Are you looking for the best Telecaster pickups? Are you interested in elevating the sound game on your Telecaster? Then, you’re in the right place.
With one of such 4pickups, you can acquire a whole new sound range that will set you apart from the rest.
From a sharp Blues twang to modest country pickin’ and even to smooth jazz, these pickups can change your sound!
Here are some of the best Telecaster pickups available.
Best Telecaster Pickups – Comparison Table
| Image | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| DiMarzio DP172 (Editor's Choice) | Check Price |
 | Fender Vintage | Check Price |
 | Seymour Duncan ST591 | Check Price |
1. DiMarzio DP172 Twang King Telecaster Neck Pickup (Editor’s Choice)
The DiMarzio DP172 Twang King electric guitar neck pickup handles a wide dynamic range with an unequaled response to the pic attack. This chrome-covered neck pickup delivers vintage-flavored Tele tones that spank, sparkle, and bite!
This chrome-covered neck pickup delivers vintage-flavored Tele tones that spank, sparkle, and bite!
Sound
The DiMarzio is a versatile pickup, perfect for blues, chicken-picking country, funk, and even jazz!
Just roll off some highs with your tone control, and you can achieve a pretty convincing hollow body jazz guitar sound. It’s less muddy than the average Tele-neck pickup with clear, full, and deep sounds. It even gives off a mix of a Strat and Tele tone.
Bridge Position
In the bridge position, this pickup gives off a detailed and articulate response. It produces a louder and hotter sound, especially when wiring the bridge with a push-pull pot. Very bright and clear.
Neck Position
The neck position is where this pickup takes the cake. It is highly recommended for the neck because it is so versatile that it keeps the neck nearly as bright as the bridge. In addition, it gives off a stand-out, unique twang that you’ll be proud of.
The DiMarzio in the neck with a chopper in the bridge will give your Tele a hot mid boost perfect for leads!
Installation
The installation of the DiMarzio is straightforward. It comes with instructions, and they are furnished to fit almost all Tele models. Again, installing it in the neck and pairing it with a chopper in the bridge will give you a stand-out, excellent tone.
Design
Brighter than a typical vintage-style pickup, it’s very responsive to dynamics and pairs well with other pickups in the bridge. The build quality also looks great and seems pretty sturdy. It can live in your Telecaster for years to come.
This model is complete with controlled-tension windings, hand-calibrated magnets, special wire, and double wax potting. This model ensures a great pickup with killer tone.
Pros
- Incredibly versatile with different genres
- Exceptional action in neck position
- Easy to install
- Sturdy design
Cons
- *Brighter than a vintage style pickup (*if vintage is your tonal preference.)
2. Fender Vintage Noiseless Pickups
Fender Vintage Noiseless Tele pickups produce the brilliant single-coil clarity, definition, and twang of a vintage 1960s Tele without the hum.
It is furnished with flush-mount pole pieces for an even string response. Also, there are Alnico 2 magnets for a warmer attack and a less aggressive midrange.
Sound
The string separation is excellent, and when pushed into overdrive, the inner harmonics leap out in a beautifully balanced tone. That does alter your pick attack somewhat, but not in the wrong way. There’s still plenty of traditional, percussive “smack,” but it is more focused and very responsive to your technique.
There’s still plenty of traditional, percussive “smack,” but it is more focused and very responsive to your technique.
If you want to get a little more growl out of your Tele, then these are your pups. They are great for just about any style you would want to play, from jazz to country.
Bridge Position
The bridge position provides an obvious and bright sound. It has all the honk and sparkle you could want but is mercifully free from the overload of treble that can produce more pain than twang.
These are very quiet single coils that do not squeal when the gain is dimed even without extensive shielding. Together in the middle position, these pickups produce an excellent, exciting rhythm color with just the right amount of shimmer.
Neck Position
The neck position sounds deeper and more ‘chimey.’
The neck pickup has a warm yet defined color. It is never muddy, and it has a relatively flat response that produces rich-sounding chords and round, punchy lead lines.
Installation
The installation might be complicated for those who decide to do it yourself (from start to finish, it takes about 2 hours). However, adding flux and soldering the wires ensures an excellent connection.
It’s also a good idea to use heat shrink tubing so that your newly soldered wires are covered snugly and professionally. Finally, please make sure the pickups test exactly or close to the electrical output that the packaging lists!
Design
The biggest problem with the design is that the bridge pup doesn’t fit some Telecasters. That is because the coils are a sliver wider than some tops, and the top of the stock pups are relatively small.
Additionally, the schematics sent with the pickups are not detailed enough to install yourself if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. It may require a professional to install.
Pros
- Great, growling sound
- Warm color in neck position
Cons
- Somewhat difficult installation
- Design is not for all models
3. Seymour Duncan ST591 Telecaster Pickup
The Seymour Duncan Little 59 Pickup for Telecaster is a single-coil-sized humbucker. The Little 59 Tele is excellent for country, jazz, blues, funk, classic rock, and heavy rock.
Designed to deliver a warm, smooth tone, this pickup is reminiscent of an old ’59 Patent Applied For humbucker mixed with a healthy dose of twang.
Sound
It is a great-sounding pickup replacement for the single-coil bridge pickup. It gives a stunning performance when used in overdrive channels. It does take away from the Tele twang a bit, but that is because it is a humbucker.
You still get the Tele twang when you play it clean, but this pickup shines when you play it hot. It can handle overdrive and gain exceptionally well and is perfect for rock of any kind. It is the go-to upgrade for anyone looking to make their Tele more versatile.
Bridge Position
This bridge pickup is excellent because it provides a satisfying twang with the vibration of the strings. I never used to use the bridge position, but now I use it and like it.
If you don’t use the bridge position, this is a great-sounding way to learn and experiment. However, the sound may be different from what you expect, giving you something very new and unique for your Tele.
Neck Position
With a Duncan SH-1 59 Humbucker in the neck position, the Little 59 will complement it perfectly to give that advertised “warm, smooth tone.”
The magic of this pickup seems to be complementing it with others and experimenting with a tone that feels right for you.
Installation
The Seymour Duncan is an excellent humbucker that turns a Tele into a fire-breathing monster. In single-coil mode, it won’t necessarily inspire you, but it is acceptable. Correctly installed, though, it is quiet as a mouse and roars like a lion.
Seymour Duncan’s website even offers all the wiring diagrams you would need to install it yourself.
Design
The design for this pickup is exceptional for Teles! So well crafted to fit almost all models. However, it won’t work for Strats, jags, or mustangs because of the hole configuration. But as far as the Tele is concerned, this pickup will do just fine. It is one of the best humbuckers for Telecaster which fits single-coil slots.
Pros
- Perfect for all kinds of music genres
- Easy installation
- Well crafted design
Cons
- Somewhat subtracts from the Teles natural twang.
How to Pick the Best Telecaster Pickups
Sound
A recognizable change in sound is what you’re looking for when considering which pickup to buy.
You want to upgrade the current sound of your Telecaster so that it will give you a unique sound, or at least something to experiment with.
Consider what kind of tone or genre you’re going for, and then snag the pickup that will give you what you want.
Bridge Position
When a string is plucked on a guitar, the sound near the bridge is brighter than the neck’s sound. When amplified, the pickup “hears” and reproduces this difference.
What the pickup also “hears” is the volume of the string. So if you’re looking for something with a higher output and a hotter sound, consider the bridge position’s pickup ability.
Neck Position
Pickups closer to the neck are designed for lower output, receiving less string amplitude or volume.
If you use the same pickup in the neck and bridge positions, the bridge may sound thin and weak compared to the neck, or the neck may sound too dark and too loud.
Installation
Consider how easy it is to install the pickup. If it takes you forever to set it up or frustrates you to no end, maybe it’s simply not worth it.
Many professionals will help you set it up, though, and this may be a better option so that you don’t damage your Telecaster by installing it yourself.
Design
You’ll want to pay attention to the design of each pickup. Some are larger and smaller than others, with slightly different details that might not make it a good fit for you. Consider the design of your Telecaster and see if some of these pickup designs will work with it.
Best Telecaster Pickups for Rock, Country, Jazz, and Blues: Final Thoughts
So, we are wrapping up our list of the best-sounding Telecaster pickups. The last question we should answer is who the winner is?
The DiMarzio DP172 Twang King Telecaster Neck Pickup is the best Tele pickup on the market.
With very few negative aspects working against it (unless you’re a stickler for vintage tone), the DiMarzio will have you experimenting for days.
It is versatile and provides such a strong, unique sound that it will blow the competition away. It is one of the best replacement pickups for Telecaster you can find on the market at the moment.
In conclusion, Twang King, twang away!