Blues Special Tele
$110.00 – $220.00
Love playing your Telecaster again and know it finally has the voice it was always meant to with our Blues Specials. Wound with a 5% overwind from our Stock Teles, Blues Specials feature a punchy, warm tone that tames the harsh top-end from most Telecasters and helps you hear every nuance in your playing. Lastly, customize your appearance with our neck options and make your Telecaster a real eye-catcher with a look that suits you.
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100% Tele, Just a Bit Meaner.
Want to learn more about our Blues Special Tele? Here's all the information you'll need:
Blues Special Tele FEATURES:
- 5% more coil than our Stock Tele set for a warmer, thicker tone
- Modified Fender specifications, optimized for output
- High output, but still has Fender sparkle
- Compensated Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- USA-made Alnico 5 Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- Two different magnet staggers for optimizing pickups for your instrument
- 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
OVERVIEW
Discover what you’ve been missing with our best-selling Telecaster pickups. Blues Specials feature a 5% overwind that emphasizes the midrange while taming the high-end for a warmer, thicker Telecaster tone that still sounds like a Tele. Built with all USA-Made parts, you can take pride knowing Lindy designed his Blues Specials with the highest quality materials available.
It starts here: Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. Blues Specials consist of local fiberboard and USA-Made Alnico 5 Magnets. We wind each pickup by hand, one at a time, using our proprietary “Sectioning” technique for a sweet, unique tone. You can feel great knowing that we wound your pickups specifically for you. Finally, we wax-pot the pickup to prevent microphonics and preserve the pickup for years to come.
Sound
If you’re looking for balance – not too bright, not too dark, this set is for you. While playing clean, Blues Specials sound thick and creamy with open and clear highs and a thicker midrange. The overwound coil tames your highs and bumps your midrange – more than the Stock Tele Pickups, while you can expect more of a traditional Tele Tone than our Steel Pole 42s.
With distortion, you can expect a light compression, low-end growl, and a medium attack. Single notes sound thick and round, while chords have a full tone with an early breakup. Finally, Blues Special Pickups are for you if you’re looking for more output from your current pickups, but still want to keep that traditional Tele tone.
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 Blues Output of our Split Blade Tele Pickups
Tech Specs
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Blues Special Tele.
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Neck Ohm Reading: | 7.8K* |
| Bridge Ohm Reading: | 7.5K |
| Neck Polarity: | Counter Clockwise Coil Direction, North To Strings |
| Bridge Polarity: | Clockwise Coil Direction, South To Strings |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42 / 43-Gauge Single Poly Nylon |
| Magnet: | USA-Made Alnico 5 |
| Recommended Pot Value: | 250K |
*The Neck reads higher due to the use of 43 Gauge Wire, outputs are compensated
Video
FAQs
- What’s the difference between the Stock Tele and the Blues Special Tele? The Stock Tele is more true to Vintage specs and thus will sound brighter, clearer, and more open. The Blues Special Tele will sound thicker, darker, and more powerful. Blues Special’s tame the twang a bit and sounds beefier and thicker.
- Which Stagger do I choose? The Blues Special Telecaster set features a Hybrid Stagger neck pickup for a more pronounced D string. Carefully choose the bridge stagger to match your fretboard radius. Choose Stock Bridge Stagger if you have a guitar with a round to medium fingerboard radius: 7.25″ – 10″. Choose Hybrid if you have a flatter or compound-radius (11+”).
- What does the cover do to the tone? The cover, open-top or solid top, makes the pickup darker. That’s why when you request one, we underwind the neck to compensate.
- How far away from the strings does the pickup need to be? Push your Low E String down at the highest fret. Measure from the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the string. The ideal starting location should be 1/8″ on the bass string, and 1/16″ on the treble string, when the High E string is pushed down at highest fret.
- Wiring Diagrams? Here!
Sizing
Blues Special Tele Questions And Answers:
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CUSTOMER REVIEWS
161 reviews for Blues Special Tele
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Ryan Aufdencamp –Verified Buyer –
Easily the best sounding Tele pickups I’ve ever heard. Great investment.
Jenny Quinn –Verified Buyer –
Best ever! Sounds fabulous, pics coming soon of the Esquire clone it went in!
Thierry Jaoul –Verified Buyer –
Great sounding pickups – greatest pickup I have ever played on a Telecaster.
Steven Cox –Verified Buyer –
Really great sounding pickups in my Tele. I play through a Fender Princeton.
Edward Jones –Verified Buyer –
Super high quality and very versatile pickup.
Trevor A. –Verified Buyer –
Went with the covered neck. Gotta say, I was nervous, but these are a winner in all three positions. Tyler was very helpful with his insight, and all my expectations have been met. Playing a maple fret Tele with an ash body, I was thinking these would be too dark, but they are JUST right! There’s always a little play in the tone knob one way or the other. And the neck is immaculate. Full bodied with clarity that really sings. Great job Lindy & Company!
Doug Smith –Verified Buyer –
Been buying Fralin’s for 20 years…
These pickups never fail to please. The true Blues Special in the neck position on a Tele, w/o cover is a no brainer if you want a nice, thick, juicy tone for your guitar. Hands down, the best tone money can buy!
Joseph Amodeo –Verified Buyer –
Great Range! These pickups have great dynamic range and tone up and down the neck. They have a sweet voice and deliver everything from ultra sharp highs to that funky muddy blues tones that I particularly like. And the sustain rivals my Les Paul.
Nick Koff –Verified Buyer –
Only complaint is the cloth wire. I really hate the pushback wire on these pickups. It’s really a drag to work with. Other than that, I like ’em fine!
Dave Garrett –Verified Buyer –
Very happy with these pickups. They have good definition on a clean channel and still have the Tele twang. The bridge responds well when you crank up some gain.
Michael Dunne –Verified Buyer –
Very articulate , warm tele tone. Excellent range of tone from country chickin’ Pickin’ to jazz . Extremely versatile .
Sean Yurick –Verified Buyer –
Maybe the best!
Wow, truly love these pups. The attack response from these are incredible. Can range from punchy to smooth depending on your play and settings. Rich sustain with a smooth tail. Even the noise from these sounds good… If you haven’t tried these Blues Specials, and you are looking for an upgrade with this tone, then you need to look no further. These may be the best! ???
Ed Whitney –
Just completed installing a set of Blues Specials in my MIM Telecaster and couldn’t be happier. These along with a set of Thomastik Infeld flat wounds have turned my Tele into the guitar I’ve always wanted. Full, rich tone without being muddy and just enough twang on the bridge to play the occasional country lead. I won’t ever be mistaken for Don Rich but it gets as close to the Bakersfield sound as I want to get. The most versatile pickups I’ve ever used, the perfect set for a one axe player. Thanks Lindy.
davidchamberlin –
I just popped these in as a replace the for some Duncan Alnico IIs, which I’ve been using for over 10 years. I really like the higher definition and “zing” these are giving me. They’re not ice picky at all but definitely have more clarity than the Duncans, which I like. Great pickups!
John Bateman –Verified Buyer –
Great Tone – I put a set of Blues Specials in my 09 Telecaster Deluxe.. the sound is Truly Amazing.. plenty of Low end Grind and Funk .. with plentiful High End pluck .. I love this guitar now …
John Kleopfer –Verified Buyer –
Customer added no additional comments.
David Kell –Verified Buyer –
I have a G&L ASAT and absolutely love the guitar expect for the very poor MFD pickups it came with. I tried the G&L Alnico and still wasn’t happy. Was I being too pernickety?? No. These Blues Specials are everything I hoped for and more. They make the guitar come alive and have all the power required to make my Rift Amps Tweed 15 really sing……. also ordered the 4 way switching control panel which adds a whole different dimension to play with. Love it.
Dennis Cassidy –Verified Buyer –
I borrowed a set of Seymour Duncan “Vintage” Tele, pickups from a friend for my project “Tele/Partscaster”. I was reading and shopping around for set of pickups of my own. My buddy bought Lindy Fralin, Tele “Blues Specials”. He loved the sound so much he bought another set for his Strat. The service and support he told me about was very impressive. He said he called the Lindy Fralin shop to ask a technical question and Lindy himself answered the phone and talked to my buddy. He bragged up the pickups so much that I bought a set. I love the sound I am getting from my Tele, and also I get emails from the Lindy Fralin support staff asking how I like my new “Blues Specials” pickups and “Magic Caps”. They ask if there is anything they can do to help me out with technical support or any other aspect of my purchase. I am really pleased. The after sales service and concern for customer satisfaction is second to none. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Lindy Fralin products, not just for the quality and craftsmanship, but also because I feel I am treated and respected as a valued customer and to me, that means a lot!!!! Cheers; Dennis Cassidy, fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.
Justin Miller –Verified Buyer –
Fantastic Pickups! These slightly hotter pickups really make the difference. I have a semi-hollow G&L bluesboy with this blues special in the bridge and a Sunbucker in the neck. The combo works flawlessly and I couldn’t be happier with the sound these pickups make. If you are looking for that classic Tele bridge sound but want a little more edge, this is the pickup for you. Thanks so much to Lindy Fralin for making an awesome product and for a quick turnaround. You Rock!
James White –Verified Buyer –
I’ve been wanting these pickups for over 2 years now and I finally got them! They shipped them out to me the same day I ordered them and they got to me 2 days later!! These are seriously awesome pickups and this is an amazing company!
Dan Schrader –Verified Buyer –
I was told by a luthier on the East Coast to try these pickups . I bought a set and put them in a guitar I built and wow ! I now use them in my guitars and in 90% of my builds ! Lindy and Co have left the others in the dust . I can’t say enough about how great these and their other pickups are . I saw a loaded Strat pick guard on 920 D and bought it immediately . Why ? Because it was loaded with Fralin’s now I’m building a Strat around these pickups !
I built two Tele’s for my Daughters for Christmas , you guessed it Fralin stock Tele’s in one Fralin Blues Specials in the other .
I am now a life long customer . The guitar I built for my friend ? That’s Paul Bell from the Nighthawks . He loves the Blues Specials !
Jarrod DeArmitt –Verified Buyer –
I picked these up to replace the pickups in a 63 Fender Custom Shop Tele that were a little too thin and bright. I really can’t believe the difference that these pickups have made; the bridge pickup is clear and punchy without ever being shrill and gets a fantastic, creamy, bluesy sound with the tone control rolled back. The neck pickup is round and warm but clear enough that I can actually hear all the strings…it’s basically perfect. These pickups are truely special, and they are never leaving my guitar.
Josh –
The Fralin team recently added blues specials to my American ash/maple Tele and out of my collection it’s become my favorite guitar again! These pickups are absolutely fantastic. I got the -Tone Cap: 02 – 0015 w/push-pull – bridge position pulled and neck position pushed are my favorite settings. I previously had N3 noiseless stock Fender pickups and they were average at best. Now, the guitar produces warm lows and clear highs – no more shrills or stingy sounds, and the harmonics are beautiful. I couldn’t be happier and never knew what a difference superior quality pickups would make.
Moving forward, I’ll be going through the Fralin team for all of my pickup needs – you guys do stellar work!
Cody Brown –Verified Buyer –
Just recently put a full set of Blues Specials in my Standard Tele after modding it with a bunch of Fender aftermarket vintage parts, I thought I was in love with it’s look the most until I put these pick ups in. They sound incredible! They eliminate that harsh, high pitched twang you sometimes get on higher notes on the Tele, but keep the low crunchy tones. They sound great both clean and dirty, giving off a sound somewhere between a vintage Tele and a well worn Strat. I ordered the uncovered neck pickup, and the output difference is astounding. Easily the best Tele pickups I’ve come across, I highly recommend them for any Tele enthusiasts and I’ll definitely be coming back to Lindy Fralin if I need any other pickup.
JohnCz –
Great set of Tele pickups….incredibly versatile, both live and in the studio. You can stick with the clean traditional Tele voice or drive them and get warm, fluid tones. Fingerpicking, flatpicking, or hybrid picking styles are all well-served by these pickups. Whatever I do with them, they retain richness, clarity, and articulation while still having color and character. They are very well made with quality materials. On top of that, the company is nice to work with and always helpful. Can’t recommend them highly enough.
Gordon Bastow –Verified Buyer –
These pickups are Great! I tried 3 different pickups till I got it right. These Blues Specials make my Tele sound like what I imagine a vintage Telecaster would sound like without being harsh or ice-picky. I highly recommend! I bought the set and it even sounds good in the middle position. Kinda like that Straty quacky sound. Amazing!
Dave LiCari –
Bought a Michael Kelly t-style because it came loaded with these pickups. I replaced the 500k pots (yeah, what’s up with that?) with Emerson pots and cap. Hokie smokes, Bullwinkle! It is one of the best sounding, and playing, t-types I have ever owned. These pickups wail! And they are the quietest single-coils I have ever heard. Great pickups!
Lauren Aase –Verified Buyer –
I ordered the Fralin Blues Special bridge pickup for my 1999 Fender Telecaster American Standard. Excellent presales service to ensure seamless installation. The pickup sounded good but I ended up reinstalling the original Fender stock bridge pickup. The Fender stock pickup seemed to sound more compatible with the Fender Twisted Tele neck pickup that I have on this guitar. Perhaps the Fralin Stock Bridge Pickup would have been a better choice to go with the Twisted Tele neck pickup. The Blues Special bridge was just a little too dark as was the Twisted Tele bridge pickup that came in a set with the Twisted Tele neck pickup. The 048610 Fender stock bridge pickup seemed to be clearer in tone and with more sustain than either the Twisted Tele Bridge or the Fralin Blues Special Bridge. Good sounding pickup, just not compatible with the Twisted Tele neck pickup.
Andrew –Verified Buyer –
Beautiful-sounding, inspiring pickups! Sounds great clean or dirty. I was leaning towards the stock Tele pickups but Lindy recommended these and I’m glad he did! I went with the covered neck, 2% output and it feels nicely matched to the bridge. Based on your touch they can be fat and warm or gnarly and bright. As Gershwin said, “Who could ask for anything more?” 5 stars!
Bob –
Just outstanding. Upgraded a Roadworn 50s w Blues Specials and it instantly became a beast! Very responsive to both touch and controls and easily moves from warm and clean to crunchy when digging in. Couldn’t be any happier with them.