HB Bridge Pup for Alder Body Tele?

[JaycoxGuitars]

Hi everyone!  I'm replacing the bridge pup on an alder body/maple neck and fretboard in short scale tele with a full size covered HB mounted direct to the body.  The pickup cavity is angled so that the low E pole will be farther away from the bridge than the high E pole. I play classic/heavy blues/hard rock.  I have a chambered mahogany/birdseye maple neck/ebony fretboard custom guitar in short scale with an uncovered Duncan JB in the bridge mounted on a ring parallel to the bridge (no angle) that is great for heavy blues and classic rock - it gets me pretty stellar Gary Moore/Joe Bonamassa/Jimmy Page tones.  I'd like to mimic that in this tele.  My first thought was a Riff Raff but with the brighter tone woods, the solid body, and the direct mount I'm not sure that's the route to go.  Then again, with the angled pup cavity, maybe it is.  What are your recommendations?  Thanks in advance, everyone!

[Telerocker]

Abraxas or Crawler will excell in an alder/maple-neck tele: fat tones with enough PAF-pedigree. The Crawler is an anabolic Abraxas, but quite versatile as it cleans up very well and splits good too. I own a Crawler, which is in an swampashstrat. You will love the growl when pushed and the thick solonotes higher upon the fretboard.

[darrenw5094]

I recently got a 2006 Fender Deluxe Strat, which with it's light body, i am sure is ash. It is much thinner in the body tone compared to alder and certainly is much brighter. The Crawler would probably suit the ash perfectly. The next closest thing is alder.

The JB reference in your other guitar suggests the HD would work and sound similar to it or the darker, midder, hot PAF pup, the Abraxas.

[JaycoxGuitars]

After reading and listening to some reviews I'm thinking the Abraxas is the pup for this guitar.  I appreciate everyone's advice - many thanks!

[darrenw5094]

That was quick  :P

[Telerocker]

That was quick  :P

I like people who make up their mind.  :)
Anyway, the Abraxas will do fine for heavy blues and classic rock.

[Telerocker]

I recently got a 2006 Fender Deluxe Strat, which with it's light body, i am sure is ash. It is much thinner in the body tone compared to alder and certainly is much brighter. The Crawler would probably suit the ash perfectly. The next closest thing is alder.

The JB reference in your other guitar suggests the HD would work and sound similar to it or the darker, midder, hot PAF pup, the Abraxas.

I don't think ash and swampash guitars in general sound thinner compared to alder bolt-ons. It might vary per guitar. They are perhaps a little more percussive, but my ash and swampashstrats (both HSS) have a bold midrange and solid lows. The swampash strat has a bigger tone of those two. They certainly sound a bit fatter than my alder American Series-tele.

[JaycoxGuitars]

If only my fingers were as fleet as my decision making :)

There are a number of reviews of BKP pups on YouTube and after watching and listening to several of the Abraxas, Crawler, and Holy Diver, the Abraxas seems closest to what I'm looking for (although none of the demos were in an alder tele or through my rig).  Since I can't test drive pups in my guitars it's always a bit of a cr@p shoot when I buy new pups.  Although I'm right more often than I'm wrong, I've ended up re-selling a couple of pups that didn't play the way I thought they would.  Here's to gambling on the Abraxas.

I'm also curious if any of you have played Rio Grande HBs?  I have a beautiful Texas BBQ set in uncovered black pearloid/white pearloid zebra that I have yet to drop into a build.  I've thought about dropping the Genuine Texas bridge pup into this guitar but I really want to save the set for a mahogany body.

Thanks again, everyone, for your input.  BKP's got a good community here :)

[Telerocker]

I had a Rio Grande Muy Grande in my swampashstrat. I swapped that one for a Crawler and whooo, way more depth, clarity and articulation. The Rio-singlecols I replaced by Irish Tours.

[darrenw5094]

Abraxas usually in Mahogany Classic Rock guitars, but i am sure that it will work in the alder also.
Interesting to see what BKP say if you ask them.

[johnenla]

 You will love the growl when pushed and the thick solonotes higher upon the fretboard.






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[JaycoxGuitars]

From Tim:

"I am a big fan of the Crawler in Teles for a really fat, rich PAF on steroids tone.  If you want something that's not quite so full bore then the Abraxas works really well for a balanced, mature hot PAF tone."

Sounds like Telerocker and DarrenW know their shite :)

Found some demos on here of the Crawler and Abraxas that were much higher quality than YouTube.  Ordering a Crawler bridge pup today.  I'll post my own demos once it's here.  Thanks again for the advice, y'all.

[Telerocker]

From Tim:

"I am a big fan of the Crawler in Teles for a really fat, rich PAF on steroids tone.  If you want something that's not quite so full bore then the Abraxas works really well for a balanced, mature hot PAF tone."

Sounds like Telerocker and DarrenW know their shitee :)

Found some demos on here of the Crawler and Abraxas that were much higher quality than YouTube.  Ordering a Crawler bridge pup today.  I'll post my own demos once it's here.  Thanks again for the advice, y'all.

You won't be disappointed. The Crawler does it all in my swampashstrat. Splits are nice too.

[Telerocker]

You will love the growl when pushed and the thick solonotes higher upon the fretboard.


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Did you quote me?

[darkbluemurder]

Sounds like Telerocker and DarrenW know their shitee :)

They certainly do. So does Tim.

Never tried a Crawler in a Tele but given the usual bright nature of Teles and the fact that the Crawler bridge loves bright guitars it can only be great. The Abraxas is also a great pickup and a bit less picky about the guitar it's in.

Cheers Stephan