Weedy tone from Telecaster

Lockstep

I have a very nice Fender Lite Ash telecaster, the only problem is I find the bridge pickup to have a tone that is far too weedy and too much Treble. It has
Seymour Duncan® APTR-1(neck) and ,APTL-1,(Bridge) (AP=Alnico Pro), I was just wondering what would be the best thing to do about that. I'm guessing a new pickup but I'm no expert on the things so there could be a better solution. Any advice would be much appreciated

sei046

are you sure its not just the "tele" sound? was it always like this or just happening now

Lockstep

No,it's always been like this, I'm assuming it's just the pickup
I seldom use the neck pickup, but it sounds reasonable, a little flat but the bridge pickup makes a horribly reedy sound

Voodu Child

It sounds like you just don't like singlecoils.

It's not a big deal to put a humbucker in there, there should be single-coil sized ones that'll fit.

Lockstep

Yeah, I was considering doing that,

can you make a reccomendation for a humbucker that will fit into the Telecaster single-coil spot?


Also, is there a website that shows the sound difference between a singlecoil and a humbucker using Audioclips, just to make sure.
Thanks

sei046

try a duncan stacked bucker. singlecoils are "weedy" by nature

Lockstep

Any particular bucker?

I heard good things about the HotRails or some such name.

Also,where would be a good place to get em,
thanks

Blackhorse Slim

Try these

BostonB

I sued to have Duncan Hotrails Tele pickup in a Charvel which was great. But it was a real 80's hard rock sound to it. I wouldn't put it in a Fender Tele. Teles are meant to sound kinda weedy aren't they? I'd maybe try a different tele, one with humbuckers already in it.

Lockstep

No way could I afford another Tele.

I love the feel of it, that's why I bought it, but I hate the sound.

I play a lotta punk but I like a lot of other styles too, especially ska/folk etc so I'd be looking for a multifunctional pickup if possible

Asiaprod

I read good reviews on Kinman Tele pickups

http://www.kinman.com/html/myProducts/teles.htm

I use kinman in both my strats and they are remarkable. I think he has some sound bites on his web site.
Found it, here are the Tele sound bites
http://www.kinman.com/html/mediaCentre/sounds.htm

MattKid

I had a seymour duncan Lil '59 in my bridge posistion which is a stacked humbucker, I hated it

I've now have a set of Bare Knuckle piledrivers in and although they are single coil they give a nice fat Tele sound and will give humbuckers a run for there money.

punchdrunk

ive got kinmann broadcasters in mine,nothin weedy about these,they'll slice your head off!

Eoin Madsen

Take it to Derrick Nelson and get it rerouted for a real humbucker. Then install a series/parallel switch for the new pickup.

jamiecol

i have the same problem. love to feel of my tele and the look.just the sound is a bit ****e for the music i play, punkish/hard rock.
gonna try a seymour duncan hot rails in it. and if that dont sound nice ill cut it cut up for a real humbucker

Don1

I have a HotRails in my Squire Strat and it is an insane little pickup. Borderline impossible to get clean, crazy when provoked!

A bit much for punk though I'd say. I'd check out some DiMarzio's as they have a fair variation in their pickup sounds. www.dimarzio.com I think. They give you decent descriptions of each one and a tone guide. No sounds though.

jamiecol

what do you play. i like a heavy sound though?

Don1

On the squire I have heavy strings tuned down around CGCFAD (sometimes ultra heavy down to B and beyond) and I use it for Queens of the Stone Age mainly. Have been known to play Slipknot or KoRn stuff on it when it's tuned a particular way just for the hell of it. I use an extremely heavy distortion sound which is basically a modelled Mesa Dual Recto maxed out and driven by a tweaked EQ to give the sound I like. I can't remember the mix between mic sound and direct sound or the mic position but basically it's filthy! I love the pickup and would prefer it in a better guitar tbh, which gives me an idea. Where did I leave my Fender Strat.........

Dord

Sounds like you don't like singlecoils or tele's. Personally I love 'em, you can give the guitar to me?

jamiecol

i love the look of telecasters. so sweet. but doesnt sound nice with distortion

Demeyes

I've got hotrails and they give a nice distorted sound. Not the worst cleaner sounds but nothing amazing.
I think the right stacked pcikup will get you what you want. Theres a nice range of them avaliable

jamiecol

what pick up would you suggest so. the single coil just isnt gonna cut it for me

punchdrunk

jamiecol wrote: »

what pick up would you suggest so. the single coil just isnt gonna cut it for me

http://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/Categories.asp?productname=FOR%20TELE

check these lads out...

Icarian

ive got a sd hotrail in my strat, its pretty good, i dont know if its the best out there, like someone else said, its more of an 80's hard rock/metal sound than most modern types like emg's or whatever, if it helps, Iron Maiden use them, so if that sound floats your boat give them a whirl!!

i think though, that it might be best and just bite the bullet and get a full sized hubucker, you'll have a lot more options than if you just stick to rails....

Icarian

ive got a sd hotrail in my strat, its pretty good, i dont know if its the best out there, like someone else said, its more of an 80's hard rock/metal sound than most modern types like emg's or whatever, if it helps, Iron Maiden use them, so if that sound floats your boat give them a whirl!!

i think though, that it might be best and just bite the bullet and get a full sized hubucker, you'll have a lot more options than if you just stick to rails....
given the choice again id probably do that instead

seymour duncan hot rails: 7/10