You love how a Telecaster feels but want more heat and less hiss than its single coils give you. Good news: Fender has been answering that exact request for decades.
A humbucker in a Tele isn’t a compromise. It thickens the tone and quiets the hum, and models like the ‘72 Thinline built whole reputations on it.
This guide rounds up nine Fender Teles that ship with humbuckers, from faithful vintage reissues to a stripped-down metal machine. A few throw in coil-split switching, so that classic single-coil twang is still a knob-pull away.
Here’s the full list.
Which Telecasters Have Humbuckers?
These are the main Fender Telecaster models built with humbuckers instead of, or alongside, single coils. They range from faithful vintage reissues to modern, high-output guitars aimed at heavier styles.
Personally, I like the versatility a Telecaster gains with humbuckers: it opens up a wide range of tones, from classic players right up to the most modern guitarists.
American Professional Telecaster Deluxe Shawbucker
The Fender Telecaster Deluxe was first introduced in 1972 and enjoyed an excellent reception. Its original run continued until 1981, but collectors don’t need to worry because the model has been reissued several times since.
Among the defining characteristics of the Deluxe is the large headstock that looks a lot like the Stratocaster’s head. The body has a nice contour while the solid neck is made of high-quality maple.
Some early variants included a tremolo Tele bridge. Bucking the usual solo controls for tone and volume, this model has two of each on the front.
Tim Shaw designed special ShawBucker humbucking pickups for this version.
Check Current Pricing On The American Professional Telecaster Deluxe Shawbucker
Classic Series ‘72 Telecaster Thinline
The Fender Thinline Telecaster has been around since the late 60s and has undergone several redesigns since. It’s the brainchild of German designer Roger Rossmeisl.
It still has the solid body Telecasters are known for around the center, but he improvised with hollow wings to lower the weight. The result is a package that’s much more portable and easier to use during gigs.
You need to check the different features to know which version you’ve. The ‘69 Thinline has dual standard single-coil pickups with the strings going through the body for the bridge, and a body made from mahogany or ash.
The ‘72 Thinline version has two Wide Range humbucking pickups in both the neck and bridge positions.
Check Current Pricing On The Classic Series ‘72 Telecaster Thinline
Fender ‘72 Telecaster Custom
This is another classic Fender Telecaster reissue that brings back all the swagger of the original. The natural grains on the wood give it a nice appearance.
The U-shaped neck looks good and the groove is deep enough to allow easy control. A large black pickguard dominates the front.
It also has a Wide Range humbucking neck pickup, eye-catching control knobs, and other impressive features. Users say the humbucker on this one sounds a bit dark and muddled but fine for the most part.
It’s heavier than the Thinline Telecaster, so consider that if you’re aiming for a more portable, user-friendly option. It’s an excellent choice for both country twang and blues.
Check Current Pricing On The Fender ‘72 Telecaster Custom
Vintera ’70s Telecaster Deluxe
This Fender Telecaster recreates the golden-era American 70s sound and style in a neat package. It has two Wide Range humbucking pickups for a bold and punchy tone, re-voiced for accuracy compared to the originals.
The string-through-body bridge with six saddles has vintage looks and accurate intonation. The neck has a Thin-C shape with a 9.5-inch radius fingerboard and 21 medium jumbo frets.
It uses an alder body, which Fender loves for its balanced sound.
Check Current Pricing On The Vintera ’70s Telecaster Deluxe
American Performer Telecaster Hum
This Fender guitar combines old and new for players who want the classic Telecaster feel with modern features. For pickups, it has a single coil at the bridge position and a Double Tap humbucking pickup at the neck.
A push-pull potentiometer controls the humbucker for on-the-fly adjustments. It has a Greasebucket tone system, a Modern C-shaped neck with 22 jumbo frets, and an 18:1 gear ratio for tuners that are smooth and easy to use.
Check Current Pricing On The American Performer Telecaster Hum
Jim Root Telecaster
Jim Root is Slipknot’s legendary guitarist, known for his heavy style and huge sound. His collaboration with Fender produced this Telecaster with a minimalist appearance that hides a beast inside.
It has a 12-inch radius fingerboard and EMG active humbucking pickups at the neck and bridge. The body is made from mahogany for toughness.
It also has Fender locking tuners for stability and easy restringing. This black-and-white Fender is meant for complex heavy metal solos.
There aren’t many Teles built for metal, but this one absolutely is.
Check Current Pricing On The Jim Root Telecaster
Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH
This Fender guitar is for people who don’t want to compromise on looks or features. This high-end Tele is exquisitely made from a solid mahogany body with a flame maple top.
The maple neck with jumbo frets pairs a Seymour Duncan ‘59 humbucker at the neck with a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker at the bridge. The combination provides a warm sound that should please a lot of musicians, and the two control knobs adjust tone and volume.
Check Current Pricing On The Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH
Standard Telecaster HH
Fender’s original workhorse has been reissued for modern guitarists who want humbuckers. The Standard Telecaster HH can produce high gain thanks to dual Blacktop humbucking pickups with an open-coil configuration.
A push-pull switch uncovers the single-coil tone when you want it. The modern neck curvature ensures comfort and ease of use no matter your playing style.
Check Current Pricing On The Standard Telecaster HH
Player Telecaster HH
This is a versatile Fender Telecaster that stays true to the Fender ideals from styling to sound. It can handle any genre and is tough enough to survive gig after gig.
The Player series is meant to be the entry-level category for Fender electric guitars, which makes it great for students or anyone just beginning to learn at any age. If you have a tight budget and big dreams, this one is for you.
Note that it comes in two pickup configurations, one with single coils and one with humbuckers, so check the specifications before buying.
Check Current Pricing On The Player Telecaster HH
What to Look For in a Humbucker Telecaster
Not every humbucker Tele sounds the same, so a few details matter when you choose. The pickup type is the biggest one: Wide Range humbuckers, designed by Seth Lover, give the vintage 70s voice with a touch more clarity than standard Gibson-style buckers, while EMG actives and high-output Blacktop or Seymour Duncan sets lean hotter and heavier.
Pay attention to the configuration too. An HH layout gives you two humbuckers for the thickest sound, while an SH layout keeps a single coil at the bridge for some of that classic Tele snap.
If you want flexibility, look for a push-pull or push-push switch that splits the coils so you can drop back to single-coil tones. Finally, consider body wood and weight: mahogany-bodied models sound warmer but heavier, and a Thinline is the lightest option if comfort on long gigs matters to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why put humbuckers in a Telecaster?
Humbuckers cancel the hum and electrical noise that single coils pick up, and they push a thicker, warmer signal with more output. That makes a Telecaster better suited to high-gain rock, blues, and metal while staying quieter under heavy distortion.
What’s a Wide Range humbucker?
The Wide Range humbucker is a Fender-specific pickup designed by Seth Lover in the early 70s for models like the Thinline, Custom, and Deluxe. It’s brighter and more articulate than a typical Gibson-style humbucker, giving a fuller tone that still keeps some of the Tele’s signature clarity.
Can you get single-coil tones from a humbucker Tele?
Often, yes. Several of these models, including the Standard Telecaster HH and the American Performer Hum, use a push-pull switch that splits the humbucker into a single coil.
That lets you flip between fat humbucker tones and brighter, snappier single-coil sounds on the same guitar.
Are humbucker Telecasters good for metal?
Absolutely. The Jim Root Telecaster, with its EMG active humbuckers and mahogany body, is built specifically for heavy styles, and high-output sets like the Blacktop HH or Seymour Duncan-equipped models also handle aggressive distortion well.
Final Thoughts
Any of the Fender Telecaster models above is an excellent choice if you want humbuckers instead of only single coils. Humbuckers open up a wider range of tones (here’s the difference between humbuckers and single coils), from warm vintage voices to high-gain modern sounds, and several of these guitars let you split back to single-coil twang when you need it.
Which one is right for you comes down to style and budget. The Player Telecaster HH is the easy entry point, the Vintera and Classic Series reissues deliver that 70s Wide Range character, and the Jim Root is the obvious pick for metal.
Who doesn’t love a classic Tele?
To round out your rig, also check out these Fender Stratocaster humbucker options and the best Telecaster amp choices.
