52 vs 63 telecaster pickup?

[Davey Rock]

Basically, the title explains it. What’s the difference in a tele bridge pickup from 52 can 63. I’m putting a tele bridge pickup in my custom epiphone and plan on putting a broadcaster or antiquity ii in it eventually, but for now, the guitar fetish brand is the cheapest I’ve found that I feel comfortable wasting 30$ on. I’ve seen a vid demoing the 63 professional vintage wound pickup and I love the twang which is what I’m going for, but the 52 professional vintage wound demo only has rock style and overdriven tones. I mean obviously it HAS to have that steel guitar snap but which would be better for country? I mean in general a 63 vs 52 fender pickup. Anyone compared these?

 

[ReWind James]

There are some definite differences in materials, method, and sound in those two periods but the later one is also much more consistent from one to the next than the other (though still not entirely). So, in that way, it can’t really be answered.

You’d have to have a particular 1952 pickup in hand and say , “What are the materials and voice of this specific 1952 Tele pickup?”

More importantly, though, as it sounds like you are not considering buying originals but rather modern pickups, the name (even if including a year) a builder slaps on a pickup has nothing to do with the sound of that pickup, in many cases. Just look at Gibson’s “‘57 Classic” - a pickup nothing like 1957 PAFs.

 

[efstop]

Searching '52 or '63 at TDPRI will get you some answers.
If you are looking for any Tele pickup I would recommend a genuine Fender reissue pickup. They sell sets of '52s and '64s, but if you decide on what you want, you might find a pull from another user's guitar online.

I'd like a set of '51 Nocasters for my Standard Tele but they are quite pricey.

 

[Davey Rock]

There are some definite differences in materials, method, and sound in those two periods but the later one is also much more consistent from one to the next than the other (though still not entirely). So, in that way, it can’t really be answered.

You’d have to have a particular 1952 pickup in hand and say , “What are the materials and voice of this specific 1952 Tele pickup?”

More importantly, though, as it sounds like you are not considering buying originals but rather modern pickups, the name (even if including a year) a builder slaps on a pickup has nothing to do with the sound of that pickup, in many cases. Just look at Gibson’s “‘57 Classic” - a pickup nothing like 1957 PAFs.

Well I guess I pretty much figured that. As of the moment, I have a set of Seymour Duncan Nazgul and sentient pickups in. Nazgul bridge sentient neck. They are made for pretty much the lowest tunings people record in, but designed to sound much tighter so it isn’t a huge muddy mess. However, I have found that the neck pickup is really versatile taking slight overdrive perfectly. Middle position actually sounds very fenderesque. Like if a cbs deluxe tele buckers were underwound and played in middle position. The bridge takes distortion incredibly even high squealing gain that would otherwise be noisy. I don’t plan to buy another guitar anytime soon, so instead of just letting these pickups sit around somewhere, I decided something. For the last two years, I’ve tried finding a good way to wire three pickups to go with two volume two tone. I can’t find a three pickup Gibson switch and I can’t find anyone that will make a diagram for the freeway switch so I came up with this. Middle and neck pickup wired together as one. I don’t remember if this is parallel or series because I get the two mixed all the time. The one where both positive are wire together and both negative are too. Creates a lower output and quacky like tone. Like the in between strat positions. Then have the tele pickup in the bridge. Here’s how the wiring will go. (Bridge-bridge) (Neck-middle and neck) (middle-all three) pretty much it’s a standard two pickup les Paul except the neck is wired to another pickup. But I love the middle position on these pickup and think they would go great with a tele pickup. I’ll add a picture of my guitar with how the setup will go. Sorry for rambling.

 

[Davey Rock]

that aluminum tele pickup ring is routed from a solid billet piece. The pickup under it will go in the middle position, I’ll use that Ricky guitar bridge as a floating bridge to locate the best position for intonation then screw it in permanently, grounding it at the bottom of the plate. Floating tailpiece. I’ll get a custom engraved plaque to put over the tailpiece studs with the guitars name on it.

 

[ReWind James]

Well, I have no idea what any of that has to do with the difference between early Fender and late Fender Telecaster pickups.

I can’t find a three pickup Gibson switch...

Switchcraft Long 3-way toggle switch Nickel for 3 pickup guitars

<p>Genuine Switchcraft 3-way toggle switch in Nickel. Used to select one of 3 pickups on Les Paul style guitars.</p>

www.philadelphialuthiertools.com

EP-4369-000 Switchcraft 3-Pickup Toggle

Switchcraft straight toggle switch, pre-tinned at factory, with knurled nut & knob, for 3 pickup Gibson ®.

www.allparts.com

NEW - Switchcraft Straight Toggle Switch For 3-Pickup Gibson Guitars | eBay

NEW - SWITCHCRAFT STRAIGHT TOGGLE SWITCH. Commonly used on Gibson guitars. We do not accept wire transfers. Other alphabets (Cyrillic, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) will not be translated and your item will be delayed.

www.ebay.com

...and I can’t find anyone that will make a diagram for the freeway switch

Someone who sells those switches and harnesses with them should be able to. I wouldn't recommend it if you rely on your guitar to preform when needed, personally. Those switches are not very robust. Maybe just put a push/pull on one of your pots to bring in the middle or run it like the original 3 PU Les Pauls. Those are the options that 99% of 3 PU players opt for.

 

[Davey Rock]

Well, I have no idea what any of that has to do with the difference between early Fender and late Fender Telecaster pickups.

Switchcraft Long 3-way toggle switch Nickel for 3 pickup guitars

<p>Genuine Switchcraft 3-way toggle switch in Nickel. Used to select one of 3 pickups on Les Paul style guitars.</p>

www.philadelphialuthiertools.com

EP-4369-000 Switchcraft 3-Pickup Toggle

Switchcraft straight toggle switch, pre-tinned at factory, with knurled nut & knob, for 3 pickup Gibson ®.

www.allparts.com

NEW - Switchcraft Straight Toggle Switch For 3-Pickup Gibson Guitars | eBay

NEW - SWITCHCRAFT STRAIGHT TOGGLE SWITCH. Commonly used on Gibson guitars. We do not accept wire transfers. Other alphabets (Cyrillic, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) will not be translated and your item will be delayed.

www.ebay.com

Someone who sells those switches and harnesses with them should be able to. I wouldn't recommend it if you rely on your guitar to preform when needed, personally. Those switches are not very robust. Maybe just put a push/pull on one of your pots to bring in the middle or run it like the original 3 PU Les Pauls. Those are the options that 99% of 3 PU players opt for.

yes I realize I was off topic. That’s why I ended with sorry for rambling. Just miscellaneous information really. And yes I have found those switches before but only on all parts, which I don’t have a reason NOT to trust them it’s just that I’ve ordered from there before and didn’t get whatI paid for. (Not the quality necessarily just that the description and dimensions for parts were entirely incorrect.) and thanks for the pull pit suggestion but honestly I hate those. I’ve even considered a mini toggle just because I thought it was a more practical decision in terms of originality. I know I sound like a boomer but I just don’t like stuff like push pulls, coil tapping (not splitting) or amp modeling/copying. I know it’s dumb. Either way you get results but it’s just a feel thing for me.

 

[Airplane]

The main difference between the 50s and 60s Tele pickups you should worry about are the pole pieces. 50s are flat, 60s are staggered. Since your guitar has a 12“ fretboard radius i would take flat. The Fender reissues are very good. I have the 51 Nocaster in a Tele i built and it sounds AMAZING. Like and old guitar..

 

[Davey Rock]

The main difference between the 50s and 60s Tele pickups you should worry about are the pole pieces. 50s are flat, 60s are staggered. Since your guitar has a 12“ fretboard radius i would take flat. The Fender reissues are very good. I have the 51 Nocaster in a Tele i built and it sounds AMAZING. Like and old guitar..

Ok thank you that’s what I was looking for. Appreciate you man. Appreciate all you guys too. If I knew I could get away with just pushing that one pole piece up I wouldn’t care, but I know that people who make vintage wound and vintage correct fender pickups wrap the copper coils directly on the pole pieces and it would probably screw it up. Thanks though man. Appreciate it.

 

[Airplane]

Ok thank you that’s what I was looking for. Appreciate you man. Appreciate all you guys too. If I knew I could get away with just pushing that one pole piece up I wouldn’t care, but I know that people who make vintage wound and vintage correct fender pickups wrap the copper coils directly on the pole pieces and it would probably screw it up. Thanks though man. Appreciate it.

Yeah you shouldn’t try to move a pole piece in a regular Fender PU.
I mean i‘m not saying you have to get the 50s one. It just makes more sense because the output is more balanced rather than focused on the middle strings.

 

[ReWind James]

The main difference between the 50s and 60s Tele pickups you should worry about are the pole pieces. 50s are flat, 60s are staggered. Since your guitar has a 12“ fretboard radius i would take flat. The Fender reissues are very good. I have the 51 Nocaster in a Tele i built and it sounds AMAZING. Like and old guitar..

I'd say the magnet type, magnet sizes, hand wound verses machine wound coils, HVF versus PE wire coils, etc. makes much more of a difference than a stagger, personally. Especially, with any amount of compression/gain/dirt/distortion.

 

[Davey Rock]

I'd say the magnet type, magnet sizes, hand wound verses machine wound coils, HVF versus PE wire coils, etc. makes much more of a difference than a stagger, personally. Especially, with any amount of compression/gain/dirt/distortion.

Yes I really like alnico 3. Good in a neck pickup.

 

[Antigua]

Basically, the title explains it. What’s the difference in a tele bridge pickup from 52 can 63. I’m putting a tele bridge pickup in my custom epiphone and plan on putting a broadcaster or antiquity ii in it eventually, but for now, the guitar fetish brand is the cheapest I’ve found that I feel comfortable wasting 30$ on. I’ve seen a vid demoing the 63 professional vintage wound pickup and I love the twang which is what I’m going for, but the 52 professional vintage wound demo only has rock style and overdriven tones. I mean obviously it HAS to have that steel guitar snap but which would be better for country? I mean in general a 63 vs 52 fender pickup. Anyone compared these?

It doesn't look like anyone is talking about these GFS pickups you mentioned specifically in the OP

52 Vintage Wound Professional Series Bridge Pickup 6.3K - Fi

6.3K 1963 Vintage Wound Professional Series Bridge Pickup -

Both of these pickups are 6.3k DC resistance with AlNiCo 5, and there are no other differences mentioned. From this we can guess that GFS believes the real pickups they're inferring they imitate, were identical, but at least one inaccuracy is that the real '52s did not have gray bottoms, though Reverb is listing a 1964 Tele pickup that does have gray bottom.

The product copy between the two is almost identical, except the talk about the gray bottoms has different wording. I would suspect what happened is that they used to be two seperate products, with the 52 having a black bottom, and then they sold out of the 52's maybe, but still had 63's, so rather than make more '52s, they just started selling the '63 as the '52 also, and added this phrase to the 52's product copy "with grey bottoms and black tops". That's my theory.

 

[Davey Rock]

It doesn't look like anyone is talking about these GFS pickups you mentioned specifically in the OP

52 Vintage Wound Professional Series Bridge Pickup 6.3K - Fi

6.3K 1963 Vintage Wound Professional Series Bridge Pickup -

Both of these pickups are 6.3k DC resistance with AlNiCo 5, and there are no other differences mentioned. From this we can guess that GFS believes the real pickups they're inferring they imitate, were identical, but at least one inaccuracy is that the real '52s did not have gray bottoms, though Reverb is listing a 1964 Tele pickup that does have gray bottom.

The product copy between the two is almost identical, except the talk about the gray bottoms has different wording. I would suspect what happened is that they used to be two seperate products, with the 52 having a black bottom, and then they sold out of the 52's maybe, but still had 63's, so rather than make more '52s, they just started selling the '63 as the '52 also, and added this phrase to the 52's product copy "with grey bottoms and black tops". That's my theory.

Interesting. I used to love digging around and researching. Almost like a family map in my mind.

 

[bassmannlespaulman]

the magnets used... alnico 3 in 52 and alnico 5 in 63. Plus the pole pieces were flush n flat with the pickup in 52 plus wound a bit hotter than the raised pole piece pickups of the 60s which were wound lower resistance. Even more important than those things that have nothing to do with pickups is THE BRIDGE SADDLES the 52 had brass saddles vs the threaded ones made of steel in the 63 those have just as big of an effect on the sound of a tele than the pickups.

 

[freefrog]

but for now, the guitar fetish brand is the cheapest I’ve found that I feel comfortable wasting 30$ on. I’ve seen a vid demoing the 63 professional vintage wound pickup and I love the twang which is what I’m going for, but the 52 professional vintage wound demo only has rock style and overdriven tones. I mean obviously it HAS to have that steel guitar snap but which would be better for country?

I'd take in account what guys @ GFS say about the PU's that you mention, not in the 1st and 4th paragraphs, which are the same, but in the 2d and 3d ones.

52:

The Alnico V slugs are hand-magnetized, to as accurately as possible match the exact gauss of the vintage sets we used as inspiration. We've potted them in a paraffin/beeswax mixture- and they're just the sweetest, purest, most responsive Tele pickups you've ever played.

These are a bit warmer and rounder than our less expensive units- more of a "Feel" thing, and they give you the classic snappy Tele sound with all of the vnitage feel- These are a great match for fender® and Vox tube amps- for heavier stuff I think the 63's match better. These are great to warm up an icy Tele, or to create that great fat vintage Tele sound. match with the pro series neck pickups to create a noise canceling middle position sound.

63:

The Alnico V slugs are hand-magnetized, to as accurately as possible match the exact gauss of the vintage sets we used as inspiration. We've potted them in a paraffin/beeswax mixture- and they're just the sweetest, purest, most responsive Tele pickups you've ever played.

These are tight and STRONG... the heavy Formvar wire and grey-fiber bottom bobbin yield a really strong Tele bridge sound- lot's of Nashville Twang mixed with plenty of good, strong Tele ROCK. The 63s can drive a Marshall amp just fine, and work great with pedals. You don't lose any clarity but gain the hard, spanky Tele midrange early 60's Teles are famous for. Match with the pro series neck pickups to create a noise canceling middle position sound.

IOW, these two models are meant to be wound with different wires and their rod mags seem to be gaussed differently, with a stronger mag field for the 63 model (?)...

Now and as suggested above, the problem is to know if the actual products match their depiction, and it can be an hit or miss thing with cheap Asian built PU's (my friend luthier has ordered once some "AlNiCo" OEM humbuckers for some of his prototypes and what he has received contained... Ceramic bars).

All that being said, such differences become of very lil' meaning if it comes to mount a Tele bridge PU in a LP: the shorter scale, components, materials and structure of a Gibson style guitar will change the Tele bridge sound in "something else" - for the record, I have a vintage DeArmond in mid position of a Gibson scale guitar and it doesn't sound the same at all than when it was mounted in bridge position of a Fender Strat: as if it was not the same transducer, in fact.

EDIT - If you put a bridge Nazgul in mid position (as I understand that you plan to do but maybe I'm wrong), try at least the Nazgul wired in parallel...

FWIW - two (European) cents. ;-)

Anyway, have fun with your project: such "out of the box" tinkering can open to interesting tonal landscapes.