Stock Tele Bridge Pickup Upgrade

tralfamadan

Hello. I'm after a pickup upgrade for the stock bridge in an American Tele from ~2000. I love the neck pickup but have never been crazy about the Bridge. I found out recently that the bridge pickups in American Teles from 2000 ~ 2012 don't have a baseplate underneath so maybe that explains why it has always been a little underwhelming and not especially Tele-like.

I don't want to change the neck so ideally would like something that pairs nicely with the stock neck. Output wise I think the stock bridge is ~6.8 & neck ~ 7.2 (but don't quote me on that).

I love the tone that 50s era Teles and Broadcasters get. I play a range of styles and would like something that sounds good clean but can also suffer a lot of gain and drive - and yeah I realise that's probably what everybody wants! Twang is good. Bite and spank also good. My other guitar is a P90 LP so I have fat, smooth tones more or less covered.

Currently looking at the Bareknuckle Pickup Country Boy bridge pup. Seems like a good fit but would really appreciate some opinions on the matter.

Funkfingers

tralfamadan said:

I love the tone that 50s era Teles and Broadcasters get.

Some of that comes from the vintage style stamped steel bridge. The modern machined-from-solid bridge of your 2000 American Standard guitar will not contribute some of the overtones that you may desire. On the other hand, it will be less prone to squeal under extremely high gain. Swings and roundabouts. 

tralfamadan said:

I found out recently that the bridge pickups in American Teles from 2000 ~ 2012 don't have a baseplate underneath so maybe that explains why it has always been a little underwhelming and not especially Tele-like.

The steel baseplate is another contributing factor to the vintage Telecaster tone. (Let's not get diverted into a debate on that topic.)


If the guitar were mine, I would begin transforming its sound by removing the TBX tone control from circuit and trying a regular passive treble roll off type.

Next, replace the compressed powder bridge saddles with the bent steel type. (Callaham, Graphtech and others offer them with the offset intonation adjustment screw.) 

A metal baseplate for the bridge position pickup might help a little. I suspect that it will still be a bit nasty afterwards. Probably easier to go directly for what you want from your preferred replacement pickup manufacturer.

kswilson89

Get in touch with Dave at Bloodstone:

http://www.bloodstoneguitarworks.com/telecaster-pickups

Top quality hand wound pickups at extremely reasonable prices. I bought a set of underwound Nocaster pickups and they sound sublime. Highly recommended.

gordiji

Fender nocaster.

munckee

There is a broadcaster bridge pickup from a baja for sale in the classifieds on here which would give you proper bridge sounds

Johnnyseven

I can highly recommend the Mojo Esquire pickup for the sound you describe, I have one and it is truly amazing!

tralfamadan

Funkfingers said:

If the guitar were mine, I would begin transforming its sound by removing the TBX tone control from circuit and trying a regular passive treble roll off type.

Next, replace the compressed powder bridge saddles with the bent steel type. (Callaham, Graphtech and others offer them with the offset intonation adjustment screw.) 

A metal baseplate for the bridge position pickup might help a little. I suspect that it will still be a bit nasty afterwards. Probably easier to go directly for what you want from your preferred replacement pickup manufacturer.

Awesome. Thank you for the suggestions. I'm not sure it has the TBX circuit - I think its the "no-load" type. Roughly speaking what impact would switching from cast saddles to the bent steel have? I've tried looking for a good description online but most guitar forums seem to bemoan any Tele bridge that isn't 3-piece bronze saddles.

menamestom

As mentioned above the Nocaster is reat, as is the Broadcaster.

BKP are nice but I’d go flat 50.

Funkfingers

tralfamadan said:
I'm not sure it has the TBX circuit - I think its the "no-load" type. 

In that case, rotate the control beyond the notch and observe whether it takes some of the nasty trebly edge off the bridge/Treble pickup.

tralfamadan said:
Roughly speaking what impact would switching from cast saddles to the bent steel have?

More twang.

Bent saddles and a machined bridge plate is what Fender supplied on the last period of their American Standard instruments.

Johnnyseven

tralfamadan said:

Funkfingers said:

If the guitar were mine, I would begin transforming its sound by removing the TBX tone control from circuit and trying a regular passive treble roll off type.

Next, replace the compressed powder bridge saddles with the bent steel type. (Callaham, Graphtech and others offer them with the offset intonation adjustment screw.) 

A metal baseplate for the bridge position pickup might help a little. I suspect that it will still be a bit nasty afterwards. Probably easier to go directly for what you want from your preferred replacement pickup manufacturer.

Awesome. Thank you for the suggestions. I'm not sure it has the TBX circuit - I think its the "no-load" type. Roughly speaking what impact would switching from cast saddles to the bent steel have? I've tried looking for a good description online but most guitar forums seem to bemoan any Tele bridge that isn't 3-piece bronze saddles.

Your Tele probably has a 3 screw modern bridge, if so you won't be able to swap it straight out for a vintage style 4 screw bridge. If it's like mine it has a no load tone pot not a TBX circuit.

chris78

As above, the broadcaster from Fender will get there you.
If you want to pay for boutique, the klein broadcaster is utterly wonderful. I had a set in a partscaster that I shouldn’t have sold

poopot

Mojo 59... all my teles now have them

lovestrat74

Got a Broadcaster for sale on here...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/150990/fs-35-baja-telecaster-bridge-pickup-broadcaster-strat-pickups-sold-vox-amplug-sold#latest

tralfamadan

Thanks for the advice all. I went with new saddles in the end. I put a set of Callaham bent steel saddles on this weekend. Tone is definitely brighter. I prefer it on the bridge but not sold on the neck tone as much - may just take getting used to and some setup tweaks.

As an aside, when I took off the old saddles I noticed that the little adjustment screws have cut into my bridge plate. Is this pretty typical? I mean, it seems like it would be. I searched google for reassurance but found nothing so asking here..!

Funkfingers

tralfamadan said:
As an aside, when I took off the old saddles, I noticed that the little adjustment screws have cut into my bridge plate. Is this pretty typical?

Yes.

chris_john

I couldn't be happier with the Seymour Duncan Vintage Broadcaster set in my Tele. The bridge is proper snarly without ear-splitting highs. The neck is pretty sweet too. I lowered it a bit and it has a real stratty quality to it.