Telecaster-like pickup for wide string spacing?

[Bob Gramann]

I'm toying with the idea of making a Telecaster-like solid body but with string spacing that fits me. I want to make a 1 13/16" nut and space the strings at 2 5/16" at the bridge. Is anyone aware of a source for pickups and a bridge that will work with this string spacing? My sound target is the Telecaster. I would prefer not to have to wind my own pickups.

[David King]

Custom hardware and custom pickups abound. I'd think anyone who makes pickups could easily come up with a wider set for a small up charge.
That said I probably wouldn't bother since I doubt it will matter on the pickups. Tele bridges with threaded barrel saddles will let you space your strings however you'd like.

[Mark Swanson]

You could get a blade pickup, too.

[Rodger Knox]

Or mount it square with the centerline, instead of slightly angled.

[Bob Gramann]

I talked to a friend of mine with a lot of electric experience. He told me that the misalignment of many of the pickups coming from the factory demonstrates that the strings don't have to be that carefully aligned with the pickup poles. By the time we were done talking, I was convinced to just put a K&K pickup into one of may acoustic guitars to meet my immediate plugged in need. Even though I have put many of these into guitars for my customers, I was still resisting having that metal jack in one of my prized acoustics. I'll have to get over it. Thank you for all of your input.

[Mark Swanson]

Bob, this all depends on what kind of music you want to play and what kind of sound you are wanting from this guitar. A K&K pickup will not sound anything at all like a telecaster, nor be able to be played or used in the same way. The K&K will do a decent job of making your acoustic louder, that is its sole job, and the only thing it is designed to do and it will always sound like an acoustic guitar. But, a telecaster will be a totally different animal, anywhere from country twang to screaming electric.

[Bob Gramann]

I know that the Telecaster is totally different. My basic need was an amplified guitar for a gig where miking the acoustic was difficult. I didn't want to put a pickup in my prized acoustic, so I figured why not make an electric for this kind of gig. Knowing full well that the sound would be totally different. I have coveted the Telecaster sound for quite awhile and I figured that if I ever started playing electric, that would be the direction I would go. (That's not how I play now or have ever played.) I may just have to buy or borrow a Telecaster for awhile and play with it until I get it in or out of my system. And, I'll probably put the K&K in one of my other guitars and not my special one. Someone bought the guitar I was going to put it into for just this purpose.

[Mark Swanson]

Well, selling a guitar isn't bad thing! I hope you do try a telecaster, you can pick up a cheapie these days and they are actually pretty good guitars. Don't be surprised, or frustrated if you find that it is so very different to play. It is a completely different feel, and approach. The right hand has to have a completely different attack, and the touch on the strings is way different, much less the amp and learning to get the feel of how your sound will fit in....but wow, try it!

[David King]

I agree that there are $70 tele copies floating around and that adding a couple of $70 pickups will make it almost like the real thing.

[Mario Proulx]

The pickups in the bargain tele knockoffs are usually decent. The switch, pots(especially the pots!), capacitor(s) and wiring are the weak link, I've found. About $25-40 will upgrade all of that.

[Mark Swanson]

And there are replacement pickups that don't cost too much, if you want to replace yours. Alnico magnets do make a difference, to me. GuitarFetish has some great pickups for quite cheap.