Vintage Neck Pickup (From Broadcaster set) Too Dark

[Numerov]

In 2014 after a recommendation was made - I had the Broadcaster bridge pickup installed (think it was called STL-1b at the time).
This was paired with the vintage neck pick up (I think it was called STR-1 at the time).

I've always loved the Broadcaster bride pickup.
The vintage neck pickup is way too dark and I never use it on its own.
I believe it has a brass cover.
Does anyone know if this is correct?


I have read that if a neck pickup has a brass cover - it is possible to replace it with a nickel cover - which should improve its brightness.
Is this true - does it make a difference?

My favourite Tele tone is the middle tone - and this is ok on my guitar (Fender Mexican Tele from 2001)


NB - the neck pickup is so dark that it needs to have the treble turned way up high on my amp to get it to sound ok if I want to use it on its own
But if you do that - then the other 2 positions are way too bright.

Thanking you for any advice.
It would be great if any Seymour Duncan employees can help me.

Thanks

Numerov

 

[AlexR]

Just remove the tone control from working on the neck position. You get a fair bit extra cut and definition on that pickup, and the tone can be used to tame the bridge position by comparison.

 

[Numerov]

Anyone?

 

[beaubrummels]

I've never investigated different metals for tele neck covers. If it's covered, it's going to be darker than an uncovered pickup, and tele necks are known for this, regardless of type of cover. There are tele neck pickups that compensate and sound pretty good. The Fender Twisted Tele neck is one. Duncan makes some brighter tele neck offerings also. If it were me, if it's that bad, I would either just take the cover off and leave it off, or try a different pickup. But that's me.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Brass covers do darken tone and nickel-silver does allow for a brighter sound.
But whether or not that Broadcaster neck cover is actually brass I can't say.

Some guys used to remove those covers completely in the old days.
Nowadays there are open top covers available which give better clarity yet preserve the shielding you get with a grounded cover.
I have a Wilde Keystone set where the neck uses an open cover and it sounds marvelous.

I too am a fan of the Twisted Tele neck, which brings the sound a step closer to Strat neck tone.
It's also a bit louder than stock I think; balances better with a beefy bridge.

 

[Mincer]

I don't know if switching covers would change the sound that radically. I think you (like me) just think the neck pickup in a Tele has a sound you just don't like. This is the way traditional Teles have sounded for years.
The is a pickup called the Rhythm for Tele with Strat Tone, or just get a new pickguard and throw in a strat pickup.

 

[hamerfan]

What did i do? I changed the cover to a raw nickel cover, i hooked off the tone pot and changed the volume pot to 500k (there is also 500k resistor in parallel to the bridge pickup).

 

[ToneFiddler]

​​​​​​same question:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/foru...-tone-too-dark
i changed the cover to nickel silver and it was noticeable brighter.
still something like the twang king or a texmex is a better tonal fit to the STL-1B in my opinion.
both are clearer and brighter than the STR-1.
i paired it with the JD

 

[Artie]

I know it's hard to break from tradition, but it's too bad they don't make the mini-hum the standard Tele neck. Works and sounds so good.

 

[Mincer]

I know it's hard to break from tradition, but it's too bad they don't make the mini-hum the standard Tele neck. Works and sounds so good.

Right? That would be a great idea. The tone we think of when we think 'Tele' is not the traditional neck pickup. But in the guitar world, tradition is always above practicality.

 

[elelpe]

Some good advices here. I'd throw one: if you want to stick with the pickup as it is, use concentric pots for each pickup, 250Ks for the bridge and 500Ks for the neck.

Personally what I like in the neck position of tele:
1. Brighter tele neck pickup
2. Firebird mini neck pickup
3. Lower output P-90 neck pickup
4. Nothing (Esquire)
I like them all I can't choose. But I know I don't want vintage tele neck pickup and humbucker.

 

[jeremy]

the first response in this thread is the first thing id try. pull the tone off the neck pup. it costs nothing and is easily reversible. lots of other good info too, but thats a good place to start. your middle and bridge positions will sound the same and the neck will sound brighter

 

[DKSEARS]

I never really liked the standard Tele neck pickup either. So, when I came time for me to build my first Tele, I went with the Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini-Humbucker to match up with the Vintage Broadcaster Bridge pickup. They go nicely together with 250k pots and dialing the balance in volume between the to was a little tricky, but I finally got it.