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Tele Firebird neck: output / best match?

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  • Tele Firebird neck: output / best match?

    the idea of a firebird neck in a tele was long planted in my head when i read jeremy raving about them.
    I know it's not a mini humbucker but i guess it will have more output than a regular tele neck pickup.
    But how hot is it?
    comparable to a filtertron?
    a strat pickup?

    which tele bridge PU is a good match?

  • #2
    I have hot necks in both of my Teles but they both have hot bridges. One has an SD Hot Rails in the bridge and a TV Jones Classic + bridge in the neck. The other has a DiMarzio Super Distortion (Tele model) in the bridge and a Maxon Super 70 bridge n the neck. In both cases when I got the right height on the neck pickups, super low for where I usually set them they sounded great. Both guitars are used for hard rock, metal, and punk.

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    • #3
      i use a slightly overwound traditional style a5 tele bridge pup with my antiquity ii firebird neck pup, 250k controls, and they match up well. you could use something truly vintage output, but the output and tonal balance wont be as even. i like the jd in the bridge, a broadcaster could work too if you wanted something brighter and more steely. a hotter pup like the qp or hot could match up fine and bruces suggestion of a bucker works well too depending on what tones you are after.

      the firebird might be about as hot as a filterton but i havent a/b'd them, a vintage firebird pup is hotter than a vintage strat pup for sure

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Securb View Post
        I have hot necks in both of my Teles but they both have hot bridges. One has an SD Hot Rails in the bridge and a TV Jones Classic + bridge in the neck. The other has a DiMarzio Super Distortion (Tele model) in the bridge and a Maxon Super 70 bridge n the neck. In both cases when I got the right height on the neck pickups, super low for where I usually set them they sounded great. Both guitars are used for hard rock, metal, and punk.
        it's good to know that a hot filtertron in the neck can compete with something like a SD Hot Rails. i might opt for something like this in the future.
        But currently i'm specifically interested in the Firebird neck. they are not too common, but from what i read, because of using the magnets as rails, they have kind of a single coil attack. got me very curious.

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        • #5
          they do indeed. sounds, in someways, like a more muscular strat pup which is part of the reason i love it so much

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          • #6
            Originally posted by jeremy View Post
            i use a slightly overwound traditional style a5 tele bridge pup with my antiquity ii firebird neck pup, 250k controls, and they match up well. you could use something truly vintage output, but the output and tonal balance wont be as even. i like the jd in the bridge, a broadcaster could work too if you wanted something brighter and more steely. a hotter pup like the qp or hot could match up fine and bruces suggestion of a bucker works well too depending on what tones you are after.

            the firebird might be about as hot as a filterton but i havent a/b'd them, a vintage firebird pup is hotter than a vintage strat pup for sure
            that was quick, thanks!

            if something hotter in the bridge than vintage will match better, this will be great!

            The SD STL-1B is too bright and steely for my liking, at least in the guitars i've tried.
            I prefer a fatter sound, but this normally makes the balance between neck and bridge on teles even worse!

            i own a jerry Donahue, could try that, but first i need the guitar (or at least some routing + Pickguard) and the Firebird PU.
            Also thinking of getting one of those authentic Nocaster 10k AWG43 style PUs, but no hurry there then.

            Hotter than for example a SSL-2 sounds promising! That's what i hoped for!




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            • #7
              Originally posted by jeremy View Post
              they do indeed. sounds, in someways, like a more muscular strat pup which is part of the reason i love it so much
              Yes, sounds very good!
              definitely need to try this.

              It's also looks quite OK
              Last edited by ToneFiddler; 06-30-2022, 04:43 AM.

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              • #8
                I have a DiMarzio set in my parts tele. An Area T 615 in the bridge and Firebird mini in the neck. That one definitely isn't that hot and will be fine with anything low to mid output. The Lollar in my Kauer Banshee is a little lower, about 6k

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                • #9
                  A Jerry Donahue and a Firebird pickup would be a really cool combination likely to match pretty well in volume.
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                  • #10
                    Agree with everything said, but it' can also nice to have a bit of a mismatched set so that you can play clean in first position and second position and drive from the neck. So I'm very happy with a stock bridge with a mini or firebird in the neck.

                    And in that same spirit, it's only been in the last year or two that I learned that a four-wire mini or firebird can have a wonderful parallel sound. Of course it's quieter, but it's very defined and it's almost exactly what my mind imagines a stock telecaster neck pup should have sounded like from the start.

                    It makes the second position almost exactly like a non-modified tele and then when you switch it back to series it's like kicking in a blower. If you haven't tried it, it's easy and worth a try.
                    What's so Funny about Peace Love and Understanding?

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by chadd View Post
                      I have a DiMarzio set in my parts tele. An Area T 615 in the bridge and Firebird mini in the neck. That one definitely isn't that hot and will be fine with anything low to mid output. The Lollar in my Kauer Banshee is a little lower, about 6k
                      Thanks,
                      that sounds more like it will balance better with regular tele bridges than with hot ones.
                      well that would be good enough, but i hope to find a tele neck that‘s not a typical bucker sound that matches well with hot tele bridge singles

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Mincer View Post
                        A Jerry Donahue and a Firebird pickup would be a really cool combination likely to match pretty well in volume.
                        i currently got the JD paired with a std. tele neck.
                        the balance isn‘t great (general tele problem) but the best one i got (of the bridge PUs i like).
                        so i can use it, but hope the FB is hot enough for hotter tele bridges…
                        man i hate switching tele bridge PUs!

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by zionstrat View Post
                          Agree with everything said, but it' can also nice to have a bit of a mismatched set so that you can play clean in first position and second position and drive from the neck. So I'm very happy with a stock bridge with a mini or firebird in the neck.

                          And in that same spirit, it's only been in the last year or two that I learned that a four-wire mini or firebird can have a wonderful parallel sound. Of course it's quieter, but it's very defined and it's almost exactly what my mind imagines a stock telecaster neck pup should have sounded like from the start.

                          It makes the second position almost exactly like a non-modified tele and then when you switch it back to series it's like kicking in a blower. If you haven't tried it, it's easy and worth a try.
                          i will still have a tele which will have that inbalance, no worries

                          i love tele PU necks! only problem is the balance with the bridge PU. so i don’t agree with “should have sounded”
                          well i ordered a new tele body from warmoth. now it’s waiting time.
                          parallel switching is nothing i worry about in advance.
                          if i like it, i ll take that as a bonus.
                          actually i don’t expect the firebird PU to come with a 4-conductor wire…

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                          • #14
                            That makes sense.. telecaster necks are weak and anemic for me but other people like them so I get it...

                            But a parallel mini and firebird is in the ballpark for a stock neck.. but yes you'd have to order a four conductor.
                            What's so Funny about Peace Love and Understanding?

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ToneFiddler View Post

                              Thanks,
                              that sounds more like it will balance better with regular tele bridges than with hot ones.
                              well that would be good enough, but i hope to find a tele neck that‘s not a typical bucker sound that matches well with hot tele bridge singles
                              The Lollar sounds like a bigger single coil, like the old Firebird pickups

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