Tele Bridge pup in a strat

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Ok...the bobbin is the same size as the baseplate, so removing it won't change/fix anything, and yes, the shape of the bobbin/base plate is why it won't fit in a standard HB route. The Antiquity I is not waxxed because that is "vintage correct". No, a cover will not fit on a Tele pickup...if you want to get a tele tone w/o opening up the route a little bit, and you still want it to look like a Strat a Twangbanger is your option.

Yes, I had over simplified the difference.
A custom pickguard is not a problem. But, it sounds like the little bit of extra grind here or there may be worth it. I doubt that it will damage my JV's over value for some genuine Tele vibe.

But, I'm still trying to figure out how the "hotter" wound Texas Hot custom bridge is reportedly not as beefy as a tele bridge wound to a much lower resistence. It must be the Tele's larger bobbin and the baseplate. With more power mostly coming from the bobbin size, is that right?

Let's imaging for a moment dropping the THCB into a Tele Bridge position assuming that it has the Tele's baseplate. How would that sound? Still less beefy?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Yes, I had over simplified the difference.
A custom pickguard is not a problem. But, it sounds like the little bit of extra grind here or there may be worth it. I doubt that it will damage my JV's over value for some genuine Tele vibe.

But, I'm still trying to figure out how the "hotter" wound Texas Hot custom bridge is reportedly not as beefy as a tele bridge wound to a much lower resistence. It must be the Tele's larger bobbin and the baseplate. With more power mostly coming from the bobbin size, is that right?

Let's imaging for a moment dropping the THCB into a Tele Bridge position assuming that it has the Tele's baseplate. How would that sound? Still less beefy?

DC is not the end all be all of how to judge a pickups output. The difference between the tone of a Tele pickups and a Strat pickup is due to several factors...the base plate, the magnets are different (I mean more that just alnico II VS 5), the pitch of the actual wind is different, coil size, etc...all these things make a difference.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Oh yea...the Twangbanger is not made to make a Strat sound like a Tele but to give a Strat some of the character of a Tele...

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

DC is not the end all be all of how to judge a pickups output. The difference between the tone of a Tele pickups and a Strat pickup is due to several factors...the base plate, the magnets are different (I mean more that just alnico II VS 5), the pitch of the actual wind is different, coil size, etc...all these things make a difference.

Therefore, that's why we have the Twang Banger today Designed to solve all those bring the Tele benefits to a strat without the mounting difficulties!

If the strat had a metal pickguard for a more solid pup mounting surface, that might add some beef to it's pups. maybe?

I'm sure that the Texas Hot Custom Bridge with the base plate will be great in my JV strat. I don't know any better, so I'll probably think it is awesome. It will be a quantum leap from the Tex Mex that's in there right now!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

If the strat had a metal pickguard for a more solid pup mounting surface, that might add some beef to it's pups. maybe?

There are several 50's Strats and reissues of those Strats that have aluminum guardplates...aside from being pretty quite as far as hum and buzz it does not affect the tone.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Thanks again for the education TGWIF.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Thanks again for the education TGWIF.

Hey bro...we all know things, and we all pass them on. Im very luck, my dad plays, and works on and builds his own guitars and amps. The whole time I was growing up I just kept an eye on my dad...learned alot that way!

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

There are several 50's Strats and reissues of those Strats that have aluminum guardplates...aside from being pretty quite as far as hum and buzz it does not affect the tone.

But, the Tele's metal baseplate and bridge plates both are often bet cited for why the Tele has more beef, as well as the bobbin size. But you don't think a metal pg affects strat tone? hmm? Maybe aluminum is too light to make a difference.

Also, you mentioned before about three brass saddles I assume they are for the un-wound strings. Lew, also, talks about a brass saddle for the high E in his ulitmate strat tone. I haven't been able to locate those on the ACME, Warmoth, or WD sites. I may need to ask Lew for them when I order the THCB. I hope he's got 'em.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Also, you mentioned before about three brass saddles I assume they are for the un-wound strings. Lew, also, talks about a brass saddle for the high E in his ulitmate strat tone. I haven't been able to locate those on the ACME, Warmoth, or WD sites. I may need to call them and ask.

Look at a vintage Tele...they only have 3 saddles...one saddle for 2 strings. Lew uses one brass saddle for the high e, to keep it from being thin sounding...you can look in Ebay from brass saddles...more that likely you will have to buy a whole bridge and just rob the saddles...

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

FYI,
AFAIK, Lowell George was using tele bridge pups in strats back in the 70's. You can find video clips where you can see that his bridge pup is black, since it's a tele pup.

however, Lew's wiring scheme sounds pretty versatile, with the tapped option and the mid pos that's more functional. That would work well whether or not you used a blender pot.

Cool! I did not know that. Thanks man.

B

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Todd,

Christian helped you out fine! As he said the baseplate is not the problem, even if you remove it, you still might have to route the lower side, to the bridge, of the pickup. See?

Now regarding the comparison: I have done it, I mean I compared that tele lead to an ash tele with a JD in the bridge (obviously different guitars), on the same guitar a surfer with baseplate and a ant I custom bridge again with a fralin baseplate. I think a genuine tele tone is the result of many factors, the most important ones being the bridge, the shape of the pickup, the baseplate... Since you do not entertain the idea of installing a tele bridge (I am talking about the bridge not the pickup) into your strat, you are as constrained as I have been when I was doing these experiments.

Still with those contraints for me the clear winner has been the fralin blues sp in the bridge of my strat as far as getting a genuine tele lead tone from a strat was concerned. I really wish I could grab a tapped tele lead just like the one that Lew has, but I have not been that fortunate.

Comparing the bridge tone of that strat of mine (with the fralin tele lead) to my ash tele with a JD lead pickup, still I feel the tele is more tele! :smack: :duh: Anyways, against the others the results were positive tho.

Comparing the bridge tone with that fralin tele lead to a surfer with a fralin baseplate, I can say that the tele pickup sounded bigger, spankier, and more tele. I guess its because of the size of the coil. Physically there is quite a noticable difference between the two. The sufer with the baseplate still sounded like a strat bridge, tighter, weaker. I am not saying that's bad, no not at all. I still keep a 7.10K van zandt strat bridge in the bridge of my oldest guitar (a 90 american strat), and I love it. The ant I custom with the baseplate sounded less spanky. Rounder, but not in an-a2-tele-lead-pickup way (comparing to my JD).

Stelly among all sounded closest to a tele lead. Afterall it has more of that standard tele lead pickup construction, wider coil. Its bigger magnet rods help to get a bigger and spankier tone.

B

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Todd,

Christian helped you out fine!

B

Yes, Dr. Barlo between you, Christian, Curly and Lew, I have had terrific input.

I have received great information that helped me distiquish the Tele bridge from Strat bridge pups. I am sure that I would love the mod if I chose to do so. But, at this point I think I have decided to keep my strat as a strat and perhaps aim for a Tele as my next acquisition. But I do plan to use the Fralin baseplate.

And for what it's worth, I am going to make a small plate pup slotted plat that would fit on the under side of the pickguard and surround the pup to attempt to capture more of the magnetic field. I'm guessing that the aluminum pickguard being non-ferrous and non-magnestic is why it has no effect on the tone.

My kindest thanks to all of you for your willingness to share your experiences.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

Sure, don't mention it.

Good luck!

B

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

I was looking for a picture of the Fralin Backplate and found this discription on Torres Eng:

Tech: The plate acts as a reflector for the magnetic field of the pickup. The standard pickup is only 50% efficient (half its magnetic force is lost underneath the pickup.)

The reflector plate makes the magnetic field far more effective, plus increases the Iron Load of the pickup for a stronger tone.

I found this to be a good description of why the backing plate works.

FYI

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Tele Bridge pup in a strat

I can verify part of Lew's output comparison. My Tele lead pickups rate as follows, from loudest down:

1. STL-2 Hot Tele lead (which is a great and inexpensive option, also available tapped)
2. JD
3. Antiquity I Tele (but more low end than the JD, great versatile tone)
4. Nocaster 7K
5. Twangbanger (close to Nocaster in output)
6. Texas Special Strat bridge (close in output to Tex Mex Strat bridge as I recall)

The Nashville 5/2 Tele lead has about the same output as the Antiquity I, but with a springy and twangy rather than spongy and thumpin' low end.
I also think the Tele lead pickup will sound different in a Strat if it's mounted to the pickguard rather than the rigid metal bridge plate of a Tele.