Humbucker for Tele neck position?

[Bach5G]

I’m thinking about SD Jazz or ‘59. Maybe a Seth Lover.

Neck position in a MIM Tele.

I’m interested in a basic humbucker, nothing too expensive. The SD Jazz can be ordered with Fender string spacing.

Any advice or suggestions?

[Jimmy Mack]

Another one?

There are many many threads on this subject here. It's probably the most popular question.

I don't mean to be a mean "old man". Your search is VERY popular.

Good luck on your search, you will probably get a hundred diff. suggestions. But, to make up for my intolerance, get a SD SLover or a '59. Both great.

[chris32895]

My go to is a Seymour Duncan '59 w/ an Alnico 2 replacing the Alnico 5. Awesome pickup. In specs it's super similar to a Seth Lover, though, that way

[Bach5G]

I just wanted to keep it fairly narrow. SDs aren’t boutique expensive and easy to come by. Sounds like either would work.

[chris32895]

A Gibson '57 is also a solid choice but I don't have direct experience with one

[jim777]

Fender string spacing is really for guitars with tremolos, and it really only affects the look of the pickup in relation to the strings, not the sound of the pickup. I'm guessing you are looking for a side by side dual coil humbucker, not a single coil sized stacked humbucker?

[st.bede]

I am going to be that person… assuming the your tele has the HB route, there is always the P90 in HB size. I have enjoyed the SD Phatcat.

I personally have not bonded with SD Jazz, 59, or Pearly Gates. This has lead me to typically think about DiMarzio PUs for HBs, when I am not wanting to spend boutique prices. I tend to like those better.

If you have ever played higher end MusicMann guitars, you have probably played a DiMarzio PU.

Like SDs, you can buy used DiMarzio PU for a good deal.

[kevmoga]

I picked up a K-line tele a couple of years ago that came with a Lollar El Rayo humbucker in the neck. Low output humbucker with great note clarity and somewhat single coil sound. Just another data point to consider, but I’m really happy with it.

[va3ux]

My go to is a Seymour Duncan '59 w/ an Alnico 2 replacing the Alnico 5. Awesome pickup. In specs it's super similar to a Seth Lover, though, that way

I had a Tele with a Duncan 59 and it was definitely a good sounding combination.

[ThatRhythmMan]

I’ll second the Gibson 57 Classic. I think it’s one of the best pickup La they’ve ever made. I’ve never played any SD I thought was on par with it.


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[jads57]

So while a regular humbucker sounds just fine, I’ve found the Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini Humbucker a better fit with the bridge pickup. I also opted for the Bridge Mini Humbucker which is a bit darker, Jazz tonality.

[jazzgtrl4]

I just put a Lindy Fralin Unbucker in my sadowsky T-style cause the tone pot has a push/pull to spilt the coils. sounds great but its int he boutique territory.

[Bop Head]

I bought a Yamaha Pacifica 120SD tele with Häussel humbuckers already built in (exchanged for original ones). People tell me I have a good sound on that gutar so I decided to leave them in there instead of exchanging them for humbucker sized Charlie Christian blades. They can be split as well which comes handy for funk rhythm.

I forgot which models they are*) -- if s/o is interested I can look at their bottoms the next time I change strings.

*) probably Vintage N A2 Neck and Vintage N B A5 bridge. I think if they were from the more expensive Humbucker 1959 series I would not have got the guitar that cheap.

[Gladders]

My Eastman has a Bareknuckles Stormy Monday in the neck. It sounds great.

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[Bop Head]

Has anybody tried Roswell Humbuckers? Those are only about a quarter of the price of my Häussels.

Humbucker fur E-Gitarre im MUSIC STORE kaufen | MUSIC STORE professional

II had considered their humbucker sized Charlie Christian P/Us of which i had read good things.

[Average Joe]

I've had covered SD 59s in sundry fenders. IMHO they work a charm in that application.

[Oscar67]

I think there’s another angle. Is your Tele bright or dark sounding, acoustically? Do you use a bright or dark sounding amp? Pick or fingers? Flats or rounds? Do you prefer some hair on your tone or is it pristine clean? Are you going for a Kenny Burrell kind of tube sound or a Jazz Chorus sound or a Polytone sound?

Basically what I’m trying to say is this: define for yourself how you’d like your Tele to sound after the change, compared to how it sounds now. Then find a pickup that will do that. Some humbuckers are known to be rather bright, some not. Manufacturers frequently offer sound clips on their websites. It’s a bit of work but it will greatly improve your chance of finding a pickup that you love.

[Cunamara]

I am partial to Bill Lawrence/wildepickups.com. Neutral sounding and very tailorable with pot, cap and resistor choices. The L90 is a great pickup IME.

I also have had excellent results with Pete Biltoft/vintagevibeguitars.com. He made a floating humbucker sized Charlie Christian pickup for me for my archtop, which sounded beautiful but in my old house with bad wiring was too noisy. Now I have a custom floating humbucker, which sounds wonderful on that guitar. His H540 humbucker comes with replaceable magnets, you can get A2 and A5 alnico magnets and see which ones get you closer to the sound you're looking for.

[AllanAllen]

I didn’t like the Seth Lover I had. Whatever cheapo is in my Korean ASAT Tribute sounded better. The Seth Lover was bright but not present and also bassy but not punchy.

Overall it wasn’t a P90 which is what I like. So, grain of salt and all that.

[jim232777]

I just put a Lindy Fralin Unbucker in my sadowsky T-style cause the tone pot has a push/pull to spilt the coils. sounds great but its int he boutique territory.

Have one of these I absolutely love, bit I'll do the obligatory reminder to the OP on matching output. When I bought my Unbucker, Lindy recommended a slightly higher output bridge pickup, and using a 500K pot that matched both. (I chose the Fralin Blues output Split Blade, which is also awesome.) As said, not really cheap, especially if you buy a bridge pickup to go with it.

Some of the other humbuckers mentioned may pair better with a vintage output bridge.

[Woodstove]

Have one of these I absolutely love, bit I'll do the obligatory reminder to the OP on matching output. When I bought my Unbucker, Lindy recommended a slightly higher output bridge pickup, and using a 500K pot that matched both. (I chose the Fralin Blues output Split Blade, which is also awesome.) As said, not really cheap, especially if you buy a bridge pickup to go with it.

Some of the other humbuckers mentioned may pair better with a vintage output bridge.

I have a partcaster thinline that came with a Fralin minihumbucker in the neck. Don't know about the pot, it sounds great.

[Hammertone]

...The SD Jazz can be ordered with Fender string spacing
Any advice or suggestions?

Fender spacing is relevant for bridge humbuckers, not relevant for neck humbuckers.

[st.bede]

Bill Lawrence PUs are priced competitively. The real Lawrence PUs are under the name Wilde PUs.

Bill Lawrence Pickups – Bill and Becky Wilde Pickups

I have a set of 500 in a guitar. They sound great.

[entresz]

I have a 1970's Gibson T Top in the neck position of my MIJ Tele. It's not a dark sounding humbucker, has a fairly low output and is not potted. It matches well volume-wise with the SD Broadcaster I have in the bridge position. Pretty much any lower output humbucker would sound good in a Telecaster.

[JazzDaddyD]

I just installed an older Bartolini humbucker in the neck position of a parts caster, and I am just knocked out. I had to fiddle with the bass vs treble height, but have got things balanced now and it just sounds fabulous. TI flats 13-56. No name neck and body. Dark and mysterious, especially when I play wrong notes.