Good Broadcaster pickup replacements for a Baja Telecaster?

willo

Hi - I have a Vintera 50s Mod Telecaster, which is basically a Baja Telecaster with a V-shaped neck. Pickups are a Twisted Tele in the neck and a Broadcaster in the bridge.

I'm thinking about replacing these with something aftermarket. I find the current tones good but the neck can be a bit muddy and the bridge a bit shrill on certain notes. I also found the neck sounded a bit like a strat pickup (IMO).

What good aftermarket sets are out there? My Tele is my swiss-army-knife guitar - I play it in my covers band (pop to rock) and also when I just need something dependable.

In terms of tones I'd want (and I hesitate because words aren't great for this, but...) for the neck I love those clear, musical, bell-like tones, and from the bridge snarly, driven and sounds amazing when you bash a simple A chord out into an overdriven amp.

munckee

I think @Petepassion is about to list some mojo broadcasters which are very well thought of. 

Edit - sorry Monty’s. Not mojos. 

DNH

Hey - I also gig a Baja Tele. I have made a few mods to mine, one of which was fitting Mojo pickups: a Broadcaster in the bridge and an Open T in the neck. The bridge pickup in particular is fantastic - highly recommended. 

willo

DNH said:

Hey - I also gig a Baja Tele. I have made a few mods to mine, one of which was fitting Mojo pickups: a Broadcaster in the bridge and an Open T in the neck. The bridge pickup in particular is fantastic - highly recommended. 

Super cool, thank you. Did you find it gives you similar range of tones to before?

What other mods did you make? I'm simplifying the wiring to take out the S1, and upgrading the wiring loom. Also adding intonated brass saddles.

Funkfingers

willo said:

I have a Vintera 50s Mod Telecaster, which is basically a Baja Telecaster with a V-shaped neck. Pickups are a Twisted Tele in the neck and a Broadcaster in the bridge.

To all intents and purposes, the Vintera Modified is just the Baja with a name change. 

willo said:

the neck sounded a bit like a strat pickup (IMO).

It is designed to do precisely that.

•

If you wish your Telecaster to sound like it came from the early Fifties, investigate aftermarket pickups with Alnico 3 rod magnets.

For more Country twang, choose Alnico 5.

To combat the screech, consider A5/A2 hybrid designs.

I am deliberately trying to avoid naming brands. I am also trying not to influence your decision process by blathering on about my personal preferences.

Petepassion

munckee said:

I think @Petepassion is about to list some mojo broadcasters which are very well thought of. 

Edit - sorry Monty’s. Not mojos. 

Yup, pulling them out of the Tele tonight.
Monty’s 50’s Broadcaster set. I’ll also have the complete Monty’s 50’s wiring loom available too.

willo

Petepassion said:

munckee said:

I think @Petepassion is about to list some mojo broadcasters which are very well thought of. 

Edit - sorry Monty’s. Not mojos. 

Yup, pulling them out of the Tele tonight.
Monty’s 50’s Broadcaster set. I’ll also have the complete Monty’s 50’s wiring loom available too.

Great - I like Monty's pickups. How did you find the pickups and what are you thinking of swapping them to?

Petepassion

willo said:

Petepassion said:

munckee said:

I think @Petepassion is about to list some mojo broadcasters which are very well thought of. 

Edit - sorry Monty’s. Not mojos. 

Yup, pulling them out of the Tele tonight.
Monty’s 50’s Broadcaster set. I’ll also have the complete Monty’s 50’s wiring loom available too.

Great - I like Monty's pickups. How did you find the pickups and what are you thinking of swapping them to?

I found them better than the stock Fender pick ups.
   Only taking them out as the Tele is being sold tomorrow and the gent would rather have it in standard form.

Funkfingers

Since others are naming names, I have an Oil City Pickups "2012 Anniversary" Honky Tonk Angel pair available.

The bridge position pickup is modified with a separate ground wire for the metal baseplate. This enables it to be used with a Schaller Megaswitch M (circuit SS3).

PM for further information and price.

impmann

Of all the ‘Broadcaster’ pickups I’ve tried, I prefer the Seymour Duncan units in my old ‘72 Tele. 

The Mojo unit is very hot/dark. It’s nice in my pine caster but was too dark (for me) in another alder bodied guitar.

I hated the Fender Broadcaster units tbh - and all of the aftermarket ones I’ve played sounded better to my ears. 

Petepassion

I'll be listing my Monty's today.
£110 for the pair and £40 for the wiring loom delivered or £140 for the lot.

Emiel

I can agree on the Mojo Broadcaster set being a bit dark and hot. They are modelled on the very first Telecaster pickups which used A3 magnets as well as the thinner 43AWG on the bridge pickup. The Broadcaster set is really BIG sounding and if you want things more bright and twangy, you'd might be better off with a '52 or later spec set. I brought back some high end with swapping the brass saddles for steel ones (like on the very first Teles). If you find (any) Tele neck pickup too dark, try disconnecting it from the tonepot, a lot of pros do this.

Mr_Claw

Klein Epic 1950 Broadcasters are top notch.  

Apparently ordering direct can be a bit ...difficult. But if you can find some already made (I got mine via Coda) then they're ace pickups. 

guitars4you

Funkfingers said:

Since others are naming names, I have an Oil City Pickups "2012 Anniversary" Honky Tonk Angel pair available.

The bridge position pickup is modified with a separate ground wire for the metal baseplate. This enables it to be used with a Schaller Megaswitch M (circuit SS3).

PM for further information and price.

I favour the Honky Tonk Angel - worked for em - balls, twang, bit attack and yet musical

Supportact

willo said:

DNH said:

Hey - I also gig a Baja Tele. I have made a few mods to mine, one of which was fitting Mojo pickups: a Broadcaster in the bridge and an Open T in the neck. The bridge pickup in particular is fantastic - highly recommended. 

Super cool, thank you. Did you find it gives you similar range of tones to before?

What other mods did you make? I'm simplifying the wiring to take out the S1, and upgrading the wiring loom. Also adding intonated brass saddles.

One suggestion I'd have is that if you're already set on removing the s1 and changing the pots etc then this will likely change the sound you're getting out of the existing pickups. It might be worth seeing what effect that has on them, it wouldn't be that hard to change them afterwards if you're still not happy. 

Strat54

Avoid anything with Broadcaster in the pickup name...its a load of nonsense. Just marketing trying to emmulate the mythical Broadcasters which to be honest aren't always that great. The ones that I've played that have been stellar seem to be the heavy 9lb plus examples. Go figure.
These 'hotter' Alnico V pickups really don't seem to suit new mid price Teles. Youtube is full of horribly ice picky brash Tele demos.
I'd remove the loom and S1 junk.....get a nice straight forward replacement loom/pots of quality, a set of decent but inexpensive standard Alnico 3 vintage output pickups and Rutters saddles, I actually prefer the steel ones....replace the nut and get a good setup, remembering pickup height and angle is critical on a Tele, If it doesn't float your boat..sell it and move on. 

Greatape

Maybe these? https://bootstrappickups.com/products/bootstrap-extra-crispy-for-tele®

Alexlotl

I had the same pups in my 2016 US Standard Tele. Kept the TT neck, as I don’t have a strat and love that tone. The bridge I swapped out for a Fender Nocaster ‘51, which is a bit warmer and hotter than what was in there. I like it a lot!

I think they blend really nicely too, the neck loves modulation effects like phase or chorus while the bridge cuts through. I would consider removing the neck from the tone circuit, though.

DNH

willo said:

DNH said:

Hey - I also gig a Baja Tele. I have made a few mods to mine, one of which was fitting Mojo pickups: a Broadcaster in the bridge and an Open T in the neck. The bridge pickup in particular is fantastic - highly recommended. 

Super cool, thank you. Did you find it gives you similar range of tones to before?

What other mods did you make? I'm simplifying the wiring to take out the S1, and upgrading the wiring loom. Also adding intonated brass saddles.

I did pretty much the same: replaced the wiring with standard Tele wiring, installed a Rutters bridge and saddles, and changed the jack for an electro socket. They are great Teles - hope you enjoy yours.