Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

[Gatormike]

Hello!

I just won this guitar on eBay and I am very pleased with it --- thus, I'm thinking about putting a little upgrade $ into her.

First, it is a Tele copy with a mahogany/quilted maple cap body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard (I presume it also has a 25.5" scale ---- sure plays like my other Tele). The guitar has a Tradition single coil in the bridge position (sounds like a great Tele bridge p/u), a single coil sized rail humbucker in the middle (as a hum, this sounds great, not sure on how I'm digging it split yet), and finally, the neck position has a Tradition Humbucker (this is the pickup I'm targeting for replacement).

The problem with the Tradition humbucker in the neck in my ears is that it is too mushy/not defined on the low end and has too much output/distortion when digging in hard with my picking hand. I highly value dynamics in my playing.

I have had incredible success with Antiquities in my Les Pauls. I play clean to crunchy (keep my old musicman amp on clean to just barely breaking up and drive some added crunch with pedals in front of amp). Pop, blues, free-rock, hard rock are my styles.

Should I just stick with an Ant Neck Humbucker? Or does the maple neck and scale mean I should try something else? I would like to be able to split the neck (which is what the current stock wiring configuration allows for). However, I really will rarely split the neck p/u, so I'm really looking for the recommendations on full-on humbucker choice for this guitar.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for any insight. Peace. Mike

 

[Bones]

Re: Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

Before I answer anything of your questions, do you like Tim Tebow?

 

[Gatormike]

Re: Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

As a matter of fact, yes, I believe Tebow was the greatest college football player-leader that I've seen and believe he'll have similar success as a pro (of course, I admit to viewing the subject through orange and blue lenses!). fftopic:

Peace and hope to hear some thoughts. Mike

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

i'm thinking p-rails and some diagrams

is the HB mounted on a pickguard or in a ring?

 

[Gatormike]

Re: Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

Thanks for the help. It has a pickup ring for the humbucker in the neck position. However, as the guitar is Korean-manufactured, I don't have a current clue about size/routing/etc. The pickup certainly looks standard size. Photos below. P-rails seems like a good possibility. How would those compare to a Fralin Umbucker or Barden HB Two Tone neck for neck humbucking sound?? My problem could be that I'm trying to get the Lester neck tone on a Tele knock off that just cannot get that type of neck tone (due to construction, scale length, pots, caps, etc.). I do like the idea that the P-rails gives me both a humbucker and a P-90 option. Thanks for the continued guidance and counsel. Peace. Mike

 

[Bones]

Re: Neck P/U Advice Needed for Tradition JR Pro

As a matter of fact, yes, I believe Tebow was the greatest college football player-leader that I've seen and believe he'll have similar success as a pro (of course, I admit to viewing the subject through orange and blue lenses!). fftopic:

Megafail.