Strat sounding Tele neck pickup.

Zoolooter · February 2017

Right, I know I'll get the obligatory "just buy a cheap Strat" reply. But, I have spent a shed load of time looking at this on the forums and some pickups seem to come close, but they are all US builders. Mare, Klein, etc, and never come up for sale here. Has anyone got direct experience with getting a decent neck strat sound out of their tele. If so, which pickups have been a success.

At the moment I have a nocaster neck and a low output bare knuckle bridge.

I'm trying to get near the tone in the clip below (I have the same amp). The guy is using a John Mayer Strat, I believe the Mayer pickups are low output mid scooped.

Just to add, I haven't been playing that long, so please excuse my naivety if it's a total none starter with a tele.

mrkb · February 2017

Fender Twisted Tele pickup is strat style I think

guitars4you · February 2017

mrkb said:

Fender Twisted Tele pickup is strat style I think

correct - not sure you can actually buy the neck pick up on its own, so might be best to find a good used version - a touch more crisp than a regular Tele and a hint of that 'scooped' character - might be worth chatting to Ash at Oil City to see if he does anything similar

mgaw · February 2017

pm sent i have one sitting idle

robgilmo · February 2017

What are the nocaster pu's like?

koss59 · February 2017

Nocaster pickups are the best Tele pickups IMO. They don't sound strat like though.

Gassage · February 2017

Ash @ Oil City's LIqudator. I have one in my 1965 tele and it's the best tele neck I've yet come across. I love his stuff.

http://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/televintagehot.html

mgaw · February 2017

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

Johnnyseven · February 2017

Buy a tele pickguard with a strat sized hole, I have a couple not being used if interested.

Zoolooter · February 2017

robgilmo said:

What are the nocaster pu's like?

That are great pickups, just want a bit of a change with a more chimey top end in the neck pu.

Zoolooter · February 2017

Johnnyseven said:

Buy a tele pickguard with a strat sized hole, I have a couple not being used if interested.

What colours are they?

Zoolooter · February 2017

mgaw said:

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

The blanket is what I massively want to avoid. The Nocaster neck is a really nice, quality pickup, so there has to be a marked difference in the tone if I'm spending to change it.

Zoolooter · February 2017

mgaw said:

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

With the Stuarts which option did you go with Alnico 3 or 5?

guitars4you · February 2017

Zoolooter said:

mgaw said:

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

The blanket is what I massively want to avoid. The Nocaster neck is a really nice, quality pickup, so there has to be a marked difference in the tone if I'm spending to change it.

good word blanket - as comparing a Nocaster neck pick-up to the Twisted Tele is a bit like removing the blanket from your existing pick-up - The Twisted Tele has more clarity and snap - some will say remove the cover on your existing pick-up - The difference is probably more subtle than awesome, but nevertheless audible - Sell a few Custom Shop models with such a neck pick-up and generally a popular option

Zoolooter · February 2017

The Twisted definitely sounds like a good option as well as keeping the traditional look of a tele neck pu.

mgaw · February 2017

Zoolooter said:

mgaw said:

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

With the Stuarts which option did you go with Alnico 3 or 5?

i will check tomorrow and let you know

Moltisanti · February 2017

i have an Oil City Californian that does a very nice job of a stratty neck pickup tone

normula1 · February 2017

Mojo's Open-T is brilliant. Mine has a full cover to keep the Tele look but still sounds great

JohnPerry · February 2017

mgaw said:

no doubt against the grain on here but i have to say i havent heard a pickup made in this country that is as good as some of the stuff stateside

Fred Stuarts tele pickups are fantastic, i have his "strat for tele" neck pickup and it is in a different league from any of the offerings over here, which, in comparison sound like they have a blanket over them.

sure many will disagree but its only my opinion, but i would say if you are driven to find the very best tone i would look USA way, the chances of me selling either set of Fred Stuart Tele sets are nil

I'd buy Mojo over Lollar or Fralin, having had a good number of each. Don't know this Fred of whom you speak though

simonk · February 2017

Moltisanti said:

i have an Oil City Californian that does a very nice job of a stratty neck pickup tone

This. It's an outstanding pickup.

Richardj · February 2017

Moltisanti said:

i have an Oil City Californian that does a very nice job of a stratty neck pickup tone

Very much this. It isn't voodoo, just wire, magnets, skill and passion. Our manufacturers in the U.K. can definitely do it as well, if not better in this instance, than anyone else.

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Strat sounding Tele neck pickup.

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