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Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

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  • Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

    Does anyone here have firsthand experience with adding a neck pickup or removing one and it changed the sound of the guitar?

    I built a partscaster a couple years ago with just a bridge humbucker. It's a Tele body, already routed for a single coil neck pickup so adding it would only require cutting my pickguard and wiring in a switch. I already have a single-size humbucker I'd like to try in it. But...I am afraid! This guitar sounds best to me and I don't want to alter the bridge tone. I did some work on a different guitar this year (new pickguard, some body contouring, new finish) and it changed the sound a lot. Kinda ruined that guitar for me. That makes me hesitant to change ANYTHING on this one.

    Am I chicken? Or playing it smart? (BTW, the whole guitar is custom so I can't just buy a Tele pickguard to try the swap - I would have to cut the one I made for the guitar so this is not easily reversible!)

  • #2
    Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

    The vibe of the guitar is very important to me. I like it to work together for 1 concept. That said, I think the bridge sound changes the least based on the pickup configuration. I do notice a difference in each pickup position based on what pickup configuration is in there. The most drastic I've noticed is HS which I really don't like cuz it sounds all weird Tele. So if you really like the guitar the way it is, I wouldn't say it's dumb to just start on a different guitar.
    The things that you wanted
    I bought them for you

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    • #3
      Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

      Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
      Does anyone here have firsthand experience with adding a neck pickup or removing one and it changed the sound of the guitar?

      I built a partscaster a couple years ago with just a bridge humbucker. It's a Tele body, already routed for a single coil neck pickup so adding it would only require cutting my pickguard and wiring in a switch. I already have a single-size humbucker I'd like to try in it. But...I am afraid! This guitar sounds best to me and I don't want to alter the bridge tone. I did some work on a different guitar this year (new pickguard, some body contouring, new finish) and it changed the sound a lot. Kinda ruined that guitar for me. That makes me hesitant to change ANYTHING on this one.

      Am I chicken? Or playing it smart? (BTW, the whole guitar is custom so I can't just buy a Tele pickguard to try the swap - I would have to cut the one I made for the guitar so this is not easily reversible!)
      The difference caused by body contouring and finish is certainly key factor with your previous project.

      But since you like it as you seem to do. Don't change it. Do you really need the neck pickup with that particular guitar?

      It's far too easy to fall into just changing things, instead focusing to make it perfect and leave it be.
      "So understand/Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years/Face up, make your stand/And realize you're living in the golden years"
      Iron Maiden - Wasted Years

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      • #4
        Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

        You already have the body routed. That's probably the biggest change that is likely to permanently affect tone. So you can try and see whether you like the guitar with the neck pickup without any chassis alteration.

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        • #5
          Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

          It's reversible. Worst case you need to make a new pickguard. Try it if you really need a neck pickup. I'd bet it won't change noticeably. I don't think the neck pickup will have that much magnetic pull but that's just a guess.

          Sent from my SM-G970W using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

            You could buy a custom made pick guard from Warmoth for +/- $30. If you don’t like it you can just put the old guard back on.





            Click on “pickguards” and use the build your own feature.

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            • #7
              Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

              Try it with a pickup ring and play your tele for a while then decide.
              Last edited by elelpe; 03-27-2020, 10:33 AM.

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              • #8
                Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                I'd say any difference in the neck pickup would probably be imagined and it is a reversible mod, anyway. Just go for it and see for yourself...you will end up with a guitar that you can use for the stuff you used to use it for, as well as a whole bunch of new stuff.
                Administrator of the SDUGF

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                • #9
                  Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                  Funny the variety of answers!
                  It's not an emergency or anything. I may give the pickup ring a try and see how that goes...

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                  • #10
                    Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                    Do you really need to put a neck pickup in it?
                    I'm thinking that you could just as easily put together another guitar.
                    As you will.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                      So now we have pickguard tone to deal with, eh?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                        Originally posted by Demanic View Post
                        Do you really need to put a neck pickup in it?
                        I'm thinking that you could just as easily put together another guitar.
                        As you will.
                        I never use a neck pickup on stage, which is why I put this together without one. But I'm not in a band anymore & when I play in my basement at some point I start playing really clean and I prefer neck pickup for that. My other two have neck pickups but this one (which was supposed to be a "backup") is my best feeling & sounding guitar. I suppose the lack of neck pickup gives me a reason to play the other two sometimes!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Afraid to put a neck pickup in my partscaster

                          I'd go with a SC (go with noiseless if you wish) in the neck. This combo is surprisingly versatile. Biggest tonal variety and won't change your Bridge tone at all... as long as you watch/tune the pickup height (not too high). Any tonal difference will be because of pickup height. Keep the neck pickup low. I've done this many times and am always pleased with the results. Even routing my own bodies didn't change the tone. Just don't make the cavity any bigger than it has to be.

                          Tone won't change. Sustain may change if you take too much meat away. The loss, if any, will be negligible but the gains will be inspiring.

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