American Standard Pickups - Review

[blewgrass]

How do you rate the bone stock (American Made) Tele pickups that come on a stock American Standard Telecaster.

Keep in mind I have a 1997 Telecaster that have done nothing with but played. It has the "delta tone" circuit and nothing else special. I recently bought a Highway One Tele with the overwound stock pickups.. YUK... so out they came and based on recommendations here and elsewhere, I put Duncan Broadcaster in the bridge, and a "Nashville" (which I think has a different name now) on the neck. Very nice, but not *the* classic Tele sound and not quite as nice as the plain old standards.

Every time somebody picks up my '98 AS Tele, they drool over the tone and feel of the instrument. Does anyone here think that the stock Tele pickups are some of the best sounding around, or is it that I got lucky with this one?

The "overwound" sound was grittier, but did not produce good clean tones and sort of muddied up the sound. The reason I post this is I am just one dude, and there are tons of Tele players here... and I want to get an idea of what the general consensus is. I hear great things about Lindy Frailin, but rarely hear a lot about bone stock instruments.

Any input would be great.

Steve

[Offshore Angler]

They are good enough to get you a Grammy if your chops are up to it.

Lately I've been playing a an ASe Strat with bone stocks. Almost eerywhere I go, some guitar player asks me what pickups are in it. It's all about the amp, man.

[frank thomson]

i'm also a fan of the stock pups, especially pre-2k

....but, unfortunately, no Grammy...yet

[blewgrass]

Thanks,
I was just wondering why to my ears they sounded as least as good as many of the pickups players seem to see as "upgrades".

[Don]

My '95 Am Std Tele had stock pickups in it that I liked a lot.

The guitar had a very smooth, more modern sound. Not as Twangy as a traditional Tele but very "nice". I thought they were more versatile than a traditional Tele.

[Direstraits]

There's a vast difference between Alnico 3 pickups & Alnico 5s - if you are after a really traditional Tele sound you might be after the Alnico 3 sound. They are "thinner" & brighter than the Alnico 5s

[a1terrier]

Just changed the pups on my Am Std Strat. Stock ones were ok but wanted a bit more. Bought some Tonerider `Pure Vintage` ones, £60 for the three. Sound very good to me even through a solid state amp. Just about to embark on a 5 watt valve amp build so guess they will sound even better then.

[ziess]

It's all about the amp, man.

Never a truer word said. Pickups smickups.

[yankeerob]

I don't know - I hate the stock pups in USA Std Tele's - especially the bridge - swapped it out for a Bulldog Classic T and it's just better... I agree you can get away with a lot more if yer amp kicks *ss but if yer amp's already doing a great job why not take it as far as it'll go...?

[cherrick]

You like this tone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7_7QWtp8Bo

[blewgrass]

I like that tone! And the pickups are cool too!

[lineboss58]

How do you rate the bone stock (American Made) Tele pickups that come on a stock American Standard Telecaster.

Keep in mind I have a 1997 Telecaster that have done nothing with but played. It has the "delta tone" circuit and nothing else special. I recently bought a Highway One Tele with the overwound stock pickups.. YUK... so out they came and based on recommendations here and elsewhere, I put Duncan Broadcaster in the bridge, and a "Nashville" (which I think has a different name now) on the neck. Very nice, but not *the* classic Tele sound and not quite as nice as the plain old standards.

Every time somebody picks up my '98 AS Tele, they drool over the tone and feel of the instrument. Does anyone here think that the stock Tele pickups are some of the best sounding around, or is it that I got lucky with this one?

The "overwound" sound was grittier, but did not produce good clean tones and sort of muddied up the sound. The reason I post this is I am just one dude, and there are tons of Tele players here... and I want to get an idea of what the general consensus is. I hear great things about Lindy Frailin, but rarely hear a lot about bone stock instruments.

Any input would be great.

Steve

I have a 2005 AS tele and i love it the pickups they are everything id want in a tele, like yours my friends pick my tele up and just smile. I dont know what it was but for that guitar fender just nailed it, i wont be changing my tele anytime soon.

[lineboss58]

I have a maple necked american standard bought fiveish years ago it is totally stock and it just sounds typically tele, bright twangy every thing you would expect from a tele. However i must add it was nothing like similar models in the shop, its neck differed a lot and it sounded better than all the rest. Friends of mine also tele owners who have tried it were knocked out and ask has it new strings on they just cant get over its tone. So not all teles even same models are equal!!