Wiring

[JD01]

Mutt, was gonna PM you this but I thought others might be interested.

As I told you before I never use the middle position on my Tele. To have something more interesting that I might find useable, is it possible to wire the bridge and neck pups so that they act like a humbucker in the middle position?

I'm after a thick creamy humbucker tone that will probably be used for slow lead with relatively high gain. I currently just use my neck muttbucker for this in my Crimson. But it would be cool to have it in two guitars for harmony lines.

Are there any possible drawbacks to this?

[muttley]

There are a bunch of mods you can do with telecasters. What you describe is a reverse wound reverse polarity setup and yes it will give you hum cancelling but dont confuse that with humbucking. A humbucker is a humbucker and a telecaster is a telecaster. That said with a four way switch you can achieve that without losing any of the other typical humbucker options. Its a distinct sound and one I like and use. There is a bunch of stuff on You Tube about 4 way mod and hum cancelling with the two pups. They would give you some tone clues.

[JD01]

Cool. I'll see what I can find out. What I describe above would be a "nice to have" as opposed to an essential. What I want are good single coil bridge and neck tones.

[muttley]

If you want to keep most of the traditional tele tones then a straight forward 4 way mod would be the way to go. If you want to delve into a humbucker tone then I would consider getting a stacked or rail pickup in there. Either is possible but with the second option you would be compromising the traditional tele tones.

One of the good things about a tele is that you can swap out the scratchplates quite easily to load up and test pickup combinations. I have one in the shop all the time to test different winds and pups on. I'm shortly going to be doing some stacked pups as a test for the new range. They would be humbuckers that can be split so it maybe an option for you down the line. I will keep you posted..

Start with you tube and the 4 way mod and move on from there with your research. Its all possible, the hardest part is nailing down what you want and what you would never use. As a mate feel free to exploit my pups as a tester if you want. Like we chatted on the blower the other day I would still do cost and a beer for you guys..

[Greg_L]

Cool. I'll see what I can find out. What I describe above would be a "nice to have" as opposed to an essential. What I want are good single coil bridge and neck tones.

You can't combine the two pickups in a Tele to make a "humbucker" as we normally think of humbuckers. The pickups are too far apart. Do what Mutt said....use a split-rail single coil sized humbucker and split it for your clean sound from that pickup.

Or buy a Les Paul.

[JD01]

Nah, I want to keep traditional tele tones in my single coils. I don't want splittable humbuckers - they rarely sound as good as true single coils.
I'll investigate what Mutt suggests with a 4 way. I was just thinking I could do something more interesting with the middle position as I never use it as it is... I rarely use the neck pickup as it is - I'm getting mutt to make me something a bit strattier.

[JD01]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

[Lt. Bob]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

You got it ..... that'll give you a facsimile of that sound you're after
I will say that on my 2 traditional wired teles though, the sound I like best is the middle position.
I actively hate the bridge and I do like the neck by itself a lot but the middle position is where I live on a tele

[JD01]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

You got it ..... that'll give you a facsimile of that sound you're after
I will say that on my 2 traditional wired teles though, the sound I like best is the middle position.
I actively hate the bridge and I do like the neck by itself a lot but the middle position is where I live on a tele

haha, the only position on which I've recorded my tele is the bridge! Its the one I like best.

[Minerman]

Nah, I want to keep traditional tele tones in my single coils. I don't want splittable humbuckers - they rarely sound as good as true single coils.
I'll investigate what Mutt suggests with a 4 way. I was just thinking I could do something more interesting with the middle position as I never use it as it is... I rarely use the neck pickup as it is - I'm getting mutt to make me something a bit strattier.

Jdude, I dunno if you'd like it or not, but the "Ripper" blade p'up Mutt made for me is full of awesomeness...It's probably not as hot as the p'ups you're used to, but that was the whole idea, so it would still retain the strat sounds, plus full-on grind if wanted...My rail p'up is for the neck, but I'm totally confident Mutt could make you anything you could imagine...

You should already know all this because you have some of his p'ups, but just sayin'...

[muttley]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

Yeh, thats about it. The good thing about the four way mod is that you still have the standard tele options under your fingers. The fourth position just gives you a duel pup option with a little more output and balls. I like it but thats just me. I suspect you will once you get used to the darker mids and less bite... its a cool option to have.

[muttley]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

You got it ..... that'll give you a facsimile of that sound you're after
I will say that on my 2 traditional wired teles though, the sound I like best is the middle position.
I actively hate the bridge and I do like the neck by itself a lot but the middle position is where I live on a tele

I concur. Thats pretty much where I sit with a Tele. I spend most of my time tweaking the middle position tones depending on the gig. I sometimes use the neck, but never the bridge in isolation. Thats me though.. I have heard a lot of great players that are pure tele neck tones.

[muttley]

Nah, I want to keep traditional tele tones in my single coils. I don't want splittable humbuckers - they rarely sound as good as true single coils.
I'll investigate what Mutt suggests with a 4 way. I was just thinking I could do something more interesting with the middle position as I never use it as it is... I rarely use the neck pickup as it is - I'm getting mutt to make me something a bit strattier.

Jdude, I dunno if you'd like it or not, but the "Ripper" blade p'up Mutt made for me is full of awesomeness...It's probably not as hot as the p'ups you're used to, but that was the whole idea, so it would still retain the strat sounds, plus full-on grind if wanted...My rail p'up is for the neck, but I'm totally confident Mutt could make you anything you could imagine...

You should already know all this because you have some of his p'ups, but just sayin'...

I'm working on a wind for a rail style pup for a Tele bridge but I think JD is keen to keep the intrinsic Tele tones and a rail or other kind of bucker would compromise that. Thanks for the endorsement dude, you're the best..

[Minerman]

I'm working on a wind for a rail style pup for a Tele bridge but I think JD is keen to keep the intrinsic Tele tones and a rail or other kind of bucker would compromise that. Thanks for the endorsement dude, you're the best..

No need to thank me Mutt...

I'm 100% positive whatever you guys come up with together will be killer...There's just no other place/company that has your attention to detail Mutt...Sure, Duncan/DiMarzio have 1,000's of pickups, but it's a crap shoot, & you really don't know what you have until you slap 'em in your guitar...With you, it's totally the opposite, I knew what I was getting before they even got here...I liked 'em even more than I thought I would & still do...The strat has taken over, it's the guitar I use on a daily basis, & it's all due to it's transformation from an ok sounding guitar, to a great sounding guitar...

[muttley]

I'm working on a wind for a rail style pup for a Tele bridge but I think JD is keen to keep the intrinsic Tele tones and a rail or other kind of bucker would compromise that. Thanks for the endorsement dude, you're the best..

No need to thank me Mutt...

I'm 100% positive whatever you guys come up with together will be killer...There's just no other place/company that has your attention to detail Mutt...Sure, Duncan/DiMarzio have 1,000's of pickups, but it's a crap shoot, & you really don't know what you have until you slap 'em in your guitar...With you, it's totally the opposite, I knew what I was getting before they even got here...I liked 'em even more than I thought I would & still do...The strat has taken over, it's the guitar I use on a daily basis, & it's all due to it's transformation from an ok sounding guitar, to a great sounding guitar...

Aww shucks man.. I does my best to listen to the customer not the bank, thats the only difference.

[JD01]

You got it ..... that'll give you a facsimile of that sound you're after
I will say that on my 2 traditional wired teles though, the sound I like best is the middle position.
I actively hate the bridge and I do like the neck by itself a lot but the middle position is where I live on a tele

I concur. Thats pretty much where I sit with a Tele. I spend most of my time tweaking the middle position tones depending on the gig. I sometimes use the neck, but never the bridge in isolation. Thats me though.. I have heard a lot of great players that are pure tele neck tones.

Ready to go on this now, finally
Mutt, expect a tele pickguard in the post over the next few weeks.

[JD01]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

OK, Mutt, I'll probably PM you more about details but other people here may be interested.
I'd like:
Position 1 to be the standard bridge usual.
Position 4 to be the standard neck (just so a fully pushed switch is a neck pickup just like on a normal tele).
Position 2 to be the normal both pickups in parallel.
Position 3 to be the weird both pickups in series thing.

Is it possible to have a stratty style neck pickup but to have it looking like a tele neck pickup?

[Lt. Bob]

I actively hate the bridge and I do like the neck by itself a lot

my feelings about most guitars

[muttley]

OK, so I've done a bit of research on this.
4 Way.
Pos 1 standard bridge
Pos 2 standard both pickups in parallel
Pos 3 standard neck
Pos 4 both pickups in series.

Now, its Pos 4 the one I was saying about where you get the fatter more humbucker style tone isn't it? I do quite fancy this.
Most importantly though I want standard tele tones out of Pos 1 and 3.

OK, Mutt, I'll probably PM you more about details but other people here may be interested.
I'd like:
Position 1 to be the standard bridge usual.
Position 4 to be the standard neck (just so a fully pushed switch is a neck pickup just like on a normal tele).
Position 2 to be the normal both pickups in parallel.
Position 3 to be the weird both pickups in series thing.

Is it possible to have a stratty style neck pickup but to have it looking like a tele neck pickup?

Been back in the old country over the weekend and just back. Will look into this tomorrow.

[JD01]

No worries. I'll be in a position to strip the guitar and pop the pick guard in the post later in the week.