Looking for a GNARLY Tele Bridge Pup (but still "Tele")

[Troubleman]

I'm not really a Tele player...
I've a Tele that has NoCaster pups in it. It sounds great - very vintage Tele. I'm looking for a bridge pup (it may get a new pickguard and become an "esquire") that'll do all the raucous ripping Tele/Esquire bridge stuff (squeals included) - a hot Tele bridge pup, BUT - I don't want to leave Tele-ville. I want it to still sound like a Tele.

What's available?

Barden?
Don Mare?
Lollar?
Fralin?

What would you Tele-cats pick for that one pick-up screamin' Tele sound?

Thanks!
(peace)

jb

[buddastrat]

Someone was selling their 90's Cunetto pickup either here or on ebay. That's an amazing scrrreamin' tele pickup.

[Blue4Now]

Lollar GVCG Alnico 5 - trust me it screams

[leftyaxeslinger]

The Lollar Vintage in my Rice T-style just screams but is also very clear and articulate and mixes wonderfully in the middle position.

[big mike]

Don Mare. Dude is the tele guru.

[straightblues]

Call Don Mare on that one. I think you might be better suited with the Nancy pickups he makes to emulate Roy Buchanan. They still sound tele like but have a lot a raucous tones going on as well. Call Don and discuss it with him. He will get you the right pickup.

[kludge]

Keystones will get you that sound for cheap. And with any Tele pickup, make sure you play with the pickup height before knocking it off your list... Tele bridges are unusually sensitive to height for some reason.

[Peppy]

For "raucous ripping" the Barden on your list will do that...and still sound like a Tele. I do like Fender's Broadcaster bridge pickup though...a bit hotter, i.e. more mids...than the Nocaster bridge pickup.

[blues54]

I'm not really a Tele player...
I've a Tele that has NoCaster pups in it. It sounds great - very vintage Tele. I'm looking for a bridge pup (it may get a new pickguard and become an "esquire") that'll do all the raucous ripping Tele/Esquire bridge stuff (squeals included) - a hot Tele bridge pup, BUT - I don't want to leave Tele-ville. I want it to still sound like a Tele.

What's available?

Barden?
Don Mare?
Lollar?
Fralin?

What would you Tele-cats pick for that one pick-up screamin' Tele sound?

Thanks!
(peace)

jb


I own a Hahn 228 and have a Seymour Duncan Handwound Custom Shop ini the bridge. It is a little hotter and thicker than most Tele Single coils.
A step down from that you could't go wrong with the Joe Barden Tele PU's.

Danny Gatton chose those and he couldnt have been wrong

[gkoelling]

Another vote for Don Mare. The man is incapable of making a bad Tele pickup.

It's just stupid how good my partscasters sound because of him.

[johan]

Someone was selling their 90's Cunetto pickup either here or on ebay. That's an amazing scrrreamin' tele pickup.

Agree! Also called "Nocaster Clean". 10k of Tele kerrangggg!

[bluehugh2]

+1 for Don Mare... I am skeptical about "magic dust" and secret wraps... but dang!... his Tele pickups are the best ever... and I've tried ALL!!!

[~el gringo loco]

Can't go wrong with a Mare pu'p -- they're great. I've got one in an old '52RI and it sounds just like it's supposed to sound -- raucous.

My other tele sports a Voodoo Broadcaster -- until Don came along, that was my gold standard for the type of tele tone you're describing. I like 'em both a lot, can't really say I like one more than the other. The Voodoo has huge hairy balls while doing the primal tele thing, the Mare isn't quite as big but it's gnarly and just as primal but with maybe a little more magic going on.

They're both great pickups -- I went through a whole bunch of high end tele bridge pu's until I found the Voodoo, and and if I'd never built a parts tele that would be the only one I own . . .

Good luck, you're in for some fun,

~j

[scottish]

im a huge fan of the duncan quarter pounder tele bridge

[AnthonyL]

Lollar Special

[MuseCafeChris]

im a huge fan of the duncan quarter pounder tele bridge

How dare you introduce such a lowbrow pickup into this discussion!

That said, allow me to do the same: Rio Grande.

[readymade]

OC Duff

[jaydawg76]

Don Mare's Broadcaster would be a great choice. It boarder on P-90 territory and if you get it with light potting it will really squeal.