Jazz Neck Split

[loudriver23]

I'm still doing some soul searching on what I should do with my Tele pickup wise. I currently have a Jazz neck and a lil59 in the bridge. I am looking to get more of a vintage tone from this beast so I decided on having Zhang wind me a PB bridge. I was going to have him wind me a set actually, but after playing it last night I'm having second thoughts on pulling out the Jazz neck. It really sounds great, not like a tele, but great.
So, my question is, if I were to leave it in, and put in a push/pull for a split, how well could I approximate a decent tele middle position tone? Would I be in the ballpark, or just merely fooling myself?
Anyone have experience with splitting one of these in a tele? How did it treat you?
Thanks

[Sanford]

I don't really know about the Jazz in split mode, but if it doesn't do it for you then try parallel. From what I understand the Jazz is quite a workhorse of a pickup, versatile. Perhaps splitting it in conjunction with the Lil 59 would be a good option as well.

[hanumanlangur]

I've split and run the Jazz in parallel, and I think the parallel tones are worlds better than the split tones. When it's split, the tones are far too bassy and unclear for my tastes. But when it's in parallel, it can get some really beautiful glassy tones, that seem almost as strong as when it is in full humbucking mode. I very highly recommend parallel with the Jazz neck. In fact, if I had a guitar that came with a Jazz neck, I'd actually consider simply wiring it so it's just in parallel.

[Jocelyn]

The Jazz in MY SA120 is wired to switch from Full Humbucking to Parallel to split with the JB split. I find all 3 tones with the Jazz involved usefull . I recommned hanumanlangur's suggestion of running it Parallel.. It gives a nice clear tone. By the way I love the split tone along with the JB split too.

[CenterStaqeSilver]

I wouldn't use a Lil 59. I've got a frankencaster, made it 100% myself as a hybrid design blending an SG with a Telecaster. I like the power and SG playability with the open music feel of Tele single coil tones, and wanted to tone down some of the piercing Tele glass twang on the bridge.

I use a Jazz (7.7k) in the neck position and a Lace Holy Grail 1500 (11K+) in the bridge. I have my own drill, I'll do anything I want, ha ha.

Anything other than a Little 59 (the Tele version is 17K resistance! ceramic magnet, yeuckk!) will require careful matching of output, magnet, tone and you might consider the Tele Alnico II Pro for the neck and bridge by just getting rid of the Jazz if you can't get that match?

I'm thinking that the Jazz is currently giving you great clean tones and the Lil 59 is perhaps losing half the highs, so the top end is lost like you were using a low pass filter around 6000 hz?

[KeeperOS]

The Jazz split (particularly in a Mahogany body/neck guitar) is pure heaven!!!

if you wanna know what I mean try a Parker PM-20PRO (the one from the top of my head with the jazz in the neck and a push/pull for splitting it).

LOVE it!!!

[drew_half_empty]

it sounds awesome split IMO

[jeff90125]

I've run the Jazz pickup split. Yes, it works and it sounds great. If you are looking for a "strat-like" sound, you won't get it. I've also split the '59 and the Duncan distortion. None have given me a very strat like tone. They're not useless. They have great sounds just not the thin, quacky, twangy (or some variation of) sound I thought I would get.

I thought I knew a lot about pickups until I starting reading this forum.

[CenterStaqeSilver]

This thread is rewarding for me as I have a Jazz Neck with a Holy Grail 1500 bridge and I'm considering adding the parallel/split options via DPDT switches or possibly push/pull pots.

Here's a setup I'm switching to: two volume pots (500K for Jazz, 250K for HG), one tone, 3-way switch, one or two DPDT switches. I chose to drop the second tone as I considered the options and just didn't think those two pickups needed a second tone, with the many options two volumes would provide.