Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

RMosack

New member
Building a new parts Tele with Nashville route and mini hum neck. So looking for pickup recommendations for all 3 positions:
1. Tele bridge pickup
2. Strat middle pickup
3. Mini humbucker Neck pickup

Guessing it's kind of a Brent Mason deal
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

I recommend Hot for Tele/STL-2 bridge and Vintage mini/SM-1 neck. They match tonally. If you want less rockin' bridge pickup, JD pairs well with SM-1 too, output wise. for middle position, hmmm I don't know. If it were me, I'd go with Twangbanger. I've been wondering how it would sound in that position.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

id go tapped stl2 bridge, ssl2 middle, sm1 neck. great all around set that will cover lots of ground. if price is no object then id go custom shop tapped '53 jd esquire pup bridge, flat pole antiquity II surfer middle, and antiquity II firebird pup neck.

you dont need to go flat pole, i just prefer my strat pups that way. the flat pole antiquity would have to be custom shop unfortunately
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

I have a STK-T2b Hot Stack in my Tele paired with a SM-1. Not sure what I'd use in the middle.

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Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

If I went with the Alnico ii Pro Tele bridge and Strat middle, what next mini humbucker would go best?
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

I went to the local pickup shop with the intent to get an Antiquity mini for my thinline but Mike doesn't believe in "that antiquity crap" so I had to settle for a DiMarzio mini and it actually sounds pretty good. Very clear and articulate.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

whats to believe in? either it sounds good or it doesnt. i could care less that they are cosmetically aged, the antiquity II firebird neck pup is amazing. mike needs to get off his horse (watch out, its a long way down) and use his ears
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

There are tons of good suggestions...just depends on how twangy you want to get, or how vintage or modern you want. I like the Jerry Donahue, the Strat Five Two and the Antiquity II Mini for the neck...or even a Seth Lover, going for a full size humbucker.

I suppose that I want it to have a bit of a vintage thing going on. Not really going for anything modern or drastically different than the classic Tele formula(s).

The ash body sort of adds somewhat of a '50s flavor (bright, twangy). But the rosewood fretboard brings in a tad bit of '60s warmth. I don't want an icepick in the ears monster. But on the flip side, I don't want to put a JB Jr. in there and have it not be a Tele. Going for something halfway between. But I'd be fully satisfied if the bridge position sounded more or less like those '52 Reissues that Fender has been putting out for a few decades.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

whats to believe in? either it sounds good or it doesnt. i could care less that they are cosmetically aged, the antiquity II firebird neck pup is amazing. mike needs to get off his horse (watch out, its a long way down) and use his ears

Well, that's why he doesn't really have a shop anymore and does most of his business on eBay. He's got a great niche where he stocks all the odd colors and doesn't have to deal with people in person. Unfortunately, nobody else in town stocks much of anything from Duncan because of him.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

I have a Seymour Duncan STL-1B Vintage Lead for Broadcaster going into the bridge and a Seymour Duncan SM-1N Vintage Mini Humbucker Neck for that neck position.

What sort of pickup would be a great fit for the middle to compliment these two?
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

When I think Nashville Tele, I think Brent Mason.

Brent Mason set:
SM-1n
STK-S2n
STK-T3b

Middle pickup controlled by separate volume control so it can be blended in.
(Yep, that's a Hot Stack in the middle.... and he's been on more recordings than you can count with that combo)
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

When I think Nashville Tele, I think Brent Mason.

Brent Mason set:
SM-1n
STK-S2n
STK-T3b

Middle pickup controlled by separate volume control so it can be blended in.
(Yep, that's a Hot Stack in the middle.... and he's been on more recordings than you can count with that combo)

Interesting. He pairs that with that Stack bridge pickup. Will it overpower the Broadcaster or work just fine?

I admit that I was originally thinking I'd be looking at some sort of true single coil RWRP for killing hum when combining with the bridge.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

The stack does look slightly hotter than the Broadcaster, but I think he only blends a little of the hot stack, rather than going full-on middle type position. I'd also go with a SSL-1, SSL-5/2 or Vintage Stack Plus, but I thought it was an interesting little tidbit to contribute to the thread.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

Thanks. I guess I'm leaning to a simple SSL-1 for the middle. RWRP for at least hum cancelling when combined with the bridge Broadcaster. I think...
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

SSL-1 (or -2) is a great choice, and if you have a bright Tele, go with a Five Two.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

There are tons of good suggestions...just depends on how twangy you want to get, or how vintage or modern you want. I like the Jerry Donahue, the Strat Five Two and the Antiquity II Mini for the neck...or even a Seth Lover, going for a full size humbucker.

I definitely want to lean toward twangy and vintage. I have a few guitars with humbuckers, P90s, and a few Strats. I want the Tele to sound like a Tele. As long as the output can match with the neck mini humbucker, I'm open to as twangy as vintage as I can get.
 
Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

SM-1n. Set it low. It's loud.

I'll agree with this. I have the SM-1 loaded in my Tele build and paired with the Broadcaster lead.

The two work well together, but the mini humbucker had a heck of a volume jump when I first set it up. Lowering it some helped the balance from one to the other and it's got a great blended sound.

Also, I wouldn't count on the Broadcaster for a lot of twang. In my guitar, at least, it's got a more punchy, snarling flavor to it, which I prefer to twang.

Best of luck in your pursuit.

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Re: Suggestions for Nashville Tele with Mini Humbucker Neck

If it is going to match with the neck minihum, and still be twangy and sound like a Tele, I like the Jerry Donahue the best, then.
 
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