software

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to the world of electric guitars (been playin acoustic for ages).

About 4 months ago, I got a '72 classic custom tele (with a neck humbucker and bridge single-line), and I'm looking to replace the humbucker with something more suited to heavy music, making the guitar more versatile. A few questions:

1) Does this versatility actualy work, or would I be better getting a different guitar for heavier stuff?
2) Some ideas on suitable pickups for the neck position (humbucker)?
3) I really like the 'Fender' plate that covers the humbucker, and want to keep it. Is this possible, and would it restrict my choice of pickup?

thanks

welcome to the forum.

1) yes. a tele is a versatile guitar. you can see them in action from country to metal. john 5 of marilyn manson uses a tele.

2) you would want a lower output humbucker to balance well with a tele bridge pickup. humbuckers are much louder than single coils. that said, you can opt for a higher output tele lead pickup such as the hot or quarterpound for tele to match well with a typical neck humbucker. 59, pearly gates, jazz and seth lover are popular choices.

3) no. fender wide-range buckers are way bigger in size compared to normal humbuckers. you will also need to custom make your pickguard to fit an aftermarket humbucker.

hope it helps.
dani

Thanks, your advice has been very useful - lots to think about

quot;Telesquot; contain a BIG group of guitar designs, so though they can be versatile, IMO many versions are not among the more versatile guitars. Yours at least has a bucker instead of that sickly standard single coil at the neck.

Many people would consider a tele bridge single coil a poor quot;metalquot; pickup. For a lot of rock stuff (especially Van Halen and 80's heavy rock) you usually use a bridge humbucker. But it depends on what sounds YOU want. There are bridge buckers available that fit that cutout, if you wanted to go that way.

If you are hell bent on doing quot;heavierquot; music on a tele I would recommend considering the HOT RAIL model or a DIMARZIO CHOPPER for the bridge. Unless you have a great rig or a very sure hand, doing heavy music on a tele is not usually the way to go, NOT THAT IT CANNOT BE DONE - Many great players have rocked on a TELE incl JIMMY PAGE!

I esp agree with someone who said you should use a vintage voiced pickup on the neck to go with the bridge. The Dimarzio Air Norton would give you some nice, fat power. For a great classic tone, do consider the APH1, 59, and Pearly as someone suggested.

Mind you, the HOT RAIL does not sound exactly like most PAF style full size humbuckers, its physical design alone dictates that it will be a little brighter and more focused in a tele.

I highly recomend trying the YAMAHA MIKE STERN model, which sports a 59 and a HOT RAIL, this will help you hear it in advance of altering your guitar.

fwiw, i use a hot and jazz neck in my cij thinline special and it sure can do heavy stuff!

I use a STL-2/PGn combo in my MIJ 69 RI Thinline for all kinds of rock, and sometimes, metal..

With the right rig, you can use a tele for ANY kind of music, even with the stock PU configuration.