the Squier Classic Vibe is very good.

[BigB]

Here's the page where you will find information on the different pickups.  You might be interested in the Boss or Piledriver pickups. 

Don't overlook the Blackguard Flat50 and Flat52 bridges, they seriously rock and have enough output to keep up with some 'buckers (FWIW there's even a metal clip for the Flat50).

[Telerocker]

Here's the page where you will find information on the different pickups.  You might be interested in the Boss or Piledriver pickups. 

Don't overlook the Blackguard Flat50 and Flat52 bridges, they seriously rock and have enough output to keep up with some 'buckers (FWIW there's even a metal clip for the Flat50).

+1!!! I don't know if a humbucker of humbucker-sized p90 will fit into the cavity of the wide frequency Fender-neckpickup.

[agger86]

This is all really useful, thanks!

I should have been a bit less vague when I said 'aggressive', what I'm looking for is a tele that I can get a fat, warm distorted sound from (think foo fighters at their heaviest) but also that classic tele clean as well. I should probably be looking at strats but I just love that tele look!

The blackguards sound interesting, is it just a case if them physically fitting or have I misunderstood? Would it be possible to use my (dodgy) wood working skills and enlarge the hole?

[Kiichi]

The blackguards sound interesting, is it just a case if them physically fitting or have I misunderstood? Would it be possible to use my (dodgy) wood working skills and enlarge the hole?

The fitting things Telerocker brought up only concern humbuckers or humbucker sized P90s. The blackguards and all other tele sets have normal tele dimensions so they should pose no problem.

[BigB]

what I'm looking for is a tele that I can get a fat, warm distorted sound from (think foo fighters at their heaviest) but also that classic tele clean as well.

Then look no further, the Flat50 or Flat52 are what you want (and no you won't have any re-routing to do). You just have to learn to use your tone pot for a fatter / warmer tone.

[Dave Sloven]

Personally, unless you really love the neck pickup fitted to that particular Tele (and thus have no ideas of changing it) I would go for a normal Tele instead. That way you will definitely get the Tele character and you will have a wide choice of neck pickups to choose from.

Personally I spend very little time playing the neck pickup on my guitar and you might find the same thing. The bridge pickup is the crucial thing for most people.  However, it is also important to have a neck pickup that you are happy with, as you will probably want to use it for cleans and/or leads at some point.

[agger86]

Personally, unless you really love the neck pickup fitted to that particular Tele (and thus have no ideas of changing it) I would go for a normal Tele instead. That way you will definitely get the Tele character and you will have a wide choice of neck pickups to choose from.

Personally I spend very little time playing the neck pickup on my guitar and you might find the same thing. The bridge pickup is the crucial thing for most people.  However, it is also important to have a neck pickup that you are happy with, as you will probably want to use it for cleans and/or leads at some point.

Yeah that's a fair point, I also rarely use the neck pickup. I just liked the idea of having a single coil and a humbucker in the same guitar. In reality I could probably get a diverse ranging of sounds in a normal tele if I pick the right pair of pickups.

I keep changing my mind every 5 mins but that's all part of the fun of guitar shopping I guess!

[BigB]

Yeah that's a fair point, I also rarely use the neck pickup. I just liked the idea of having a single coil and a humbucker in the same guitar. In reality I could probably get a diverse ranging of sounds in a normal tele if I pick the right pair of pickups.

I find myself using my neck pups more and more, and specially on the Telly - Flat52 set, and the neck is just magic. This and a 4-way switch - the additional position is neck+bridge series, which yields a much more powerful and somewhat fatter / darker tone (can you say 'humbucker-like' ? Yes you can <g>) - indeed makes for a wide range of tones.

[Dave Sloven]

I think I probably would find myself playing the neck pickup a lot if I had a Tele, but not if that pickup was a humbucker.  Other than the Cold Sweat most of the neck pickups I've played have sounded too warm.  Even the CS sounds woofy playing anything other than cleans and leads. To my mind the only humbucker I would contemplate in a Tele would be in the bridge position for rhythm playing, but I guess if I was more into blues and other warmer sounding styles I might find more use for it.

[BigB]

I think I probably would find myself playing the neck pickup a lot if I had a Tele, but not if that pickup was a humbucker.

Well, as far as I'm concerned this is my only SC guitar so yes indeed I wouldn't have much use for yet another 'bucker in the neck :lol:

  Other than the Cold Sweat most of the neck pickups I've played have sounded too warm.  Even the CS sounds woofy playing anything other than cleans and leads.

I think you should have tried the NB neck,  it's quite bright, punchy and focused so with proper EQ setup it's usable for riffing / rythm work if you want a lot of meat. Might requires to use the bridge's  tone pot a bit here and there, but that's how it works anyway whatever pickups you're using (or at least it has been the case with all pups I've ever played).

To my mind the only humbucker I would contemplate in a Tele would be in the bridge position for rhythm playing, but I guess if I was more into blues and other warmer sounding styles I might find more use for it.

Or if you had a 4-way switch - really adds another dimension to the Telly.  Now I'm sure that if you tried my Tele you'd end up playing way softer stuff than you're probably used to just to hear the lovely lush tones of the neck and mid positions (been here, done that - just beware your bandmates never find out :lol:)

[Dave Sloven]

It's funny, someone asked me today if I listen to more mellow music.  I replied - 'I like Black Sabbath', to which he replied, 'yeah, I guess they have some mellower songs by metal standards' and then I started searching my mind for other more rock ones and came up with Thin Lizzy and old David Bowie :D

I do like blues though sometimes, I just don't know where to start with it.  I would like to spend some time learning acoustic blues like Robert Johnson style, as I don't get much use out of my dreadnaught at the moment

The Telecaster mainly interests me for trebly black metal tones ... I've seriously thought about getting one and stuffing a Piledriver set into it for playing 'blackened crust' stuff ... no country music for me ...

I really like the CS neck for cleans, the A-bomb not so much on cleans.  I think I just don't like neck pickups for rhythm work because most of what I do is driving riffs or big doomy riffs, meaning that the neck pickup only comes into play if playing leads