Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

S

steve9199

New member
Hey gang... I've got a T-Style guitar with from what I understand is the "Typical" Tele issue. The stock pickups simply don't work for me. I adjust the eq to try and get some high end out of the neck pickup, and the bridge turns into an icepick in the ears!! Conversely, adjusting for the bridge to get a smoother sound turns the neck into mud!!

I'm already got a Duncan Vintage Stack neck pickup installed....but that bridge pup is just to trebly!! Not looking for a hum bucker sound.... (already have Duncan 59's on my Epi Wilshire for that...), just something with a smoother sound that will match up well with the stack, and still have some balance between the two. (Don't like losing half my volume when I switch to the neck....LOL!)

I'll take any suggestions you guys have...and if you've got video/audio clips of what they sound like, please share.

(Mostly playing Classic rock/Blues)

Thanks in advance!
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

i know this is gonna sound weird but sometimes that stuff that is currently driving you mad is part of what makes teles magic. They definitely make you play differently to any other guitar and they are unforgiving as hell.
However....i reckon the alnico 2 pro for bridge will be the best thing out there to address all the problems you are experiencing while also taking into account the pickup you currently have in the neck.
...and now for the unsolicited an irrelevant advice that you didint asl for...lol....id also go for a true single coil in the neck.
 
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Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

And swap the tone attachment so it works only with the bridge pickup. Not only does that help the bridge giving it what you want, but the neck is improved with the removal of the tone circuit.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

It is difficult to comment on the sonic qualities of the OP's guitar without knowing what it is. For instance, it may have faithfully replicated Leo's vintage Bridge/Neck/Mud circuit. Poor quality components may explain the problem.

I am a fan of the STK-T1n. It always seems to sound like a hybrid of the SM-1n mini humbucker and a "proper" vintage-style, single coil T neck/Rhythm position pickup. For me, that means the Fender NoCaster pickup. Details such as the Alnico 3 rod magnets and the metal cover material seem highly significant.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

You might try a Strat pickup in the neck (like an SSL-1/2 or even a Five Two), and a Jerry Donahue in the bridge. This should cure both problems.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

Fender Custom Shop twisted Tele pickups with four way switching allowing series or parallel option did wonders for me.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

What are your pot values? What bridge pickup are you using. I have used the Vintage Stacks before and they were never to bright. That said, my amp was EQ'd for a Tele. If you have a humbucker-equipped guitar and a Tele, you have to find a happy medium or you're going to be re-EQing all the time when you switch guitars.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

Get a vintage style single coil Tele pickup, no stacked humbucker. If the neck is still too muddy, remove the cover. Depending how warm and powerful you want the bridge pickup to be you could try something like a Nocaster or Broadcaster bridge pickup or something like a DiMarzio Chopper T.
 
Re: Tele pickups- Muddy Neck, Icepick bridge... HELP!!

toneseeker74 said:
Get a vintage style single coil Tele pickup, no stacked humbucker.
Click to expand...

The stacked single coil humbuckers are less bright than true single coils. If his neck pickup is bright with a stacked humbucker, it's going to be brighter with a true single coil; unless he uses maybe an STR-2 Hot model. It has a brass cover which lets a lot less highs through.
 
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