Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

[Blille]

My experience of putting two single coils in series is that the sound is too hot to be useful (with my setup, for what I play). That's what happens (to me) with the P-Rails or the stag mag in series or in the 4th position of a tele. The output is too much compared with the others and very mid heavy, lacking clarity. Great for a couple of over the top solos but not very versatile.

I compare that to the hybrid, which is incredibly flexible and blends better (for me) with the other positions.

So I wanted to do something similar to a hybrid sound/role in a tele. I'll likely end up going Nashville with two SSL-2 (neck, RWRP middle) and either a Jerry Donahue APTL-3JD or a Five two STL52-1 in the bridge.

I'm working on the wiring (most likely will end up with a Megaswitch E) but I wanted to hear from you if I could get a "better humbucker tone" from tapping one of the SSL-2 when I put it in series with the bridge pickup. So feeding 3/4k instead of the full 6.5k. By better I mean not too hot but, with clarity still noticeably more "powerful" (+volume and mids). Kind of what happens when you go from the hybrid in single coil to humbucker. I understand it won't be like a humbucker, I just want an additional tone that is versatile. And I prefer to have an "äuthentic" bridge tele tone than the humbucker tone, that's why I'm going with a tele pickup in the bridge instead of a humbucker

Thanks!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

Tapping the pickup happens during winding. If your pickup has no tap in it, then the closest you'll do is similar to spin-a-split where you use a resistor to limit the output. How on earth you are going to switch that in only for series I have no clue.

 

[gregory]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

You'll lose highs by loading a single with a resistor likely resulting in mud once you put it in series with another single.

I've run a tapped SSL-6 in the neck in series with the screw coil of a bridge humbucker, I think it was an SH-4. The result was quite surprising. The tone was really quite good, but I don't have the chops to make the most of that sound.

 

[Blille]

Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

Tapping the pickup happens during winding. If your pickup has no tap in it, then the closest you'll do is similar to spin-a-split where you use a resistor to limit the output. How on earth you are going to switch that in only for series I have no clue.

Yes, assuming this potentially works I’ll have to order a tapped pickup. I thought that was a custom shop floor option?

For wiring I think I can get the following positions with a Megaswitch E:

- Neck+middle (series) - not great but I’ll take it
- Bridge+tapped middle (series) - the position I’m discussing
- Bridge
- Middle+bridge (parallel)
- Neck

But I guess we’ll see, I’m not that great at this [emoji4]

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

If you're going custom, IMO you might do better to get a tapped bridge pickup and a low output middle pickup, since that one will only be used in combination with others. For myself, I'd get a low output neck pickup too. Neck by itself should be plenty strong with a vintage output pickup, and that way series tones will be less hot & parallel tones more defined. If you're not so sure about neck & middle in series, why not go for neck & middle in parallel? Using a pair of SSL-1s, that'd be classic. A wider variety of options are available from a Superswitch than the Megaswitch E.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

I don't know if it will sound like a clear humbucker. I've never heard 2 singles in series that actually do (at least sound like a good humbucker. I think it might sound better if you get a custom tapped SSL-2, but it still won't be humbucker-ish to me.

 

[Blille]

Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

If you're going custom, IMO you might do better to get a tapped bridge pickup and a low output middle pickup, since that one will only be used in combination with others. For myself, I'd get a low output neck pickup too. Neck by itself should be plenty strong with a vintage output pickup, and that way series tones will be less hot & parallel tones more defined. If you're not so sure about neck & middle in series, why not go for neck & middle in parallel? Using a pair of SSL-1s, that'd be classic. A wider variety of options are available from a Superswitch than the Megaswitch E.

I’m planning on SSL-2s for neck and middle, like flat SSL-1s.

All good points. Yes, I would prefer neck & middle or neck & bridge in parallel. I don’t know how to work a superswitch honestly but I’m open if you guys help me and I can get the thing to fit in the cavity [emoji4]

I don't know if it will sound like a clear humbucker. I've never heard 2 singles in series that actually do (at least sound like a good humbucker. I think it might sound better if you get a custom tapped SSL-2, but it still won't be humbucker-ish to me.

I hear you. I have to make a compromise somewhere and I think that’s where. Would the alternative be better? Is there a bridge pickup that has a good humbucker tone that has that classic tele sound tapped (or split)? The hot tele and quarter pound feel too hot (for me - and they’re not actual HB), not sure about the SC sized HBs. I think the lil59 is good all around but it’s not that classic tele sound.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

There is not a single pickup about that is a great humbucker, then splits to a great traditional singlecoil. Now there is a tonequest thats been going on since the 70's really when the aftermarket pickup business started.

So as such you will have to accept its really one or the other. Even tapping a hotter pickup has compromises....as you wind to make the full output balanced and then those factors make the tapped output a bit thinner than a stock pickup at that output.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

You might get closer with a StagMag, although it is essentially 2 Strat pickups when split. The humbucker tone is compromised, but usable. You may be able to EQ a little more twang out of it, but I haven't tried that.

 

[Blille]

Re: Getting a "not too hot" humbucker tone in a Tele by tapping a pickup?

You might get closer with a StagMag, although it is essentially 2 Strat pickups when split. The humbucker tone is compromised, but usable. You may be able to EQ a little more twang out of it, but I haven't tried that.

Thanks. I have a stag mag in another guitar (in the neck actually) and while I like it there I don’t think that would be a better compromise here.


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