Mods to the 50's Tele Again....

[BS123]

I'm thinking about modding my 50's Tele for the gazillionth time. The wonderful thing about Teles is that they're just waiting to be modded. NOw, I have my 52 RI which I want to keep stock right now. The MIM 50's Tele has a minihumbucker in the neck and a Strat pickup (white cover) in the middle. I know I have gone through this before; but that was when I didn't have my 52 RI. Here are a couple of pics to look at from some ideas that I have...

If you guys have any other ideas I'd love to hear them.

[Benjy_26]

I like option 2. That's how I have mine set up, a SM-1 mini at the neck and a JD lead. The middle position combo is very nice.

[BS123]

Do you have any pics?

[Benjy_26]

No, no pics yet, but mine is a fernandez with a maple fingerboard, vintage white (almost cream) finish, a white single ply pickguard, and a three saddle steel bridge. Oh, yeah, I have gold Gibson knobs on the controls.

[Curly]

I've been curious to hear what a mini hum neck would be like in a tele - that's what my friend Pete uses, and I trust his judgement (actually, he uses a Firebird pickup)

I tried a Seth in the neck, and took it out - just simply overpowered the JD bridge, so I went back to a Hot neck, and that seems fine, although I'd like to add series in the mid position as well

so I guess I'm saying Option 2, and let me know how you like it!

[BS123]

I've been curious to hear what a mini hum neck would be like in a tele - that's what my friend Pete uses, and I trust his judgement (actually, he uses a Firebird pickup)

Mine is actually a Minihumbucker Les Paul Deluxe style. They used to call them Epiphone style. They came about when Gibson, in 1969, were making the Les Paul Pro. That LP had P-90's. The ran out of P-90's on a production run. They still had to complete the guitars though. Someone went over and got an Epiphone minihumbucker. Gibson owned Epiphone. They took a cream P-90 cover and routed it so that the minihumbucker would fit down in it and they mounted the pickup in the P-90 cover and put a crew in each end. It worked and sound great!!

Thus was born the Les Paul Deluxe in 1969. Minihumbuckers are great in a Tele with the Tele bridge pickup becauase minis are a bit less output than fullsize hummers. They are sweeter and have more clarity too. Les Paul humself preferred the minis. In 1976, Gibson came out with the Firebird. Those pickups, while being minihumbuckers, are a different animal than the LP Deluxes. They're a bit hotter, brighter, and more raw-sounding.

Minis are really great in the neck position of a Telecaster.

[BS123]

Well, I think I'm going to try "Option 2" tonight but install my 4-way switch. That should be a little different...

[Kelsey]

Well, as I'm sure you know, it's a question of whether you want/need the Strat quack or more classic 2-pickup middle position Tele tone. I prefer the latter by far, so I would go with option 2 as well. I have an SM-3n and a Nocaster in one of my Teles, and they sound great alone and together. The SM-1n would be a good choice, too, but I wanted stock 4-conductor wiring to ease the match up with the Fender Nocaster bridge pickup. BTW, a Phat Cat sounds great at the neck slot of a Tele, too -- I have one paired with a JD, and it's a loud, fat and punchy setup.

[dr.barlo]

Guys I don't have ANY bridge-overpowering-the-neck issues on my tele (jd bridge and ant neck). In fact the bridge is louder. Maybe the dun-aged a2 is responsible for that huh?

B

[Falstaff]

How about a mini-hum in the middle like that guitar Chandler put out a few years back?

[BS123]

Well, I did Option-2. I have a Gibson minihumbucker (LP Deluxe style) and the Rio Grande Muy Grande bridge pickup. The Muy is okay but the JD or Nocaster just smokes it. I installed my 4-way switch too and I like the tones so far. I will replace the bridge pickup in time. As far as Strat quack from the 2 & 4 positions, I can get that with my Variax.

[Dave]

Well, FWIW, I have a 3 single tele and honestly, the business is in the bridge only, neck only and bridge/neck. I'm never using 2 and 4.


I think that mini/JD would be pretty hot stuff, Butch.

[flank]

im sure youve heard and/or seen Scotty Anderson havent you Butch?...... i just saw him tonight and he was amazing........and he has that same mini humbucker at the neck......sounded awesome

[beandip]

Skank, I listened to those clips, guy reminds me ALOT of Danny G. I wish I could play like that, but I gotta get a tele first.

[BS123]

im sure youve heard and/or seen Scotty Anderson havent you Butch?......

Yes, I have even done a couple of lessons with him. He destroyed a couple of misconceptions and preconceived ideas I had about using a thumbpick. Actually, I first got the idea of using the minihumbucker in my Tele from Brent Mason some years ago. I saw Scotty in his Hot icks video(which, BTW, is very good). I just liked the look. Another player I know did it to his 50's RI but kept the white pickguard. He also posted some clips and they were very nice. Those clips and his modded Tele put me over the edge.

Here's a pic of his....



Here are some clips he did after the mod.

Bridge Position
middle Position
Neck Position

I just really like that look. It's classic with a little custom thrown in; but still clean-looking. I'll post pics of mine after my wife has found the digital camera.