Pick-Up Replacement for HWY 1 Tele?

I fell into a new HWY Tele. and I think I'm missing something. When I put the Tele back on the wall and plug my American Deluxe Strat in, there is another dimension of sounds there. So much more defined, it's hard to describe how much 'better' the Strat sounds over the tele. I assume that the pickups in the Tele are to blame, as many with a HWY 1 seems to change out the "muddy" pick ups and experience a better sound.

The question is what pick ups? I would like more detail and definition and heading for the 'classic tele sound' appeals to me.

There are days when I like the sound of these pick ups. But shouldn't I be able to just roll back the tone on brighter pick ups to get the warmer sound of the HWY 1 pick ups?

This is all going through a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe.

Please share, I'm new to all this.

Thanks,


KYC

KYC, it's funny. I can live with almost any pickups in a Strat and find something musical, but on a Tele I'm pretty picky about pickups. The Seymore Duncan Antiquities are really popular. You'll get a lot of advice saying buy this or that boutique pickup, but really, that's all just different shades of the same color. The Antiquities are pretty classic Tele sounding and if you want a touch more grind use a Jerry Donahue in the bridge.

the pickups in the Hwy 1 are actually pretty decent. if you don't like the sound, you probably just don't like the guitar. the stock pickups are definitely good enough to judge if the guitar itself is any good. if you feel it doesn't sound good, get rid of. or, chase your tail for a while, spend a bunch of money, and then get rid of it. :biglaugh:

I had a bad cord actually, it cord was just ever so slightly blocking some of the signal - - I think.? It sounded better to me with a different cord yesterday.

Also, how much difference should I notice from lowering or raising the pick ups? I raised them to spec and didnt notice much of a difference, perhaps more mid range.

When I was shopping for this guitar I noticed how good the Baja Tele sounded - I liked the sound better than the HWY 1 - but there were several other reasons for picking the HWY 1 - what pickups are in the Baja Tele?

Custom Shop Twisted Tele neck pickup and Custom Shop Broadcaster bridge pickup

Are the same kind of strings on both guitars?
PG

Yes, same strings - even changed on the same day....same everything.

Im new at all this....but i almost never cut roll the treble back on the tele and the strat generally get some of the highs cut, either at the amp or on the guitar. Its like the strat is in color wile the tele is just in black and white. Not that is a bad thing, but you can go from color to black and white. But you cant go from black and white to color.

Maybe I need to ask the fundamental question, is me tele supposed to have a somewhat darker (fewer highs) than my strat? How would you characterize the difference between the 2?

OK, I think I have solved my issues with this guitar. First off, the pickups were low when I got the guitar, and I lowered them some more (I read some place that lowering them would clean up the sound some and give me a more 'woody' tone)....I ended up with a lower signal and less mid range, and less punch over all. I put the pickups back to stock height and we are all good.

KYC