Re: Telecaster Bridge.. Alnico 2 or 3?

[Heath]

I've built about 10 telecasters, but now I'm finally building the one I've wanted for a while... butterscotch, black pickguard, maple neck and fretboard, standard tele pickup layout but with custom 4 way switch to combine pickups in series or parallel.  

I've got a Seymour Duncan 5-2 in the neck.  It's an absolutely amazing pickup.  For the bridge I'm torn, though...  I wanted something different from Alnico 5 or Ferrite magnets, maybe a little "sweeter" sounding, but still tele-like.

I snagged a Seymour Duncan Alnico2 pro and I'm working on snagging a Benson Custom Alnico 3.

I've got a bit of experience with the Alnico 2s (the SD 5-2 has Al2s magnets in the top 3 string positions and Al5s in the bottom 3) but never played anything with  Al3s, though I have listened to some youtube demos.  Not very helpful :p

Bensons are supposed to be fantastic and a sort of "hidden gem" of the guitar community.. but it's really hard to argue with this:



Decisions, decisions...

Which bridge pickup should I install on m new Telecaster build?

Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pro

Benson Custom Hand wound Alnico 3

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[Beaker]

Difficult one really - especially as you are trying to choose between different pickup builders. I've not played the SD's and I have not heard of Benson before.

As I see it alnico 2 has a softer, rounder sound, and is best for clean - just lush for country and anything quiet.

Alnico 3 has more twang and more bite to it. Better for more aggressive playing and handles (some) pedals a little better.

Personally I would go Alnico 2, but that's just me. I have a set of GFS lipstick tubes in one of my Teles which are Alnico 2. They are outrageously good for a stupidly cheap price.

So I'm not going to tell you which to get.

[Heath]

Yep, I've got some GFS lipsticks in a cheaper guitar I bought because the body style was awesome and unusual.  I tossed them in there along with the best pre-amp GFS had to offer, so now I've got lipstick tubes pickups with an active gain, mid, treble, and bass :D :D :D  I'll toss more about that guitar in the "unusual guitars" thread.

Benson hand wounds are supposed to be stupidly good for a ridiculous price, so I am anxious to try them out.  SD has rarely let me down so I'm expecting good things there.

Good info though.  I totally agree about Alnico 2 so I think your take on Alnico 3 will probably be pertinent as well.  

And.. hell, and extra pickup just means I have to build another guitar.. aww shucks :D

[Beaker]

Yeah, usually vintage Tele sets are Alnico 3 bridge and Alnico 2 neck, but there's no reason you can't swap around.

I'd go 43 gauge wire wound to about 10k with Alnico 2 magnets for a bridge pickup. 10k works out about the same output as 7.5k-8k with the more usual 42 gauge wire.

That's the great thing about these small scale pickup builders - they can and will do anything you want.