Joe Barden Tele pickups

Fuzzdog · June 2015

If you're after noise cancelling, as a complete curveball I'd say try throw any preconceived notions out the window and try EMGs - their basic T set is widely regarded as being one of the best sounding sets of pickups you can put it a Tele, particularly the bridge pickup, which is still possibly my favourite Tele bridge pickup of all time whether active or passive.

ToneControl · June 2015

octatonic said:

I have Bardens in a bunch of guitars (including a certain gold top telecaster).
They are much brighter than most people expect them to be.

That can require taming, but if you can work with that they are very dynamic and raw sounding.

I have some two tone ones, they are very very bright.

Bardens are popular with country players for a reason

I found Fender N3 pickups acceptable

Jeremiah · June 2015

Fuzzdog said:

If you're after noise cancelling, as a complete curveball I'd say try throw any preconceived notions out the window and try EMGs - their basic T set is widely regarded as being one of the best sounding sets of pickups you can put it a Tele, particularly the bridge pickup, which is still possibly my favourite Tele bridge pickup of all time whether active or passive.

Is there space for the battery in an unmodified Tele control cavity?

octatonic · June 2015

Jeremiah said:

Fuzzdog said:

If you're after noise cancelling, as a complete curveball I'd say try throw any preconceived notions out the window and try EMGs - their basic T set is widely regarded as being one of the best sounding sets of pickups you can put it a Tele, particularly the bridge pickup, which is still possibly my favourite Tele bridge pickup of all time whether active or passive.

Is there space for the battery in an unmodified Tele control cavity?

I've manage it in the past.

I had the EMG tele set + a middle pickup wired up to a 5 way with a battery.

It is very, very tight and you have to bend a few pieces to get it to work.

Philly_Q · June 2015

Are Barden pickups still built by Joe Barden himself? Years ago I bought a couple of pickups directly from him, but the business seems to be bigger and better advertised nowadays.

octatonic · June 2015

Philly_Q said:

Are Barden pickups still built by Joe Barden himself? Years ago I bought a couple of pickups directly from him, but the business seems to be bigger and better advertised nowadays.

No longer. He basically went under back in the 90's. Like a lot of these businesses they become too big for one person to manage (Hermida, Devi ever). I don't know the exact structure but there are more people involved now.

Andy_Strings · April 2018

I've got the original Bardens in my early Danny Gatton (my favourite Tele'). These are without doubt the best T pickups I've heard or played, versatile, musical and massively dynamic. I've got a few Nocasters with AY hand wounds... good - but not Barden quality.