Telecaster Neck Pickup

Janglin_Jack

Janglin_Jack

New member
I sold my bandmate my American Deluxe Tele with a Firebird mini in the neck and Hot for Tele bridge PU. I really liked that guitar but I just have too many right now and I am selling off a few guitars. I decided to keep my '52 Reissue but I really miss that pickup combination. I have a spare Hot for Tele lead PU and I am considering putting that in. I don't want to route the guitar for a Firebird mini, so to my question. What Neck PU would be closest in tone to that Firebird mini? I am thinking the standard STR-2, but I sort of remember that one being a little dull and muted. What about a quarter pound? Suggestions to get close to that Firebird mini in the stock PU size.

Thanks,
Mike
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

the answer is none. im not a fan of tele pups generally since they sound muted compared to a strat pup or firebird pup or mini humbucker or jaguar pup or... well you get the idea. i use a firebird pup in the neck of my tele and didnt have to rout. i did have to get a new pickguard but the pup fit (barely) without having to modify the guitar. my suggestion, if you dont want to rout and the fb pup doesnt fit, is get a strat pup and new pickguard. if you want an actual tele neck pup, id go custom shop and tell them what you want.

the hotter tele neck pups tend to be darker than the vintage ones, albeit with more output and beef
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

I recently bought a 52 partscaster clone. Nice looking, great yellowing and relic, but the switch was damaged during transportation. It took the advantage and bought a Oak Grigsby 4 way switch. The 4 sound, the series wiring, gives you a nice neck humbucker like sound. A great deal fuller, more low mids and slight high cut makes a great humbucker sound.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Mine is a '52 reissue and has that vintage style route. I don't think it is going to fit. Going to pull the PGuard to see if it might squeeze in, but the pickup is about an inch wide.

If it doesn't fit, I will have to either get it routed a bit to fit, (I sure don't what to take a chisel to it) or go the Strat PU idea. What Strat PU might have the FBird tones, (or what Strat PU would you suggest for a Tele Neck to match the Hot for Tele bridge)?

Mike
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

I think you might have to go custom......you might get someone like Zhangbucker to make a hotter pole magnet tele neck pickup (no cover) to get close-ish to that fat neck pickup sound that a firebird is.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

How do you like the Hot for Tele bridge pickup?

Mine kicks serious amounts of ass but I think I ultimately prefer underwound pickups overall.
For high gain it's crazy good, makes my Tele sound freaking huge.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

I don't think there is a single Tele-type pickup that sounds like a FB pickup. That is custom territory, right there. Dig in and go for the routing, or settle for something that isn't really close.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Diego said:
How do you like the Hot for Tele bridge pickup?

Mine kicks serious amounts of ass but I think I ultimately prefer underwound pickups overall.
For high gain it's crazy good, makes my Tele sound freaking huge.
Click to expand...

Diego, I like it very much. To me, it still retains Tele vibe, but suits my playing and musical style. If I was going for very traditional Bakersfield tones, I would look elsewhere, but for everything else, I just love it! The Firebird mini was an awesome compliment and the pair was great. I am going to take the advice given and bite the bullet and route the body and get a new pick guard.

Thanks for the advice!!
Mike
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Nothing I've tried sounds like a firebird mini, which is a shame. I love it in my Tele and wish I could throw one in my Thinline RI, but like you, I didn't want to route. One option is to have an uncovered tele neck pickup wound for you. I went with a Zhangbucker Paul Bunyan set in my thinline and it sounds GREAT.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Way back, I wound a few attempts for a firebird tone in the classic rout and didn't get very close. All were more articulate and clear than the classic neck pup, but they weren't firebird ish for the obvious reasons... They are too narrow, so they don't see enough of the string to get the required umph.

And getting the magnet in the middle was a challenge... All of them were stacked double coils for noise cancelling but none of the attempts came close to having the magnets side by side...

Bottom line, I've routed many a tele since because the firebird in the neck is hard to beat. Maybe a good excuse for you to get another tele;)


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Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Harmonic design vintage plus set.

Really.

I have had them in my tele for almost 20 years now.

They are a low wind, p90 type of pickup. Strong, but not overwound sounding at all. The neck pickup is amazing and really makes the middle pickup setting pop.

They can hang with paf type humbuckers no problem.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

zionstrat said:
Bottom line, I've routed many a tele since because the firebird in the neck is hard to beat. Maybe a good excuse for you to get another tele;)


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Click to expand...
I sold my Tele Custom with Lollar Imperial Neck and Billy Gibbons Tele bridge PU. I sold my Tele American Deluxe to my buddy and I sold another one on the bay. I am having a hard time parting with these guitars, but I just have too many guitars and a couple bills that need to get paid.

The treat tonight was going thru my box of parts and finding the old pickguard with you guessed it.....the Duncan Antiquity Firebird!!! I totally forgot I sold him the Tele Am Deluxe with Joe Bardens in it!!!! I am so excited that I am tempted to chisel the neck route. I would just shave a little at a time, but scared I might chip the finish off in big chunks.

I should get it done right...do you think a Dremel can do it or do I need a proper router? Seems like it might be worth seeing a guitar repair guy just so he can use a jig and do it proper. Anyhow, so excited I still have my Firebird mini.

Mike
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

I am going to say router, too. A great woodworker can make an really sharp chisel work, but the router is the right tool here. Or, it might not cost much to have someone do it for you.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

I know it doesnt help, but how do you know you wont miss that vintage tele tone once you install a hot bridge and a mini hum?
Stock vintage style teles are a thing of beauty in all 3 positions. Personal opinion of course.
Having said that, if you dont want to rout your axe and need something to hang with your hot bridge check out a 5% uncovered fralin blues special neck (sorry sd folks, i still love yas).
 
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Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Mincer said:
I am going to say router, too. A great woodworker can make an really sharp chisel work, but the router is the right tool here. Or, it might not cost much to have someone do it for you.
Click to expand...
Yeah this isn't a difficult rout, but I agree, get it done well, learn and start practicing on scraps when u get a router.

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Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Chickenwings said:
I know it doesnt help, but how do you know you wont miss that vintage tele tone once you install a hot bridge and a mini hum?
Stock vintage style teles are a thing of beauty in all 3 positions. Personal opinion of course.
Having said that, if you dont want to rout your axe and need something to hang with your hot bridge check out a 5% uncovered fralin blues special neck (sorry sd folks, i still love yas).
Click to expand...

LOL...No it doesn't help...that is why I have 30 guitars. Tough love and tough choices for an addict.

Mike
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Janglin_Jack said:
LOL...No it doesn't help...that is why I have 30 guitars. Tough love and tough choices for an addict.

Mike
Click to expand...
I left out something i reckon is a big part of getting a good sound from a tele neck thio: covers.
I mentioned the blues special because it is overwound (to go with your hot bridge) but also because it is uncovered. The brass on tradiditional teles really mutes the trebles big time. Howver, you can get a bunch of pickips in various winds that use nickel silver covers. I can think of a few that a as clear or even clearer than vintage style strat pups and still maintain a vintage covered tele look.
 
Re: Telecaster Neck Pickup

Well, not using my best judgement, I got my razor sharp chisel and just shaved the wood slowly and carefully and the pickup now fits. I ordered my custom pickguard today, so in a week or so I will have the pickups installed.

Mike
 
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