Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I know we have more than a few Tele owners here, so what have you guys experimented with?Also,not unrelated to this, in the quest for your idea of the perfect "twang", let's have opinions about the other important[or maybe not? important] factors in Tele tone, like, body material,bridge saddles, fret sizes, etc.Remember, though, "tone is subjective", but then again, if a particular tone really just sucks, most guys can tell it's not right.Who's first?OK, me; I haven't got to "experimenting"yet; I have 2 new Fender MIM Esquires , one white blonde, one 2 tone burst.I've owned more Teles than any other single guitar in over 30 years, and for whatever reason, these 2 are maybe the best I've ever had.Steel saddles, stock whatever they are PUs and I Love them.I have a Duncan Broadcaster PU I may toss in one of them next time I change strings.Who's next?.....

Pickup: Kinman Broadcaster (AVn-48b)
Saddles: Glendale (Brass, compensated)
Bridge: Glendale (Magnetic)

Mine's a '97 California Fat Tele, two-tone sunburst, maple neck. Only mods I've done was to put on a 3-saddle bridgeplate and compensated brass saddles. And a custom shop Nocaster bridge pickup. It's one of the older ones with higher output. The rest is stock.

Back in the 80's, I put a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder in the bridge on my Squier Strat. My best friend did the same for his Tele. His was white blonde, rosewood fretboard, mid 70's guitar. All else was stock. It was way heavier than my strat.
We could cut glass with those guitars.
Mine was stolen, he still has the Tele, although when I inquired about it's availability last year he told me he had permanently loaned it to his cousin.

I have a CIJ 62 RI Tele with Fender's Custom Shop Nocaster pups. The bridge is a Callaham vintage T with compensated brass saddles. The previous owner swapped out the Japanese pots and switch for CTS and Switchcraft.

Jason Lollars are worth looking into

When I get a Tele for myself, it will have a Stephens Design Broadcaster set. I've played the Koll Tele of his with the prototype set on it and it totally rocks and is really raw and aggressive sounding in the bridge pickup. You can check out sound clips at his site.... www.sdpickups.com .

Lollar's stuff is great too, as is Wolfetone's.

Fender NoCasters in a Squier Affinity butterscotch. The bridge pickup fits if you wedge it in real tight.

I have a '52 reissue, a '62 reissue, and a Mex 50's Esquire, all stock. My go-to of the 3 is the '52. It's Butterscotch blond and twangs like it should. I bought my '52 first, as I love the look and sound of the early one's with the maple neck and fretboard, plus Keith Richards and Jeff Beck are two of my favorites. I can definitely tell a difference between the '52 and the '62 as the '62 has the rosewood board on the neck. It sounds less twangy to my ears, and doesn't quite capture that classic Telecaster tone.