When I was but a young teen in the mid 60s, I heard more than a few times that the neck pickup on a Tele (perhaps the earliest ones) was not really usable. It supposedly had a very muffled and bass tone that was supposed to allow a guitarist to imitate a bass. I also heard that this was the case until at least the mid 60s. I never played a Tele in those years so I have no idea. But I do recall hearing this more than a few times.
Can anyone confirm or deny this? I am very curious.