Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

[escape21]

I own a Hwy 1 tele and i really want to change the pickups. The bridge pup is too bright and the neck pup has no "presence".

For the bridge pup i have decided to get the STL-2 (hot tele lead) cause i play mainly rock, hardcore, blues but still want to continue with a single-coil in the bridge.

Now i´m having problems to choose the neck pup.

I want a pickup that is very warm and smooth.
I am considerating the STR-2 (hot),
but also the Seth Lover Humbucker and the Antiquity Humbucker.

Wich pickup do you think would sound close to the sweet, smooth and warm solo´s from Radiohead??

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[gripweed]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Thats what a typical Tele neck pickup sounds like (dull and muddy). Lew has tried some good ones and I'm sure he'll chime in.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

I have the Hot set for tele and it does pretty well for the styles you described. That being said, I like the Seth Lover model much more than I do a Tele neck pickup. I guess my next step with the STR-2 will be to remove the cover and see if it "breathes" better.

:burnout:

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

I've got a set of QP's in my tele and I love the bridge, however the neck isn't as clear as I want it to be, too many lows and low mids, so I think I'm going to be getting a vintage neck sometime soon.

Luke

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

I've got a set of QP's in my tele and I love the bridge, however the neck isn't as clear as I want it to be, too many lows and low mids, so I think I'm going to be getting a vintage neck sometime soon.

Luke

Luke, I had the same problem with the vintage and the hot neck models. In my solid tele, I wound up with a SM-1 Mini 'bucker.

If you don't mind a non-standard look, you might have to do the same thing as I 'm going to do (and have done): yank the cover.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

I'd say if you have room for a humbucker then you have room for the best Tele neck pickup I've ever heard....and it is not a humbucker!

It's the Antiquity Surfer Stratocaster pickup and that is what I would recommend over anything else if you have a neck pickup rout that will accept a Strat sized pickup.

Lew

 

[escape21]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

A strat pup in a tele seems to be very different...

I am not so much of a strat guy... how would this surfer pickup sound in a tele (what are the sound specs)??

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Well truth be known the fender pup that was in it wasn't bad, I just wanted more oomph. I got it. Now my tastes have changed and I want a more strummy neck sound. I love the look of Mike's Tele in his avatar. However I'm to broke for another pickguard AND pup. I was orginally thinking an Alnico 2 pro neck for tele, but then I thought I might have too many low mids. I want some upper mids and highs.

Not to hijack the thread anymore, thanks guys!

LUke

 

[celticafro]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Well, if you wanted the warm, sweet, radiohead leads, remember that Johnny Greenwood uses Lace Sensors. Two Reds wired together at the bridge, and a single Blue in the neck. The Tele Plus... wierd-@ss guitars...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

A strat pup in a tele seems to be very different...

I am not so much of a strat guy... how would this surfer pickup sound in a tele (what are the sound specs)??

In a word: AWESOME! You could try a SSL-1 instead of the Surfer. That would sound great too. If you want to get away from the muffled tone of a stock tele neck pickup you need to get a pickup in there without the metal cover. You could go with a Fralin Blues Special tele neck pickup but if you have room the Surfer would be even better. Only covered tele neck pickup I've ever used that does not sound muffled is the Duncan Custom Shop "Tele ala Strat" neck pickup MJ wound me...but they are very expensive. Lew

 

[Toenail-Tommy]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Is it easy to remove the cover in say, a quarter-pounder for tele? Or is it wrapped, joined and soldered to the delicate ground as the wire cluster exits the assembly? (like my stock) What happens to the sound? My stock tele pup is mud. If i take off the cover will it show more highs, and less soil? But with that one, i know the ground goes to cover, so I'd have to send grnd elsewhere.....

Johnny Greenwood also has soooo many FX processes, and he probably goes the Lace route for it's quietness. Clapton too? I'd venture to say that when recording, things are probably more "tone-concerned" Also there's a Rickenbacker from Ed.

 

[escape21]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Thanks for all the info!

I will take a closer look at the Fralin Blues Special...


But lets say I dont want to rout my guitar to a strat pup neither to a humbucker pup. What options I have (with SD pickups) to match with the bridge pickup Hot For Tele (stl-2)??


Thanks!!!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Should the neck pup in a tele be twangy??

Thanks for all the info!

I will take a closer look at the Fralin Blues Special...


But lets say I dont want to rout my guitar to a strat pup neither to a humbucker pup. What options I have (with SD pickups) to match with the bridge pickup Hot For Tele (stl-2)??


Thanks!!!

The Tele Hot neck pickup and the Custom Shop Tele ala Strat are the two that come to mind. Lew