Telecaster PUPs

[Surfoverb]

I'm going to get some new PUPs for my 52RI Tele and I'm taking suggestions. The best ones I've heard are CS Nomaster. Others I am considering are Don Mare and Novaks but I don't know which of those are comparable to the CS Nomasters.

What do you guys think?

[RumorsOFsurF]

I've heard lots of good things about Nocasters.  My bandmate has a pair of Fralin Blues Specials in his, and it sounds shit.  All midrangey like a humbucker.

I have a TX Special in the bridge of my Bigsby, and I'm very pleased with it.  My other Teles don't have anything special in them....One has an SD Hot Stack, and I hate it.

Talk to Curtis, maybe he can help.  Otherwise, I'd suggest the Nocasters. 

You don't like the AVRI 52's?

[Sauerkraut]

I've got Novaks and they're awesome, but I haven't played too many other Tele's so I don't know how they compare to custom shop pickups (though I bet they're better!  ). All I can say is that they were a huge improvement on my American standards and that I'm very happy with them.

[GUITARmole]

What sound are you going for compared to what you already have?  MORE___________?  LESS____________?

[Surfoverb]

What sound are you going for compared to what you already have?  MORE___________?  LESS____________?

Thats the thing I don't know enough about pups to tell you anything more than the nocasters sound better, warmer, more complex.

I think what I'm gonna do is have Curtis Novak custom wind me some pups w/ nocaster specs.

His website is great I was looking at some of his custom repair pics and its very interesting.

[Surfoverb]

I've heard lots of good things about Nocasters.  My bandmate has a pair of Fralin Blues Specials in his, and it sounds shit.  All midrangey like a humbucker.

I have a TX Special in the bridge of my Bigsby, and I'm very pleased with it.  My other Teles don't have anything special in them....One has an SD Hot Stack, and I hate it.

Talk to Curtis, maybe he can help.  Otherwise, I'd suggest the Nocasters. 

You don't like the AVRI 52's?

Its not that I don't like them but they pale next to the nomasters Ive played.

[Surfoverb]

Here's the specs I got courtesy of Amazon.com

Flush Alnico 3 magnets
enamel coated magnet wire
zinc sheilding plate
Neck- resistance 9.9K, Inductance 4.9 Henries
Bridge- resistance 7.3K, 3.28 Henries

What's a 'henrie'?

[Orang Goreng]

What's a 'henrie'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_%28unit%29

[Surfoverb]

What's a 'henrie'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_%28unit%29

Ive never heard that term used for PUPs...Thanks!

[glimmertwin]

There is always a flavor of the month at the TDPRI.  Kinmans, Mare, Bardens, Hamel, etc.

My favorite though has to be the Fred Stuarts.  I have the flat poles and really love them.  They just have a way of sounding well balanced and cut well without sounding harsh or with overhyped mids.  Eventually I'm going to grab a pair of staggered poles from him too. 
http://www.virtualvintageguitars.com/st ... s0005.html

...if you haven't already seen it, the TDPRI.com has a pickup section that has thousands of posts about different pickups.  I highly recommend doing a search through there for some more info on different player's responses. 

[GUITARmole]

OK...I'm thoroughly confused!

What the fook is a "nomaster" pickup?

I'm familiar with the CS " Nocaster" pickups...

[Surfoverb]

There is always a flavor of the month at the TDPRI.  Kinmans, Mare, Bardens, Hamel, etc.

My favorite though has to be the Fred Stuarts.  I have the flat poles and really love them.  They just have a way of sounding well balanced and cut well without sounding harsh or with overhyped mids.  Eventually I'm going to grab a pair of staggered poles from him too. 
http://www.virtualvintageguitars.com/st ... s0005.html

...if you haven't already seen it, the TDPRI.com has a pickup section that has thousands of posts about different pickups.  I highly recommend doing a search through there for some more info on different player's responses. 

This is what I was trying to avoid! Now must I sit through thousands of reviews? Ugh...I talked to Curtis Novak and he recommends his stock Tele replacements which will be warmer than my 52ri's which he describes as 'shrill' which I guess is ice pick-y?  I checked out Don Mares site and I wasnt impressed with the sound clips he provided at all...I'm off to research.

[GUITARmole]

This is what I was trying to avoid! Now must I sit through thousands of reviews? Ugh...I talked to Curtis Novak and he recommends his stock Tele replacements which will be warmer than my 52ri's which he describes as 'shrill' which I guess is ice pick-y?  I checked out Don Mares site and I wasnt impressed with the sound clips he provided at all...I'm off to research.

The SD Broadcaster is a good compromise; not too icepicky but it can get that Buchanan bite!  If you can find an old 8.5K one you'd be set (I think the new ones are wound to 6.5K but I'm not sure).

Don Mare is a kook.

[glimmertwin]

There is always a flavor of the month at the TDPRI.  Kinmans, Mare, Bardens, Hamel, etc.

My favorite though has to be the Fred Stuarts.  I have the flat poles and really love them.  They just have a way of sounding well balanced and cut well without sounding harsh or with overhyped mids.  Eventually I'm going to grab a pair of staggered poles from him too. 
http://www.virtualvintageguitars.com/st ... s0005.html

...if you haven't already seen it, the TDPRI.com has a pickup section that has thousands of posts about different pickups.  I highly recommend doing a search through there for some more info on different player's responses. 

This is what I was trying to avoid! Now must I sit through thousands of reviews? Ugh...I talked to Curtis Novak and he recommends his stock Tele replacements which will be warmer than my 52ri's which he describes as 'shrill' which I guess is ice pick-y?  I checked out Don Mares site and I wasnt impressed with the sound clips he provided at all...I'm off to research.

I still stand by the Stuart flat poles.  There is no ice pick at all to the bridge and I find myself actually liking the neck pickup  - most tele neck pickups are too muddy for me.  I want the staggered poles to get the slightly more compressed punchy R&B sound too go along with this.  The flat poles feel more alive and raw...