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Thread: Vintage reissue pickups...

  1. #1
    Forum Member Biggles58's Avatar
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    Vintage reissue pickups...

    Hello all. This is my first post to this forum after many weeks of reading it and so I thought I'd join in the fun. I just got a MIM Tele made in 2001 (my first Tele!) and I have to say that I love the guitar and now I know what all the fuss is about! Leo Fender seems to have gotten it right the first time around in 1949 and it about this, in an indirect way, that I want to talk about. Though I love the guitar, I would like to get a more vintage Tele sound out of it so towards that end what you recommend in the way of pick-up replacements? Fender Nocasters, 52 reissues, Duncan Antiquities? Also, what of pots and caps? Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions you can give!

  2. #2
    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    All the pickups you mentioned sound good.

    You didnt mention what model of MIM Tele but if its a 6 saddle change it to a 3 saddle that helps the vintage twangy tone alot.

    Your pots and caps are fine more than likely they are CTS 250k.

  3. #3
    Forum Member Biggles58's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Hi Marcondo. My Tele is a standard model with a six string saddle but is it possible to mount a 3 saddle bridge without modifying the guitar? I understand the string spacing is different between the newer bridges on the vintage ones. Is that right?

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    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Depends on the age of your MIM if its a newer one with 4 holes for the bridge to mount to the body the 52ri bridge will bolt right on.

  5. #5
    Forum Member Biggles58's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    That's the type of bridge on my Tele, but the 4 mounting holes are forward of the bridge saddles instead of behind them as on the vintage ones. What, the hell. I'll give it a go and see if it will work! Thanks Marcondo!

  6. #6
    Forum Member Marcondo's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    You need to find out what year your MIM is cause a direct bolton only works on the newest ones. On the Vintage bridge the mounting screw holes are right at the back of the bridge.

  7. #7
    Old Tele man
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    re: "...vintage re-issue pickups?" Which, Ford, Chevy or Mopar?

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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Quote Originally Posted by Old Tele man
    re: "...vintage re-issue pickups?" Which, Ford, Chevy or Mopar?
    MOPAR!!!

    Seriously, though. Pickups aren't too complicated. Single coils, at least. I've tried CS Nocaster pickups and they sounded great. I've got a Voodoo TE50 pickup (wound like the old Broadcaster pickups Peter Florance has repaired) in the bridge position of my MIM 50's classic tele and I love it as well. It sounds a bit thicker and steelier (like a steel guitar) than the Nocaster, but the Nocaster sounded a bit twangier (it isn't as hot as the Voodoo). I would look at the Voodoos, CS Nocasters, Duncan Antiquities, and I'll save pbradt the time and throw in the Hamels. The Hamels have quite a waiting list, but I doubt you'd be able to hear much of a difference between any of the ones on this list. They're all high quality pickups and you'll be happy with any of 'em.

  9. #9

    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Are MIM's great guitars after or before you replace half the hardware? I own a handful of them, and they're OK. Even after putting different crap on them, they're just OK. Is it just as cost effective to buy a quality instrument that includes the right parts right from the start? I'm beginning to think it might be...

  10. #10
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    THE TRICK IS FINDING A GOOD MIM. A LOT OF THEM ARE OK. BUT I DO HAVE A MIM STRAT THAT AFTER SWAPPING IN NEW PUPS COULD PRETTY MUCH SMOKE ANY MIA STRAT UNDER $1200. COST ME $400 WITH PUP SWAP. MY MIM TELE ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A DOG, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

    IF YOU LIKE MODDING, IT IS CHEAPER TO DO WITH AN MIM.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  11. #11

    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster
    THE TRICK IS FINDING A GOOD MIM. A LOT OF THEM ARE OK. BUT I DO HAVE A MIM STRAT THAT AFTER SWAPPING IN NEW PUPS COULD PRETTY MUCH SMOKE ANY MIA STRAT UNDER $1200. COST ME $400 WITH PUP SWAP. MY MIM TELE ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A DOG, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

    IF YOU LIKE MODDING, IT IS CHEAPER TO DO WITH AN MIM.
    I own several MIM's, so I don't feel any prejudice. They're OK. I've worked on maybe 1000 MIM Strats, so I'd like to believe I've got a fair assesment going based on volume.

    THE TRICK IS FINDING A GOOD MIM

    Yes. And it can be a daunting "trick" ! It is most certainly a tricky thing finding a good one.

    A LOT OF THEM ARE OK

    I picked mine from literally hundereds. They're the best of the best as far as I can see. Still...like you said...they're OK. Just OK. I wish they were better, but I'm prepared to accept OK...

    BUT I DO HAVE A MIM STRAT THAT AFTER SWAPPING IN NEW PUPS COULD PRETTY MUCH SMOKE ANY MIA STRAT UNDER $1200.

    Probably right...but what MIA Strat under 1200 bucks would I buy? None. It's not a great commentary on the MIM's! It's a lousy commentary on the MIA's

    MY MIM TELE ON THE OTHER HAND WAS A DOG, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

    This will be the case more often than not....and I already know someone is going to give THEIRS as an example of how good they are! Compared to what? Maybe what we think is so wonderful just has a poor point of reference. three's not 1100 MIM Teles that I've seen that will come close to a handful of MIJ's that I could show people, and I do...and then they're not happy !! :) And then I take those MIJ's and compare it to '55 Tele my wife and bought recently...and the MIJ's suck!! It's all relative. It's always good compared to what? Great compared with what?

    LOL. This happened a short time ago again. " OH, Pete...this is the best..THE BEST Tele I've ever seen. MIM, and it's FANTASTIC!!! ( Poor guy spends $300 on new pickups, so I knew exactly where the "fantastic" was!!)

    We plugged it in...OK..played it after adjusting the neck ...OK...nice little guitar. Had to admit it was OK...

    But I didn't rave about it and the guy looked offended. " Wait here..." Went to the bedroom, came back with the old '68. Didn't need to bring out the '55! He plugs the '68 in...played a few chords...and was completely re-educated.

    You seem he wasn't stupid. He wasn't deaf. He had firstly, lost his point of reference, and secondly was trying to buy cheap. He's a great guy, a good player and he'd just lost his way. That's not what I told him. That's what HE TOLD ME!!! :)

    IF YOU LIKE MODDING, IT IS CHEAPER TO DO WITH AN MIM.

    Yep! And let's add that with MIM's you HAVE to mod. Marcondo always says it, and he's right. I'm not dissing these cheaper guitars. But let's get some reference points here. And that doesn't mean one good MIM or 5 good MIJ's out of 5,000 against a lousy MIA, of which today's crop boasts many!! That's taking things back to where 1/1000 used to need help instead of the other way round!

  12. #12
    Forum Member telerifik's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Well all pups are recieved different depending on the ear. I have a set of the vintage noiseless in the guitar below and while I do like them better than stock the output is a little limp for me. I love the neck pup, GREAT bell tone.


  13. #13
    Forum Member itbepopples's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Quote Originally Posted by Biggles58
    Hello all. This is my first post to this forum after many weeks of reading it and so I thought I'd join in the fun. I just got a MIM Tele made in 2001 (my first Tele!) and I have to say that I love the guitar and now I know what all the fuss is about! Leo Fender seems to have gotten it right the first time around in 1949 and it about this, in an indirect way, that I want to talk about. Though I love the guitar, I would like to get a more vintage Tele sound out of it so towards that end what you recommend in the way of pick-up replacements? Fender Nocasters, 52 reissues, Duncan Antiquities? Also, what of pots and caps? Thanks for any thoughts and suggestions you can give!
    hey man if ur looking for a pair...i can sell u not only a pair of 52 reissue pickups...but saddles as well. shoot me an email if ur interested. itbepopples@aol.com

  14. #14
    Forum Member Freddy Fender's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Quote Originally Posted by Tonefreak
    But I didn't rave about it and the guy looked offended. " Wait here..." Went to the bedroom, came back with the old '68. Didn't need to bring out the '55! He plugs the '68 in...played a few chords...and was completely re-educated.
    How does the '55 compare to the '68?

    FF

  15. #15
    Forum Member Freddy Fender's Avatar
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Quote Originally Posted by telerifik
    Well all pups are recieved different depending on the ear. I have a set of the vintage noiseless in the guitar below and while I do like them better than stock the output is a little limp for me. I love the neck pup, GREAT bell tone.
    Yeah it's all so subjective. For example, lot's of people seem to rave about the Joe Barden pickups ... I had a tele set and I though they were crap ... two dimensional and lacking any "soul".
    I personally believe Leo got it right in the beginning ... so that means living with any hum from the single coil.

  16. #16
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    Re: Vintage reissue pickups...

    Any thoughts on the Vintage Noiseless and the fact they appear to be taller than stock (neck at least)?

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