Telecaster pick up issue

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werdna
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Telecaster pick up issue

Post by werdna »

The tele has an HB sized single coil in the front, which sounds beefy and fantastic. In the back is an SD tele bridge pickup, which sounds thin and faint and very trebly. The bridge pickup is ok for dirty but its the front pickup that shines.

I have the front pickup as far away from the strings as possible, the bridge pickup quite close to the strings.

I was thinking of wiring the tone pot so that it only affects the bridge pickup, so that I can have it permanently taking away the toppiness of the bridge pickup while leaving the tone on the front pickup intact.

I don't think all tele bridge pickups can be like this so I am going to take the guitar to BG for some doctoring, if he is up for the challenge.

Thoughts anyone?
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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by Slowy »

werdna wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:03 am The tele has an HB sized single coil in the front, which sounds beefy and fantastic. In the back is an SD tele bridge pickup, which sounds thin and faint and very trebly. The bridge pickup is ok for dirty but its the front pickup that shines.

I have the front pickup as far away from the strings as possible, the bridge pickup quite close to the strings.

I was thinking of wiring the tone pot so that it only affects the bridge pickup, so that I can have it permanently taking away the toppiness of the bridge pickup while leaving the tone on the front pickup intact.

I don't think all tele bridge pickups can be like this so I am going to take the guitar to BG for some doctoring, if he is up for the challenge.

Thoughts anyone?
Easy. You have the wrong Bridge pup.
The question however is, what is the right one?
SD59 will certainly tame the highs; possibly with too much power though.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by jeremyb »

Can I also suggest considering broadcaster wiring, ala Keef Richards, it seems like an excellent option with a neck humbucker, being able to blend it with the bridge etc...
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by Slowy »

jeremyb wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:30 am Can I also suggest considering broadcaster wiring, ala Keef Richards, it seems like an excellent option with a neck humbucker, being able to blend it with the bridge etc...
But the neck is not a humbucker.......
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by jeremyb »

Slowy wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:33 am
jeremyb wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:30 am Can I also suggest considering broadcaster wiring, ala Keef Richards, it seems like an excellent option with a neck humbucker, being able to blend it with the bridge etc...
But the neck is not a humbucker.......
:rofl: I should really not stop reading once I see a word I recognise! :lol:
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by Bg »

could find the position on the tone you like, measure its resistance and then fit a resistor of the same value just on the bridge pickup?
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by JustMatt »

What value pots are you running?

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by Bigdaddy »

werdna wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:03 am The tele has an HB sized single coil in the front, which sounds beefy and fantastic. In the back is an SD tele bridge pickup, which sounds thin and faint and very trebly. The bridge pickup is ok for dirty but its the front pickup that shines.

I have the front pickup as far away from the strings as possible, the bridge pickup quite close to the strings.

I was thinking of wiring the tone pot so that it only affects the bridge pickup, so that I can have it permanently taking away the toppiness of the bridge pickup while leaving the tone on the front pickup intact.

I don't think all tele bridge pickups can be like this so I am going to take the guitar to BG for some doctoring, if he is up for the challenge.

Thoughts anyone?
I have a Nocaster with a neck humbucker and stock, I could not get it to work with a Tele bridge pickup as it had 250k pots for the volume and tone.

The tele guys at TDPRI had a few tricks and I ended up using 500k volume & tone pots so the humbucker sees 500k and doesn't cut all the high end off making it muddy. You then put a 470k resistor in line with the bridge pickup so it "sees" 250k for the volume and cuts the high treble.

The trade off is the middle position sounds dark...

Hope it works out for you.
"Have tone issues with all the options available today? practice more...." -John Suhr

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by Bg »

yep that 470k resistor is the variable that can be changed, just need to set the pot to where you like it and I can shove in a resistor close to that value just on the bridge :) Bobs your knob, and fanny's your aunt.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by werdna »

Looks like a good plan. Cool! BG, I'll get in contact about dropping off the tele!
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Re: Telecaster pick up issue

Post by MrGlyn »

Just pop that bridge pickup on a test meter to make sure it’s all good. Some times they can be open circuit but still give you a thin, quiet signal. It’s not common in SD’s, much more usual in old Fenders but worth checking.
Just a thought.

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