Split Blade Tele
Pure Telecaster Tone, No Noise
$129 – $258
A Lindy Fralin original design! Split Blade Tele pickups are noiseless pickups for your Telecaster. They feature a noiseless operation, with all the clarity you expect from a single-coil pickup. Split Blades are available in 4 outputs to help you fine-tune your tone and find your sound.
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Jump to Sound Clips and more Info:
All Tele, No Hum.
Want to learn more about our Split Blade Tele? Here's all the information you'll need:
Features:
Split Blade Tele Pickups: revolutionary design, pure Telecaster tone, no hum. Unlike most pickups, we designed our Split Blades with a left-right coil design, giving you a truer and more balanced single-coil tone. These pickups will drop right into your Telecaster, with no modifications necessary. You’ll get all the single-coil traditional tone, with no hum at all.
Our manufacturing process allows us to achieve unparalleled quality control. Split Blades consist of a precision injection mold and USA-Made Steel Blades. We use aggressive USA-Made magnets to make this model scream. Each bobbin is carefully inspected and cleaned before winding. 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.
Features:
- Lindy Fralin Original Design
- Unique 4-Split Blade design for Humbucker and SSS tones
- An interesting and unique look
- Clean and clear, lots of Fender sparkle and twang
- USA-made Magnets for optimal tonal balance and output
- Compensated Bridge for even volume across all pickups
- Three Blade heights available for different fingerboard radiuses
- Hand-wound with our “Sectioning” technique for unique, dynamic tone
- Hand-built for unrivaled quality control
- 10-Year Warranty on manufacturing defects
Sound
SPLIT BLADE TELE SOUND:
Unhappy with Hum-Cancelling Fender Pickups, Lindy designed the Split Blade. It’s a hum-canceling pickup with traditional Fender-type sparkle. They’re unique: they offer a single-coil sound, no hum, and dashingly good looks. Expect fantastic a warm, full-bodied tone with incredible string articulation and enhanced detail. Wound strings sound clear and articulate due to a narrow magnetic field. Plain strings sound thicker than a single-coil with more of a sonic footprint. Chords will sound smooth and buttery, and single notes will sound large and full. Split Blades will not pull the strings out of tune – even if they get close to the strings. Also, adjusting the pickup’s height allows you to fine-tune your tone to your needs. Expect thick, warm, and dynamic tone with distortion.
Pot Value:
Vintage and High Output Split Blades sound great on 250K Pots or 300K pots. We sell 300K Pots here if you need one!
Sound Samples for Split Blade Tele:
Compare Outputs
We have 2 outputs of our Split Blade Tele. Compare them below.
About these Sound Clips:
All sound samples are played from Neck Position First and Bridge Position Last.
Our Split Blade Tele pickups feature a traditional Telecaster tone with no hum. These sound clips were recorded through a Mexican-made Fender Telecaster with a Lindy Fralin Telecaster Neck. Sound Clips are recorded by Phil Heesen III
Tonal Graph For Split Blade Tele:
The tonal graph below for our Split Blade Tele features Lows, Midrange, Highs, and general Output.
Vintage Output (250K / 300K Pots:
Attack: Dynamic & Full
High Output (250K / 300K Pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Blues Output (500K Pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Super High Output (500K pots):
Attack: Dynamic & Full
Videos for Split Blade Tele:
Tech Specs:
See below for the estimated DCR and Polarity Information for our Split Blade Tele.
Since we have a few different outputs for Split Blade, we've grouped them by their recommended Pot Value:
| SPECIFICATION | VALUE |
|---|---|
| Vintage Output Ohm Readings: | 4.7K Neck / 5K Bridge* 1 |
| Vintage Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| High Output Ohm Readings: | 6.8K Neck / 8.4K Bridge* 1 |
| High Output Recommended Pot Value: | 250K or 300K |
| Blues Output Ohm Readings: | 5K Neck / 5.8K Bridge* 1 |
| Blues Output Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Super High Output Ohm Readings: | 7.2 Neck / 9.5K Bridge* 1 |
| Super High Output Recommended Pot Value: | 500K |
| Wire: | USA-Made 42 / 43 Gauge Single Poly Nylon, Depending On Model |
| Magnet: | Ceramic |
| Polarity: | Hum Cancelling, Request 3 Wire If Buying Single |
| Pole Piece Material: | Steel |
| Recommended Cap Value: | 0.02mfd 2 |
More Information:
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.
* Due to the unique design of this pickup, ohm readings aren't very helpful. Our Vintage Output is close to the a Vintage Strat Pickup output.
Polarity Information:
Here's how we wind and magnetize our pickups:
If you're buying a set from us, all pickups will work together seamlessly. If you're buying a single pickup, all you need to worry about is Coil Direction.
To ensure your pickup will work, make sure you select multiple leads (2-conductor with shield), or the 3-Wire modification so you can reverse the coil direction, if need be.
Split Blade Tele Dimensions:
Split Blade Tele FAQ's
General FAQs
Here are quick answers to common questions we get:
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What Ohm Readings does your Split Blade Tele have?
Navigate to our Tech Specs Tab for complete Ohm Readings and more useful information.
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Will this pickup fit my instrument?
Check our "Sizing" tab for the size of the pickup. No Sizing tab? Check under the product image gallery for dimensions.
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Is your Lead Time of 2-3 Weeks accurate?
It really depends on the shop capacity at the moment, and the size of your order. Feel free to give us a call for an accurate lead time. We always try to underpromise and overdeliver.
Product FAQ's
These are frequently asked questions about our Split Blade Tele. If you have a question that you don't see listed here, click "Ask A Question" in the Quick Links section above.
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What pickup height do you recommend setting your Split Blades to?
Split Blades sound best a little closer to the strings than a standard Strat or Telecaster pickup. Split Blades don’t pull your strings out of tune like a regular pickup, either. Feel free to get our Split Blades close to the strings – you’ll love their tone when you do! Check out this video of Lindy setting the Split Blade Height.
Get it prewired
Go the extra mile and combine our Split Blade Tele with a Telecaster Control Plate!:
Customer Reviews
134 Genuine Reviews for Split Blade Tele
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Lindy is a pickup wizard! These are magic. I bought a Vintage Set to replace a set of Fralin Stock Tele pickups I’ve had in the same guitar for about a decade. Vintage Split Blades sound to me right in between Fralin Stock and Blues Special standard pickups. I have a Blues Special bridge and Big T neck in my other Tele. I’ve tried Fender Noiseless and EMG in the past and pretty much had written off humcancelling pickups but Lindy knows tone and these deliver. Vintage Fralin tone and no hum. They look good too! I have the white set in a 62 RI and the white bridge pickup looks good and neck blends in with the pickguard. Lindy you should sell Black bridge and White neck sets of these. That would look killer! If you’re on the fence, go for it! Also check out Lindy’s Bobcats videos on Youtube. Lindy knows tone and these split blades are amazing. I just bought a Vintage Hot Strat set to replace the standard Vintage Hots in my 62 RI Strat too. Split blades are the vintage tone future. Thank you Lindy!
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This Split Blade bridge pairs great with the neck pickup on my ASAT Bluesboy. The guitar is now balanced, quiet and the pickup sparkles in the higher register. You cannot go wrong with this purchase. 5 stars.
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Happy Camper. I needed a tele bridge pup to go with a Gibson mini. I had two requirements: it would be quiet and the output would match the mini. I was instantly pleased! Great service from Lindy.
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Benzville Guitars say thanks! We used your Split Blades and Alnico Rod Hum-Cancelling P90 on two of our latest builds and are excited. All the Twang, zero noise and even able to handle high gain. We will definitely recommend these Pickups to our Customers whenever we can to use in our custom build guitars.
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Plenty of twang! I was concerned that this pup might to be too hot for a classic Tele Twang but I was wrong. Awesome
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Outstanding pickups. All tone and no hum.
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I needed a flatter radius bridge due to 10-16 warmth neck so went with flat split blade. worked perfect. went with a high output bridge miked with a sheptone blue sky alnico 4 pickup neck. I talked directly to Lindy he helped me match them up and when switched to neck and bridge has a very nice mix of hum bucker sound. But when in the bridge very single coil Tele sounding has a very nice voice. This is a nashville tele and my middle pick up can go in phase or out of phase with either bridge or neck and again gets some really cool tele tones out of phase and some very start like stuff in phase with the sheptone. bridge off. This is my one guitar does it all for traveling around Alaska when you can only have one guitar with you and want many options of sound. Thanks Lindy for your great products. Did the in phase out phase on your noiseless P90’s on a tele build and love that too. Todd
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Dropped the split blades with blues output into a custom build boutique tele. Also added the control plate with 500k pots, 4 way switch & tone
bypass mod. I play classic rock, blues & jazz. Wow! All the tones I could have hoped for & more. Could not be more perfect. A -
Just upgraded my Tele bridge pickup from a Fender Noiseless to the Fralin High Output Split Blade. So happy I did.
The sound engineer where I play most often had been complaining about a harsh upper mid frequency with my Noiseless bridge. He could never EQ it out. He, however, loved the smooth sound of the neck pickup (which is a Fralin Vintage Tele). As a result, I played almost exclusively on the neck pickup.
I opted to upgrade to the High Output Split Blade in hopes of taming some of the top end and giving the bridge more oomph (Noiseless pickups are very weak). I used the new pickup this weekend, and the engineer LOVED it. “Night and day difference,” he said. Now, all three pickup positions are completely usable and sound killer. Very clear without being harsh.
Happy engineer, happy gig. Thanks Lindy!
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I have to give credit where credit is due. I visited Fralin Pickups on last Thursday and purchased a neck pickup for my custom Telecaster and not only was the pickup totally awesome but working with Lindy Fralin directly was awesome! He took the time to help me select the best pickup for my Tele and the pickup selection was spot on! I feel like I have a brand new Telecaster! Kudos to Fralin Pickups for a wonderful product and customer service!
About the pickup: I already had a powerful bridge pickup in my Telecaster but I needed an articulate neck pickup that could match the output and mix well with my current bridge pickup. With Lindy’s suggestion, I went with the Hot Output Split Coil for the neck position and it was a perfect replacement to my old pickup. This pickup sounds amazing! -
I mounted a blues split blade in the bridge and a vintage in the neck position. 250k CTS pro pots, Emerson Oil and paper Cap and a treble bleed. I call it fat and spanky. It sounds like a Telly but its much fatter. Playing an open G chord brings a forth a bloom of harmonics that sounds amazing. I can engage any of my OD or distortion pedals and she barks like a big dog but stays silent when I’m not playing. I can even take my hand off the strings and still there is silence. A highly recommend these pickups
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I can’t say enough about these pickups. I got the blues winding and added a volume treble bleed circuit on a push/pull pot, a four way switch and the Fralin magic cap. I get all the classic Tele sounds plus a whole bunch more in a simple setup that is hum and buzz free. Put these in your guitar. You won’t be disappointed. I promise you.
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I installed the bridge vintage split rail on my ugly 78 blue flower tele in 2015 and recently swapped a split rail in the neck-i am using 250k cts pots with a pro blender no load pot in the tone position and standard orange caps 102k/473k -cant believe i waited for the neck pickup-i play a ’73 vibrolux sitting on a fender 212 cab and this tele is now a tone master-sounds like the old records-
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I had the Vintage Split Blades installed along with a 300K volume pot (per Lindy’s rec) in my American Deluxe Tele about a month ago and I absolutely love them! They ended up replacing the N3 noiseless p/u’s with that whole S3 switching thing (a gimmick if you ask me). I currently play at church most Sundays but Im primarily a blues/rock/jazz guy. I live in the Richmond area and was able to go directly to the manufacturer! I gotta say I was greatly impressed with his customer service. I initially called the shop left a message and he called me back within 45mins listened to what I was looking for and told me to come down to his shop to check out his p/u’s and play some of his guitars. I went down the next day and did just that. His whole staff was very friendly and Lindy was very attentive and took time to listen and answered all of my stupid questions ha! The Vintage Split Blade p/u’s are awesome! They sound so warm and punchy and noiseless! The clarity, definition and harmonics are all there in every string and every note especially using a stacked gain–mild amp breakup approach which is common in P&W music . The middle position tones are just money!!!
I highly recommend these p/u’s for your tele if your looking to upgrade. No matter which style you play these p/u’s WILL deliver the tone you’re looking for.
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Another guy here who typically doesn’t do reviews but if you’re considering these pickups, do yourself a favor and get ’em. I spoke to Lindy on the phone briefly about what I wanted and he recommended the high output. He was spot on… these sound fantastic. Much clearer and more character than my stock Custom Shop pickups, yet the annoying ice pick highs have vanished and of course, they’re dead quiet. I used them in the studio right away and the difference is unreal. Awesome customer service too, what else could ya want? Cheers to Lindy and team.
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I have a high output Split Blade bridge pickup in my “S”Squier project (converted from a Fender Classic Vibe 50s Tele in Butterscotch). I never thought that a “one pickup guitar” would become my main instrument, but when the combination of some classic pine and this awesome pickup came together, it greatly exceeded my expectations.
The frequency response of this pickup is so broad with glassy and shimmering highs and chest-rattling lows and tons of mid-punch. With my amps set up at the edge of breakup, the dynamic response is phenomenal, allowing clean and clear sounds but punching the input when you dig into the strings. Oh, did I forget to mention… the signal to noise ratio is SPECTACULAR! It is quiet as a church-mouse when you aren’t playing. I could have not made a better personal choice and recommend this pickup for any tele setup. -
I just love these Split Blade pickups, I’ve had them in both a Strat and Tele for over five years now… and am about to buy another set for yet another Tele. Beautiful clarity, definition and tone without the hum… superb. Enough said…
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I never do product reviews but I’m so impressed with these pickups I felt compelled to do so.
I installed these pickups in a 2006 American elite Telecaster which had samarium cobalt pickups.
The vintage split blade is installed in the neck position. The Fralin pickups outperforms the SCN pickup in every way!
The Vintage has a tone that is full yet the wound strings still have a warm bright openness that is in perfect balance with E,B and G strings.
It is absolutely silent and sounds beautiful clean. When playing with gain either low or high it delivers excellent tones and harmonics. Perfect for players who want to be able to play any style of music.
I almost didn’t order this pickup because I was happy with the SCN neck pickup. I’m so glad I did!
The Super High Output split blade is installed in the bridge position.
The Super High Output is designed to be used with 250k pots but
I was looking for a pickup that would be darker, with harmonics, crunch and singing/searing lead tones similar to a humbucker but still retain a fender/single coil vibe. This pickup deliverers all of this and more. I have nothing but quality gear, Les Paul’s, Strats, etc running Duncan Distortion , Duncan Custom, Hot rails.This is probably the best lead tone I have ever had.
Rhythm tones are awesome as well. It is very attack sensitive. If I’m playing clean and get aggressive it will break up slightly.
With some overdrive you easily get classic rock tones.With high gain it absolutely screams! Van Halen, Gilmore, Etc.
It delivers clarity when playing fast runs, arpeggios, inversions even when playing brutally dirty.When playing clean in conjunction with the Vintage split blade it achieves an awesome Fender tone with just a touch of grit when played more aggressively.
I couldn’t be happier with these pickups and recommend ithem without hesitation or reservations.
Thank you to Lindy and his entire team!
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Chris – December 13, 2016:
I have a split blade in the bridge of my Tele (the neck is a humbucker) and when I raised the Split blade to just below the strings the tone came through clear and concise. It turned my Tele from a Rock guitar to a Blues, Rock, Jazz and everything in-between. I’ve tried many pickups in my bridge and this one is a keeper. It truly has a unique tone all on its own and even a more complex tone when I have the switch in the middle.
You can’t go wrong with this pickup. Give it a chance. You won’t regret it!
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I have a set of these in my Tele. I absolutely love them. I play a lot of finger-style jazz on the neck pickup, and I also find myself playing a lot of funk as well. I have the Vintage set in my Tele, and I can do all of that. There is so much clarity and definition, and these pickups are incredibly dynamic. I can get warm, woody tones by rolling my volume down, too. This set has all of what you love from your Tele, and more!
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