Description
W.L. Van Zandt didn’t start out chasing tone for a living — he was a machinist and country guitarist who just happened to be good with a coil winder. Word got around Dallas/Ft. Worth that his rewinds sounded right, and by the late 1980s that side hustle had become Van Zandt Pickups. This bridge pickup is, by his own account, his favorite of everything he’s ever built.
The True Vintage Telecaster Staggered Pole Bridge Pickup is his take on the early 50s and 60s Tele twang, with the staggered pole pieces balancing string output the way those old sets did. Paired with a mellower neck pickup, blending both in the center position gives you that classic combination of airy top-end bite from the bridge and rounder low-end warmth from the neck — the push-pull that made Teles a country and blues staple in the first place.
W.L. leaned hard into 50s Tele character when he designed this one, but dialed in a little extra push behind it — enough grit and presence to still cut through a band mix without losing that vintage character. It’s the kind of pickup that rewards a light touch and a loud amp: chicken-pickin’ snap for country, stinging clarity for blues leads, and just enough attitude for rockabilly slap-back.
- Staggered pole pieces for authentic 50s/60s Tele voicing
- Bright, cutting tone at the bridge; pairs well with a mellower neck pickup
- Center position blend delivers balanced top and bottom
- Hand-built by W.L. Van Zandt — reportedly his personal favorite pickup design
- Well suited to country, blues, and rockabilly playing styles
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