Don Mare 50’s Bakelite Telecaster Set

Don Mare 50's Bakelite Telecaster Set

The 50’s Bakelite Set from Don Mare is a hot-rodded, artist-favorite Telecaster pickup set that blends two key eras—1951 and 1954—for a uniquely powerful and musical tone. It’s a custom mix of early “blackguard” sounds, offering thick lows, strong mids, and smooth highs with just the right bite.

The bridge pickup is a flat-pole Alnico III design wound to approx. 6.7k. It has a fat, full voice that remains clear and dynamic, never harsh. Inspired by early 1951 Tele bridge pickups, it offers a strong fundamental with excellent attack and a punchy response that suits blues, rock, jazz, and country alike.

The neck pickup is Don’s 1954 model, using Alnico V magnets and approx. 8000 turns of 43 AWG plain enamel wire, reading around 6.6k. It comes with a nickel silver/chrome-plated cover for better top-end clarity and a more open tone. This pickup has become a favorite among players looking for a neck sound that avoids the muddiness common to older brass-covered designs.

This set delivers great note separation, excellent EQ balance, and strong harmonic content—ideal for dirty blues, hard-edged country, and classic rock. Artists using this set include Kirk Fletcher, Rick Holmstrom, and Gary Clark Jr.’s guitarist King Zapata.

With Don Mare no longer accepting orders, these are among the last available new sets anywhere.