Another dreaded "Recommend a Neck Tele Pickup" Thread

[dafack01]

Ok, I've got my trusty Muddy Waters Tele. I sold my 50's classic, because frankly one Tele is enough for this . On a budget, having 2 guitars that sound the same just isn't worth it. Anyways, I had a P90 in the neck of my Muddy Waters Tele, and when I went to put the stock one back in, a couple of the turns of Wire on the pickup were cut and the ends of them were just hanging out. I guess that meant that the pickup is no good anymore. That's a shame since it sounded pretty good. So I have my Voodoo TEF pickup in there.

This MW Tele is darker than my 50's classic (b/c of the rosewood maybe?), so the Voodoo just sounds dull. It's the whole "Blanket over the amp" analogy. So I'm looking for a neck pickup that's a bit brighter and has (quite a bit) more clarity. Yes I have played with pickup height, too.

Here is what I'm thinking:

1) Fender CS Texas Tele. I've heard a lot about them, and how good they are, so this is one of my top choices

2) Fralin blues special. If I go the Fralin route, he has that 30 day return policy so If I don't like it I can always return it for something else.

3) A Strat neck pickup. I may like a strat neck pickup more than a Tele neck pickup.

4) Get a strat middle and neck pickup, keep the 3-way switching, but install a toggle switch to engage the middle pickup. That way, with it off, I get normal tele sounds. With it on, I get bridge/middle, bridge/middle/neck at once, and neck/middle. The #2 position won't sound EXACTLY like a strat, but I never have liked the strat bridge anyways, but close enough is OK for me.

What should I do?

[fezz parka]

The CS Texas Tele would be my pick.

[pc]

Obviously I agree, having already followed Fezz's advice on this with nice results.

However... let me add this. Just for S&G I slapped a set of 11s on my Tele today just to see what they sounded like. I hated the sound of 11s on this Tele with the Vintage Noiseless pups. Shouldn't have been that different from the 10s, but it was.

Well she-it. Those 11s with the CS Texas Tele pups... man oh man. The frequency response is just perfect with those pickups and the 11s. They sound huge and full but with just the right amount of high-end presence.

Just thought I'd share my big "Wow" for the day. :)

[chuckocaster]

wow jack, i'm so amazed, let me bow down to thine feet... (just giving ya a hard time man, i'm in one of those moods today)

my vote is for a strat neck pup, something a little different.

[dafack01]

If I go CS Texas Tele, I'll probably have to get the bridge too, though. I'm worried that a hot neck pickup like that (9.5K according to Fender's website) will out-muscle the Muddy's pickup, which I think reads about 7K give or take (I can't remember exactly). Will the Texas Tele out-muscle the Muddy's stock pickup?

I'm seriously thinking about doing that strat middle and neck pickup thing. My next guitar will have a Les Paulish vibe, so with this, I can have my strat(ish) tones and Tele tones in the same guitar. Plus, with strat pickups, the Muddy's stock pickup will be fine.

[dafack01]

Also I'm kinda worried about the brightness and clarity of such a hot pickup. But If Jack and Fezz like them, they must be good. Fezz, do you still have that recording you did with the Texas Tele neck pickup?

[Vics]

I installed the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in my Tele. The only pickups I can compare them to are the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders that were in my Tele when I bought it. The thing what impressed me the most was how both pickups had this over presence to them. Lows, mids and highs sounded more alive and clearer but without being spikey. The neck pickup has a lot of bass to it so I've got it adjusted at quite an angle to compinsate, but to me it sounds very good. Personally I think it's one of the best sounds I've heard from a neck position pickup. Very quiet pickups also. Has at least 50% less hum than the Duncans. Hope this helped a bit.

[fezz parka]

Also I'm kinda worried about the brightness and clarity of such a hot pickup. But If Jack and Fezz like them, they must be good. Fezz, do you still have that recording you did with the Texas Tele neck pickup?

Lemme find it... Here it is: Moon Gnu. CS Texas Tele neck pickup only, played clean through a Princeton Reverb.

[dafack01]

I'll have to listen to it tomorrow when I have some headphones with me. Thanks, Fezz.

BTW, I just had a "moment of Zen" last night. Previously, after I put the voodoo back in the MW Tele, I went right to the neck pickup, didn't like it, and never went back to it. Just last night, I went back to the neck pickup, and it sounded fantastic! I guess the amp just needs a few minutes to warm up to sound its best.

I just may have saved me some money. WOO HOO! :yay

[dafack01]

That there is some purty playing, Fezz! I dig the tone. However, once the amp is warmed up, my Voodoo sounds just heavenly.

[fezz parka]

Thanks Dustin! It's funny how you can go back the neck day to something and have a 180 degree flip. Glad the Voodoo is doin' it again.:yay

[dafack01]

Thanks Dustin! It's funny how you can go back the neck day to something and have a 180 degree flip. Glad the Voodoo is doin' it again.:yay

You're welcome! Once I played for a bit, the thing just got more clear. I then screwed the low E side of the pickup about a half to 3/4 of a turn down lower into the guitar to get a bit less bass out of it and voila! That made all the difference. The little thing is just punchy. The clarity is back in spades and is just perfect sounding.

[PatentAppliedFor]

Bill Lawrence 280 or 290