Seymour Duncan Le Brea set for tele.

[StratMonster]

I am looking at grabbing a set of these for my new American Performer Tele. I like the strong mids and the way they seem to handle OD tones. Anyone have any experience with them? I also wanted to look into maybe adding a 4 way switch to maybe do a out of phase thing.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I have a set in my DIY thinline. Very nice but I send them into a Marshall tube amp (Origin50) and rely on that for my overdrive tones.

I haven't tried wiring a 4-way switch for phase inversion (I'm intrigued though...). Rather, I wire my 4-way Teles the usual way giving pickups in series in P4. You might have to use a push-pull for phase inverting one of the pickups, I'm not sure, but that would seem to be the easiest and most versatile way.

 

[Mincer]

Can a 4 way do a phase thing? Or just series? I've never experimented (or even held) a 4 way switch, so I don't know.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I don't think it can, hence the question.

 

[StratMonster]

Can a 4 way do a phase thing? Or just series? I've never experimented (or even held) a 4 way switch, so I don't know.

I watched tons of videos trying to nail down which pickups I was going to go with. I came up with LeBrea's or Twisted Teles. If I;m not mistaken, I think one of them showed a 4 way switch for out of phase with the LeBrea's. I'm going back to look for that video and I'll link it if and when I find it.
THanks again guys for your input.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

There's a way of doing it with a Schaller Megaswitch M 5-way, which makes me think you can probably do it with a Fender 5-way Superswitch.

The problem with the Superswitch is that it's a very tight fit in a Tele control pocket route, and you may have to ensure there's no foil or conducting paint in the pocket, or fit electrical insulating tape in the pocket to prevent shorts.

A quick look on the SD website didn't show anything useful and I drew a blank on guitarelectronics.com as well.

 

[StratMonster]

Here was one way to add two more tones to any Tele. By replacing the 3 way switch with a 5 way, you can do one in series and one in parellel and get two more tones.
Pretty good stuff here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joM4Q7ji5dE

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I like the Bill Lawrence inspired 5-way arrangement with one "half out of phase position," although that uses a cap and isn't true OOP.
However it can be done using a standard 5-way and doesn't need a 4-pole type like the Superswitch.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

The Schaller megaswitch has a cap too, meanings it's a HOOP not an OOP solution as well.

I think a full OOP can be done with a SuperSwitch.

My questions are 1 - should the pickups be in series or parallel in OOP mode - I don't know; 2 - what sequence would the OP like the options? I would go with 1, 3 and 5 being the standard Tele ones with 2 and 4 being the oddballs, but it's quite possible to configure the connections whichever way is preferred.

 

[StratMonster]

My questions are 1 - should the pickups be in series or parallel in OOP mode - I don't know; 2 - what sequence would the OP like the options? I would go with 1, 3 and 5 being the standard Tele ones with 2 and 4 being the oddballs, but it's quite possible to configure the connections whichever way is preferred.

I have a Nashville deluxe tele with vintage noisless 4 pickups and a 5 way switch. positions 2 and 4 are out of phase just like a strat. that may be something to look into for my upcoming Le Breas too.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I think this will work with a 4-way switch and give a half-out-of-phase (HOOP) in P4.

Please review and if I've made a boo-boo, my apologies. It's been a hard day.

I've been thinking about a full out of phase (FOOP) and I can flip the phase of one pickup on a regular 4-way easily enough, but I then need a third bank of contacts to control the second pickup. That means a Superswitch and that, in turn, means five positions. Three can be the normal Tele options, the fourth the FOOP. But that leaves a fifth switch position. That can either be a series in phase or maybe a kill, I don't know yet. Or maybe just limit the switch movement so the fifth position can't be selected.

Anyway, have a look at the attached, and like I said if I've made a boo-boo my apologies.

 

[jeremy]

I have a Nashville deluxe tele with vintage noisless 4 pickups and a 5 way switch. positions 2 and 4 are out of phase just like a strat. that may be something to look into for my upcoming Le Breas too.

in typical strat wiring, all three pups are in phase. some people call the 2 & 4 positions "out of phase", but they are not. the pups are wired parallel, in phase in those positions. same as the middle position on a tele, parallel, in phase.

 

[zizyphus]

I’d strongly suggest the Freeway Switch 3x3 blade switch

I have one in a traditional S/S configured tele, and it opens up tons of new tonal options

it has 6 positions - the 3 standard tele positions, as well as both pickups in series/ in phase, both pickups in series/ out of phase, and both pickups in parallel/out of phase. It’s phenomenal!

I find the in series/ out of phase to be the most useful, and actually approximates a cutting bridge humbucker tone. Also, two singles in series / in phase is dark like a neck humbucker

i haven’t found as good of a use for the parallel / out of phase tone on two single coils, though I use it frequently with humbuckers