I have an ash tele with strat middle and neck pups. This guitar has a maple neck and fingerboard. I play mostly clean blues and melodic instrumental music with this guitar, though I do play some classic rock with it. I want a bridge pup that has a fairly vintage tone, but the Vintage '54 is way too bright. Does anyone have an opinion as to the best pup combination? I have considered a set of Nashville 5/2 tele and strat pups, or a Jerry Donahue bridge pup with Alnico Pro 2 middle and neck pup.
Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
- Thread starter ruach777
- Start date
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
+1 for Five-Twos. IMO, on a right-handed guitar, the APS-1L makes a nice neck position pickup. Very Hendrixy.
If you like the feel of the traditional CRL selector switch, consider this http://www.wdmusic.com/oak_5_way_lever_switch_for_strat_wde5dl.html
Regarding brightness of tone. Pardon me but what else did you expect from an ash/maple Telecaster? (I speak as a devotee of Roy Buchanan.) In a "money no object" scenario, I would buy a Fender Nocaster bridge PU and two Fender Custom '54 Stratocaster PUs.
+1 for Five-Twos. IMO, on a right-handed guitar, the APS-1L makes a nice neck position pickup. Very Hendrixy.
If you like the feel of the traditional CRL selector switch, consider this http://www.wdmusic.com/oak_5_way_lever_switch_for_strat_wde5dl.html
Regarding brightness of tone. Pardon me but what else did you expect from an ash/maple Telecaster? (I speak as a devotee of Roy Buchanan.) In a "money no object" scenario, I would buy a Fender Nocaster bridge PU and two Fender Custom '54 Stratocaster PUs.
Re: Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
First, the guitar was given to me. Secondly, I have played many vintage ash tele's with maple finger boards that are not as bright as the Vintage '54. I may be new to this site, but not to guitars and esp. not electronics or woods. My question was for opinions so that I could get different points of view. Also, I have never heard any of the Nashville 5/2's. I assumed that others have, and so I asked my question.
First, the guitar was given to me. Secondly, I have played many vintage ash tele's with maple finger boards that are not as bright as the Vintage '54. I may be new to this site, but not to guitars and esp. not electronics or woods. My question was for opinions so that I could get different points of view. Also, I have never heard any of the Nashville 5/2's. I assumed that others have, and so I asked my question.
Re: Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
if i were me i would get either a 5/2 strat neck pup, spanky low strings and warmer highs than an all alnico V neck pup, a ssl1 middle pup to get some quacky notch tones and the jd in the bridge is a great choice.
or
the alnico II pros with the jd would also be a good choice. i have an alder body/maple board strat with the aps/aps/twangbanger setup and i love it.
if i were me i would get either a 5/2 strat neck pup, spanky low strings and warmer highs than an all alnico V neck pup, a ssl1 middle pup to get some quacky notch tones and the jd in the bridge is a great choice.
or
the alnico II pros with the jd would also be a good choice. i have an alder body/maple board strat with the aps/aps/twangbanger setup and i love it.
Re: Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
OP, do you have the '54 in there now?
I just set up my 2010 American Series Tele with a Callaham brass saddle/bridge setup and SSL-1 neck and middle pickups with the '54 in the bridge. It is an outstanding combo. I do have a JD sitting here that I may try out at some point in it. My favorite for a rock tone was a floor shop custom broadcaster with A2 mags. It was magical.
I don't have them in a Tele, but I have a 5/2 set in my '76 Ash Strat. They are great pickups to be sure, especially if you use some distortion. My only (minor) issue with them is that the highs are a little too tame for me with a squeaky clean tone...with distortion though the 5/2 stay defined on the low strings while being smoother on the high strings.
OP, do you have the '54 in there now?
I just set up my 2010 American Series Tele with a Callaham brass saddle/bridge setup and SSL-1 neck and middle pickups with the '54 in the bridge. It is an outstanding combo. I do have a JD sitting here that I may try out at some point in it. My favorite for a rock tone was a floor shop custom broadcaster with A2 mags. It was magical.
I don't have them in a Tele, but I have a 5/2 set in my '76 Ash Strat. They are great pickups to be sure, especially if you use some distortion. My only (minor) issue with them is that the highs are a little too tame for me with a squeaky clean tone...with distortion though the 5/2 stay defined on the low strings while being smoother on the high strings.
Last edited:
Re: Pup configuratiion for tele w/ strat middle and neck pup
I have just opened up the control compartment on this guitar. To my embarrassment I found that I had missed the fact that this guitar came from the factory with 500k pots instead of 250k. This would explain why the Vintage '54 sounded brighter than I remembered. (My apologies to funkfingers.) This having been discovered I am going to get a pair of 250k's and give the Vintage '54 another try. Any suggestions for strat middle and neck pups that would match with the '54? I bought an Alnico 2 Flat neck (not rwrp) because it was essentially new and the guy only wanted $24.
I have just opened up the control compartment on this guitar. To my embarrassment I found that I had missed the fact that this guitar came from the factory with 500k pots instead of 250k. This would explain why the Vintage '54 sounded brighter than I remembered. (My apologies to funkfingers.) This having been discovered I am going to get a pair of 250k's and give the Vintage '54 another try. Any suggestions for strat middle and neck pups that would match with the '54? I bought an Alnico 2 Flat neck (not rwrp) because it was essentially new and the guy only wanted $24.