I'm thinking about doing something similar.. my tele' pickups are very squealy since I switched to my new vox amp, and started rocking it up a bit more. A HB would sort this and maybe beef the output right?

are humbuckers actually hotter? I thought they were just to counter hum?

ianscanlon wrote:I'm thinking about doing something similar.. my tele' pickups are very squealy since I switched to my new vox amp, and started rocking it up a bit more. A HB would sort this and maybe beef the output right?

My thinking is this...and it is just thinking, as I haven't bought a pickup just yet...

My fiddle is a Classic ASAT Telecaster, full-on stock. It plays great, but it sounds more like its electronics are set up for a kinda typical, 'country-esque' clean tone, which it has in spades. However, I'm going for a combination of two things, things that might be somewhat incompatible with each other, if not a tricky balance:
1. get the classic horrifying 'hail of nails' sound these amps can dial in, while
2. retaining some of the more dynamic 'plinky' and 'tonky' responsiveness to my playing, especially in the high end.

I definitely want to implement both of the above without using a pedal to boost anything. I'm assuming that this will involve getting a much hotter pickup, and playing around with polepiece adjustments until it works. The Lindy Steel Pole might be the ticket. I'm calling him as soon as I have the cash. I'm very much intrigued by the Q-tuners, mentioned above, but I would like to avoid paying 150 bucks for something that will force that Nu-Metal overdrive on me...although I think my amplifier is incapable of doing that.

Humbuckers typically have a very distinct characteristic sound to them...a good one, but I don't think they are ideally suited for my application. I'd feel as if I made a bad choice on the Tele if I ended up loading it with all humbuckers...at that point, I'd probably just get a SG or something like that.

Hell, maybe I should just get a Rickenbacker. I've always liked them, too, but I think I'd have a similar issue with a dramatically different sound.

I've been very interested in the Harmonic Design Super-90. It's a Tele pickup built like a P-90 and is a direct fit for Telecasters and Strats. P-90s can be very close to a humbucker in smoothness under gain, but still retains the clarity of a single coil pickup. I have not actually played the Harmonic Design pickup, but it sounds badass.

They have those G&L Special pickups, I have an ASAT special, they are like little soapbar pickups.

I really like them but it would probably require some modification to your guitar to fit them in.

i know you said you'd prefer not to use a pedal but I tried a germanium treble booster once on my fender and I found it was quite subtle and responsive to touch. Far superior to desecrating a telecaster with a horribly midrangey high output pickup. (I haven't tried any of the pickups suggested in this thread, so maybe they'd work too)

Humbuckers in Teles are gay. There. I said it. You're right, you'd probably just as well off buying an SG.

There are many, many options as far as high-output single coil pickups for Telecasters. What looks intriguing to me is this,
Rio Grande's "Dirty Harry" pickup for a Tele. Basically supposed to be a Tele-sized P-90. If I rocked a Tele, I'd probably want to check one of these out.

John Reis used a Tele with a Rio Grande P-90 in the bridge position extensively in Hot Snakes. I don't know if that's the kind of sound you're going for, but I'd imagine that this'd get you in the ballpark.

J. Burns wrote:Humbuckers in Teles are gay.

I am with you.

I checked out the Hot Snakes, simply to see what you are saying...that is indeed closer, which means you get me. Indeed, I think everyone 'got me' before I did, as I'm now reminded that nearly everybody talks about this P-90 pickup, which I know absolutely nothing about.

It doesn't sound like Mr. Hot Snake is playing through a Voxy amp. It does, however, sound like he's getting snicky with it. Here's a metaphorical conceptualization of where I'm going with this, at least as far as I do actually know it:

In relation to the Hot Snake sound, I want more 'snicky' blasting through my amp's 'blare'. Does that actually effectively communicate anything?

Jesus Kriest, this is getting retarded. I won't be able to buy another pickup for at least three weeks...

Thanks for the additional input, everyone. I have three+ pickups to try out now. Can't wait!

J. Burns wrote:
John Reis used a Tele with a Rio Grande P-90 in the bridge position extensively in Hot Snakes. I don't know if that's the kind of sound you're going for, but I'd imagine that this'd get you in the ballpark.

it was Rick Froberg that used the P90 equiped Tele in Hot Snakes - it was when i saw them play twice anyway.

i thought his guitar sound was pretty 'gnarly'

gjhardwick wrote:

J. Burns wrote:
John Reis used a Tele with a Rio Grande P-90 in the bridge position extensively in Hot Snakes. I don't know if that's the kind of sound you're going for, but I'd imagine that this'd get you in the ballpark.

it was Rick Froberg that used the P90 equiped Tele in Hot Snakes - it was when i saw them play twice anyway.

i thought his guitar sound was pretty 'gnarly'

So did Reis to start with too, a sort of blondey coloured one. When I saw him using a Les Paul with a lipstick pickup in the neck and a humucker in the bridge (each going through a separate jack output) I reckon he probably had the best guitar sound I could imagine...