One of the most popular guitars ever made, the Telecaster is an amazingly versatile guitar. The best Telecaster pickups cover a lot of sonic ground, excelling in genres as far and wide as country and pop, right through to hardcore and punk rock. This is due to their combination of a super bright bridge pickup, and dark and warm neck pickup which gives you a lot of scope to craft some awesome guitar tones.
Changing your pickups is a great, low-cost way to improve the sound of your instrument. It's not as hard as you might think to do yourself but if you're not confident, there are plenty of guitar techs around who can do the job for you. It might be you've got a cheap instrument that plays well but could do with a tone upgrade, or you've splurged on an American-made Tele and decided you don't like the voice of the pickups. Whichever it is, give some consideration to upgrading your pickups before you go ahead and list it on Reverb.
If you've not thought about changing pickups before, go have a look at our FAQs section which has loads of common questions answered by the experts here at Guitar Player. Otherwise, keep scrolling to see our top three best Tele pickups available right now...
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Our top picks
If you want the best Tele pickups overall in our opinion, we love the Fishman Fluence Greg Koch Gristle Tone set. With a simple switch located between the two knobs, you can flick between two distinct voices that essentially give you two Telecasters in one.
If you want a little more oomph from your Telecaster pickups, the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Tele is a popular choice. These overwound pickups deliver a much more punchy and powerful sound akin to that of a humbucker, perfect for adding girth to your tone.
For those with vintage Tele's that want a more original tone, we don't think it comes much better than the Fender Pure Vintage 52 Telecaster set. Packing that classic twang of the bridge pickup with a dark and warm neck sound, these pickups get you the sound of the original Telecaster.
Best overall
Fishman Fluence pickups have been making waves, particularly within metal guitars. However, the Telecaster set they’ve come up with alongside Tele man and six-string acrobat Greg Koch is nothing short of amazing. These pickups provide two distinctive classic Telecaster voicings – one of an early 50s blackguard model and one of a late 50s/early 60s whiteguard.
Voice 1 is lovely and airy – perfect for clean playing and chicken pickin’ away. This is the whiteguard voicing and can easily be changed by pushing the small switch that lies between the control knobs, which will take you to the blackguard voicing. This is a little punchier, more present in the mids and is perfect if you want to push your amp just a little bit harder.
It’s great having access to both styles in one pickup set, plus they’re noiseless, so you won’t ever have to battle with that annoying hum. The only downside is that you’ll have to charge the pickups via mini USB on the jack plate though an hour and half charge will get you around 300 hours play time.
Best modern
Ever want a Fender Telecaster pickup that just delivers more? Well, the Quarter Pounder might be the one for you. Seymour Duncan's aim with this was to deliver humbucker style punch and saturation while still keeping it a true single coil pickup.
You still get some of that classic Telecaster bite and twang in the bridge position, but it’s a little more mellowed out. You do still hear a lot of note definition though, as well as a great attack to the notes. The neck pickup is again, classic neck Telecaster sound – but more. It’s warmer, it’s punchier and works incredibly well for solos, especially if you’re using gain. You also still get a superb blend of the two in the middle position with a touch of that quack.
If you’re after some of the best Telecaster pickups for rock, or even metal, then these will do just the trick.
Best vintage
These pickups are proof that you don’t need to spend tens of thousands on an original vintage Telecaster to get that classic old-school sound. Made by the company that invented the guitar in the first place, the Fender Pure Vintage 52 Telecaster pickups are based on original pickups to give you an authentically vintage tone.
Expect plenty of mid-range, snap, clarity and articulation while retaining a smooth and strong low end. With everything turned up, you can easily get the classic Telecaster twang should you want it, though rolling off on the tone can mellow it out a little. Whether you’re playing clean or with gain, you’ll still get great note definition making it perfect for rhythm and lead players.
There really isn’t much more to say other than if you’re seeking that hallowed early Telecaster sound, then these pickups are one of the best ways to get there.
Best versatility
If you’ve ever wanted to infuse your Telecaster with a little of the Strat’s sonic profile, then you can do just that with the Fender Twisted Tele pickups. It’s not going to instantly transform your Tele into a Strat, but there’s definitely something different going on here, especially with the neck pickup.
The bridge has a little more punch and a darker mid-range, ultimately resulting in a slightly warmer sound. It’s got a vintage vibe about it and it works perfectly for blues and rock. You can still get some Tele bite and twang out of it, but it’s less pronounced.
The neck pickup is a little more like a Strat, with more airiness, brightness and openness to the sound. They’re also fairly hot pickups so these will drive a tube amp very nicely.
Best humbucker
If you're not a massive fan of single coils but still love your Tele, the Seymour Duncan Little '59 Tele delivers huge humbucker tones in a pickup that still fits into a regular Tele bridge position. As with all Seymour Duncan pickups they're handmade, and deliver fantastic quality and value for money.
Getting you scarily cross to the holy grail PAF tone, you'll find these pickups deliver a nice and even tone. There's a slight midrange scoop, which is to be expected if you know your PAFs, but it's an overall full-bodied sound for your Tele.
For American-made Telecasters the Little '59 should be a drop-in replacement, if you have a MIM or Squier Tele, then you may need to rout a little to get it to fit. It shouldn't be a huge amount of work, but something to look out for if you're getting yours for a non-MIA Telecaster.
Best budget
These are bright, hot and aggressive sounding pickups. Rest assured, they’ll clean up nicely, giving you clean and glassy tones, but they’ll also push the front end of an amp really well. These pickups are overwound, really lively and have a great mid-range snarl. With Alnico V magnets, they’re very focussed and offer great playing dynamics too.
Of course, in the neck position, you’ve got plenty of mellow warmth, but still lots of clarity and sparkle in the top end. They’re great for any type of music, and really allow your guitar to cut through a mix, both in live and recording scenarios. They’re also really well priced, and are made by Fender themselves.
More options...
Lollar make some superb pickups in various styles and the Special T is no exception. It’s based on the 50s pickups, though they have made a few adjustments to make them slightly more usable for modern players.
The top end has been slightly tamed which makes them nicely balanced. They’re lovely and punchy in the mids with a strong low end. You’ve still got top end clarity but they’re not quite as shrill as some Telecaster pickups can be. They are also a touch hotter than a true 50s pickup, so if you’re straying into rock and hard rock territories, then these might suit better.
They’ll clean up nicely for sure, and they’re very dynamic, responding to your touch beautifully, but if you want something that can rip through riffs and solos without peaking too much in the upper frequencies, then the Lollar Special Ts might be the best Telecaster pickups for you.
Simply because of their sheer versatility, the Bare Knuckle Blackguard Flat 50s can be deemed some of the best Telecaster pickups out there. This pickup set will perform incredibly well regardless of the style of music you play; from jazz, rock and blues, to metal, country, pop and more. They’re really dynamic, and a ‘hot vintage’ kind of output; they’ve got a really nice bite and punch that can push a tube amp but still clean up beautifully.
Like many of the best Tele pickups, these are based on some of the legendary 50s models, though these have a higher output. You can revel in classic Tele tones, but push them into slightly more throaty, mid-heavy aggression when you want to. The neck pickup is clear, smooth and warm, with none of the muddiness that sometimes plagues them. Overall, a great vintage Tele pickup set, with a little more attitude.
This is the signature bridge pickup from one of the best and most underrated Tele players of all time, Jerry Donahue. He has played on countless hit records and had a stint with folk rock legends Fairport Convention. Like many others, Jerry loved the sound of a 52 Tele, which is what this bridge pickup is based on.
It’s very musical and sweet sounding, while the top end is mellow and not over-bearing. It’s warm with a nice mid-range punch. Like those early 50s models, it’s got plenty of attitude and as well as the twang and articulation that Tele bridge pickups are known for, this will push your tube amp beautifully into a warm organic overdrive when you want it to, with plenty of sustain. It’s worth noting that the two middle poles are raised which make it perfect for Teles with a vintage neck radius,
There is only the bridge pickup available, but Seymour Duncan recommend pairing this with their Alnico II Pro Tele neck pickup.
FAQs
What is the sound of a Tele pickup?
When talking about the best Tele pickups, you’ll often hear the term ‘Blackguard’ – this simply refers to any first generation Telecaster made up to 1954. Conversely, a ‘Whiteguard’ is one that’s made from 1954 onwards. How much difference there is in tone between those two is widely debated, as Fender’s pickup making process wasn’t particularly consistent at the time.
It’s worth remembering that there are multiple factors that contribute to the sound that you end up hearing. The materials used, the strength of the magnets, wire gauge and number of turns all come together to create your guitar’s tone, and Leo was known for basically using whatever he had lying around!
What we can say though is that those early Tele pickups tend to be fairly punchy, with strong lows, present mids and a lovely, sparkly high end. You also get a lot of note separation and great balance because of how the pickups were made at the time. Many pickup producers offer very similar specs to these early Tele pickups meaning you can get that ‘Blackguard sound’ (if one exists), for a lot less than what a real one would cost you. When people refer to the ‘Whiteguard sound’, they’ll usually mean that they’re a little cleaner, brighter, and twangier.
What is pickup output?
One factor that many people consider when changing pickups is output. A few things can affect the output – the baseplate material on the Tele bridge pickup is one, as is the type of magnet used in the pickup, and the number of turns of wire around that magnet. Many of these can also alter the EQ response of the pickup too.
The higher the output, the more signal you’re putting into your amp. This affects the tone, but also changes how and when this will push your amp into overdrive (if using a tube amp). A hotter pickup (one with a higher output) will break up sooner, as it’s making those tubes work a little harder, whereas a lower output pickup will stay cleaner for longer.
Do I need a full set?
Many of the best Telecaster pickups are available in sets, meaning you get both the neck and bridge pickup. If you’re after a complete tonal overhaul, then a set is probably best as you’re going to get new sounds in all three pickup switch positions. However, if you’re already happy with the sounds you’re getting in one position, then consider only swapping out the pickup you don’t like. Just remember that you’ll also have a slightly different tone in the middle position when you blend the two.
How we test
Testing pickups comes down to one core aspect for us, and that's the sound. Getting them installed is admittedly part of the process, but as you can (and probably should if you're inexperienced) outsource this to an expert guitar tech, what we're looking for when testing is that change and improvement in tone.
We always start with the bridge pickup in our testing, that most famous of tones. Known widely as the Tele 'twang', a good Tele bridge pickup should deliver a lot of treble, with a biting tone that cuts through a mix easily. It shouldn't be thin either, providing enough body to ensure a full and fat tone.
Conversely the neck pickup of a Telecaster is the polar opposite of the bridge. Here we want a dark and warm tonality that lends itself well to clean picked arpeggios and hard riffing alike. What we don't want is any woolyness obscuring the articulation of the notes, which you'll often find on cheaper Tele pickups.
We'll test the pickup on their own, in the mix with a band, and even during recording to determine their suitability for the task. This ensures we get a good measure of the pickups tonal qualities in a variety of situations, which allows us to make a judgement call as to whether or not it's a good fit for our guides.
Read more on how we test gear here at Guitar Player.
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