Yellow Ledbetter tone :: Tele / JB + ?

[Frogman]

I want to put a strat pup in the neck of my tele.
That song is one of my all time fav strat tones.

90% of my playing is live, so noiseless would be better.

What would get me close?

Duckbucker?
L-200?
Area 67?

3 way
1v / 1t
Neck: ?????
Bridge: JB (UOA5)

[Masta' C]

Wait...is your JB wired for coil splitting? If not, it should be! The JB is one of the best pickups out there for quality single-coil-like split tones in the bridge and that's what you want for good Yellow Ledbetter tones (McCready uses the bridge pickup exclusively on that song, by the way!).

As for the neck pickup, I've long been a fan of the Area series for noiseless stuff, but there are a lot of good options out there now, including Mojotone's noiseless pickups and Fender's latest generation of Noiseless models, which are generally regarded as some of the best in the game at the moment.

The biggest issue you're likely to have with any of the more "Stratty" neck pickups is a lack of output compared to the JB. If you can find a first-gen Z-coil pickup with the exposed poles, they have the vintage sound, but bigger signal than most of the competition.

When you get into single-coil-sized humbuckers, it's a little more challenging to keep a proper "Strat" tone, but Andy Timmons does well with a Cruiser Bridge in the neck spot paired with a JB or AT-1 in the bridge, which have similar output. You could also wire the neck humbucker in parallel, sort of like the Duckbucker is meant to be wired.

[Frogman]

Thank you MC.

It currently has a Mean 90 neck, which I can get a fairly convincing strat tone out of, but it’s just too dark, even with an A3/A5 combo. I’m sure the chrome cover has a lot to do with it.





Pic was taken when it still had a Super Distortion in it.

[Masta' C]

Gorgeous picture and nice guitar!

Have you thought about trying a P-rails in the neck spot?

[Frogman]

No I have not. How convincing are the SC and P90 tones?

More I think about it, the less important I think hum-cancelling is (I currently have P90s in 3 guitars and don’t have any issues with excess hum).

Looking at:
SSL-6 Custom
SSL-3 Hot
SSL-4 Quarter Pound

1. How would these three compare, neck position, in terms of output, brightness and ability to clean up with volume knob? They are all similar DC resistance.

2. What are the most and least “stratty” sounding?

3. Would the quarter pound be less output and brighter than, say, an 7k-9k P90 or a Mean 90?

I can get pretty damn convincing strat tones with my Mean 90 and Wilkinson soap bars, but I want MORE strat character, less P90.

I know the QP would match well with my JB-UOA5, as that’s essentially Warren DeMartini’s go-to combo. I’m sure the other 2 would as well.


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[JB_From_Hell]

None of the things you mentioned are gonna do a Strat bridge any better than splitting the JB that’s in there now. Start with that and see how it goes.

That song sounds like an old Strat into an old Fender amp, tubescreamer for the lead parts. The amp and pedal are a big, big part of it.

[Clint 55]

I'd put a stag mag in the neck (or 2 ssl2s), the JB in the bridge and use the tone spot for a master spin a split. That will get you stratty.

[Frogman]

FYI — I don’t care about having the strat thang in the bridge position.
Only the neck.

But I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a push/pull if I ever get the urge. I just really cannot stand a thin, bright bridge sound. Yuck.

[JB_From_Hell]

I just really cannot stand a thin, bright bridge sound. Yuck.

... like “Yellow Ledbetter”?

[Clint 55]

FYI — I don’t care about having the strat thang in the bridge position.
Only the neck.

But I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to throw in a push/pull if I ever get the urge. I just really cannot stand a thin, bright bridge sound. Yuck.

The benefit to using a spin a split is that you can dial as much strat as you want. With the stag mag for example, it's fat and middy and as you roll the spin a split back it becomes progressively more single coil like and hollow until you reach fully split. But you can find the right balance for you.

[Frogman]

... like “Yellow Ledbetter”?

Yes I am aware it was recorded with bridge pup, But let’s be honest, it sounds much more like a neck pup, to my ears at least.


I should have been more clear in my OP.
Let me start over.

I play live all the time. That song has my fav type of strat tone. That’s what I would like if I could have it.
All I can do is get close.

When that song comes up in the playlist, I want it to sound as best as it can. If I am real close to that, that means it’s gonna sound great when the RHCP, Dire Straights, INXS, Hendrix and Clapton songs are up in the set.
And then we have Bark at the Moon, Round and Round and alike, well — I got that covered already.

My rig is pretty versatile (AMT B2, 60w PA, various fuzzes & other pedals > 2x12 w/ WGS’s).

My P90’s work extremely well, but for this guitar I want to try something more akin.

Which SC can get me close to those tones that’s also great for *****in’ leads?

[Clint 55]

They're all middy hot strat pups. I would say the custom strat sounds the most authentic.

[EC Strat]

A set of Seymour Duncan SSL 1’s or Antiquites will nail that tone Low output vintage style single coils are what you’re looking for.

[Gtrjunior]

That tone to my ears sounds more like a position 2 Strat tone than full bridge.
Wire the the JB to auto split in position 2 and have the middle pickup in there as well.
That tone quacks like a duck.

[EC Strat]

That tone to my ears sounds more like a position 2 Strat tone than full bridge.
Wire the the JB to auto split in position 2 and have the middle pickup in there as well.
That tone quacks like a duck.

Totally agree - it’s a 2 or a 4 position Probably position 2 to me as well. Definitely not the bridge