Members skdmrklcy Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 I wasn't going to mess with this for awhile but something I ordered got canceled at the local shop so I have some credit to use. I want to put a humbucker in my new tele so I can get the maximum versatility from out guitar. I am leaning towards a little 59 in the bridge with the stock vintage fender pickup in the neck. It has also been suggested to go with a Hot Rails in the Neck with the stock Bridge Pickup. I mostly want this for harder rock maybe some metal, and for when the hum is getting on my nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkwire Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Neck. Keep the bridge stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members craigny Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 I had the Jim Root Tele with EMG's in both positions...that guitar kicked all kinds of ass!!! If i had to pick one position to put the HB it would be the bridge but thats me...the Hot Rails for Tele are supposed to be nice...but im sure a lil' '59 or JB would rawk also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveGrima Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 I just bought a tele with a little 59 in the bridge and I love it. Sounds great for hard rock type stuff and still has a bright kinda raunchy sound that I really like. I also have a tele with a paf type HB in the neck trad tele single in the bridge for twang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Normally I'd agree with Funkwire because I love the H in the neck of a Tele but for hard rock and metal I'd have to recommend the H in the bridge position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skdmrklcy Posted January 31, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 If a Humbucker in the Bridge is good for Hard Rock Metal, what would you say it is better for in the Neck? The same question with single coil, what is it best for in neck vs bridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fiveoclockhero Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 A lot of people will tell you that you should keep the single coil in the bridge because that's where you get the signature Tele twang and if you lose the twang, you lose the Tele. I am such a fan of the single coil in the neck, however, I almost want to tell you to put a single-sized HB in the bridge. Again, as it's been stated, that's a good place for snarly, loud rock tone. The benefit of a HB in the neck is even fatter and thicker lows and low-mids if you enjoy playing the blues clean through that particular pickup (it's very warm and round and I can get great blues tone from that position... with a HB there, it would make it even beefier) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skdmrklcy Posted January 31, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hmm that helps a lot. I have read that some work better with the 250k pots that I already have, and some are going to need the 500s. I think I may go coil tap since it does not seem like all that much more wiring. I do wish I could pull out the existing stuff without cutting wires and just wire up a new set so I can switch back super easy but I guess I would need a strat to pull that off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BoneNut Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 I've had Teles where I installed a HB in the neck. Truth is, it does make the guitar much more versatile. I kept the stock bridge to keep the twang. Now though, I have a Hotrod with a mini humbucker in the neck and prefer that. The mini has much more clarity and definition than a standard HB but it still packs the power of an HB. If I were to mod a Tele now, I'd install either a P90 or mini in the neck, not a humbucker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members niceguy Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well, dig it. I put a Little 59 in the bridge of my American Tele a year ago, and I love it. Very full, middy, warm distorted tone. I don't have anything negative to say about it. In the neck, I kept the standard single-coil. Honestly, I need to change it out for a humbucker, too, because it's just WAY underpowered compared to the 59. So keep that in mind. With the 59 in the bridge, you'll have a huge volume disparity if you keep the single coil in the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Bridge. Don't like neck humbuckers and don't like most singles for rock music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Dimarzio Tone Zone T humbucker in the bridge, Dimarzio Twang King single coil in the neck. Thank me later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skdmrklcy Posted January 31, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Just curious why the Twang King over the stock? I know the stock Singles are supposed to be pretty hot compared to the standard pups is only reason I ask. EDIT: Just to add I am only looking at the classic size Tele options, the body is not routed for anything else, and that is more than I care to take on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 I have one with a full sized HB in the Bridge and a Mini HB in the neck. It really is a whole different beast. I cant say if its better than my Stock tell, just a different animal for different music. i also have a hollowbody Tele I built and put a pair of Mini HB's in it. Again, a different sounding guitar, but very cool for tone. If you have a stock tele and have to go through the whole routing routine, a good option is to but a HB between the others. That way you have all possible options. throw a 5 way switch in there and you may be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Just curious why the Twang King over the stock? I know the stock Singles are supposed to be pretty hot compared to the standard pups is only reason I ask.EDIT: Just to add I am only looking at the classic size Tele options, the body is not routed for anything else, and that is more than I care to take on. Just because the Twang King is hands down the best tele neck pickup I've ever heard; might actually be my favorite neck pickup period! If you like the stocker then no need to replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 do like master Keef does and put one in the neck and never use it. Id rather just have a good trad single coil with a 4way swicth that'll give you a psuedo-humbucker. Or put something like a firebird burstbucker, jazzmaster sc, p90, or filtertron in the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GilmourD Posted January 31, 2011 Members Share Posted January 31, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted February 1, 2011 Members Share Posted February 1, 2011 I'd say screw the kichy Tele convention of N HB and B SC and just go with leaving the neck stock and putting an HB in the bridge. It will make it less "Tele-ish" but I think it'll serve your purpose better. I think the N HB / B SC thing is cool if you want to add more articulation/twang to a neck humbucker tone by blending in the bridge, but if you want a rocking tone from the bridge, I'd just put the HB there. Plus that way you get to preserve the single coil tone in the neck which I'd hate to lose. I have several Teles, one being the '72 Deluxe. That guitar is often criticized (including by me) of having kinda muddy sounding reissue WR pickups, but the tone from the bridge is actually very good stock with some over drive. I may eventually upgrade to the new Lollar WR reissue pickups, but I'm very tempted to leave that bridge p'up stock since it does such a good job at classic rock tones. Another words, I don't really feel the need to restore the twang HB sound to both the neck and bridge positions of that guitar (plus just upgrading one will save me two Benjamins ); but I do like having more of a Tele tone from the neck pickup. But I've got other Teles to do the traditional Tele thing with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skdmrklcy Posted February 1, 2011 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2011 I am thinking I will go with a bridge HB and Neck S for now. When I add to the stable I may convert it back to full on tele.... or keep it like that forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fiveoclockhero Posted February 1, 2011 Members Share Posted February 1, 2011 I'd say screw the kichy Tele convention of N HB and B S and just go with leaving the neck stock and putting an HB in the bridge.It will make it less "Tele-ish" but I think it serve your purpose better. This. Again, the purists will be disappointed because that sacred Tele bridge pickup is the king of twang but you should go with whatever works best for you. I personally might swap out the stocks in my CV 50's Tele for some fancy aftermarket models someday in the future but I won't put a humbucker or any variation on a humbucker in my guitar. That's just me, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akapuli Posted February 1, 2011 Members Share Posted February 1, 2011 Neck. If you really need the bridge humbucker-like tone, the SD Little JB. and Hot Rail models will give enough punch and gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fusion1 Posted February 2, 2011 Members Share Posted February 2, 2011 I will add in my opinion FOR ME, the bridge needs a humbucker. I actually prefer the tele neck pickup which is even better without the cover on. Twang King is truly the king of tele neck pickups though if you want an upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashtray Posted February 2, 2011 Members Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have an H-S tele and also an S-H one. Each with coil taps on the H. I've owned an H-H tele before too - which was probably best for metal. Just coil tap the humbucker and you still retain some tele goodness. I'd definitely go with a bridge humbucker for those heavy power chords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted February 2, 2011 Members Share Posted February 2, 2011 for hard rock/metal definitely put a bucker in the bridge. a normal tele pickup actually works really well for that if you set all yer knobs right, but since you don't want any hum, that's obviously not gonna work for you. i'd throw a hot rails or a "modern lead" version of one of these : http://www.guitarfetish.com/Lil-Puncher-XL-NEW-fits-USA-Teles-Three-Versions-Available_p_465.html in there. hot humbuckers = better coil split tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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