Favorite Telecaster Pickup position or combo

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by 51 Relic

I played in a country band for a good few years with a Fender 52 Nocaster into a Vox AC30 . For me the ace in the Teles hole is the tone control . Bridge pick up and turn the tone control back a quarter turn turn play all your steel guitar licks with a bit of 350ms delay and reverb , don't forget the volume pedal. In my view the Jerry Donahue Tele hits the target with the five way switching and the Strat neck pickup

Wow. A ‘52 Nocaster into an AC30; that’s a lot of power and sensitivity. I notice your motto 100% acoustic - is electric too potent for home use, in your experience?

[BoneDigger]

90% bridge, 8%middle, 2% neck.

[Tele16]

80 percent middle, 15 percent bridge, 5 percent neck. But I play mostly classic rock.

[paulp1960]

I changed the pickups recently on my Squier Vintage Modified Tele to a Tonerider Hot Classic in the bridge and put an Oil City Blues strat neck pickup in the neck. I needed a modified pick guard to mount the strat neck pickup but it was only £12. I also rewired the guitar with CTS pots, decent switch and vintage cable. It also has a treble bleed circuit now.

I love the sound of this guitar now, it is much more rock'n'roll.
All 3 switch positions are very usable and it still hum-cancels in the middle position. I like it so much now I may trade my Classic Vibe 50s Tele as I'm not sure I want 2 Telecasters anymore.

[Golffishny]

If I could only have one it would be the neck. I'm not a fan of bridge pickups on most guitars. Different strokes.

[beatcomber]

Like several have commented already, the Tele is a remarkably versatile instrument if you utilize all of its capabilities. That includes using both pickups, either by themselves or in combination, and adjusting the tone knob to shape the sound.

The placement of a single knurled volume knob in the PERFECT location also enables a quick change when switching from rhythm mode to lead mode, or for doing volume swells, using just one extended finger. Leo was really skilled at ergonomic design.

If I owned two Telecasters, I would love to have one strung with roundwounds and one strung with flatwounds. Flats sound awesome on a Tele - just listen to Jimmy Bryant's tone in the '50s.

Originally Posted by 51 Relic

I played in a country band for a good few years with a Fender 52 Nocaster into a Vox AC30.

The signature riff on Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" also was played on Tele through a Vox AC30. Jeff Beck's groundbreaking Yardbirds-era work were recorded with his Tele plugged into a Vox AC30. It's a terrific guitar/amp pairing!

[endpin]

Got a '52RI Tele with no dual pickup selection (original configuration), but I can usually get it in the "tweener" position without much trouble.

[packmule]

I find myself using mainly the neck pick up on my Tele, which is a Lollar Charlie Christian one.

[roylor4]

My Bluesboy is really a TSO (Tele shaped object). I spend most of the time on the neck humbucker and after that, the middle position.

I know that's sacrilege, but true nonetheless.

Still figuring out my favorite positions for different stuff with my MV Squier.