Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

astrozombie

KatyPerryologist
They say that a big part of the tele bridge pickup sound is the fact that it's mounted in metal as opposed to a plastic pickguard.

that being said, would a metal pickguard bring a strat closer to getting some tele tones?
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

Maybe a bit. I think the tele bridge tone is a combination of multiple factors. The bridge, the baseplate on the pickup, and the specs of the pickup itself.
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

Maybe a bit. I think the tele bridge tone is a combination of multiple factors. The bridge, the baseplate on the pickup, and the specs of the pickup itself.

maybe the fact that the strings are on the same surface as the pickup has an effect too.

also the fact that they arent identical pickups.

but you catch my drift.
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

No, the big difference is that the Tele bridge pickup sits in a plate that is magnetic.

That it is conductive is a minor factor compared to the effect on the magnetic field.

A conductive but not magnetic pickguard should have roughly the same effect as a aluminium foil backed pickguard.
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

i love the twangbanger and it has some tele qualities but doesnt sound like a tele in my strats.

the metal pickguard doesnt do it either.

a hardtail strat with a real tele pup sorta gets there but its still different. the single vs double cutaway makes a difference and the pup mounted to the bridge does as well
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

i love the twangbanger and it has some tele qualities but doesnt sound like a tele in my strats.

the metal pickguard doesnt do it either.

a hardtail strat with a real tele pup sorta gets there but its still different. the single vs double cutaway makes a difference and the pup mounted to the bridge does as well

I'm like Jeremy in that I also use the TB(In 2 strats actually)...Great pickup,doesn't make a strat sound like a Tele...I agree also that the 2 guitar designs alone make for the tonal differences..

The twangbanger is an awesome bridge pickup though!
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

+1 for the Twangbanger comments above.

The obvious name to research for Tele-Strat hybrids is Jerry Donahue. His signature Fender Stratocaster model had some intriguing features but it only lasted a few years before being discontinued.

The only way to get the twang of a vintage style Telecaster is a vintage style Telecaster. The stamped steel bridge plate and brass rod saddles are part of the formula. In a way, the incorrect intonation of the three-saddle bridge is part of the sound.

Ironically, the other Fender guitar on which the metal hardware contributes a major part of the tone is the Jaguar.
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

I think you'd have better luck with Strat pickup baseplates. You can make them, or buy them from Singlecoil.com.

A big reason a Strat doesn't sound like a Tele is the floating vibrato on the Strat. No matter what you do with your pickups, the Strat will always sound like it has a floating vibrato. That is the Strat sound, far more than the pickup IMO.

So, I'd stick a piece of wood in there to block the bridge down, and put a baseplate on your bridge pickup.
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

+1 for the Twangbanger comments above.

The obvious name to research for Tele-Strat hybrids is Jerry Donahue. His signature Fender Stratocaster model had some intriguing features but it only lasted a few years before being discontinued.

The only way to get the twang of a vintage style Telecaster is a vintage style Telecaster. The stamped steel bridge plate and brass rod saddles are part of the formula. In a way, the incorrect intonation of the three-saddle bridge is part of the sound.

Ironically, the other Fender guitar on which the metal hardware contributes a major part of the tone is the Jaguar.

haha


wait what?
 
Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

In a way, the incorrect intonation of the three-saddle bridge is part of the sound.

That intonation was actually pretty darned good, considering, until people started putting plain Gs on their guitars. Incorrect intonation is definitely not part of the Tele sound from the time they were invented until Ernie Ball Slinky string sets in the mid-'60's, and probably only the case part of the time in later years. Not everyone changed to a plain G right away.
 
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Re: Strat + Metal Pickguard = tele tone?

I have a hardtail warmoth strat with lace hemibuckers. Split to the outside coils and combined, it gets very tele-like. And i do have a warmoth tele to compare to.
It has more of a modern tone with its brass six saddle bridge and harmonic design pickups.
 
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