Looking for pickup advice

[Gavin]

Good evening all,

I have an ASAT Classic tribute Bluesboy. I love the feel of the guitar, but I'm underwhelmed with the pickups. The humbucker in the neck is a bit muddy, and the bridge doesn't have that Tele twang.

I knew it was a cheaper guitar and actually have another one with all single coils and love it.

So, in terms of pickups, I'd love some recommendations for a neck humbucker that has that nice creamy blues rock sound, and for the neck I really want that classic Tele twang.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Mickey Duane]

I do not know but you have opened up the flood gates and you will get many many wonderful suggestions and ideas

good luck and happy playing

Peace

 

[Elio]

Good evening all,

I have an ASAT Classic tribute Bluesboy. I love the feel of the guitar, but I'm underwhelmed with the pickups. The humbucker in the neck is a bit muddy, and the bridge doesn't have that Tele twang.

I knew it was a cheaper guitar and actually have another one with all single coils and love it.

So, in terms of pickups, I'd love some recommendations for a neck humbucker that has that nice creamy blues rock sound, and for the neck I really want that classic Tele twang.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

I have a Tribute ASAT Deluxe carved top with Paul Gagon humbuckers that sound pretty good to my ear. I can get a slight twang from the bridge with the coils split, but I wasn't looking for a classic tele tone in that regard, so it's not an issue. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be the best judge of a twangy tele pickup.

Otherwise, I personally like the Seymour Duncan '59 in the neck, which has a really nice classic PAF tone. My Godin came with a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup in the neck, which I think sounds great for blues rock with some moderate overdrive. Seymour Duncan's website lets you listen to each pickup with different amp settings so you can get an idea of what they are like. Just pick out a pickup and then scroll down to the Sound Samples section to try it with different amp overdrive settings and pickup positions.

https://www.seymourduncan.com/products/pickups/electric/humbucker

 

[GeeDub]

It all depends on whether you want vintage PAF style tone or something hotter. As already mentioned, the SD '59 or Seth Lover pickups are nice PAF style. It also depends on how much you are willing to spend. I have a Lollar Low Wind Imperial PAF style neck pickup in my Epi Dot which I like a lot.

Classic Tele bridge pickups are readily available in a wide price range. I highly recommend Cavalier Pickups
Rob hand winds each pickup once an order has been placed and ships quickly as well. He specializes in Tele pickups and will answer all your questions in a timely manner, too. (Note: I'm not affiliated with Rob or Cavalier Pickups, just a very satisfied customer!)

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I don't know diddly about twangy Tele bridge pickups, but I have a good knowledge of good bluesy humbuckers. What is your budget? One VERY GOOD inexpensive humbucker is the GFS "Classic II" Alnico 2 Vintage Wound Humbucker. Only $40.00
https://www.guitarfetish.com/KP--GFS-Classic-II-Alnico-2-Vintage-Wound-Humbucker-Chrome--Kwikplug™-Ready_p_21911.html
I have them in two guitars, and I have Gibson '57 Classics in another, and I really, honestly, can't tell any difference. They are GREAT for blues! I don't know how they do it for that price, but they done it.

 

[Norfolk Bill]

try adjusting the pickups before spending

 

[Gavin]

try adjusting the pickups before spending

I had the guitar set up with the guy I get my guitars set up with and he did a fantastic job. I've played it about a month and everything about the guitar is great, and I just don't care for the pickups. Which is odd, because I have the single coil ASAT classic tribute, and I love the sound of the bridge pickup in it.

This just isn't gelling with me. Plus, it was not a super expensive guitar so I don't mind making it a project guitar to learn how to change pickups and such.

 

[Tayport]

The Seymour Duncan website is a good reference from Elio. I just bought a set of Quarter Pounders from them for a Tele project that I am working on. I don't have them installed yet so can't give an opinion on them apart from they seem to garner a lot of positive reviews.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Quarter Pounders are powerful, loud, and punchy, more like a P90 than what I would call a "snappy Tele" bridge pup.

 

[JohnHurley]

You can get “not cheap” the gibson 57 classic plus pickups or some of the prs pickups. The duncan ones i never used but they have good reviews.

You wont keep second guessing if you go with gibsons but as much as i like them the TCI new PRS ones are mighty fine.

 

[Gavin]

You can get “not cheap” the gibson 57 classic plus pickups or some of the prs pickups. The duncan ones i never used but they have good reviews.

You wont keep second guessing if you go with gibsons but as much as i like them the TCI new PRS ones are mighty fine.

I have Seymour Duncan 59s in my D'Angelico Ludlow Deluxe, and am perhaps leaning there, but still interested in other options. Was also thinking of the Fender wide ranging humbucker that they have in their American Performer

 

[dvs]

I can't comment on the humbucker part of the question, but I have a set of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders in my telecaster. The bridge pickup seems twangy enough to me, though I know the classis tele twang is not what the high-output Quarter Pounder is known for. In Blackcoffeeblues' thread for John Prine, I put up a song (link to my post is here) that kind of features the bridge pickup on my telecaster (it is the rhythm guitar in the center, and I also used it for a short solo at about 1:12). Clean blackface-style amp w/ touch of reverb and a little compression; guitar tone and volume controls are wide open.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Personally I don't care for Duncan pickups. In my humble opinion, Bare Knuckle pickups are better. The Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday and Bare Knuckle "The Mule" are both OUTSTANDING PAF type pickups. But they are in the "expensive" camp, running right at $300.00 for a set. The Stormy Monday is targeted at the same niche as Gibson '57 Classics ... the Alnico II niche. The Mule humbuckers are built and voiced as faithful reproductions of the best sounding late '59 PAFs with a differing number of turns of vintage correct 42 AWG plain enamel wire on each coil.

A neck pickup of either flavor will run you about $150.00.
https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/pickup/humbucker/stormy-monday
https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/pickup/humbucker/the-mule

You might enjoy this vid of a Tele with a Duncan Quarter Pounder bridge and Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday neck.

And here are the Bare Knuckle Mules. Scroll ahead to 28:00 for the Mules in the first vid.

 

[CapnDenny1]

One of the things I didn't like about the G&L Tribute that I had was it was different than standard Tele dimensions.

Most Tele's from Fender or from Squire, at least the Classic Vibe or the Standard series, are all the same sizes. There are narrow and wider string spacing, even among fender. But most pick guards, or switch plates, or necks, will fit.

I could not even find a pickguard for my G&L. I never tried to find pickups, so I don't how interchangeable they are.

Before spending a bunch on pickups, measure what it has to make sure the new ones will fit.

 

[OG_Blues]

I had a Tribute Blues Boy a while back. I loved how it felt and played, but I also was not a fan of the pickups at all.
I thought the bridge PUP sounded very harsh, and the neck PUP was just nondescript.
I toyed with the idea of replacing them, but in the end, I wound up selling the guitar and getting something different.
I can't remember what, and it is probably gone now too.
I recall concluding that a set of very good P90's was what that particular guitar really needed.
Of course, it is all personal taste and desire as to what tones you are going for, so there is no right or wrong answer
as long as it is what sounds good to you.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I love the sound of that Tele in the videos I posted above with the Duncan Quarter Pounder bridge and Bare Knuckles Stormy Monday in the neck. That Stormy Monday is right at $150.00, but the GFS Alnico II that I posted farther above would get very close for only $40.00.

IMO, your guitar has a humbucker neck so it's not a regular Tele from the get-go. So I don't really know why you're after "that great Tele twang" at the bridge, and I think the Quarter Pounder is much better for blues.

 

[Terry B]

I don't know diddly about twangy Tele bridge pickups, but I have a good knowledge of good bluesy humbuckers. What is your budget? One VERY GOOD inexpensive humbucker is the GFS "Classic II" Alnico 2 Vintage Wound Humbucker. Only $40.00
https://www.guitarfetish.com/KP--GFS-Classic-II-Alnico-2-Vintage-Wound-Humbucker-Chrome--Kwikplug™-Ready_p_21911.html
I have them in two guitars, and I have Gibson '57 Classics in another, and I really, honestly, can't tell any difference. They are GREAT for blues! I don't know how they do it for that price, but they done it.

I heartily agree on the GFS Alnico II's. I put a pair in my SG copy several years ago and love them.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I heartily agree on the GFS Alnico II's. I put a pair in my SG copy several years ago and love them.

Yep, they are absolutely great, actually unbelievable for that price. And if he wants a little more zip in his neck, he could put a bridge pickup in the neck. One thing I know for certain, they are GREAT for blues!

 

[JeffreyCiccone]

I built a Tele recently with a Seth Lover pickup in the neck and a Quarter Pounder in the bridge. I think it sounds great, but not exactly classic Tele. You also have to keep in mind the pot values and wiring when you mix humbuckers and single coils, especially if it's a standard volume-tone-3-way switch. Everything's a tradeoff. That's why I chose the Quarter Pounder bridge. It's hotter than a standard Tele bridge, so it pairs well with a lower output humbucker. I am super happy with it. Obviously, whether you would be happy with it depends on what you looking for to begin with. Lots of great options to choose from.

 

[mountain man]

Sell that guitar and buy one that has the feel you like with the pup you want in it already.

Or you could try a treble boost or maybe a Klon clone of some kind? Even a graphic equalizer....

With a Klon clone you might find you want it on all the time. Mine generally is.