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1950 1951 1952 1953 Fender Telecaster Broadcaster Esquire Bridge Pickup Vintage
Estimated price for orientation: 799 $
Category: Electric Guitars
Class:
Description Condition: Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition
Up for sale is this vintage 1950-1953 Broadcaster, Esquire, or Telecaster bridge pickup. The story on this pick up is as follows. This pickup was removed from a refinished 1957 Telecaster that had some changed electronics, nearly all of which were from the 1950s (which I also have for sale in another listing). It was originally a barn find by the original owner, and many of the parts (like the pots) were no longer functioning. The previous owner, who also had a number of other vintage guitars, replaced the bridge pickup with this early 1950s Telecaster-Broadcaster pickup. In the mid-1950s, Fender changed the specs of the bridge pickups to a staggered pole piece arrangement, with a raised D and G magnet. Most players prefer the flat pole-piece construction for its more balanced sound and richer harmonics especially when overdriven. The pickup was initially rewound by Lindy Fralin (see his signature on the base plate). It's tough to make out everything that is written on it, but it appears that it says "Fralin rewind - 53" with what may possibly be a date of 6-94 or 6-97. Basically, it looks like Lindy Fralin rewound this vintage pick up in the mid-1990s. When I acquired the guitar, this pickup had an open coil was very weak, although functional. I ended up getting a later 50s spec bridge pick up for my Telecaster ( with the raised D and G magnets), as I prefer my guitars to be as era-correct as possible. And put this one away until I decided to get it rewound. Finally I sent it to Sonny's Custom Shop in Plano, Texas. In my opinion, Sonny Walton is the most knowledgeable and thorough vintage pick-up guy in the country. He has had a lot of experience with a great number of vintage Fender pickups, and he was able to authenticate the pick-up as a genuine early 1950s Broadcaster, Telecaster, or Esquire pickup. In addition to the details mentioned by Sonny below. The provenance and overall condition of the pickup are consistent with its vintage early 50s origins. The top of the pickup shows the appropriate "diagonal" wear across the pole pieces. This is due to the angle of the strings overtop of the magnets, as the Telecaster bridge pickup is angled. The wear pattern is the result of grime, rust, and other material that collects on the string and over time falls on the pickup. Furthermore, the bottom portion of the pickup is cleaner and evidences less wear, as it is positioned underneath the bridge and not as exposed tot the elements.
Here is the partial text of a personal email he wrote me containing a summary of his authentication of the pick up. Below this is the text of his analysis contained on the test report he sent me. "I think this pickup was originally the lead pickup from a 1950 - 1953 Fender Broadcaster, or a Nocaster, or one of the other names that was used for that type of guitar by Fender. Some people call those Blackguards. The blonde ones with the black pickguard. I don't think it is later than 1954. My opinion on this is based on the appearance and dimensions of the forbon bobbin, including the magnet types and their dimensions and the configuration, but in particular the thickness of the bottom piece of forbon It is .080 inches and I checked it all over. That's very unusual. Also when I put in the core dimensions into my copy of the coil estimator they matched the database entry for broadcaster much better than the entry for 50's telecaster. That got me curious and I looked for any other Tele type lead pickups that had ever been recorded to have .080 thick 5/64" bottom forbon. All I have ever seen were .093. I didn't find any references, but while I was researching that, it struck me that the blackguards used a lacquered forbon pickguard that was exactly .080 thick. That's almost a dead giveaway. Some people have stated they thought those pickguards were made of bakelite but that's an error it was lacquered forbon. The same kind of vulcanized fiber that was used for pickup bobbins. Usually on Tele's the bottom is .093 and the top is .062 thick. .080 or 5/64 is not a common thickness so would probably have been special ordered for those pickguards. Leo was known for not wanting to waste anything and it's very likely that he could have used some of the .080 pickguard material to make the bottom of the bobbin if the opportunity presented itself. In about 1954 they went to using a different material for the pickguards. So the .080 material would probably not have been stocked by Fender after that. Another thing is the magnet type which appears to me to probably be alnico 3. That's another clue. Early 50's teles are reported to have used it. They have the same diameter and length and spacing between the top and bottom as the Broadcasters are recorded to have had. The rewind came out about 6.8 K ohms. I calculated that it was probably about 6.88K as rewound by Lindy. Inside after I cut off the wire the magnets were pretty heavily rusted. That is probably what caused the open circuit, but also it's another clue that the bobbin and magnets are 50's vintage. Most of them did that." Here is the text of his authentication, as found on his analysis of the pick up and it specifications (contained in the pictures). This will be included in the sale: "This data is for a rewind of a vintage 50s bridge pick-up which has also previously been rewound by Lindy Fralin, as signed on the copper plated base plate. Due to the prior rewind, some evidence has been lost, but I believe from the core dimensions and condition of the forbon bobbin that the original pickup that was rewound was probably from a 1950-1953 Fender broadcaster or similar guitar. This conclusion is based on the appearance, construction, and particularly on the .080 thickness of the bottom base plate, which is very unusual and matches the thickness of the lacquered forbon pick guards used on those particular guitars, sometimes referred to as Black guards. The material was not bakelite as some assume. Leo did not like to waste much, so it could be that the same 5/64 material was used to make the bottom, instead of .093 thick material as used on all other Tele bridge base plates I have seen. Magnet sizes, type, and spacing also match the broadcasters. Pick up is open. I unwound about 150 turns but break was not found. Failure was likely due to the severe corrosion observed on most of the magnets, which is also typical of 1950s Fender pickups. Rewind was based on the size and weight of wire removed which was .0027 diameter of number 42 plain enamel, weighing 37.37 grams including potting wax. Allowing for the wax, the original DCR was approximately 6.88 K ohms. Rewound with #42 PE to 9000 turns. Retain the black string which was in good shape and repotted in normal wax, same as Fralin had used. Note the wire colors are the same as found, which also matches the Lollar comparison, but are opposite versus typical Tele for phase. Magnets were not recharge, and could be alnico 3 or 2 based on their charge levels. Metal baseplate left as found, is probably not original to the bottom, as those were zinc plated. It was probably replaced when the first rewind occurred, as also was the string. Replace the leads." As you can see, Sonny is pretty thorough and a great guy :-). He refers to the "Lollar comparison" here because he compared the specs of this pick up a Lollar Vintage T Telecaster bridge pick up from 2011, just for comparative purposes. The price is $1499.99 or best offer. Shipping is $9.99 to the domestic USA. International shipping may be available. International buyers must confirm with me prior to purchasing pricing and availability to your home country. The price listed here is an estimate only. It may be more, depending on where you live.
Description
| Condition: | Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition |
Up for sale is this vintage 1950-1953 Broadcaster, Esquire, or Telecaster bridge pickup. The story on this pick up is as follows. This pickup was removed from a refinished 1957 Telecaster that had some changed electronics, nearly all of which were from the 1950s (which I also have for sale in another listing). It was originally a barn find by the original owner, and many of the parts (like the pots) were no longer functioning. The previous owner, who also had a number of other vintage guitars, replaced the bridge pickup with this early 1950s Telecaster-Broadcaster pickup. In the mid-1950s, Fender changed the specs of the bridge pickups to a staggered pole piece arrangement, with a raised D and G magnet. Most players prefer the flat pole-piece construction for its more balanced sound and richer harmonics especially when overdriven. The pickup was initially rewound by Lindy Fralin (see his signature on the base plate). It's tough to make out everything that is written on it, but it appears that it says "Fralin rewind - 53" with what may possibly be a date of 6-94 or 6-97. Basically, it looks like Lindy Fralin rewound this vintage pick up in the mid-1990s. When I acquired the guitar, this pickup had an open coil was very weak, although functional. I ended up getting a later 50s spec bridge pick up for my Telecaster ( with the raised D and G magnets), as I prefer my guitars to be as era-correct as possible. And put this one away until I decided to get it rewound. Finally I sent it to Sonny's Custom Shop in Plano, Texas. In my opinion, Sonny Walton is the most knowledgeable and thorough vintage pick-up guy in the country. He has had a lot of experience with a great number of vintage Fender pickups, and he was able to authenticate the pick-up as a genuine early 1950s Broadcaster, Telecaster, or Esquire pickup. In addition to the details mentioned by Sonny below. The provenance and overall condition of the pickup are consistent with its vintage early 50s origins. The top of the pickup shows the appropriate "diagonal" wear across the pole pieces. This is due to the angle of the strings overtop of the magnets, as the Telecaster bridge pickup is angled. The wear pattern is the result of grime, rust, and other material that collects on the string and over time falls on the pickup. Furthermore, the bottom portion of the pickup is cleaner and evidences less wear, as it is positioned underneath the bridge and not as exposed tot the elements.
Here is the partial text of a personal email he wrote me containing a summary of his authentication of the pick up. Below this is the text of his analysis contained on the test report he sent me. "I think this pickup was originally the lead pickup from a 1950 - 1953 Fender Broadcaster, or a Nocaster, or one of the other names that was used for that type of guitar by Fender. Some people call those Blackguards. The blonde ones with the black pickguard. I don't think it is later than 1954. My opinion on this is based on the appearance and dimensions of the forbon bobbin, including the magnet types and their dimensions and the configuration, but in particular the thickness of the bottom piece of forbon It is .080 inches and I checked it all over. That's very unusual. Also when I put in the core dimensions into my copy of the coil estimator they matched the database entry for broadcaster much better than the entry for 50's telecaster. That got me curious and I looked for any other Tele type lead pickups that had ever been recorded to have .080 thick 5/64" bottom forbon. All I have ever seen were .093. I didn't find any references, but while I was researching that, it struck me that the blackguards used a lacquered forbon pickguard that was exactly .080 thick. That's almost a dead giveaway. Some people have stated they thought those pickguards were made of bakelite but that's an error it was lacquered forbon. The same kind of vulcanized fiber that was used for pickup bobbins. Usually on Tele's the bottom is .093 and the top is .062 thick. .080 or 5/64 is not a common thickness so would probably have been special ordered for those pickguards. Leo was known for not wanting to waste anything and it's very likely that he could have used some of the .080 pickguard material to make the bottom of the bobbin if the opportunity presented itself. In about 1954 they went to using a different material for the pickguards. So the .080 material would probably not have been stocked by Fender after that. Another thing is the magnet type which appears to me to probably be alnico 3. That's another clue. Early 50's teles are reported to have used it. They have the same diameter and length and spacing between the top and bottom as the Broadcasters are recorded to have had. The rewind came out about 6.8 K ohms. I calculated that it was probably about 6.88K as rewound by Lindy. Inside after I cut off the wire the magnets were pretty heavily rusted. That is probably what caused the open circuit, but also it's another clue that the bobbin and magnets are 50's vintage. Most of them did that." Here is the text of his authentication, as found on his analysis of the pick up and it specifications (contained in the pictures). This will be included in the sale: "This data is for a rewind of a vintage 50s bridge pick-up which has also previously been rewound by Lindy Fralin, as signed on the copper plated base plate. Due to the prior rewind, some evidence has been lost, but I believe from the core dimensions and condition of the forbon bobbin that the original pickup that was rewound was probably from a 1950-1953 Fender broadcaster or similar guitar. This conclusion is based on the appearance, construction, and particularly on the .080 thickness of the bottom base plate, which is very unusual and matches the thickness of the lacquered forbon pick guards used on those particular guitars, sometimes referred to as Black guards. The material was not bakelite as some assume. Leo did not like to waste much, so it could be that the same 5/64 material was used to make the bottom, instead of .093 thick material as used on all other Tele bridge base plates I have seen. Magnet sizes, type, and spacing also match the broadcasters. Pick up is open. I unwound about 150 turns but break was not found. Failure was likely due to the severe corrosion observed on most of the magnets, which is also typical of 1950s Fender pickups. Rewind was based on the size and weight of wire removed which was .0027 diameter of number 42 plain enamel, weighing 37.37 grams including potting wax. Allowing for the wax, the original DCR was approximately 6.88 K ohms. Rewound with #42 PE to 9000 turns. Retain the black string which was in good shape and repotted in normal wax, same as Fralin had used. Note the wire colors are the same as found, which also matches the Lollar comparison, but are opposite versus typical Tele for phase. Magnets were not recharge, and could be alnico 3 or 2 based on their charge levels. Metal baseplate left as found, is probably not original to the bottom, as those were zinc plated. It was probably replaced when the first rewind occurred, as also was the string. Replace the leads." As you can see, Sonny is pretty thorough and a great guy :-). He refers to the "Lollar comparison" here because he compared the specs of this pick up a Lollar Vintage T Telecaster bridge pick up from 2011, just for comparative purposes. The price is $1499.99 or best offer. Shipping is $9.99 to the domestic USA. International shipping may be available. International buyers must confirm with me prior to purchasing pricing and availability to your home country. The price listed here is an estimate only. It may be more, depending on where you live.
Here is the partial text of a personal email he wrote me containing a summary of his authentication of the pick up. Below this is the text of his analysis contained on the test report he sent me. "I think this pickup was originally the lead pickup from a 1950 - 1953 Fender Broadcaster, or a Nocaster, or one of the other names that was used for that type of guitar by Fender. Some people call those Blackguards. The blonde ones with the black pickguard. I don't think it is later than 1954. My opinion on this is based on the appearance and dimensions of the forbon bobbin, including the magnet types and their dimensions and the configuration, but in particular the thickness of the bottom piece of forbon It is .080 inches and I checked it all over. That's very unusual. Also when I put in the core dimensions into my copy of the coil estimator they matched the database entry for broadcaster much better than the entry for 50's telecaster. That got me curious and I looked for any other Tele type lead pickups that had ever been recorded to have .080 thick 5/64" bottom forbon. All I have ever seen were .093. I didn't find any references, but while I was researching that, it struck me that the blackguards used a lacquered forbon pickguard that was exactly .080 thick. That's almost a dead giveaway. Some people have stated they thought those pickguards were made of bakelite but that's an error it was lacquered forbon. The same kind of vulcanized fiber that was used for pickup bobbins. Usually on Tele's the bottom is .093 and the top is .062 thick. .080 or 5/64 is not a common thickness so would probably have been special ordered for those pickguards. Leo was known for not wanting to waste anything and it's very likely that he could have used some of the .080 pickguard material to make the bottom of the bobbin if the opportunity presented itself. In about 1954 they went to using a different material for the pickguards. So the .080 material would probably not have been stocked by Fender after that. Another thing is the magnet type which appears to me to probably be alnico 3. That's another clue. Early 50's teles are reported to have used it. They have the same diameter and length and spacing between the top and bottom as the Broadcasters are recorded to have had. The rewind came out about 6.8 K ohms. I calculated that it was probably about 6.88K as rewound by Lindy. Inside after I cut off the wire the magnets were pretty heavily rusted. That is probably what caused the open circuit, but also it's another clue that the bobbin and magnets are 50's vintage. Most of them did that." Here is the text of his authentication, as found on his analysis of the pick up and it specifications (contained in the pictures). This will be included in the sale: "This data is for a rewind of a vintage 50s bridge pick-up which has also previously been rewound by Lindy Fralin, as signed on the copper plated base plate. Due to the prior rewind, some evidence has been lost, but I believe from the core dimensions and condition of the forbon bobbin that the original pickup that was rewound was probably from a 1950-1953 Fender broadcaster or similar guitar. This conclusion is based on the appearance, construction, and particularly on the .080 thickness of the bottom base plate, which is very unusual and matches the thickness of the lacquered forbon pick guards used on those particular guitars, sometimes referred to as Black guards. The material was not bakelite as some assume. Leo did not like to waste much, so it could be that the same 5/64 material was used to make the bottom, instead of .093 thick material as used on all other Tele bridge base plates I have seen. Magnet sizes, type, and spacing also match the broadcasters. Pick up is open. I unwound about 150 turns but break was not found. Failure was likely due to the severe corrosion observed on most of the magnets, which is also typical of 1950s Fender pickups. Rewind was based on the size and weight of wire removed which was .0027 diameter of number 42 plain enamel, weighing 37.37 grams including potting wax. Allowing for the wax, the original DCR was approximately 6.88 K ohms. Rewound with #42 PE to 9000 turns. Retain the black string which was in good shape and repotted in normal wax, same as Fralin had used. Note the wire colors are the same as found, which also matches the Lollar comparison, but are opposite versus typical Tele for phase. Magnets were not recharge, and could be alnico 3 or 2 based on their charge levels. Metal baseplate left as found, is probably not original to the bottom, as those were zinc plated. It was probably replaced when the first rewind occurred, as also was the string. Replace the leads." As you can see, Sonny is pretty thorough and a great guy :-). He refers to the "Lollar comparison" here because he compared the specs of this pick up a Lollar Vintage T Telecaster bridge pick up from 2011, just for comparative purposes. The price is $1499.99 or best offer. Shipping is $9.99 to the domestic USA. International shipping may be available. International buyers must confirm with me prior to purchasing pricing and availability to your home country. The price listed here is an estimate only. It may be more, depending on where you live.