Pickups for a vintage Fender Lead II

[gorilic1]

I have a 1980 Fender Lead I and would like to change out not only the stock pickup, but also add another. As the body is routed for only a strat sized pick up for the front, I was thinking about getting a Lead II pick guard and putting a pair of JB Jrs in it. Any thoughts? Also, would I need to change any of the electronics? and is there a way to incorporate the 2-way phase shift or coil splitting switch?

thanks so much

[Mincer]

Welcome to the forum!

I think the Lead I just has a humbucker, right? The Lead II had 2 singles (X-1) and the Lead III was 2 humbuckers. So you want to swap out the humbucker for 2 singles? The JB Jrs are very hot, and don't sound at all like the stock Fender humbucker...so it really depends on what music you want to play. Do you need it to be versatile? What would you say is wrong (or that you don't like) with the current pickup?

[Demanic]

Interesting idea, but if you want to do that, think about trying a Lace Deathbucker with the split mod instead. Probably a lot more clarity without losing any power.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[gorilic1]

I was never happy with the stock humbucker and wanted to try something different. Looking now at getting a Lead II pickguard and going with either Seymore Duncan Duckbuckers or Little 59s. I really don't know much about pickups and have been going off the Seymore Duncan website. Very much open to ideas. Would I need to change the pots for either of these?

[Mincer]

Well, they are really different pickups...so the first thing is to try to put what you want out of your guitar into words. What music? What effects and amp? What do you wish the guitar to do that it isn't doing?

[gorilic1]

I kind of want a sound similar to a stratocaster but with a little more drive? I play mostly blues and rock with a little metal. I have a Carvin X-60 tube combo. I've already sold the stock pickup and the single coil that was put in the neck position when I bought it. The pickguard wasn't cut out very well for the neck pickup and the only way to keep it looking good without getting a custom pickguard and not having to rout the body for another full size humbucker would be to use a Lead II configuration. I never did play it with the one full size humbucker as it was designed.

[Clint 55]

JB Jrs or Lil 59s will get you there if you want kind of stratty but more driven. That's pretty much their main sound. They're a little hotter, gainier, and dryer than true single coils. Just getting the pickups and pickguard should work fine with the existing electronics. You can change them later if you want to adjust the sound.

[Mincer]

While the JB Jr and Little 59 don't really sound like Strat pickups at all (they sound more like humbuckers), they are great for a wide range of music. You might be interested in the Everything Axe set.

[Clint 55]

Uh huh I think they sound maybe 2/3 humbucker and 1/3 strat from the single coil form factor and the guitar they're in if it's a strat.

[gorilic1]

What do you think would sound better, using the two position switch for in/out of phase? or splitting the coils? I really don't know much about this stuff but without being able to listen to the difference for myself, I'm relying on feedback from others. I'm liking the idea of a Little 59 in the neck and the Jb jr at the bridge.

[Clint 55]

Phase would probably be more useful if you like that sound. Split doesn't sound good with the tiny screw poles cuz of inadequate string coverage.

[Mincer]

Neither. If you are going to use single coil sized humbuckers, put in a few series/parallel switches. Much more useful.