AMAZING Telecaster Neck Tones!
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- Опубликовано: 1 окт 2024
- #fendertelecaster #telecaster
These pickups get this tone I'm talking about: sweetwater.sjv... (Affiliate)
What is this magic tone? Not all Telecasters (or Telecaster pickups) are created equal -- but if you find the right Tele Neck Pickup, it has a unique quality that no other pickup can get. Featuring a Fender American Original 60s Telecaster and a Fender American Standard Telecaster, each loaded with Andrew Robertson pickups. Also featuring a Wampler Tumnus Deluxe, Keeley Red Dirt, One Control Prussian Blue Reverb, Fender Super Reverb and Fender Bassman.
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This was not a sponsored video. I originally received the Andrew Robertson pickups in exchange for review videos, which is an obligation I fulfilled. This video was done entirely of my own volition and no stated opinion was sponsored or paid for in any way.
Disclaimer: I do basic audio editing on my videos to account for the microphones, preamp and room. This editing, mostly light EQ and compression, is intended to give you the most accurate representation of how the featured gear actually sounds. NO editing is done to misrepresent how the featured gear sounds in any way.
Have you experienced this magic Tele neck tone? Let us know! And if you want to support the channel, check out some music on Spotify, share and add to playlists!
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Hi Jack,... what you are describing is what you get when you use an alnico III vintage wound tele neck pup.... like in a Custom Shop Nocaster 51 set... the magic is the A3 and wound to that spec !! :-)
Mark Koher actually I’ve found it in a number of magnets. In fact the 60s style pickup in this video has an Alnico 5 and really nails the tone.
I totally agree with Mark Koher, I've just installed a set of '52 Vintage AlNiCo 3 pickups in my Pine Tele and love, love, love the tone.
Smooth and fairly pronounced mids. Almost like the presence is turned up on the mids, yet they are louder volume but the speaker is farther away. As if the mids are part of the wet signal over-mixed into the dry signal!
Anyway, try the AlNiCo III pickups, smooth and strong/firm.
I'm also amazed that the AlNiCo III magnets are the weakest of the AlNiCo, however their higher iron content gives them a different tonal profile (more iron = lower peak resonant frequency).
HK Guitar the 53 set in this video has Alnico 3s. The 60s set has Alnico 5s. Alnico 3s are very special, but not exclusive to the tone I’m discussing in the video.
@@JackFossett Yes indeed.
I'm a Tele and a coffee addict and I'm sure there's a link between the two. The Tele bridge pickup can be like a strong espresso - a short, sharp bite that delivers immediately. You know what it is straight away and it isn't difficult to find it and be satisfied. The Tele neck pickup is a smooth blend of beans with just the right amount of milk/cream (we all have our preferences) but a distinct, clear flavour must cut through the mellow experience. I actually like the Fender twisted Tele neck pickups (I know many don't). And the Fender modern vintage pickups in my America Ash Series "8502" would be hard to beat. On a budget (or even not), the Ironstone (UK) Tele pickups are worth checking out for a good neck tone and overall balance. It's hard to find what you like. Especially when all you can do is buy them and try them. Adjusting the pickup height is the first (and cheapest) tip to try to improve your tone. It can make a massive difference though is a pain if the neck pickup is screwed direct to the body rather than the pickguard - but can be well worth the effort. Now for a good cup of coffee.
damn! great synopsis.. I cosign ALL OF IT! strangley, I make a silimar comparison between a es 335 and bourbon, on a rainy night, in jazz club... yes the entire image hit me all at once :)
The tele is the black coffee of guitars.
American Standard, '63 reissue, and twisted tels pickups all sound great to me. I tried a Squier classic vibe that played terrific, but in comparison, it sounded like it had a blanket over it compared with the aforementioned pickups, which are all great.
This is just great. I am a Tele guy. Never try to buy pickups to try and make the Tele beck pickup sound like a Strat neck pickup. You wil end up spending huge amounts of money and won’t be able to find it. Just let it be what it is. IT’S OWN THING!!! God bless all.
If folks want a Strat tone, they need to buy a Stratocaster.
You can be like me and have both! Best of both worlds
I prefer neck telecaster pickups to sound twangy - distinctly "telecaster" sounding, not like a strat. Some people like a strat tone in tele neck - not me.
Before you run out and buy new pickups, try one thing. Every time I try telecasters in stores, this seems true. Neck pickups set really up close and high. Crank it down always...opens right up. There are lots of setups at my house, 43 after a buddy sold me his affinity tele. 45 bucks. 2 weeks later, he came by to record some stuff, said wtf pickup you put in...said no change. Back it up some and see, also sustains better
I’ve always been a firm believer in lowering pickups too. I do it in nearly all of my guitars.
@@berlymahn term for Dollars ($$ US currency), he's talking about how much it cost in that particular sentence.
@@berlymahn american slang for the dollar. Currency,money or cash if you will. :)
The tele neck pups are much better in terms of moving it closer to the strings compared to strats. I have my 51 nocaster neck very close to the strings and still sounds amazing. Strats behave a different way so do not be afraid to break that rule and move that neck pup closer till you get that sweet spot. Take into consideration that there actually is that pup cover in between which means that the top of the poles might be farther than you think. I have a vintage-style 52 Tele with 51 nocaster pups and a 60's Strat with hand wound Josefina fat 60's pups but the strat can never come close to the tone I can achieve with my Tele even though the nocasters are not even handwound. I really don't get it why others replace the neck with humbuckers when the Tele neck single coils are the best neck pickups out there.
I'm pretty much a newbie to the Tele world.... I'll try this on my '50s Baja series... I love that thing....
My Tele neck pick up is my “jazz pickup”.
But what is it really?
@@jayfender4486 talking about sounds is somewhat strange, because u try to describe one medium with another - just doesn't work out. very similar to when ppl say something about wine, it always sounds terrible. In fact there is nothing worth saying about it: listen, drink, smell and look for yourself
@@deadcatforcutie9349 some famous person once said that talking about music is like dancing about architecture
@@musicplaylists59 that's a good one. A lot of us guitar geeks like to talk gear and tone endlessly. Or maybe I'll just speak for myself. Obsessed. That's the word.
Woody. That's a good description. Somewhere between a Strat and Les Paul. Not as muddy as an LP and not as liquid or glassy as a Strat. I've got an Affinity that I string with acoustic 10 gauge strings. Stock pickups. The tone sounds way above its pay grade.
You use acoustic strings on your electric guitar with passive pickups?? Are you a beginner or was that a typo? Maybe you just dont understand how passive pickups or pickups in general work. Or even how acoustic and electric string alloys differ and why its important? I'm just smh over here frustrated at the notion that your comment wasnt a typo.
@@michaelinglis8516 they work. I'm going for jazz tone. Clean. They sound similar to flat wounds ( which I find uncomfortable ) to my ears. I've had other guitarists at a few of my gigs tell me they liked my tone. I'm sure you know as well as I do that to be complimented on your tone by another guitarist is pretty special. They stay in tune very well, but it's not for everybody. I'm 65 , been playing since I'm 8. Actually opened for Leslie West in 1976. If you care to , Google my name and add Squier Affinity Starcaster and see what I mean. Thanks. Keep on jammin'!
@@kennybluet5527 You'll have to excuse my initial speculation. The answer you gave is actually what I was honestly hoping to hear. I've been playing 21 years give or take 6 months and I build guitars and pedals(although at this point the guitar building is still a hobby if you could call it anything). Anyways point being that in the time I've been playing I havent heard of putting acoustic strings of any kind on an electric guitar (other than in an extreame pinch of course lol). With that said if it's going to work for any general "style" I imagine jazz would be it(and the flat wound comparison makes a lot of sense. I would imagine they attenuate the same frequencies but possibly without the inherent downsides of flat wounds) so maybe you are indeed on to something. I'm thoroughly pleased to know that your choice to use acoustic 10s is out of experience rather than ignorance. Is it my business what other players choose to do even when out of ignorance?...Probably not, but again I'm thrilled that it's working for you an if it gets you closer to the sound your after than that's all that matters. Thanks for taking the time to clear that up for me brother!
Texas Special tele pick ups are by far some of the best sounding ones ive ever heard
I know exactly what you mean. It’s a woody, hollow, open in the middle, almost acoustic guitar-like tone.
Exactly 🍻
There is a real magic to a good tele neck pickup. The best tele neck pickup tone I have ever heard is from jazz guitarist, Tim Lerch. He seems to have the science of it figured out, too. He has some great videos discussing this.
Tim Lerch also seems to have many Telecasters with a vast spectrum of different pickup combinations in them. Wonderful player. Jack’s playing is also pretty great. 👍🏽
Ted Greene as well.
The best guitar ever made...the swiss army knife of guitars. It can do anything. From the sweetest sounds to the nastiest. I'll never ever part from it.
If a Telecaster could do everything, everyone would be playing one ,an Ibanez with an Edge tremolo , or a Kramer with a Floyd Rose is closer to being able to do "anything" than any Telecaster , even though I do have all three, my Ibanez is my go to guitar for tremolo dive bombs and aggressive heavy tones!
@@83roadstar agree, while Teles are great...they cannot do everything. There's a reason certain guitars and certain pickups are produced and used for particular genres.
One players "everything" is different than the next guys "everything". There are old timers that consider the stones super heavy, then there are guys that only play detuned 7 string with the gain & 3 distortion pedals dimed or what ever they're using to get that insane tone.
One things for sure if not for the telecaster, electric guitar wouldn't have turned out to be what it is today & all players should respect that!
@@83roadstar Bad logic. If it “can do everything” that does not imply that no other guitars would exist.
JUst subscribed and am hoping for a video on the middle switch position on the Telecaster!
That’s an excellent idea - another killer Tele tone.
I’m pretty sure i play my neck pickup 90% of the time on my American professional tele. My favorite guitar behind my LP. Great playing man, sounds amazing
Awesome! The American Pro series are great. I love the new bridges they're using too.
The neck pickup has always been my go to tone on every guitar I've ever owned. The single coil Tele neck is so pure and tonally balanced, with crisp attack, and plenty of sustain, and free of the ice pick piercing treble that the bridge pu produces.
I agree - the use the neck pickup more than I used to, it’s so pleasant
Yeah, I always wondered why single pickup guitars put their pickup in the bridge position, rather than the neck. The bridge position is way too tinny. Too much treble and not enough mids and bass. The neck position on the other hand gives you the perfect "guitar tone".
The tone knob helps reduce some of the ice pick.
@@NostalgiaforInfinity Because the bridge is the business-end of the electric guitar.
When driven and compressed it sounds amazing. Roll off some treble. Clean sounds great for chicken pickin and what not but not for a ton of other genres. But the bridge pup on a Tele rules. So does the neck and middle.
Try a tele with a Gibson Humbucker.... (not seymour duncan or something......)
Hi I literally bought a fender mim telecaster yesterday, and I am over the moon with it... The tone of it in all three positions of pick up is powerful and has that distinctive sound that only a tele can make... Its factory standard and I have been playing it in all three positions, like you said jack the bridge is a teles bread and butter sound, but the neck sounds really beautiful too. I'm playing it through my fender blue's junior tweed both clean and with a tubescreaner and man it sounds amazing... Thanks for another fantastic informative video.. Really enjoyed it and great playing too 😎🎸👍
I would describe it as having glassy tone. Love it ❤
Greg Koch said it the best- its a wimpy pup but when you got it going right, it gives you the "SQUISHY SQUISH"- thats the perfect description
My 2020 Affinity Tele sounds amazing fot the money, i love it just as much as my Les Paul, which is a 1000$ more lol.. After a good setup, it really shines, and I've always loved a good neck pu.
Telecaster's Rule!
I’m also a telly player and I got to say I experienced the same magic that you explained: exact same way. I always feel like the neck tone gives some ‘hollowness’ or airyness you mentioned. And it’s really sweet on clean tones or low gain overdrives. Like it’s ‘breathing’ when you hit the notes. And especially if I’m picking it dynamically, the response is so fucking amazing dude. Btw mine is Fender Telecaster Japan, I think its a reissue, bought it from a friend
Bill Frisell's tone is what comes to mind when I think of lovely neck pickup tone on a Telecaster. For me, that is THE tele tone.
Absolutely - he’s probably the best example. His tone is surreal.
Exactly! I was thinking the same!
I never played a telecaster until I found one at a thrift store, paid 39.54 for it and it quickly became my favourite player guitar
Sorry 39 dollars? Two sec ima hit up my local saint johns
I am saving for my first guitar and a Telecaster, here, AM built ofc, costs 2-3k USD(14-20 000 NOK).
A used one you can get for 1.5k USD, or around 10 000 NOK..
40 bucks for a guitar, not sure I would trust that.
@@OriginalPuro You don't understand. He went in person to the thrift store , saw the Tele and purchased it for only $39. Thrift stores sell donated items so he's telling the truth. I paid @ $25 for an entire Golf set w/bag. 7 or 8 clubs were included.
@@PeterDad60 I used to work at a Goodwill thrift store, as an electrical processor (aka processed electrical items, ect)
The truth is.....I dont know how anyone could come up on a $39 dollar guitar because
1. I, or someone like myself, definitely already stole it
2. Quota. Everyday a certain amount, i believe 200, items needed to be processed. 75 - $2 dollar items, 25 - $10 dollar items, 10 - $50 dollar items or something along those lines
A processor must find the right balance between making quota, with insufficient items, flushing the quota stickers down the toilet and trying their best to help out the community
Basically, either i steal it, or more likely drop it in a random customers cart for a dollar and say "shhh". Otherwise the item becomes known and nobodys getting away with putting it on a shelf for 39 dollars. If the manager were to see an item that could be sold for more than labeled, theres a chance of them actually trying to sell it for real money, which is not very Robinhood
I did come up on a 400 dollar Ibanez working that job but there was no better feeling than wheeling a nice ass flat screen out to an absolutely thrilled costumer because I slapped a "broken" sticker on it and sold it for a dollar like Santa Claus lmao
@@OriginalPuro Lol smh. There is absolutely no reason you should ever spend that kind of money on your first guitar unless you're buying it to show it off rather than play it. The fastest way to loose respect from other guitar players is to have a $1,000+ guitar that you can only use to play smoke on the water and out of tune chords. Also if it takes such an expensive guitar to get you excited at first you'll NEVER EVER be a guitar player. Save your money and let someone who's earned it buy that guitar so it doesnt spend its life never getting played sitting up against a wall like a $20 thrift store guitar in a teenagers room. Of course youd pull it out once a year to show off your mad skills to your girlfriend who would tell you how great you are. Lol. What are you thinking?!
Weird analogy coming:
If a Strat neck pickup tone is a brick. A Tele neck pickup would be a potato.
Similar in general size and shape but softer around the edges and more organic.
A Tele neck PUP is a beautiful thing.
Less spikey than a Strat. Less muddy than a humbucker.
That's why I can't understand anybody would want to change the single coils for these others.
I’m primarily a neck pickup guy with both guitars and basses. Also a big fan of the Tele neck pup for all the ways you described it. In my experience, there are some different factors that contribute to that sound. The fact that they are unpotted and have metal covers. This means there is some degree of microphonics, varying pickup to pickup, but definitely there, and that lends to that airy tone you described.. Also, not being a hot overwound pickup adds clarity and airy tone. Third, the not having it too close to the strings, that you mentioned.
I agree with overwound - I generally (although there are exceptions) don’t care for hot pickups. They usually lack character
Nice tone indeed Jack. I just discovered you and this channel. RUclips is kind enough to show me all things Telecaster. I am something of a 58-year old FanBoy (fan old man?). I just got a new Squier Affinity Tele in Race Red to use as a partscaster. I have other Fender Teles, but none with the traditional Tele thang. One custom shop I own has a nice neck pickup but it happens to be a Seymour Duncan humbuckers and bears little resemblance to traditional Tele on either PUP. I researched things and was hearing that the Affinity Teles were pretty decent so I bought one sight unseen on Sweetwater. I bought Fender Vintage '64 Tele re-issue PUPs and upgraded electronics, pick guard, etc. Well the Squier arrived with a nice setup by Sweetwater and right out of the box it blew my mind! Primary that was the bridge pickup. I had read that people thought the Affinity Teles of late were missing the proper sound in the neck. I have not put the vintage PUPs on just yet as I am having a lot of fun with it with all Chinese parts. But the upgrade electronics are ready to go next string change. I do not have that tone on any of my teles. It reminds me a little of Clapton's "Woman Tone" (many others beyond EC have used the term and the tone). I saw the idea of lowering the PUP. I might try that with the Chinese PUP even before putting in the Vintage '64 genuine Fender PUPs. It would whipped cream on top of the icing on the cake if I could get that type of tone out of this Squier! One other thing is for sure: Now that I realize how much I do love the good ole single coil Tele, I am going to buy a new or used American-made Tele. The Tele single coil bridge PUP explodes out of my Celestion. I can just imagine what a hand selected model made in Fullerton will sound like. I had a ES-335 next up but the Tele has stolen the show for the time being. Besides, I can't really afford a nice 335, but maybe I'll find joy in some of the Epis or other clones given my positive experience with Squier. I have never had a Tele, strat, or Gibson give me the exact tone you are getting. Now I am going to chase it. On Strats I often play on neck or is position 4. Thanks for this video. I will check out others. I've already brought the like count to 888 even. I hope 888 isn't simply 666 + 222!
I would characterize the classic Tele neck pickup sound, among other things, as a little "glassy" or "crystalline". I really like it.
Good words, I dig it
For me tele neck sounds tubular and glassy, slight mid scooped.
Dude. I play on nothing but the neck pickup 75% of the time, nothing like that chime!
You described the tone perfectly. It’s hollow and woody bordering on boomy at certain pitches (in a good way). Great playing btw 🤘
Agree 100%. Tele neck pickup is easy on the ears and sounds great all-around: clean, edge of breakup, and overdriven. A great contrast to the gnarly, raw bridge pickup. Best neck pickup sound of all, by far.
You described Jeff Buckleys tone perfectly.
Yeah he’s a great example of it! Bill Frissel also
I agree. I get that tone out of my, get this, Donner telecaster. I lucked out.
Airy hollowness is a perfect description too me!
I think that airy mid scooped tone you're talking about has a lot to do with that 59' Bassman sitting behind you.
That’s some beautiful playing right there. I’ve put my tele to the side for the time being and have mostly been using my strat. But this video is inspiring me to pull it back out.
Airy hollowness is exactly how I describe it too. I love the neck pickup and find it more usable than the bridge, though the bridge is more iconic. Mine is an unmodded American custom.
...Oz never did give nothin' to the Tinman,
An'na Tele 'uz all he needed.
Nice Tele neck/front plunkin' there Jack 🤠
Thanks for your high quality and informative video! As crazy as it sounds, I have a Duo-sonic neck pickup in a 3/4 size tele project I was messing around with. The neck tone is very full and clear and as enjoyable to play as the same position in my CV 60's strat. Each to his own eh?
That butterscotch blonde with the Sweet 53s.......💖
I would say the Tele neck pickup is fat, but hollow sounding. Lots of luscious mid range. Whereas a neck humbucker is fat and full of “stuff”. I also love using the middle pickup setting. The pickups are so far apart, it produces another unique sound. One of my favorite guitars to record with. It never *doesn’t* sound great! 🤘
My telecaster has a really cool overtone-thing going on with the neck pickup. I hear it in some telecasters but not all.
I visualize this tone as being a concave shape, like a spoon or a bowl. It feels like a bowl. Like someone is cupping your ears from a few inches away. Or, at least, that's how I describe what I think you're talking about.
I like it. I smell what you’re stepping in.
Thanks! Great video and beautiful Tele!
Every time: entertaining, educational and inspiring. Sweet playing too.
Thank you kindly, appreciate it!
Thats the "killing in the name" tone, or the Jeff Buckley tone
Jeff's sound is magical. One of my favorite tones of all time.
Tele neck pickup is my second favorite tele tone (I love tele neck tone, but the guitar has to be wide open and the pickup has to have enough clear treble in it) . My favorite and most under rated tone is neck and bridge together. That's what I use 80-90% of the time. Imho It's the best tone for funk and soul
I very much agree. The Tele middle setting is a whole different kind of special.
And of course bridge alone for rock.
@@VIDS2013 Yeah, the bridge pickup is great for overdriven sounds, and clean palm muted reggae stuck lines an stuff like that
Just watched Telecaster Video Number 1000 - and still wasn‘t bored. What‘s wrong with me?
Nothing. Nothing at all. 🍻
I’ve always loved the tele neck pickup. I know exactly what your talking about. I spent a few years playing Gibsons with humbuckers and P90s but always come back to the tele. I play clean through a fender amp and the tele just has something the Gibsons can’t do. But there’s nothing the Gibsons can do that the tele cannot. The tele neck can be creamy smooth like a Gibson but the Gibson can’t spank and quack like the tele lol
The visual for the “magic” tone is this: You’re leaned back in a leather recliner-It is 2 in the morning and you are in a snow covered forest with huge fluffy snowflakes falling lightly from huge ponderosa pines-you’re in a cabin with logs burning in the fireplace-a couple of windows are partially open with cool fresh air lightly coming in because it’s almost too warm inside--you can look out to a clear, crisp and starry sky...now take a sip of your favorite bourbon and reach over and give your dog a pet.
You’re welcome. 😎
The neck pickup is a matter of find the sweet spot on the height, for mine 1,5mm and 2,5mm is the sweet spot for the neck and brigde pickups, 1,5mm on treble side and 2,5 on the low E... the pickups is about 5k to 7k
you always can disconect the tone knowb from the neck pickup to get more highs if you want...
Clean Tele neck pickup with some ambient delay and reverb...come on.
Tele is so versatile. One thing I like to do on the tele neck pickup is to roll back the tone to get a faux jazz guitar tone.
For me, the all-time greatest Tele neck tone is used by Jesse Edwin Davis on the cut 'Bacon Fat' from Taj Mahal's album 'Take a Giant Step'. He plays using a Lesley tone cabinet, and the 'blowing over the top of a milk bottle tone' is just pure magic.
Jesse Ed is the most under-rated guitarist ever!
Thanks for mentioning . I just grabbed out my Taj Mahal album. Good to listen to it again!
You say, it’s a Leslie. Guess so, too. A chorus pedal was not invented yet, but it sounds like a good one. Doesn’t it?
@@MacLuz The chord changes should be required reading for blues players so they can add texture. It is also his incredible attack, so delicate.
I just put together a Spotify playlist dedicated to the “non-twangy” side of the telecaster. Didn’t want to spam your comments section with the link without your permission, but glad to post if it’s cool.
Yes plaese do share! If I can make a request, and if you don't mind Paul McCartney inspired love tunes, I have a song called Soup of the Day on Spotify thats a non twangy Telecaster tune. If it fits with the other tunes I'd love to get it on the list.
@@JackFossett thanks for sharing. Will check out the tune! The playlist will be updated continuously so feel free to suggest other tracks by other artists as well. Here's the playlist: THIS IS TELECASTER (WITHOUT THE TWANG) - open.spotify.com/playlist/3zYopP1mGqhANngtXHMnz9?si=hizxX-jRSFiAPQbPAAB9nw
@@JackFossett Hello, I'd like to know your thoughts on the middle position of the Tele, based around a Math Rock/MidwesternEmo tone context.
@@JackFossett Great song! I just listened to it on Spotify.
@@chadcooke5910 hey thanks, appreciate that!
I have 2 Les Pauls which are so versatile. However when I play my Telecaster, it is so easily distinguishable from ANY other guitar that’s playing. Love it.
Yeah they just have their own totally unique thing going
I had a standard tele that had the most incredible neck pick up. Absolutely everyone who heard or played it wanted to know what I'd put in there and many refused to accept that it was stock.
Nice! The first time I ever really noticed this tone was on a 2004 MIM standard Tele.
Tom Morello out of all the people recorded all drop D stuff in RATM on a stock Tele neck pickup. Heavy rock riffs with distortion and it's not muddy at all but also instantly recognizable that it's a Tele neck pickup.
That's the problem with buying electric guitars, it has to look and feel right, has to be inspiring in hand - you have to want to run around the neck. AND it has to sound sweet and right. That is a box full of options to balance. That's why you can audition 10 guitars and walk out of the store with nothing ... Or plug in at a pawn shop and start grinning. It's hard to get the right one. I have been building up parts casters over the years because I can't buy what I want ...
Nice playing by the way. You do dynamic range nicely : D
Hey Jack , I'm putting Texas Specials in my 93 American Standard Tele. Please let me know if you changed your pots - caps - switch when you put the Texas Specials in ?? If you did would you let me know what you used ex. 250k or 500k pots , etc. Or did you keep the old pots etc. & use them ? Thanks ....
Yes! I have an American Original 60s Tele with stock pickups. The neck pickup is straight up amazing. Clean or overdriven it’s tight, clear, hollow, and woody with nice sustain. I probably use the neck or both 75% of the time. It’s a beautiful thing
To me the Telecaster neck pickup is like this Woody sound. It’s like the mids are coming though a large speaker that is gently covered by like this wood board, but not completely covered. And the wood is vibrating very gently to the sound of the speaker giving off its own interesting sound that’s unique and not quite muffled, but compressed. To me that what the pickups sound like, compressed sound. Like the Telecaster knows the exact tonal sounds it wants to give off, and it leaves all the rest in the background. It’s not giving you every harmonic sound, but what it’s giving you is gold. That’s the only way I can describe it. I know, sounds crazy right? Lol
Hey Jack, I just finished assembling a modded Esquire. I added a Fender CS Nocaster pickup in the neck position and it's awesome: smooth, airy, full presence. You can play bluesy, even Jazz if you want, which is usually totally ignored on a Tele. The bridge PU is a Peter Florance TE-50: superb tones ! I wired the pickups out of phase, so that I have an additional "hollow" tone in the intermediate position, just like "Greeny". Cheers from France 🇫🇷🎸
I have a '66 Tele with the original pickups, and I love the its neck pickup; it's warm and a bit dark, but it can bite, too.
cant be described properly. the mfd pick up of the g&l asat, the seth lover humbucker from 72-78, the duncan 59er ... magic
My telecaster does that! I knew what you were talking about even before you described it. I changes my pickups to 51’ no caster pickups tho, so it’s not stock. It does sound woody and hallow. Especially with new strings, it’s awesome
That natural tele sticks out to me. Nice playin as ever
Thank you! I love that guitar. That one to me has just about the perfect Tele tone (at least, my interpretation of it)
The tele is just perfect. We know.
Telecaster > Stratocaster
I love my old Les Paul mini humbucker in the neck of my tele
Great tone, great playing. The Telecaster neck pickup is my favorite sound.
Boxy, primitive, clanky.... but in a GOOD way!
Unusual that I actually agree with a guitar-youtuber... But I very much like the way you appreciate tone, with no BS, no nonsense.
Subscribed! with regards, UK
Thank you kindly! I agree with all those adjectives. There's kind of a Nouveaux Rustic quality to it.
Delightfully primitive, basic, original. Still amazing that Leo Fender got so much right so long ago, and that the basics are unchanged.
@@custerranch it always amazes me, now 30 years into playing, that the first two guitars (tele & LP) are STILL the two fundamental chalk-&-cheese must-have tones. Leo was the absolute GOAT when it comes to electric guitar shenanigans!
I really think a lot of artists look to guitarists like keith richards and just follow what they do and dont take the time to experiment with their guitar!!
I just found this channel.
I play a 2021 Fender Tele. Ultra. Arctic Pearl.
My amp is the Fender Deluxe Tone Master Blonde cabinet. I get that full Fender Tele sound. I use a tube screamer, muffaletta JHS fuzz and that's it. I turn them down just on the edge. I play country blues based gospel.
I enjoyed your video very much. Very descriptive, could relate. Thanks!
Awesome! Sounds like a great rig. I've been using the Tone Master Super for the past few months and I love it.
That intro tone up to around 2:00 was pretty sublime. I'm coming from Ibanez shredville and I'm just learning about the nuances of Teletone with an actually very nice, dirt cheap Chinese copy that I massaged the frets on. Apparently it's an accurate copy dimension-wise, and I just love the neck! A little baseball-batty but doesn't interfere with speed at all, and the sound is really nice but I haven't got it dialled in yet on my HD500X. I live in an apartment so unfortunately I can't do an amp.
Nice demo... I'm imagining Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd in a studio coming to the conclusion that... "I need to use my Tele for this for this track....."
I sometimes think that we as musicians, - guitarists and bassists alike, - are dwelling too much into pickups, mods, types of wood on the instrument, strings, etc. (I'm guilty myself, believe me). Back in the 1960's thru the mid-1970's there was virtually no musical instrument parts & components industry. Yet, the musicians who played a Tele, Strat, Les Paul or a Precision or Rick bass left their mark w/o a hotter pickup, a hi-mass bridge or active electronics. I believe that it will always be the musician who "gets" the sound or tone that defines his style and reputation on a recording or live performance. Jack, you're a perfect example of what I'm saying; - you're a superb player with taste, style and chops. I bet that if I handed U a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster, U would sound just as good as the Butterscotch and blue Tele Custom featured in this video. With all the advancements in music tech today, - countless players world wide are still trying to get those sounds that happened 40 and 50 plus years ago. The so called "magic" is within the player. Case in point: I saw several videos of Carlos Santana on a Tele; - did he sound like Albert Lee or James Burton? No, - he sounded like Santana . . . BTW, - thank you for the time and effort U put into your presentation, - well done.
That magic tone you described is the same tone I love and chase. It's similar to a mini humbucker but a bit leaner. The "magic " is the resonance peak at roughly 2Khz--that's what gives it the snap but also woody and pleasantly warm without being muddy like on some humbuckers, while also not as thin and shrill as it might get on some Strats.
Jack, I’ve heard it on my 2013 Telecaster neck pickup. I’m listening and hearing you as I write this. It’s magical. My Tele has a 4 way switch, the position one away from the neck has the bridge and neck pickups wired in series. It is the most magical ‘neck’ sound I’ve ever heard. Thanks for your video.
Guilty...G&L ASAT Custom. Humbucker in neck position.
Great guitar.
However...looking to Squier 60s Custom doublebound sunburst for its neck single coil for what you're describing. At least the ones made before 2020.
Great info👍😎
👍😎❤🖖
Love brother
Thank you kindly! Humbuckers in the neck of a tele certainly sound great, don't get me wrong. And many were changed for good reason - tele neck pickups that don't have "the magic" generally just sound flat.
Hi Jack, I would like your opinion on a '72 Fender Telecaster (Vintera series) - because that's what I have, humbucker pick - up with an ordinary Telecaster pick - up, however it's not my number 1 guitar; but my 70's Fender Stratocaster also Vintera too, thank you.
Sorry, great video
I bought a butterscotch last year, with the intention of putting a humbucker in the neck - simply cuz it looks so cool!
But I was not counting on the stock neck pickup to turn out to be *_my favourite position!!🙆♂️_*
True! It is just ...wonderful!
And don't get me wrong - the bridge rocks. Fully!
But it's too much, most of the time. The neck is just so sweet with fingers, yet still retaining that tele 'pop'.
It still has that steely edge... but has this hollow centre... It doesn't have the overly bright thing that the bridge has. It is more subdued...but still with all the unmistakable tele character to the tone.. you're right. It's hard to describe!
I realize it isn’t accurate to the guitar(maybe he secretly played some teles but I only saw him with hollows), but the Chet Atkins neck sound is what I hear in your clips. Not “throaty” or “muddy”, singing and gentle, with a solid foundation. Yeah, hard to describe.
Syrupy Glass, it's molten and dynamic while being consistent. Or rewind to where you are playing it because words can't describe sound except to generalize.
I think that it is the last of the 1920 tech, the Bridge Pup is from lap steel guitars, which is why it is wider than the string on a Guitar, and they wanted some ballance and used a lipstick Pup from something else. I can't find out what that came off of but sticking pups on archtops was the first step, maybe it was designed for that, low profile and not distracting. It's just wide enough for the strings.
I have a Squier Paranormal Offset Tele. The stock pickups were OK, especially the bridge, bright and it delivered. However the neck pickup was blah, very muddy, no personality. I made two changes. I replaced the Tuning Machines with Gotoh Locking Tuners and slapped a set of Tex-Mex pickups in. For the Neck Pickup I set the clearance 6/64" on the Low E Side, and 4/64" on the High E Side. I'm loving it now. I might add, I have Daddario Flatwound 10's on it.
I personally fell in love with the double bound telecaster custom too, which is why I got one too! I have texas special pickups (for hum cancelling in in between positions), four way switch and an S-1 switch in mine, so I can get series and out of phase sounds, and I love it
The double bound telecaster does look wicked shahp. WICKED shahp. Dappah.
Did you have have the Tele modified yourself how much is s1 switching cost
@@duanemarshall7612 I got a wiring harness I bought off reverb. I think it’s labeled as a baja tele wiring harness but I can’t remember, just try looking that up
@@Steadman711 yes I'm familiar with that they on Mexican teles I have a Japanese 62 custom Reissue and not pleased with the weak pickups too thin any suggestions?
@@duanemarshall7612 I’ve currently got a set of Texas special tele pick ups and they’re definitely not thin, they’ve got some bite to them. The stock pick ups I had were good too, I just wanted the option for hum canceling when running in series, and they happen to do that
Luv the Tele neck p/u. I would describe the tone as a tight, warm, smooth, and well rounded (but not fat).. Kinda like running well lubricated set of ball bearings in your skateboard.. Just feels perfect! ..if that makes any sense.
Also luv the middle position.. A little quacky, but versatile, nice & balanced.
And lastly the bridge p/u is always there if you need that Tele bite.
Well rounded is a good description
I have a '52 CS reissue
Lowered the barrels at the bridge & neck pickup. Playing it at home, thru a THR10.
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
I'm curious, have you ever compared a P90 to the "tone" you are describing?
I play Tele a lot. My favorite pups are Fender Custom Shop Texas Specials. I will sometimes place a Strat middle pup between the Texas Specials for that "Nashville" tone. Usually though, I stay with Nocaster or Texas Specials for my Teles.
My fav guitar to play on my couch is my American Player Tele. I never use it gigging because I hate the neck pup. I’ve changed it out a few times but haven’t found the sound I hear in my head. It’s the only guitar I own that I have this issue with. I’m still hunting.
I've been describing that neck sound as "woody" but have always had trouble elaborating what I meant by "woody" when asked. I'd say woody in a particular percussive, punchy, hollow way that reminds me of a spruce top and cypress back/sides flamenco guitar, but the people I've tried describing it to didn't seem to completely get what I was trying to get at. Love it though, and the middle position which makes for some really twinkly, midwest emo tones
I wish l could find the Tele sound. I have tried everything on the market looking for the tone in my head. It's that magic. You know . That kind of airy, snappy, articulate, juke joint, bold, brazen, cajoling, whimpering, sexy, smoking, ramrod, juicy... you know. Moody, raw, dynamic, breathy, passionate, cutting, rivetting, expressive, sweet...oh come on now! Glassy, sassy, slick, licky, bitey, creamy... smooth....oh. ,oh ooo oo , have mercy.
Can't find it anywhere .
My lindy fralin stock tele pickups do it
My Tele has Fender SCN Noiseless pickups , has a thick tiger maple neck with Fender locking tuners ( which are heavy and affect tone ) my neck pickup is very much a rich strat style tone but with a full spank the Strat neck pickup doesn't have .
Right, a lot of players go right for the bridge, to see what they have.
I hang out comfortably in the neck, often.
Of note, all my electric guitars (12 teles, 4 others) have treb passes.
Experimenting there, went on years and years.
I remember guys fighting tele neck pick ups. Some removed the cover. Some adjusted the pole pieces by heating them.
Some made hybrids using strat pole pieces, or just went to strat pick ups.
This is a curious subject.
Currently I am hooked on thinlines, and have discovered G&L MFD classics.
I did not like the ASAT specials.
I don't think any pick up would work for me with out a treb pass.
I get the ribbon mike reference.
Ted Greene sure made use of a '50s neck Pick Up!
Twisted Tele pu in neck = 85% strat + 15% Tele goodness. And twisted Tele bridge has a little more girth and push yet is Tele tone at heart great for beefier lead tones. 1 guitar that can do just about anything especially with a few different OD pedals. Favorite is Royal Flush (srv - srv on steroids) Keeley modded BD2 (worth it's weight in gold), Keeley modded TS808, DOD250 (classic shred), Nobels ODR1 (for low OD fatness), for super thick tone Catalyn Bread formula 55 (think Neil young) and for great tone all around the famous BK Butler Tube Driver (think Gilmore) and 2 Boss GE7 eg's with different settings (eq's allow huge tone shaping capabilities). Now I have a teltocaster, stratelecaster. I played my liked songs of 2021 on Spotify and was able to play along and tone match in real time most of the guitar tones. I love the Bogner Ecstasy and Strato amp setting on Fractal Audio Axe Fx (clean blues to metal) with a Tele IMHO. GREAT VIDEOS AND GREAT PLAYING, THANKS.
I describe it as a buttery spank. So it has the spank of the Strat but it is not so bright. It has that warm mid sound that gives it that buttery sound to me. Maybe you would call it syrupy. But basically it is not bright and it is not muddy but it has the spank and the mellowed mids. That is how I would describe it and I just watched a vid where the guy made a FX box with a bunch of caps in it to change the sound and he had that perfect buttery spank Tele sound. Look up the green gizmo box. All I'm saying.
BTW great ve
Great tone! I love the tele neck pick-up. If I had to choose one pick-up tone for all of my remaining days, its the tele neck tone. I have the American Original 60's tele with the stock pick-ups, and they deliver! I had a squire before that and a xaviere. I thought both of those tele neck pick-ups sounded great too.