SH-4 Alternative for Telecaster Bridge Position

[houserockr]

Hi folks,

I'm a big fan of Adam Jones.
As such, I've got a SD SH-4 in the bridge position of my Les Paul and it works perfectly.

However, sometimes, I find the Les Paul to be too heavy and uncomfortable. So I started trying to get some similar tones on my Telecaster.
I've tried the following PUs so far:
- SD Quarterpound
- SD Hot Rails

The Hot Rails comes close, but not quite. Meanwhile, I ordered a SD Little 59, but I'm not expecting too much at this point.

I noticed that SD offers a JB Junior with two mounting holes for Strats, but not for Teles.
This makes me very sad :/

I'm open for any recommendations (even besides SD - if that's allowed in this forum?).
Thanks in advance.

Best,
Frank

 

[Reee]

obvious solution: JB Jr

I like the lil59 but it's probably not hot enough if you like the SH-4. I too, hate the hotrails

 

[houserockr]

obvious solution: JB Jr

I like the lil59 but it's probably not hot enough if you like the SH-4. I too, hate the hotrails

Thanks mate.
However, like I wrote, the JB Jr. is only available for Strats (two instead of three mounting holes).
Or is there a trick for getting Strat PUs fit in a Tele Bridge position?

 

[Mincer]

Welcome to the forum!

We actually encourage talk about all pickups on this forum. Thing is, with a Tele, there aren't a ton of options. As you said, the JB Jr isn't available for a Tele (though one can be ordered in the Custom Shop). The Hot Rails comes about as close to the SH-4, but even that isn't right. Have you considered actually adding a new bridge and installing an SH-4?

 

[houserockr]

Welcome to the forum!

We actually encourage talk about all pickups on this forum. Thing is, with a Tele, there aren't a ton of options. As you said, the JB Jr isn't available for a Tele (though one can be ordered in the Custom Shop). The Hot Rails comes about as close to the SH-4, but even that isn't right. Have you considered actually adding a new bridge and installing an SH-4?

Thank you very much!
Good to know that talk about other brands is ok, too.

Thanks for the tip with the new bridge. I know it's possible. Unfortunately, on the guitar in question, it's not an option for me, because it's a vintage guitar and I wanna stay as non-invasive as possible.

The custom shop option you mentioned would be an option, tho.
How much do you think a custom made JB Jr. in Tele Housing would cost?

 

[Artie]

Welcome to the forum. For a Tele bridge, it's hard to beat the Jerry Donahue pup. My favorite Tele pup.

 

[Clint 55]

It would be $160 plus shipping for a cs pup. It's not night and day between the Lil 59 and JB Jr, I'd say give that a try.

 

[Adieu]

For the budding enthusiast modder, a swimming pool routed strat body (or HSH) is the undisputed king

Alas, the one thing you can't get in there without modification is....a Fender tele neck (you gotta shave down and reshape the heel)

 

[Ewizard]

I second the Jerry Donahue pickup! It isn't a humbucker, but it has that tele sound and spanks the front end of an amp pretty hard.

 

[Mincer]

While a Jerry Donahue is the pickup I would choose in a conventional Tele setup, it in no way has the sound of an SH-4. It is good for more rockin' music that still has Tele Twang, but not heavy rock at all.

 

[allbutromeo]

The truth is, you're never going to get a telecaster with a single coil sized pickup to sound like your Les Paul. At some point you will have to decide "that's close enough" or to get another guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and put a JB in it.

 

[houserockr]

The truth is, you're never going to get a telecaster with a single coil sized pickup to sound like your Les Paul. At some point you will have to decide "that's close enough" or to get another guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and put a JB in it.

Yep, I know and absolutely agree with you.
That's why the Little 59 will be my last test.
It's on the way, I'll let you guys know how it is as soon as it's here.

 

[Reee]

Thanks mate.
However, like I wrote, the JB Jr. is only available for Strats (two instead of three mounting holes).
Or is there a trick for getting Strat PUs fit in a Tele Bridge position?

oops missed that part! i think you will be satisfied with the lil59, it's my favorite bridge humbucker in SS size, i actually like it more than the full size 59, it has a bit more balls.

 

[JOLLY]

 

[houserockr]

So meanwhile in Frankfurt/Germany, the Little 59 arrived and I just tried it.
This is just my first impression, but I think I won't be able to get any closer to the SH-4 and I really like it so far.
The L59 is a little darker and has less output overall. You can immediately hear that it's made for (hard) rock.
Of cource, there comes a point where more gain results in loss of definition.
But, honestly, Adam Jones doesn't use as much gain as most people think he does IMHO.

If you guys want, I can post an update in aq week, see if I still think the same.

 

[Mincer]

Yes, let us know. I think you will find that the Little 59 actually sounds good at more gain ranges than the SH-4. I think you can actually do more with it.

 

[SweetClyde99]

The Dimarzio Tone Zone T is really cool too.

 

[JB6464]

OP , you need a Tele Deluxe that comes with humbuckers.
Then you can just slap a JB in the bridge and rock on .

 

[ToneFiddler]

thanks for that! i wanted to do this with the lil screamin demon for my tele for over a year now, but I am still a lil bit shy.
this encourages me to really do it, although the stringspacing and size of the tele/strat bridges is a lil bit off.

to the OP: the lil 59 has quite some mids and compression, so to me it felt more like a high output PU than a SD 59.

 

[ToneFiddler]

OP , you need a Tele Deluxe that comes with humbuckers.
Then you can just slap a JB in the bridge and rock on .

yes, but it would still sound different than a LP with a JB.