Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

[snootles]

I want to convert my 2012 American Standard Telecaster to a 3 pickup Nashville type guitar.

It has a broadcaster pup at the bridge and a twisted tele covered in the neck. What middle pup do you suggest to get good in between strat like quack?

Is a 5 way super witch the best way to go if I want to keep the Bridge and Neck combination as well as the strat combinations?

Does anyone have a wiring diagram?

Thanks

Si

 

[VinceT]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

Classically wired, a 5-way won’t get you that neck/bridge tone. If you sacrifice one of the 5 standard Strat tones, then you can definitely wire it in.

My preference is to add an on-off toggle to add the bridge (or neck) to any position, giving the extra 2 sounds (N & B, N & M & B). I mostly see this referenced as the Gilmour-mod - quick search will find it for you.

On a Tele control panel fitting an extra toggle switch might be tough - may be worth looking at the Fender S1 volume pot or push/push tone pot.


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[Artie]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

The way I would do this, is to use a standard Tele 3-way. Add a mini DPDT on-on-on switch between the two knobs. The switch will allow the middle pup to be either "off", combined with the 3-way, or "on" by itself. It gives you the max combinations while maintaining "normal" Tele operation when you want. If you don't mind spending a little extra for some Bourns Model 95 pots, you'll get one of the best pots available, and have a little extra "wiggle room" for the switch. This is how I'm doing mine. (And a new Strat too, come to think of it.)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

For a middle pickup, I'd go with a Five Two. It has snap but won't compete with the brighter bridge. And it sounds good enough to use on its own (if you wire it that way). I believe a Schaller MegaSwitch model E can give you the neck and bridge when in position 3.

 

[snootles]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

The way I would do this, is to use a standard Tele 3-way. Add a mini DPDT on-on-on switch between the two knobs. The switch will allow the middle pup to be either "off", combined with the 3-way, or "on" by itself. It gives you the max combinations while maintaining "normal" Tele operation when you want. If you don't mind spending a little extra for some Bourns Model 95 pots, you'll get one of the best pots available, and have a little extra "wiggle room" for the switch. This is how I'm doing mine. (And a new Strat too, come to think of it.)

View attachment 93204

ArtieToo, I do like your idea of just using an on-on-on switch. Do you by any chance have a full wiring diagram, or can you explain just where on the 3 way pickup selector switch the DPDT is wired to and how the out to the vol/tone is wired? I'm not the best at understanding is all!

Thanks

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

For a middle pickup, I'd go with a Five Two. It has snap but won't compete with the brighter bridge. And it sounds good enough to use on its own (if you wire it that way). I believe a Schaller MegaSwitch model E can give you the neck and bridge when in position 3.

I was actually about to suggest these same things before you did, but I couldn't be bothered to describe them.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

Your choice of strat pickup, preferably a true single coil

Texas Special might come up as one of the older and better known in the upscale Fender CS series, but it's often seen as inferior to CS 69 and CS Fat 50.

Not sure how your tele is wired, is one of the pups RWRP w/hum cancellation in the middle position? If YES, you have some decisions to make....if NO, get an RWRP strat single coil

Switching options include keeping switch as-is, with an on-off toggle or pushpull that engages the middle pup and/or swaps it with one of the other pups on the switch, or adding a blend pot --- whether by sacrificing tone, drilling for a third pot, or transfering volume&tone to a stacked concentric pot....or adding multiple on/off toggles or a 5/7position strat switch

 

[snootles]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

I think the middle position on the tele is hum cancelling. If it is what do you mean by "you have some decisions to make"?

 

[Adieu]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

I think the middle position on the tele is hum cancelling. If it is what do you mean by "you have some decisions to make"?

Well you can choose which pickup the middle will have humcancelling with, and whether you want one of the more complex wiring schemes that still retain a Bridge+Neck humcancelling option.... OR whether you also trade out one of the existng pups (so both Bridge AND neck are opposite wind opposite polarity vs, the middle) and this end up with two humcancelling positions, BM & MN / strat switch positions 2 & 4

If switching two pickups, you might also consider a stack/hotrail pickup for the bridge for a total of 3 humcancelling positions...

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

Nashville is the best!
I like Arties approach as well as blends...

But most of the time we do this as a 5 way super...

B
M B
B N
M N
N

As far as pups, for good quack, the middle needs to be less powerful... Lots of times I can lower a mid pup to get quack even if more powerful...

Leave it to others to outline classic pups, but if u switch to rails for noise reduction, look at Dmarzio cruiser for middle... Great quacker...

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[Artie]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

ArtieToo, I do like your idea of just using an on-on-on switch. Do you by any chance have a full wiring diagram, or can you explain just where on the 3 way pickup selector switch the DPDT is wired to and how the out to the vol/tone is wired? I'm not the best at understanding is all!

Thanks

Sure. It's simple. Right now, you'll have a wire that goes from the 3-way to the volume pot. Disconnect it from the vol and connect it to that switch. Then take the two terminals labeled "out to vol/tone", and connect to where you just removed the 3-way wire. Lastly, connect the middle hot wire to the switch. That's it. I could make a full diagram, but I move real slow these days.

 

[snootles]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

Just thinking, if I wanted to just use a push pull pot to turn the middle pickup on and off how would I wire it? I don’t really need middle on its own.

Can’t get my head around it!

 

[Artie]

Re: Middle pup for Nashville type Tele

That's even easier yet. Middle hot wire would go to one of the middle lugs of the push-pull. Then a jumper from the lug right above that to the same terminal of the volume pot where the output of the 3-way is attached. I can do a diagram later, but I'm still on my 1st cup 'o java.