Larry DiMarzio's original 1951 Fender Telecaster

[SDPickups]

Hi Larry, you may remember me from the 80's when I had EMG as a graphic design client. I now make pickups now after being at it for ten years.

Neck pickups generally used 43 gauge wire not 42, if the neck measures more than 6K its likely 43. Yours looks like it has a zinc plated baseplate typical of Broadcasters, and these also weren't 42 gauge wire. '51 is when they used 42 gauge wire in the bridges and went to alnico 5. Yours must be a very early '51 before Leo changed things on the pickups.

[RockNRoller294]

Hi Mr. DiMarzio, i have an old old Fender telecaster from the 60s that im looking to replace the pickups with DiMarzios. I am looking for a warmer, fatter tone, and i play a range of styles but mostly blues, blues rock, and satriani-timmons style rock. i already have Joe Satriani signature pickups (mojo and paf Joe) in one guitar and i am looking for other pickup types for my telecaster. any recommendations?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@RockNRoller294

I would be cautious about replacing the pickups in a 60s Telecaster if all of the hardware is original, but you might get good results with a Chopper T in the bridge position and an Area T neck model in the neck position if you're certain you want to go ahead.

[TheHxholden]

So awesome...

[TheShreddedPork]

Hello Mr. Larry DiMarzio,

Do you have a hum cancelling neck pickup with a metal cover?

Thanks!

[LarryDiMarzio]

@TheShreddedPork

Yes. It's the Area T neck model. Tiy can see a complete description on our website.

[HandRpuffin]

I don't know if you covered this in another video, but what is the difference between '51 and '60s teles?

[sanman312]

@HandRpuffin I guess the biggest difference would be that the 60s had a rosewood fingerboard as opposed to the maple fingerboard. The 60s also had alder bodies (50s were ash) and they had steel saddles (50s were brass).

[HappyGuitarFellow]

I can't believe larry took the tele apart.........

[LarryDiMarzio]

@HappyGuitarFellow Why?

Larry DiMarzio

[HappyGuitarFellow]

@LarryDiMarzio it's a 1951 Original!!!  The kind of guitar that I can only imagine myself playing, and never thought of taking it apart. That's like taking the holy grail and drinking dr. pepper with it.

You're the Man.

[HappyGuitarFellow]

@LarryDiMarzio Taking the 1951 Telecaster apart, it's like drinking Dr pepper from the holy grail

Larry you're the man !!!!

[burmanmusic]

@HappyGuitarFellow It IS Larry's guitar. Plus I'm pretty sure he's adept with a screwdriver and isn't likely to do anything stupid in there. On the other hand, it IS a guitar, not a ming vase. It's not like he's cracking open a Stradivarius and nothing he's going to do will devalue the instrument. He's doing us all a favour, really. Where else will you see this?

[1FenderGuy]

hey DiMarzio what pickups should i put in my Squire since im doing a Steve Vai style strat with a floyd rose should i go with DiMarzio TB-1 or some other humbuckers and 1 strat single coil in the middle

[LarryDiMarzio]

@1FenderGuy

We've never made a pickup called a TB-1. Please email us at tech@dimarzio.com with a description of the pickup setup in your Squier (SSS or HSH) so we can offer useful recommendations.

[1FenderGuy]

@LarryDiMarzio well i could go with steve's presets on my strat idk what p/u's he uses i might find a vid on his pickups

[IchibanStar13]

hey sir! just had a question. back in the 50s fender put 12 guage pure nickel flatwound strings on all all their guitars from the factory. was this the case with yours back in the day?

[M3TALH3AD923]

ey Larry, is the super distortion good for bluesy/rock tones like ac/dc, zeppelin, clapton, and aerosmith? i need a pickup that has a decent amount of mids but not too much and alot of output to push my marshall class 5. is this the right job for the super distortion?

[mickthomsonify]

when he took it apart, i died a little bit inside..

[Gasosag]

Do you still have the ash tray cover?

[dougiscool77]

Wow! Thank you for writing back to me Mr. DiMarzio! as a 14 year old guitar luthier, That makes me feel great that someone has told me I can do what I love, (which is working on guitars!) I will do all of my ability to follow in your footsteps. -Douglas

[CamilleJacob]

isn't normaly the neck pickup wound with 43 gage?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@CamilleJacob

The original neck pickup was 43 gauge. The bridge pickup was usually 42 gauge.

[dougiscool77]

Hi Mr. Dimarzio, As a 14 year old guitar luthier, I want to thank you for your pickups, and your inspiration. I hope to be just like you when i grow up. Thank god for the super distortion!  -looking forward to getting more of your pickups and cliplock straps! - Douglas.

[LarryDiMarzio]

@dougiscool77 Hi Douglas, Thanks for your kind words and thoughts. With your outlook I am sure you will succeed.

All the best,

Larry DiMarzio

[tabotabojayar]

feels like i want to have this guitar.....idk but i sense something amazing about this...something cool hidden under its bones....

[1Doz]

I love this stuff. Kudos to whoever shot and edited the video.

[LucaPS3]

Great, thanks for sharing!

What's the name of the first song in the background (first 30 seconds)?

Thanks!

[Doduard]

Finest guitar, love that history...awesome vid!

Thanks from Slovakia :)

[mgarandsniper]

Hi, do you put flatwound strings on this guitar?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@mgarandsniper Hi, I have always liked this guitar with normal 9's.

Hope that helps,

Larry DiMarzio

[mgarandsniper]

@LarryDiMarzio thanks im trying to sell my 1985 reissue.

If it doesnt sell thats okay too.Its a copy of your guitar.

[PeteAndJakee]

@LarryDiMarzio hey DiMarzio this is a beautiful guitar. as a dimarzio pickup fan im getting some pickups from the dimarzio company and building my own guitar. a Strat body with a Tele neck and tele bridge pickup and tele neck. im gonna call it the "Strat-o-telecaster"

[skotty92]

Hey Larry,

KEWL guitar first of all, I love blackguards! :-)

My question: I got a Mexican Tele which I love cause it's a good basis for tonal "perfection"

Well, I wanna change the SD Hot Rails that is in there right now and I found myself in a battle between vintage tone and the hum

Now, I saw you AREA pickups and I wanna know, would you rather recommend the normal or the hot one, for, let's say, rock and punk-pop-whatever?

And how much of the Tele tone is left behind by hum-cancelling?

Thanks!

[LarryDiMarzio]

@skotty92

The Area Hot T is probably the best choice. It wasn't intended to sound identical to any specific Tele pickup, but it sounds and feels like a single-coil. The fact that it cancels hum doesn't mean it sounds like a standard humbucker.

[skotty92]

@LarryDiMarzio Thanks!

I coulnd't wait, already ordered it :-p

I'll give you a quick feedback on your profile when I installed it.

BTW, great customer service you're doing here!

[LesPaulRockerProduct]

hey larry whats your favourite pickup of yours that would go great with a 2010 gibson sg standard, something with a rich warm tone. sorry i dont know any of your models im new to the changing of pickups world

[LarryDiMarzio]

@LesPaulRockerProduct

Lots of choices, and more info is needed to choose. Please email tech@dimarzio.com with a description of what you're looking for, including the type of amp you play and whether you prefer pickups with high or low output.

[LesPaulRockerProduct]

@LarryDiMarzio i dont mean to sound stupid but high or low output what does it mean?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@LesPaulRockerProduct

Simply put, a pickup with high output has more power than one with low output. This usually translates to higher volume with a clean sound, and more distortion and sustain with an overdriven sound.

[LesPaulRockerProduct]

@LarryDiMarzio thought so, yay id be more of a high output guy

[GuillermoSmyser]

Hey Larry, I am getting a custom telecaster made but I want some Twang King pickups to go in it! Why can't I find them anymore? Did y'all stop making them?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@GuillermoSmyser

I have no idea why you can't find them. They are very popular, and any DiMarzio dealer who doesn't have them in stock can order them from us at any time.

[GuillermoSmyser]

@LarryDiMarzio I have been to your website and click on your dealers and I didn't check everyone of the websites but most of them don't carry the Twang Kings anymore.

I don't guess you'd know why.  Is it possible to order direct from y'all?

[LarryDiMarzio]

@GuillermoSmyser Hi, Sorry for the problem, please call Marie at 800 221 6468 and she can make arrangements to have them shipped to you.

Hope that helps,

Larry DiMarzio

[OptikC]

I'd be quite scared to be in the same room as one of them.

[Jimmy94spaces]

it can not have 60 years .. Perhaps the housing acts ... but the guitar is too good. I have a gibson les paul has 10 years, and it is reduced even worse!

[sEaNoYeAh]

Fascinating stuff, thanks for the insight into some of your vintage gear Larry.

Mr DiMarzio, you are a legend.

[SteveBrownOfficial]

Thanks Larry. Really wow stuff. That is so cool.

[peariverbirddog]

can anybody tell me the name of the song playing while he was talking about the bridge? i would really appreciate it

[fmiller747]

"Green Onions", originally written & recorded 1962 by Booker T. & the MGs.

[soundsfromnothing]

One of the best southern soul instrumentals of the early 60's. I love the old Telecasters. Especially love the jangly sound that Buck Owens produced on the Early Tommy Collins Bakersfield style country (especially before the Rock & Roll influences).

[JohnVoland]

Hi,Larry -i've seen already a few videos of your guitar collection -it's amazing, man! Keep making those awesome pick-ups, cheers :)

[GuitarLegendov96]

Imagine if if someone had a fender broadcaster the name before tele that would be worth thousands

[fmiller747]

Any original, unaltered specimen of the early ('50-'52) Fender Tele, whatever it was called, is worth tens of thousands.

Still, that's chump change compared to the market for '50s Gibson Les Pauls. That's where the STUPID BIG money comes out to play.

[lefthandedguitar]

Like the 59 recently sold over 400 thousand US dollars.

[goodguitaristatmetal]

mmm blonde maple neck original 1951

blackguard telecaster

[engelbe]

It blows my mind to see you take apart such a valuable instrument. My god! I just don't have those kind of balls. Huge Brass!!!!!!

[wungabunga]

But it's larry dimarzio...

[tsf4ever]

haha, on the pick it says insane heavy metal. Paul Gilbert must have wrote it

[zthetha]

What a treasure!

[PatToscano]

hi Larry

Your job is the best job ever!!!...

Thanks for sharing this amazing vid.

NB= the '51 neck has been signed by Taddeo Gomez ( TG )

Pat

[guns1rose]

Taddeo Gomez is the neck you want to see on any of these early 50s guitars. My aunt has a 51 pbass she bought new in 52, and the neck is a taddeo gomez.

[merc1110]

Larry,

Thank you for the posting. I am a huge Fender fan...no I like DiMarzio upgrade parts even more. I just acquired my first custom Strat, and now I am looking for a Tellie, similar to the one in the video. Yours is truly a beauty to behold. Best wishes.

merc1110

[roccotanto]

Thank you for sharing Larry!

My first pickup ever was a Dimarzio PAF, all the way back in 1977!!! Been a Dimarzio user ever since!

bobby d

[DillScallion545]

Larry, thank you for taking the time to share this guitar. I can appreciate many other brands, but I'm a Fender guy. Leo Fender must have been very interesting to talk with, what an innovator.

[luke101978]

I played a Telecaster serial number 500something the other day then found this video.

sounds like this one was just as good as the one i played

[prompen3]

Hey larry i visited dimarzio.,com but i c ouldnt find the video there any help?

[MJDarkPrince]

Mr. DiMarzio, I love these videos on your guitars. I was (in the past) a Paul Reed Smith Guy, until December when I switched to Gibson Les Pauls. I'm about to ad a Fender to my collection. Either an American Strat or Tele. Tell me, which do you prefer of the two?

Thanks.

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

If you are a Hendrix fan you have to have the Strat. I love them both but I always had a Tele in my line up.

Best regards,

Larry DiMarzio

[shinjiyasuno]

are you the guy that makes pickups?

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

Yes, I am the guy that makes the DiMarzio guitar pickups.

Best regards,

Larry DiMarzio

[shinjiyasuno]

hah, i have your pickups on 3 of my basses

they're amazing

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

Thanks for your support.

Keep Rocking,

Larry DiMarzio

[GuillermoSmyser]

@LarryDiMarzio As far as I'm concerned you're the ONLY guy who makes guitar pickups! You've been there hanging out with every player that has inspired me.

In that vain, you gotta let me know how it's goin' with Brad Paisley. I heard about the minis and I can't remember if he liked one of them or not. I'd LOVE to get some Brad Paisley mini humbuckers for a custom tele I'm makin!

[gkip]

why would you take it apart, jut to try to ruin the sound of it?

go for it larry

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

I am a guitar repair man. When I take a Telecaster apart it has no effect of the sound.

Larry DiMarzio

[wallis222]

Please show us how it sounds Mr. DiMarzio.

[grubbacaster]

Great video, thank you for showing us that treasure!!!

[frankenstrat2]

Cherish that thing (I know you do). That is a fabulous guitar Mr.DiMarzio, I envy you. Thanks for sharing it, the 1951 Tele is fighting for the number one spot on my favorite guitar list.

[warpigs020]

Wow! How does it feel playing that guitar compared to modern day models? I have a collection (that I play) of G&L guitars that I absolutely love in comparision to modern day Fender guitars.

[dukes103]

do any of you Fender Guys know what guitar Luther Perkins used. A Telecaster or a esquire? I dont know they both look the same?

[LarryDiMarzio]

HI,

I am not familiar with Luther Perkins but when I Googled him, I found photos of him playing an Esquire. The difference between the Esquire and Tele is that the Telie has two pickups.

Hope that helps,

Larry DiMarzio

[dukes103]

thanks

[frankenstrat2]

good have also been a Nocaster.....a Telecaster made in 1950

[spiderman7000]

where is it made at? how much was it?

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

These were made in the Fullerton factory in CA. I think they cost about $150 in 1951.

Best regards,

Larry DiMarzio

[spiderman7000]

thanks i would like to buy one but do you tele's that are made in Mexico are also as good as American made ones? because some says that American made guitars has better quality.

[bigcountry4life5]

they are. better electronics, pickups, build quality, etc.

[okaykid77]

What a beauty!

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

Glad that you enjoyed the video. Ther is a higher resolution version on the Dimarzio web site. Just go to MAGAZINE then vintage guitars.

Best regards,

Larry

[guitardoc64]

Love the details! The neck date is my birthdate, and as a Tele fan I had to comment.

What a wonderfully preserved original.

[ISOWHAT2]

Tks Larry for the awesome pickups u made!

[LarryDiMarzio]

Thanks for the support.

Larry

[bbsb300]

Thanks Larry for posting, it's real nice of you to take the time to share this so everyone can see.Great video 5* ;)

[dankbendor]

love to see these old Tele's,my Dad worked for Fender from 48-51 and to think he worked on some of them

[LarryDiMarzio]

Hi,

Sorry for my delayed responce. Thanks for your comment and I am glad that you enjoyed the video. '48 to '51 was a special time at Fender.

Best regards,

Larry DiMarzio

[WouterJ]

Dimarzio Pickups rule. I have them on my main stage guitars: Blue Velvets in my Strat and PAF Classics in my Les Paul. I am glad that I didn't have to modifify my guitars to install them. Not like in the seventies when 1951 teles were modified to carry Dimarzio super distortion humbuckers. The times have changed for the better.

[BadHorsie2]

Awesome Larry, It is the first 51 that I have seen. Simply beautiful!!!!!!

[arlowest]

Larry, that guitar sure looks nice and no doubt sounds equally as nice. Fuzzy thanks for the link!

Great video.

Arlo