Having spent several years developing my perfect Telecaster I played with another band last week, and I need a different sound. Current band has second guitarist, keys and sax. My tone with them is bright, and designed to leave space for these instruments. Last week it was just bass and drums, and I need something with a much fuller sound. This is an opportunity to make another guitar, but what pickups to put in it?
My “perfect” Tele has a Strat style neck pickup (Oil City Californian) and a tapped bridge (Wapping Wharf). This means I can have five sounds: full bridge, tapped bridge, tapped bridge and neck in parallel, neck, and both on series. My first thought is to get similar switching using a tapped bridge humbucker and soapbar P90 neck. I know that
@ICBM likes the
Oil City Brass knuckle. I like the idea of a P90 because it will be fuller than a single coil, but retain better clarity than a humbucker. I prefer a soapbar to a dog ear so that I can adjust the height.
So go on, spend my money for me.
Comments
"This is an opportunity to make another guitar, but what pickups to put in it?"
:-D
Analogman does the ‘Big T’ pick ups and the neck in particular might really suit
Also, they’re made by Lindy Fralin
https://www.buyanalogman.com/Analog_Man_Jim_Weider_Big_T_Telecaster_neck_pickup_p/am-bigtpickup.htm
Gas doesn’t go away, it just changes it’s nature. However on this occasion I might marmalise an existing guitar.
I’ll use a superswitch because, with new pickups, I’ll want to try out different combinations.
Next option for that sort of thing would be a pair of SD Little '59s.
I totally understand where you're coming from in terms of tone and in my analogue case I fix it with a pedal, but the relative subtlety of a pickup swap would not have been enough.
I REALLY love the Vanson humbucker sized P90.. Used them on a few builds and always loved the way they sound. They are cheap but really good ( I always use PIO caps for what its worth ).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Vanson-AlNiCo-V-P90-Humbucker-size-Single-Coil-Pickup-HB90-Neck-or-Bridge/121200644356?hash=item1c381f1104:m:m_R8-qUdWVqHr-E-qgOPaQQ
Heres a sound example
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
You have the best of all worlds in terms of coil tapping, parallel/series (much more useful than coil tapping IMHO).
You can have single coil Fendery sounds by using the blade, P90 sounds by using the ....P90, parallel or series 'bucker sounds or any combination thereof.
I have a pair of them in a Vintage VS6 SG copy and they are truly brilliant.