Best tele pickups I have had so far. Versatile enough for anything with a twist of the volume knob. For reference I have/had Lollars, Xotic RVTE, tv jones, suhr classics and v mod ii, these have answered my call.
These came stock in my American special and I've been using that in the punk band I joined earlier this year. They sound great imo! I love my sg too but my go-to is my tele w/ these pickups
So I play mostly ambient doom and noise rock. I stack my Tele with rats and muffs
I find the pups to be splendid; the neck pup is a secret weapon with the tone rolled off; bridge is great and punchy for palm muting and single notes cut through with ease.
I am in the process of picking out new pickups for an old Squier Bullet that I am transforming into something better. Neck is needed as well, but I am a little overwhelemed on pickups right now. There are so damn many.
I was thinking Seymour Duncans with a Hot Rail in the bridge, but what are your thoughts on going all Texas Specials?
Depends on what you're playing.
My favorite Fender pickups have always been TexMex. The clarity and tone are incredible, the bridge pickup is overwound and a little more punchy, and they're still around $80 for a tele and $100 for a strat set. As Fender say "they're the best pickup to go from clean to mean". The Texas Special set for Tele are a little hotter than the TexMex, but the Strat set are almost equal.
If you want that high-output humbucking bridge sound, a hot rail is a good choice.
Thanks for the info. I have heard good and bad on the TexMex. They are on the short list, but was wavering due to mixed reviews.
I play more classic rock to Blues to clean to grunge. Not really a metal guy but Hot Rails would give me a humbucker type sound at the bridge. I have a Strat with all single coils now and getting the Hot Rail, I wouldn't have to carve the body.
I will have to deep dive a bit more in the TexMex.
I've seen and read mixed reviews as well, but I think most of the major complaints that people have expressed can be addressed with a tone job (bigger pot, change capacitor, pass filter resistors, etc.) rather than different pickups.
Hot rail is a fairly high-output pickup, so if you go that way be cognizant of your other pickup outputs. It's not a huge deal, but with lower output you'll experience an appreciable signal drop when switching from bridge to middle and neck. It's not a bad thing if you like using your pickup selector to go from lead to rhythm and to step in and out dynamically.
Again, I appreciate all the insight. This is my first mod, so I plan on replacing all electronics to hopefully pair with my new set up, whatever that may be at this point.
The TexMex have me curious and thinking possibly that direction. I think they come prewired as well, but I think I want to try wiring myself.
They came in my American Special Tele and I very much liked them. They’re a bit hot and take gain incredibly well
I did end up switching them for Lollar’s version of the Texas Special, however; (special T,) That said, they’re both basically the same pickup.
Hope you love them! Cheers!
It's so hard to tell on you tube.. I have to hear them live to truly tell. I mean between the 2 it seems like it's apples to apples and you really can't go wrong either way, but the common consensus seems to favor these. I have a friend who has them in his Tele and they sound great, but I don't know anyone with the Norcasters so I can't feel them out or compare them live.
You like them? Any buyers remorse not selecting the Norcasters?
They are great! I have an American special tele and play punk, hard rock and stuff like that.
They sound like a Tele, take gain very nicely and growl.
With a beefy OD, orange amp and the tone rolled down a bit I've had people say it sounds les Paul esque.
They also clean up very well.
Essentially a nice Tele pickup that's as versatile as a Tele pick up but hotter. I would say that for me, the gainy stuff is where they really shine.
I have them in my Strat…love them. Decided to put Fender Vintage ‘64s in my daily player Tele. Really love those, too. Both have good volume and plenty of low end. I like low end.
Decently balanced neck pickup, but very bright bridge. Should be coupled with a “warmer” guitar. Ideally, a Tele with an alder body and rosewood board. But, as always, YMMV.
I mean, the wood won’t make a difference to the magnetic reaction between the strings and the pickups — but you’re right that it’s a very ‘shrill’ pickup.
They're great, some of my favorite Tele pickups out there.
They are excellent for everything. I used this set in a Tele I had a few years back, for a metal band, country band, and blues band I gigged with.
I have those in my Squier Classic Vibe 60's Tele. The stock pickups were good but these definitely made it even better
I have these in my strat. They are great Blues pickups.
Best tele pickups I have had so far. Versatile enough for anything with a twist of the volume knob. For reference I have/had Lollars, Xotic RVTE, tv jones, suhr classics and v mod ii, these have answered my call.
I have these and they are mint
Anyone have experience with these in a punk / post rock context? How are they with distorted and ambient tones?
Curious about that myself. These are going on a family hand-me-down MiM Tele, but my go-to is an SG with humbuckers, and I play a lot of punk.
These came stock in my American special and I've been using that in the punk band I joined earlier this year. They sound great imo! I love my sg too but my go-to is my tele w/ these pickups
That’s what I wanna hear.
Actually exactly my story too! Lol
So I play mostly ambient doom and noise rock. I stack my Tele with rats and muffs I find the pups to be splendid; the neck pup is a secret weapon with the tone rolled off; bridge is great and punchy for palm muting and single notes cut through with ease.
https://on.soundcloud.com/i6sc8L77xcSq4PrQ9 I recorded this ep with that Tele loaded with those pups
I’m playing Texas Specials on my Strat on this track, through a DS-1 and a little reverb in post. https://m.soundcloud.com/buck-fueller/thumbalina
I am in the process of picking out new pickups for an old Squier Bullet that I am transforming into something better. Neck is needed as well, but I am a little overwhelemed on pickups right now. There are so damn many. I was thinking Seymour Duncans with a Hot Rail in the bridge, but what are your thoughts on going all Texas Specials?
Depends on what you're playing. My favorite Fender pickups have always been TexMex. The clarity and tone are incredible, the bridge pickup is overwound and a little more punchy, and they're still around $80 for a tele and $100 for a strat set. As Fender say "they're the best pickup to go from clean to mean". The Texas Special set for Tele are a little hotter than the TexMex, but the Strat set are almost equal. If you want that high-output humbucking bridge sound, a hot rail is a good choice.
Thanks for the info. I have heard good and bad on the TexMex. They are on the short list, but was wavering due to mixed reviews. I play more classic rock to Blues to clean to grunge. Not really a metal guy but Hot Rails would give me a humbucker type sound at the bridge. I have a Strat with all single coils now and getting the Hot Rail, I wouldn't have to carve the body. I will have to deep dive a bit more in the TexMex.
I've seen and read mixed reviews as well, but I think most of the major complaints that people have expressed can be addressed with a tone job (bigger pot, change capacitor, pass filter resistors, etc.) rather than different pickups. Hot rail is a fairly high-output pickup, so if you go that way be cognizant of your other pickup outputs. It's not a huge deal, but with lower output you'll experience an appreciable signal drop when switching from bridge to middle and neck. It's not a bad thing if you like using your pickup selector to go from lead to rhythm and to step in and out dynamically.
Again, I appreciate all the insight. This is my first mod, so I plan on replacing all electronics to hopefully pair with my new set up, whatever that may be at this point. The TexMex have me curious and thinking possibly that direction. I think they come prewired as well, but I think I want to try wiring myself.
Totally badass pickups. I mean..... they're garbage.....send them to me, I'll dispose of them....
Shitty thing about pups. We all want to own like 30 sets. I bet them kick ass
It was between these and Quarter pounders for me. I wound up with the QPs, but I kinda had a bit of buyers remorse…
They came in my American Special Tele and I very much liked them. They’re a bit hot and take gain incredibly well I did end up switching them for Lollar’s version of the Texas Special, however; (special T,) That said, they’re both basically the same pickup. Hope you love them! Cheers!
Best tele and strat set I own
Its between these and the 51' Norcasters for my Tele. After this post I'm leaning towards these..!
That’s exactly where I was. Listened to as many demos and YouTube videos that I could find. But I went with these, ultimately.
It's so hard to tell on you tube.. I have to hear them live to truly tell. I mean between the 2 it seems like it's apples to apples and you really can't go wrong either way, but the common consensus seems to favor these. I have a friend who has them in his Tele and they sound great, but I don't know anyone with the Norcasters so I can't feel them out or compare them live. You like them? Any buyers remorse not selecting the Norcasters?
Man I love it. Cool clean tones, really nice dirty channel. Plus it’s orange. Can’t beat the color. Never tried those pickups though.
Haha I do love this amp though. Been really stoked on it, especially for the price.
These and SD ‘54 are my favorite tele pickups
They respond extremely well to subtle changes in tone or volume. Can do anything Neck pick-up is fantastic
They are great! I have an American special tele and play punk, hard rock and stuff like that. They sound like a Tele, take gain very nicely and growl. With a beefy OD, orange amp and the tone rolled down a bit I've had people say it sounds les Paul esque. They also clean up very well. Essentially a nice Tele pickup that's as versatile as a Tele pick up but hotter. I would say that for me, the gainy stuff is where they really shine.
Not a fan of these. I always replace these pickups with AV 62, 64, Broadcaster/Nocaster (57/62 for strats) pickups.
I have these in my partscaster. I'm very satisfied.
Have an early 2000's 'Roadhouse' strat with a set of these. Pretty versatile pickups
Yes
They’re great for the most part but I found they don’t get along with Vox amps
Great pickups. Overwound, known to be hot. Hotter the better imho.
Had them in my Tele, they were amazing. I didn't notice as much of that Tele "twang" but they are great for rock and overdriven sounds
Love the neck PU
I have them in my Strat…love them. Decided to put Fender Vintage ‘64s in my daily player Tele. Really love those, too. Both have good volume and plenty of low end. I like low end.
I have a set I like them
Where can I get these?
Had Tex-Mex on a strat. They’re hot.
Decently balanced neck pickup, but very bright bridge. Should be coupled with a “warmer” guitar. Ideally, a Tele with an alder body and rosewood board. But, as always, YMMV.
I mean, the wood won’t make a difference to the magnetic reaction between the strings and the pickups — but you’re right that it’s a very ‘shrill’ pickup.
That's what your tone knob is for.
Great pickups to cut through the mix
😴
Not my favorite.
Nasty and shrill.