Vintage Hot Tele
Vintage Tone & Twang
$120 – $240
Experience the ultimate in clarity and articulation with our era-authentic Fralin Vintage Hot Tele set. Warm, clear lows paired with brilliant highs, our Vintage Hot Tele set will inspire you with all the twang you desire. Built with all USA-Made parts, you can take pride in knowing we made every aspect of your pickups with the highest-quality materials possible.
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The Ultimate in Tele Twang
Want to learn more about our Vintage Hot Tele? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features
Are you looking for the cleanest and most transparent tone out of your Tele? We got you! Vintage Hot Tele Pickups: our second best-selling Tele set. This set features a bright, pure sound that allows you to cut through the mix and hear every nuance in your playing. Wound by hand to ’50s specs, you can feel great knowing your pickups were wound by our expert craftsmen, specifically for you.
Features:
- Original Fender specifications, with modern output
- Clean and clear, lots of Fender sparkle and twang
- USA-made Alnico 5 Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- Compensated Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- Two magnet staggers available for different fingerboard radiuses
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built fiberboard Bobbins for unrivaled quality control
- Backed by our 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
- 6.6K Bridge, 7.4K Neck
Sound
This pickup set is perfect for those looking for the most traditional Tele twang out of their Telecaster. Vintage Hot Tele Pickups excel at cleaner styles of music. Expect a robust and open midrange, clear bass strings, and bright and sharp-sounding plain strings. The break-up is smooth and late, ideal for cleaner players or a softer playing style.
Vintage Hot Tele Pickups are for those who need the most traditional Vintage Telecaster tone. If you’re playing style involves more distortion, or, if you prefer smoother, darker-sounding pickups, you might like our Blues Specials a bit more. However, If your current pickups are too dark, or if you’re looking for some added definition and clarity, you will love these. You’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch earlier.
Are you looking for a Hum Cancelling Tele pickup that actually sounds like a Tele? Check out the Vintage Output of our Split Blade Tele Pickups
Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. These Telecaster pickups consist of local fiberboard and USA-Made Alnico 5 Magnets. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time. Each pickup is wound using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique. This gives the pickup a sweet, clear tone. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup to preserve the pickup and prevent microphonics. Rest assured: when you receive this pickup, you’ll know it’s painstakingly made with love.
Sound Samples for Vintage Hot Tele:
About this Sound Clip:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Tonal Graph For Vintage Hot Tele:
The tonal graph below for our Vintage Hot Tele features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Attack: Bright & Sharp
Videos for Vintage Hot Tele:
Tech Specs:
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Vintage Hot Tele.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Neck Ohm Reading: | 7.6K* 1 |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 6.8K 1 |
| Neck Polarity: | Counter Clockwise Coil Direction, North To Strings |
| Bridge Polarity: | Clockwise Coil Direction, South To Strings |
| Magnet: | USA-Made Alnico 5 |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42 / 43 Plain Enamel* |
| Recommended Pot Value: | 250K |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
Additional Technical Info:
1 Ohm Readings can vary due to a multitude of factors, including ambient temperature, multimeter calibration, different wire batches, and other factors. Due to this, ohm readings are approximate. Learn more about Ohm Readings here.
2 We recommend a 0.02mfd Cap Value on most guitar and bass pickups. The exception is a Magic Cap, which Lindy prefers on the Bridge Pickup of Fender® guitars only. Learn More about Caps Here.
*The Neck reads higher due to the use of 43 Gauge Wire, outputs are compensated
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
Note: We depict all our coil directions from Ground (Black Wire, or Start Wire) to Hot (White Wire, or Finish Wire).
Vintage Hot Tele Dimensions:
All dimensions include a covered Neck pickup to account for the slight increased size from the cover.
Pickup Pairing
Our Vintage Hot Tele pairs well with the following models:
Vintage Hot Strat - Middle
Starting At: $ 105
Pair a Vintage Hot Tele Set with a Vintage Hot Strat Middle for a Twangy Nashville Set!
View Product
Real '54s - Middle
Starting At: $ 105
Pair a Vintage Hot Tele Set with a Real '54 Strat Middle for the ultimate "Quack" in positions 2 & 4.
View ProductGet it prewired
Go the extra mile and combine our Vintage Hot Tele with a Telecaster Control Plate!:
Featured Reviews
Reviews We Worked Hard For, and Are Proud Of
Customer Reviews
160 Genuine Reviews for Vintage Hot Tele
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These pickups sound amazing to me. Very clear and bright but not too bright. They have that warm hollow sound that I have been looking for. Each pickup position sounds great both clean and dirty. The older I get the more I appreciate lower volume and clean tones. You can’t go wrong with these pickups!
Very easy to install. Get a set you will not be disappointed.
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I have 3 telecasters all with Fralin pickups, two with vintage hot tele pickups. The vintage hots are the perfect balance of classic tele sounds to make the instrument as versatile as possible. When I think of what a telecaster is supposed to sound like, the vintage hot is exactly what comes to mind.
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I purchased a set of Vintage Hot Tele pickups several years ago and finally finished my project guitar. They sound nothing short of amazing! The pickups are stock wind and have lots of clear twang, but when overdriven a bit have a great crunch tone. I have already ordered another set for my next project. I also made several phone calls for tech advice and got Lindy and Tyler on the phone and they easliy answered my questions.
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I had a set of Fralin pickups in a Jazz Bass already and my guitar tech told me that if I liked them I should try the Telecaster ones. I went with the Vintage Hot and I wouldn’t say that I like them, I would say that I LOVE them. This was the Telecaster sound I have been trying for! smooth, articulate in chords and single notes. Great chime and bite in the bridge and to my ears, very Steve Cropper in the middle and neck. I love these pickups and they have made me love my #1 Tele even more than I already did. Thank you Team Fralin! I am a fan for life.
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It took me a while to install the Vintage Hot Tele pickups I’d purchased, as I was having the guitar I was fitting them to repainted, but having now installed them, I’m absolutely delighted with them! The sound is sufficiently crisp with all the required ‘Tele Twang’, but the pickups also have a real ‘warmth’ and articulation to them as well, which is great. The neck pickup in particular is a big improvement on the stock pickups previously fitted to my guitar, with a much warmer and more useable tone, and the sound of the neck & bridge pickups combined is likewise a big improvement, too. I can highly recommend!! 🙂
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Bought a used ‘99 ‘52 reissue Tele a while back. Switched out the stock pups for Fender noiseless. Worked well, but still wanted more vintage Tele bite and higher output. I had the cavities copper shielded and installed these Fralins.
Wow! Twang to the nth! I am so pleased. Highly recommend. -
Hi, my name is Clay and I bought a set of your vintage hot tele pickups with a 2 and 5 percent overwind about a year ago. They’re amazing and brought my tele to life in a way I didn’t think was possible. I just wanted to say thank you guys so much for what you do and I’ll be looking for a set for my stratocaster soon. Thanks guys!
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What I have been looking for. Great tone from both pickups and can get many different sounds with tone and volume control.Best pickups I have ever tried. Pricey but well worth it. I highly recommend them and will be buying other Fralin models in the near future.
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Simply put, this is the best d**ned set of telecaster pickups I’ve ever heard. My left handed friend had them in his tele and I was so frustrated I couldn’t play them for myself, so I had to get them.
Best move I’ve made in a long time. Excellent replacement for the Noiseless pups you see in the American Ultras.
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The Fralin Vintage Hot pickups replaced custom shop Texas Specials on a custom shop Tele. The Specials sounded good but just weren’t the tone I was chasing. The Vintage Hot attack, twang and tone make for a great sounding pickup. Just what I was looking for. Thanks to all at the Fralin shop for the great customer service. A set of the Blues Special’s will likely go on my other Tele.
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Hi,
My Fralin Strat and my P90 Tele are so great.
My strat is off the planet. The sparkle and chime just rule – so, so nice. Like SRV and Gilmour had a baby.
My P90 neck/classic hot Tele is a dragon slayer. It’s the guitar everyone asks for. That neck P90 is just so mean and funky.
My Jag will get new pickups tomorrow….
No doubt it will blow my mind.
The Lindy pu’s are sublime and inspiring.
Really make me play better and sound more amazing.
Peace.
Now I’m jus’ wonderin’ if I can tolerate my P90’s in my ’59 (reissue) LP. They don’t sound as kick ass as the Lindy one in my Tele. The Lindy’s have a chime and sweet mid I really dig. Plus a bottom octave the cheaper pickups don’t have.
Yes: fanboy, devotee.
Your pickups sound so nice I smile everytime. And give thanks. And make love. -
Great vintage sound that I wanted out of my tele. Best single coils that I have tried.
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These pickups changed everything I disliked about my tone before. The response added a lot of dynamic range, and its made me a better player for it. The best upgrade I’ve ever done to this guitar. Thank you!
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Love these Vintage Tele pickups.The Fralins sound amazing ,Bridge…neck…both
Or 4th.Super satisfied. -
I put this bridge pickup in a G & L Tele with a Fralin P90 in the neck. Combined is rich and a good place to just leave it forever to my ear. But in the bridge by itself it has a warmer sound less highs to my ear and more musical than the stock pickup from G & L. Overall I am pleased with the upgrade. I have been a fan of Fralins pickups for over 20 years and also have a Fralin rewound in my 1970 Fender Tele bridge which is also very good but not overwound like this new one.
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These pickups are absolutely incredible. Great harmonics, incredibly nuanced and the best neck tele pickup I’ve ever played (and I’ve played a lot). Very airy and has that thing that separates it from a strat. Couldn’t recommend them enough!!
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Your pickups rock! I just built a vintage Tele using your vintage pickups, Dunlop Super Pots, Orange Drop Cap, reversed angled control plate, and ash body.
I’m still fine tuning the finish but it’s a keeper! Your pickups are more vibrant than any pickups I’ve heard.
All switch positions sound awesome. In my older age, I’m using the tone control more and more.
This instrument is the most all-around guitar I’ve got now!
Yep-Five Stars well earned! I made the right choice! -
It is our pleasure at Black Rose Guitar House to be an authorized Fralin dealer. Not only are the folks a Fralin (as well as their systems) great to deal with, They make us look great to our Customers. Expectations exceeded!
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Great Pickups! I would suggest that your Telecaster has a perfect set-up to get the best tone from both the bridge and Neck. Would buy them again.
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Fralin’s are my favorite single coil for Strats and Tele’s. I’ve used them on several guitars and they’ve always improved the quality of the sound in the directions I like to hear. I’ve been using them for maybe 10 or 20 years.
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