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Replace P-90 w/ Tele neck pup

MetalManiac

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2003
Messages
209
Kooky idea -

I've always loved the sound of a tele neck pickup, always hated teles (play like crap with the old bridges, sound like crap with the new ones, just my opinion). My main axe is a LP Special SL (don't laugh -- it's been touring for a decade, survived a flood and 2 skinhead riots, plus it's kinda like that beat up lazy boy with the ass groove in it). It's got a p-100 in the neck, an Iommi in the bridge.

Could I put a Tele neck pup in without modifying/routing the body? I know they have that flap on the bottom. Would the difference in wood make this a futile exercise? If that's the case, can someone suggest a P90-sized replacement that could replicate that tele sound? Maybe a P90? Man I'd feel stupid if that were the answer.
 

Zoso

New member
Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
275
I just love outside-the-box thinking, and this is way out there. I really don't know what that would sound like a mahogany body. Instinctively, I'd say it would be much muddier than in a Tele, where that is a common complaint already. I happen to love the sound of a good Tele neck pickup, but I can't think of anything that really sounds like it.

Maybe you could go with a Filtertron pickup as an alternative. If you get a low-wind one like a TV Jones Classic, that might sound pretty good to you. I have Classics in a Les Paul Studio that I just love. Nothing at all like a typical Les Paul sound, but clearly you're not after that.
 

VMR

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
80
I see no reason why it wouldn't fit in the existing hole, as P-90s are larger in pretty much every dimension. The flange on te bottom of a Tele neck pickup is not that big, in comparison to the T bridge PUP. It's sad you can't find a way to love a good Tele. Have you ever played a nice Custom Shop, i.e. a Nocaster?
 

efk

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
519
Hey Zoso - can you elaborate on the neck TV Classic in an LP? I have an all-mahogany body with a truly monster neck (1.15 at 12th) and there is no way, no how to get the mud out of the neck pickup. I'm down to @ 7K, tried A3/A4/A5, shortened poles, raised poles/lowered pickup, no cover, 500K pots and 50s wiring etc. Tried it all, it's just a dark guitar. Bridge is absolutely spectacular, but even with neck tone on 10 I never use it - with any dirt at all (and I'm not a high gain guy), too too dark. I've been thinking about a filtertron or maybe a dynasonic in there, maybe a strat neck pu or...??? Would love to hear a little more about how the filtertrons sound in yours.
 

Zoso

New member
Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
275
Hey Zoso - can you elaborate on the neck TV Classic in an LP? I have an all-mahogany body with a truly monster neck (1.15 at 12th) and there is no way, no how to get the mud out of the neck pickup. I'm down to @ 7K, tried A3/A4/A5, shortened poles, raised poles/lowered pickup, no cover, 500K pots and 50s wiring etc. Tried it all, it's just a dark guitar. Bridge is absolutely spectacular, but even with neck tone on 10 I never use it - with any dirt at all (and I'm not a high gain guy), too too dark. I've been thinking about a filtertron or maybe a dynasonic in there, maybe a strat neck pu or...??? Would love to hear a little more about how the filtertrons sound in yours.

I was in the same boat with my LP Studio, which I thought had an unusable, muddy neck pickup. I think it had ceramic buckers in it, but they may have been just really hot Alnicos. Anyway, I just never liked playing that guitar because I'm not a high-gain guy at all. I like a clean fundamental tone with just a hair of breakup to warm it up a bit. The Studio just couldn't fly for that tone, IMO.

I'd been looking at TV Jones Classics for some time, but I didn't care for the aesthetics of their older humbucker mount. When they introduced the English mount a few years ago--it is the classic Filtertron casing wrapped in a ring designed for LP-type guitars--I jumped at it. I bought Classics for both the neck and bridge.

With those pickups, the guitar was completely transformed. I mean, it didn't even have a passing resemblance to the prior configuration. The Classics are bright, but not to the point of ice-picking your ears. They have incredible string-to-string definition and presence. Played clean, the Studio easily cops early George Harrison tones. The best part, though, is when you add in some dirt. It has a wonderfully warm, open cranked tone that sounds very much like Pete Townshend from "Who's Next" If you like the overdriven guitar tones on "Baba O'Riley" or "Won't Get Fooled Again", this pickup combination delivers it in spades.

It's definitely not for somebody who wants a flavor of classic Les Paul tone, but if you want something off the beaten path, I can't recommend them enough.
 

pablomago

New member
Joined
Jul 5, 2002
Messages
1,225
Since I think a Tele neck pickup is one of the worst sounding pickups of all time, (I have a Barden in my Tele and an Esquire. What does that tell you?) I'd go with anything else. But I'm sure it'll work. I think a lipstick tube Danelectro or a Filtertron would be much better, but it's your guitar and your ears, so go for it!
 

GlassSnuff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2002
Messages
3,671
On the other hand.....

I love the sound of the Tele neck, especially for jazzy tones, and I've used a G&L Big MFD in my neck rout. If you angle it, you can get the pole pieces to line up with the strings. The sound of a "Leo wind" works really well in an LP, IMHO. The toughest part is getting it to look good. Perhaps a small plate of pickguard material cut to the shape of the P-90 would do it.
 

Zhangliqun

New member
Joined
Jul 16, 2001
Messages
5,204
You don't need to rout but you do have to figure out how to mount it. The easiest way would be screws into the body at the bottom of the pu cavity, with springs on the screws to push the pickup up (or just foam under the pu). Would look crappy but would work.
 

Tonebender

Member
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
721
Since I think a Tele neck pickup is one of the worst sounding pickups of all time, (I have a Barden in my Tele and an Esquire. What does that tell you?) I'd go with anything else. But I'm sure it'll work. I think a lipstick tube Danelectro or a Filtertron would be much better, but it's your guitar and your ears, so go for it!

+1. The single most useless pickup ever. That's why I put a Duncan Jazz Bridge in the neck of my new Tele build. Wired it to split too that way I can still get a single coil when I want it. You might want to try that approach. A `59N or PGN might be in the neighborhood of what you want.
 

27sauce

Active member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
4,415
But the guy wants a tele neck pickup sound, So basically, "the sound you want sucks, get a humbucker"?
 

MetalManiac

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2003
Messages
209
Just got around to reading all this (been working 150 hours a day of late). Thanks for fleshing this discussion out. Well, except for the few who just said "that pickup sucks, you don't want one." Go tell some of these guys that they've made a HUGE mistake in crafting their tone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Telecaster_players

I'll look into the filtertron option. Maybe just dump a tele pup in and see what happens. Maybe if somebody here had a definitive answer I wouldn't need to go spending money experimenting! JEEZ! Ha, just kidding.

Oh, and VMR, I've tried A LOT of guitars in all price ranges, even super vintage "please wash your glasses before looking at these" guitars. I've got a rich lawyer friend who's bought Porsche-priced axes at some of the best shops in this area, so I tag along and leech off his cache.

Just always disliked SOMETHING about the teles I've played. As mentioned above, the bridge really makes all the difference. Really alters the sound and, in the case of ashtray bridge, the playability and the health of the fleshy part of my hand.
 

zombiwoof

Active member
Joined
Feb 22, 2003
Messages
3,565
Why not put your Iommi in the bridge of a Tele, the humbucker plate for Teles is flat and won't destroy your hand. You can also find models of Teles that are setnecked, if you prefer that. Other than that, a low wind P90 will go right in your present guitar, and will sound better than the P100 and might get you in the ballpark of the Tele neck sound. I don't think you'll need any more than a 500k pot, but you still have the option of 1k if needed.

Good luck,
Al
 

Gene Conrad

Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
151
just get a rectangular piece of plastic, with clearance holes that match the pickup ring mounting holes. then cut the slot for your tele pickup, with two mounting holes.

use longer screws and mount the adapter plate to your pickup rings and then the body.


OH wait... did you say P90s?
 

Gene Conrad

Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
151
Ok, you could still use the adapter plate, if your OK screwing into the top of your git.

I'm sure you could mount right into the wood. Even if you have to put it on an angle to get the poles to line up. hell, may even be a neat experiment in tone.

g.
 
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