P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

[ChipBurns]

My last post was a sanity check from a novice to see if matching a Hot Rails Tele (bridge) with a Hot Rails Strat (neck) was the right selection for my JD Tele. Check.

What I had neglected to mention is that I play mainly blues & slide (think Duane Allman/David Lindley) and am NOT a shred/metal head. Oops…

So I went back to the drawing board on the SD site and selected "Noiseless/Medium Output" for both Tele/Bridge and Strat/Neck. After researching some demos on the web I came up with this combo:

Bridge: Hot Stack Tele (p/n STK-T2b)
Neck: Parallel Axis Stack (p/n STK-1n)

My only concern is that a medium output neck p/u might overpower a medium output bridge p/u. If so then my second choice is:

Bridge: Hot Stack Tele (p/n STK-T2b)
Neck: Hot Stack Strat (p/n STK-S2) -- ‘Vintage’ Output

Do the gurus on the board have any comments/observations?

 

[Kleegort]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

I would do Vintage Stack Tele bridge and neck

but if you insist on a strat neck PUP I would match the Vintage Stack tele (stk t36)
with the Custom Stack Plus strat neck

The bridge is going to be higher DCR because the strings are stiffer , dont move as much and therefore need a stronger pickup
than the neck where the strings flop around easily and dont need as high output.

Look for example at the vintage stack tele bridge and neck which are matched
-the bridge reads 18K, A5 and the neck 15.8K A5

so the closest to that for a strat neck is the Custom Stack Plus which reads 14.5K , A5

make sure the strat pup fits in the tele route and all that...

 

[Kleegort]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

for blues ideally you want vintage output-the lower the more vintagey
for teles anywhere from 6-8K is the sweet spot

strats tend to be lower ouput than teles so for blues on a strat
were talking 5-6K

 

[Mincer]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

I would go more with a Vintage Stack too (if you need hum cancelling), but with what you like, I'd still consider a Jerry Donahue bridge with a Five Two strat pickup in the neck.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

The STK-T3b simultaneously manages to lack top end on the plain strings and the cheesy "boing" on the low E. Some of the Custom Shop stacked coil pickups do a better job. Of the production line models, I prefer the ST-59-1.

 

[jeremy]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

but if you insist on a strat neck PUP I would match the Vintage Stack tele (stk t36)
with the Custom Stack Plus strat neck

Look for example at the vintage stack tele bridge and neck which are matched
-the bridge reads 18K, A5 and the neck 15.8K A5

so the closest to that for a strat neck is the Custom Stack Plus which reads 14.5K , A5

the part about the two tele stacks is correct but the stack + pups use a different design. the custom stack has significantly more output than the vintage stack tele bridge pup, i suggest the classic stack + if you want a humcancelling strat pup in the neck.

 

[ChipBurns]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Would someone please explain why no one considered the Hot Stack as a starting point?

I have no ruler for measuring the output of my existing bridge p/u but I'm assuming it's nominally the same as 'Vintage'

I'd like more punch and the Hot Stack is listed as 'Medium' output and "all the spank and twang of a traditional lead pickup, but is just a little smoother and warmer overall." but not crazy hot like a Hot Rail.

Am I over-thinking this?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Overthinking? I don't think so.

In my opinion, the central issue in your question is the fact that the stock MIJ single coil pickups of the Fender JD Telecaster are so poor. (Weak output and zero tone.) You may find that just a decent set of American-made vintage style single coil pickups might have the necessary extra drive that you desire.

If noise-cancellation is an important consideration, I suggest S and T replacement pickups with side-by-side coils. e.g. Lindy Fralin, Fender Super 55 et cetera.

 

[ChipBurns]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

S and T replacement pickups

Split & Tapped?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Slap and tickle? :scratchch

Strat and Tele, even?

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Noise cancelling is overrated.
I'd slap a vintage style tele in the bridge and a vintage style strat in the neck, get them to balance using the pickup heights , and enjoy the richness, response and harmonic complexity that only true singles can provide.

 

[ChipBurns]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Duh... :banghead:

 

[ChipBurns]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Still no one has responded to the question

"Would someone please explain why no one considered the Hot Stack Tele - Bridge (p/n STK-T2b) as a starting point?"

Is there something wrong with this p/u?

 

[Kleegort]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

Still no one has responded to the question

"Would someone please explain why no one considered the Hot Stack Tele - Bridge (p/n STK-T2b) as a starting point?"

Is there something wrong with this p/u?

Vintage Stack sounds better, More twang.

 

[Mincer]

Re: P/U upgrade for JD Tele Revisited

To me the Hot Stack is more of a rock pickup, and gets away from what makes a Tele a Tele. I'd recommend it to someone that wants to abandon the Tele sound and go for classic to hard rock.