Blues Special Tele

  • Single Coil
  • Thick & Versatile
  • Traditional Appearance
  • Modern Output
(308 genuine reviews)

$110$220

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.

 

PRODUCT OPTIONS:

Select Options Above To Display Add-Ons

Neck Cover *

Choose how you want your Neck pickup to look in your guitar. If no option is chosen, you will receive an Uncovered neck, which is standard.

Neck Options

If performing a 4-Way Switching Mod, please select this box below:

Bridge Options *

Specify if you want White Cloth String or Black Cloth String on your bridge. If no option is chosen, you will receive White String.

Nashville Tele Info:

Are you buying pickups for a Nashville Telecaster Setup? Make sure you check this box to let us know. Make sure you add a middle pickup as well. Our Nashville Polarity will cancel hum in positions 2 & 4, like a Strat.

SPEED UP YOUR ORDER

Since you're buying a single pickup, we might need more information from you. To avoid unnecessary delays in your order, please choose one of the options below:



Be sure to read our article on Pickup Polarity here.

Notice

Due to the nature of Raw Nickel, Raw Nickel may contain slight cosemetic defects or abrasions.

Recommendation

We recommend using 2-Conductor With Shield Lead when purchasing a single pickup. 2-Conductor lead allows you to reverse the phase should you have phase issues. Learn About Lead Choice

Lead Time

A Lead Time of 3 Weeks is just an estimate. Lead Times are subject to change depending on the current shop capacity and size of the order. We will always try to complete your order quicker than the stated lead time.


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:

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.

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 


Tonal Graph for Blues Special Tele:

The tone graph below for our Blues Special Tele features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.

HIGHS
MIDS
LOWS
OUTPUT

Attack: Dynamic & Full

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:7.3K
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
Recommended Cap Value**:0.02mfd

**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

Sizing

Telecaster Bridge Mounting Hole Dimensions

 

Blues Special Tele Questions And Answers:

Notice:

Have a question about our Blues Special Tele? Ask it here. Your Question will be publically visible. If you want to ask a Private Question, please contact us through our Contact Us Form.

If you have multiple questions, please call us at (804) 358-2699.

    If I am using the Tele Blues Special pickups with a push-pull pot do I select the 4 way switching modification when I order the pickups?
  1. Q If I am using the Tele Blues Special pickups with a push-pull pot do I select the 4 way switching...... Read more
    A Hey Barry, if you're looking for the Series Parallel Mod (4-way switching with push-pull) then yes - make sure you select the 4-Way Switching Modification.
  2. What is Hybrid stagger for the tele PU
  3. Q What is Hybrid stagger for the tele PU
    A Hey Keith, click the "What's This?" button next to Magnet Stagger. It'll show an explanation.
  4. I can’t decide! Building a tele for my band mate, he really liked my tele with a purple lace in the neck position (I paired it with a Fralin overwound p90/hb size), first goal was somewhat traditional tele sound but he really liked the clean tones from the lace. I’m leaning to the hot blues set (he mostly plays rock style and hb guitars, so I think a bit hotter and thicker in the bridge), main question is if the hot blues neck might compare i... Read more
  5. Q I can’t decide! Building a tele for my band mate, he really liked my tele with a purple lace in t...... Read more
    A Hey Trevor, I definitely recommend the Blues Specials for what you're after. They are our most versatile Telecaster Set, they can get dirty and clean up really nicely as well.
  6. Will these Blues Special Tele and other Tele and Strat pickups work with a vintage depth pickup cavity of 5/8"?
  7. Q Will these Blues Special Tele and other Tele and Strat pickups work with a vintage depth pickup c...... Read more
    A

    Hey Jordan, thanks for your question. All of our standard Tele Neck pickups (not the Steel Pole line) will have an average height of 5/8", so as long as you're not bottoming out the pickup, it should fit fine. If you sink your pickup flush with the pickguard, it will bottom out.

  8. I have a Fender '52 RI Tele on which I've made a few mods. My neck pickup seems to have low output and sounds anemic and weak. The original pickup was weak, the rewind (P-90) was weak and the present LSL replacement is weak. I can only guess this has something to do with the bobbin size because I've heard a lot of Tele players make the same complaint about their neck pickup Would the Vintage Hot neck pickup with 2% over-wind have noticeably highe... Read more
  9. Q I have a Fender '52 RI Tele on which I've made a few mods. My neck pickup seems to have low outpu...... Read more
    A

    Hey James, I would actually recommend the Blues Special - it features twang, but a thicker midrange and darker highs, especially in the Neck - in my opinion, it's the perfect voicing for a Telecaster. We have a 30-day exchange policy, so if you're not 100% satisfied with the Blues Special, we'll know what to do from there.

Note:

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GET IT PREWIRED

Go the extra mile and combine our Blues Special Tele with a Telecaster Control Plate!:

Get It Prewired - Lindy Fralin Pickups

CUSTOMER REVIEWS

308 Genuine Reviews for Blues Special Tele

  1. Loren Hosack
    Verified Buyer

    Fantastic Tele Tone. Great pickups that sound better every time I play them.

  2. Stephen Matson
    Verified Buyer

    I recently bought a Sire t7, the new hot affordable Tele style guitar. Great guitar, rock solid, features that you’d only find on a much more expensive fender American made. But… the bridge pickup was piercingly bright. I shopped around and discovered the wonderful world of Fralin. Loved the idea of a set of pickups custom made by hand for me. Enough said.And buying from a small business was also a big factor. Installation was surprisingly easy for a 1st timer thanks to the tutorials provided,and the difference was stunning. Crystal clear but none of the harshness.I finally discovered what real tone is.Even makes my sloppy playing sound good!! I can’t say enough good things about these pickups. I know tone is a very subjective thing, but I can finally say that I’ve found it.

  3. levon
    Verified Buyer

    I had never messed around with pick ups before but am very pleased with the difference im noticing so far – will still take some dialing in to find what im looking for (still playing with the saddles and action to see what effects that has) but im very impressed with the clarity im noticing and how much of a punch i get on the low end now. more importantly though, i very much appreciate how much of the information was available on this site as far as instructions and diagrams because i had never tinkered with a guitar like this. i had a little experience with soldering in the past but with that and the information available on the site i was able to finish the swap and it worked which was pretty sweet. thanks guys

  4. R. Phelps
    Verified Buyer

    I have a Blues Special Bridge in a Telecaster Custom and this was to replace the neck pickup in a Modern Player Telecaster Plus. Yup, a Chinese built Fender. I was always to uppity to ever own a MIM or an Asia made guitar, but I purchased this on a whim. It is well built, but the electronics were sketchy, bad 5 way switch and the neck pickup sounded dull and almost like out of phase. But, this pickup was ordered with magnet polarity south up and counter clockwise coil direction. New switch and this pickup…it now makes the guitar a complete Swiss Army knife. This pickup is articulate, punchy, yet warm and full. I am sold on this series of Fralin pickups. I also have a hand wired Strat Blues Special pick guard from Fralin. These pickups are the real deal for a blues player. I didn’t and you won’t go wrong with any Fralin Blues Special pickup.

  5. Rob Jackson
    Verified Buyer

    gotta give it 4 and a half stars….
    I have a 2015 Tele, stock, with a single coil neck pup and a humbucker in the bridge…it’s one of those Guitar Center tele’s that Fender made from 2013-2015… I loved the sound of the stock neck pickup but it was no match for the humbucker out put wise….the Fralin Blues special cured all of that….it was a perfect match!…my only gripe, is the height adjustment screws appear to be of lesser quality…..

  6. maxi
    Verified Buyer

    this is the 5th guitar I’ve put a set of these in……they are my favorite pickup, nothing else compares

  7. M Girard
    Verified Buyer

    I installed these in a Fender 50’s Road Worn Telecaster replacing the stock pickups and the difference was so remarkable, I thought I installed them wrong! 500% changed the entire vibe of the guitar and it’s now a completely inspiring guitar to play.

  8. James Hennessey
    Verified Buyer

    Tele Blues Special neck pickup… Awesome!
    This is the third time changing out the neck pickup on my ’52 Reissue
    It finally sounds good when the others sounded weak and anemic
    I was worried about losing twang and clarity. I needn’t have worried.
    I can even get a convincing Strat tone.

  9. Bryne
    Verified Buyer

    I haven’t heard the blues specials in my custom built Tele yet , because it just got finished with the build but Richard at RSM Guitar Works in Winnipeg,Mb , Canada who does all my guitar work says it’s the best sounding Tele he’s ever heard with tons of sustain and spot on tone wise. I had it wired up 4 way . I can’t wait to get back home to pick it up and play it to see for myself.

  10. ISHII MASAYUKI
    Verified Buyer

    It’s a great tone?
    Attention to detail was seen everywhere.
    I was also grateful for the speed from order to arrival.

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