Telecaster Twisted Pickup

[Jazz P Bass]

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"And now for another brain teaser, does anyone have any idea what a differentiates a Twisted Telecaster Neck Pickup from a normal Telecaster Neck Pickup? While I have seen many a mention of the so called Twisted variety of neck pickup in Fender's expensive custom shop models I have yet to have come across a description of what said Twisting is supposed to do or achieve. Any ideas?"

Copied form the Telecaster Guitar Forum:
Well, the basic idea was to create a Telecaster neck pickup that doesn't have a lot of the common “problems” with more traditional Telecaster neck pickups, specifically: low output and a “muddy” sound. in order to get more output they used taller magnets, for both the increased magnetic strength and to make room for more wire on the bobbin, while for greater clarity they wound the pickup using larger gauge wire (for lower impedence/resistance/whatever, without losing power) and used a more transparent-sounding cover. i don't actually know how tall the magnets are (i read that they're from Jazz Bass pickups, though, if that helps), but the magnet wire is 42 gauge heavy Formvar coated (like on a Stratocaster), rather than the more traditional 43 gauge plain enamel coated, and the cover is made from chrome-plated nickel-silver, rather than the more traditional chrome-plated brass.

[Peter Naglitsch]

In the book "the Guitar Pickup Handbook" (or whatever it was called) one person in the Fender custom shop were interviewed (can't remember his name either, I must be getting old). He didn't reveal al secrets, but in the big picture the text from the Telecaster forum can be verified (it possible the exact same text as in the book). I have heard sound samples (same amp, microphone, layer etc) comparing a strat neck pickup and a twisted tele pickup. If the goal was to create a strat neck sound they didn't made it all the way. But if the intention was to create a new interesting sound I think that they have really improved the sound of a tele neck pickup. But on the other side I don't get too exited by traditional tele neck pickups myself...

[David Schwab]

So why not put a Strat neck pickup on the Tele? Problem solved!

There's no reason to keep using a traditional Tele neck pickup if they don't sound good.

I recently installed a DiMarzio DP177 True Velvet neck pickup on someone's Tele, and that sounded just like a Strat neck pickup. It features an unplated nickel silver cover.

People get so hung up on tradition, even if it's a detriment. That's pretty dumb.

[Norcal_GIT_r]

It's basically a tall bobbin using 42 instead of 43 getting a bit of a strat tone out of a traditional tele neck.

[Peter Naglitsch]

There's no reason to keep using a traditional Tele neck pickup if they don't sound good.

Except for the look. Some players cant stand the look of something ever so un-traditional. Me, I prefer a mini HB in the neck position of a Tele.

[David Schwab]

Except for the look. Some players cant stand the look of something ever so un-traditional. Me, I prefer a mini HB in the neck position of a Tele.

I'd rather my guitar didn't look like the next person's guitar, but that's me. It's like people who dress like everyone else. Or like designer clothing. I have a customer who for the longest time would only play real Fenders and Gibsons because it was a status thing. Then he discovered the Agile guitars, and has me fix them up. He also used to complain about the tone of his humbuckers with gold plated covers on them, but refused to take the covers off because of the way it looks. I wonder if he wears uncomfortable shoes? "Damn they hurt, and I can't walk, but they sure are purdy!"

I don't care if it's a Fender, Gibson or a FirstAct or whatever, as long as it plays well, looks nice, and makes the noises I'd looking for. And after I get done with them, they do.

If a pickup is sub par or not doing what I need from it, it's outta there! I'd stick Strat pickups on a Les Paul if that made the guitar more useful to me.

[belwar]

Except for the look. Some players cant stand the look of something ever so un-traditional. Me, I prefer a mini HB in the neck position of a Tele.

That seems to be all the rage right now.. Mini buckers on tele's. I'm designing a tele right now and plan to use a super accurate bridge pickup, and have considered a mini bucker in the neck .. mix of old and new-er. They are so cute!

[ShannonH]

Ummm

...super accurate bridge pickup..

qu'est-ce que c'est? What do you mean by this? Is this by chance that angley one you were discussing elsewhere? Cuz if it is, I'm looking forward to seeing/hearing it!

[belwar]

qu'est-ce que c'est? What do you mean by this? Is this by chance that angley one you were discussing elsewhere? Cuz if it is, I'm looking forward to seeing/hearing it!

Actually I more mean vintage accurate tele pickup :>

The other pickup im designing is in the prototype stage and is for a strat like guitar with a low profile floyd. I've built the first bobbins, and i have quotes out for the cover and base plate. Here's a screencap of the pickup with the cover turned transparent..

[David Schwab]

The other pickup im designing is in the prototype stage and is for a strat like guitar with a low profile floyd. I've built the first bobbins, and i have quotes out for the cover and base plate. Here's a screencap of the pickup with the cover turned transparent..

With the non angled cover, it looks like this DiMarzio patent (5111728) from 1992, which should have just expired last year. I don't know if they ever used it for anything.

[belwar]

oo thats interesting! but I can see the premise of it. It looks like it was made to counter one of Seymours pickups. Seymour has a design where the string falls between two poles.. It's a neat pickup..

My pickups is a little different, and more basic in that it uses two different pole space bobbins, but the poles are centered to the strings. like this: