Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

[badbluesman]

Does anyone know what the physical differences between a standard tele bridge pickup and a standard strat bridge pickup? From playing both guitars at different times I have the impression that the tele bridge pickup is hotter and somehow just has more balls than the strat bridge pickup. I have never looked at them side by side, but I also have the impression that the tele pickup is slightly larger and might require different routing and a larger pickguard cutout. I'd love to hear from anyone who has put a tele "lead" pickup in a strat, as I am thinking of doing.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

Tele Bridge pup in a strat this is a fairly thorough treatment of this topic.

A tele bridge pickup is wider and longer. But the biggest difference is that the tele bridge pup is mounted on the tele's metal bridge. If you are wanting to put a tele bridge pup in a strat and if your strat is routed for a SC, then yes you will need to do some routing to open up the bridge cavity and you'll need a different strat pickguard that will take the larger pup.

EDIT: Telecaster Vs Strat Single coils Different thread covering the same topic from a slightly different angle.

 

[badbluesman]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

Many thanks for your reply. How do you think the tele lead pup will sound in the strat? Will there be enough difference to be worth making the change?

My untested idea is to take a strat that currently has the new noisless fender single-coil pups, put a Duncan vintage firebird mini-bucker in the neck (my all-time favorite pup) and a noisless tele lead in the bridge. The concept is to create what might be called an "extended range" strat with a fatter neck tone and a more soul-piercing sting in the bridge. Any thoughts on how this experiment might work out?

I am concerned about being able to balance the volume output between the above-mentioned neck and bridge pups by using the height adjustment alone. I figure that the middle pup volume doesn't matter as much because I only use it in combination with other pups for that tweaky, out-of-phase tone. Any thoughts from anyone with relevant experience will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

What musical styles do you play and what amp are you playing through?

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

I love the firebird mini! It's my favorite mini and I love the regular mini almost as much in the neck-

BTW there is an old trick to get a more tele like bridge pup sound from a strat without major mods- You cut a piece of metal the size of the base of the pup and glue it on- The metal helps foucs the magnetic field, and you get a tighter bass response-

The only thing I can't remember is the metal type- I think it would have to be farious (includes iron) to work, but somebody else could probalby give you more detail-

Cheers

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

I love the firebird mini! It's my favorite mini and I love the regular mini almost as much in the neck-

BTW there is an old trick to get a more tele like bridge pup sound from a strat without major mods- You cut a piece of metal the size of the base of the pup and glue it on- The metal helps foucs the magnetic field, and you get a tighter bass response-

The only thing I can't remember is the metal type- I think it would have to be farious (includes iron) to work, but somebody else could probalby give you more detail-

Cheers

It has to be iron, great and easy modification. This adds a nice mid-range punch to your strat bridge. My pickup had two screws in the bottom and I simply put a couple of the biggest washers that I could fit onto each screw and that added a lot of testosterone to my strat.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

With the wide variety of different Strat pickups available, I think you can probably find one to your liking without resorting to routing it for a Tele pup.

That said, I'm a Tele guy, and love my Nashville with Vintage 54 Lead in the bridge and a Vintage Mini HB at the neck.

Heck, if you're gonna route a Strat, why not go with three mini's? Not really a serious suggestion, but I have seen a few of these over the years - cool guitars.

 

[sunnysideup]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

Rio grande have "Stelly". Modified tele bridge to be put into strat single coil's cavity.

 

[Curly]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

just FYI, Lowell George was putting tele pickups in the bridge of his strat back in the late 70s ... he was mainly going for a big clean sound

these days you can find a strat bridge pickup with a voice that you'll like, though ... Twangbanger, Fralin Steel Pole, Harmonic Design ....

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

For the ultimate tele bridge in a strat, you might want to find out about Jerry Donahue's sig strat. He found that there is also a slight difference in distance from the bridge between the 2. The tele pickup is slightly further away than the strat.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

Twangbanger or Rio Stelly... That's the concept behind these two pickups.

 

[Low_fidelity2100]

Re: Tele vs. Strat bridge pickup differences?

For the ultimate tele bridge in a strat, you might want to find out about Jerry Donahue's sig strat. He found that there is also a slight difference in distance from the bridge between the 2. The tele pickup is slightly further away than the strat.

And They are also mounted at a different angle. Its a slight difference in angle, But It makes a huge difference in sound.

-edward