Neck Pickup for Fat Sounding Tele...P90/Mini Hum?

[Falstaff]

It's kind of a long story, but I recently picked up a new Tele (<----) and now I have two. The new one is so freakin' pretty that I don't want to mod it (other than another set of traditional Tele pu's in it after a while if I deem it necessary). So that leaves me with a Tokai 62 Tele (RW board, unknown body material) that currently has two Strat pu and a Tele pu in it. I have a Strat so I don't need the three-pu thing in this one anymore and have been considering using this one for fatter sounds. I'll put some sort of Broadcaster or 50's type pu in the bridge and I would like to put some sort of non-trad pickup in the neck, perhaps either a P90 or Mini-humbucker. Has anyone done this? It's already routed for a strat PU, so I would probably not be too interested in a traditional Tele neck PU.

Thanks.

[Lewguitar]

How about a neck and middle Texas Hot or APS-2 and a Jerry Donahue bridge pickup?

That'd make it just like the Jerry Donahue Tele.

Or: a neck and middle Texas Hot or APS-2 and ask MJ to make you a Tapped Tele bridge pickup like Curly and I have that lets you switch from a vintage 6.6K output to 10K?

[Benjy_26]

I have an SM-1 Firebird style mini at the neck of my maple necked/ash bodied tele paired with a JD at the bridge and it works very well.

[dd12939]

If I remember right, Butch (BS123) has a Gibson Mini hum in the neck of his Tele and he loves it.

[Kelsey]

I have a Phat Cat neck paired with a JD bridge in one ash Tele, and a Seymourized mini-humbucker (SM-3n) neck paired with a Fender Nocaster in another one. They both sound great to me, alone and in combination with the bridge pup. The Phat Cat is louder than the mini-hum, so you need a fairly stout lead pup to go with it -- the JD can do it if you raise it close to the strings.

[Wattage]

I am just about ready to drop my new Phat Cat neck in the butnut Flaming Tele of Death. What a great pup! It currently has a 59n in it but that is moving to a different guitar, that's a great neck pup too especially a 4 wire and set it up for a split. Gives you a best of both worlds kind of deal.

[Falstaff]

Thanks, guys.

Kelsey, does the mini balance well with the Nocaster?

[FireBros.]

I second the vote for the SM-1. They're awesome.

[Scott_F]

Mmmmmm....... P90's....... Mmmmmmmm........

[Dave]

That's a beautiful Tele in your avatar!

I've long longed for a dual P-90 tele or a mini hum in the neck of a tele for those reasons. For you-I'd go w/a mini hum ala Benjy and Butch. I know they love them.

[orbiter]

here's another vote for the mini ... I prefer the sm-3n tho

[Aceman]

I have a Samick Ray Benson - as long as we're going to make a hole in it, How about a Pearly Gates? Fat, Smooth, and Sizzlin' Have Mercy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can tap it for something a little more tele-esque.

[Kelsey]

The SM-3 balances well with the Nocaster -- again I raised the Nocaster pretty close to the strings (about 5/64" on the treble side). At bedroom vols the full-sounding SM-3n seems to overpower the Nocaster, but as you increase the vol the Nocaster catches up quickly. The JD should match well, too, and the SM-1n should be similar in output to the SM-3n. I opted for the 4-conductor wiring of the SM-3n to avoid phasing problems with the Fender Nocaster lead. I think it's a great pup anyway. The tight low-end of the Nocaster fits well with the bottom-end of the SM-3n in my ash Tele.

BTW, either the mini-hums or the Phat Cat will be easier to fit than a P90, which requires a bigger body cavity, especially if you have a recent Fender body that was routed for a HB at the factory.

[Falstaff]

That's a beautiful Tele in your avatar!

I've long longed for a dual P-90 tele or a mini hum in the neck of a tele for those reasons. For you-I'd go w/a mini hum ala Benjy and Butch. I know they love them.

Thanks! It is a nice looking guitar (CIJ). I am amazed at how good it sounds stock, too; the pickups are Fender USA but I'm not sure which model. It bodes well in that I can either keep that stock or if spend the bucks on a new set I can be pretty confident that it will sound excellent.

Thanks for the info, guys...a few decisions to make!

[rhmcfarland]

Mini's have a bluesier sound. The P90 tends to be smoother. Kelsey's Phat Cat sounded really good, very open.

I'd go with the mini in the neck position.

BTW, that's a nice looking Tele! Good score!