The Telecaster - Neck Pickup of Choice

[ErikH]

So, this came to my mind this morning. Not really sure why.

Other than the standard Telecaster neck pickup, what other pickup type do you like in the neck position?

I'm allowing multiple-choice as some may like more than one.

 

[Chistopher]

I'd probably like a mini-humbucker too, but I've always liked neck humbuckers much more in a Tele. Sometimes you can't get the middle position to sound right unless you split it or put it out of phase though.

 

[jeremy]

i like strat pup and firebird pups usually. i dont love traditional tele neck pups, i find them like 10% less good than a strat pup in the same position. i love a firebird pup for something thats still fendery but a little bolder. i find fullsize buckers harder to match up with a somewhat typical tele bridge pup. if you use a bucker in the bridge then a bucker in the neck is great, p90 too

 

[Artie]

The Seymourizer mini-hum is the best Tele neck pup I've heard, so far.

 

[Securb]

I have a Pearly Gates in the neck paired with a Super Distortion in one tele. The other is a TV Jones Classic Plus (b) in the neck with a Hot Rails in the bridge. Both of my Teles are used for punk, hard rock and metal. The TV Jones gives me a cool Malcolm vibe.

 

[Mincer]

I'd pick a vintage output regular humbucker myself.

 

[ErikH]

I have a Pearly Gates in the neck paired with a Super Distortion in one tele. The other is a TV Jones Classic Plus (b) in the neck with a Hot Rails in the bridge. Both of my Teles are used for punk, hard rock and metal. The TV Jones gives me a cool Malcolm vibe.

A TV Jones. Now that's a cool option.

 

[MikeS]

In a tele I only have direct experience with a traditional tele neck pickup and mini-humbuckers. I liked the vintage mini humbucker (SM-1), but I do prefer the sound of a traditional tele neck single coil.

 

[ErikH]

More even responses than I expected to be honest. Need more Tele peeps to vote.

 

[Hiwatts and Gibsons]

The three best types of pickups I have heard in the neck position of any guitar are...

Dynasonics or clones thereof of which I have a TV Jones, a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Dynabucker HB sized single coil, and a Dearmond Dynasonic

Seymour Duncan Custom Shop A5 Soapbar Staple pickup (clone of the A5 Soapbar Staple single coils from the '50s Gibson LP Customs and Archtops).

I imagine each would sound amazing in the neck position on a Telecaster.

 

[Chistopher]

I don't know how it would fare in a Tele, but the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop A5 Soapbar Staple pickup was a great sound that got lost in the mix real quick, neck and bridge.

 

[GuitarStv]

Personally I'd go strat single or firebird. Strat single because I love clean or slightly broken up sounds through one, and firebird pickup because it sounds better with more gain / is hum-cancelling / is never as muddy as a full humbucker. Both can match great with a telecaster bridge.

 

[Explorer84]

I selected Tele neck only. It’s the only pickup I have experience with. Though the model (Twisted Tele) has gotten a lot of complaints because it sounds too much like a Strat, I like it. To me, it’s warm and round sounding and not the usual ice pick to the ear tone.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I like the Quarter Pound myself.

 

[Butch Snyder]

All my guitars are Telecaster, except for my PRS SAS. They all have various pickup configurations. My favorite is the traditional nickel-covered Tele neck pickup. It just has a sound I like.

 

[Supernautilus]

I love my Teles and I’ve tried Al manner of neck pickups. Standard Tele, Strat, mini hum, standard hum, wide range hum, etc. Up to this point I’d say the best results and my favorite so far is the WLH SH-18 I put into this Lake Placid Blue Affinity. I paired it with a STL-2 Hot Tele in the bridge. 500K pots all around. This guitar rips. The WLH is beefy but not too boomy. I love it.

 

[jeremy]

with hotter bridge pups, i do like a bucker. i bet that pairing sounds great! the wlh neck pup is fantastic