Early Blackguard Telecaster tone with a warm, clear neck and a bold, open bridge. Classic vintage twang, balanced highs, and a lively response to your touch.
Neck: 6.8k (Average)
Bridge: 7.5k (Average)
Cast Alnico 5 Flat Magnets
Cloth Covered Push Back Leads
Lightly Wax Potted
How does the 1953 compare to the Vintage Recipe Tele?
The 1953 focuses on early Blackguard character: open twang, clear highs, with an articulate and warm neck pickup. Vintage Recipe is wound up slightly hotter with a mixed-A5/A2 magnet bridge pickup and a bolder Strat-voiced neck pickup for players who use more gain and effects.
Are these pickups noiseless?
No. They are traditional single coils. The matching neck and bridge are reverse-wound, reverse-polarity relative to each other, providing hum cancellation when both are selected together.
Do I need the third-wire option?
Choose it for 4-way switching. It grounds the neck cover separately from the coil, allowing the added series connection to work correctly. Standard 3-way wiring does not require it.
Can I replace just one pickup?
Yes. However you may have phase issues if you are mixing with another brand. Learn how to test the phase of your pickups HERE
Will these fit my Tele?
Check your bridge mounting pattern, neck mounting arrangement, and pickup cavities. Reference our dimensional drawings.
Are these pickups wax potted?
Yes. Both are lightly wax potted but only enough to combat issues with noise and microphonics. We do not fully wax pot them so that the pickups can retain better dynamics and tone.
How should I adjust pickup height? Fret the string against last fret closest to the body and check the distance between the bottom of the outside E strings to the top of the pole pieces. Start with 3/32'' on the low and high E. Start with the pickups lower, then raise them gradually in 1/4 screw turn increments to balance volume and response. Note that the neck pickup cover thickness subtracts about 1/32'' from your measurements.
Experience authentic 1953 Blackguard Telecaster tone. With so many varying specs in the early 50's, it was rare to find that one standout set that surpassed all others—which makes the search for vintage Tele tone a rabbit hole of variations and offerings. But when you hear the one where the notes just jump out with full tone, open dynamics and effortless twang, it can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. This is exactly what the Brickhouse 1953 Tele pickups aim to achieve.
Bold, twangy bridge tones with dynamic highs and clear midrange that breathes new life into your amplifier, paired with a neck pickup offering expressive clarity and chime. Whether you're chasing classic country twang, blues grit, or rock punch, these pickups deliver the open, dynamic response that made vintage Telecasters legendary.
Made in the USA using period-correct materials and authentic vintage construction techniques, the Brickhouse '53 captures the magic of the most sought-after early '50s Blackguard era Telecasters. It's more than just a sound—it's a feeling that ignites your creativity and encourages you to explore new Tele territories. Feel the notes bloom under your fingers with that unmistakable snap and clarity that only authentic vintage pickups can provide.
