Thoughts on the SD Mini-Humbucker?

Looking to drop one in my MIM since I can't afford a Hot Rod tele. Also, where can I find a tortoiseshell pickguard the correct size?

The Seymour Duncan SM-1n mini humbucker will be out of phase with your Fender bridge pickup. The bridge pu in the Hotrod 52 is reverse polarity (but not reverse wind) to the standard Fender bridge pickup to accomodate the SD SM-1n.

To put your bridge pu in phase you will need to reverse the bridge pu wires running to the switch and the back of a pot. I am assuming here that the pu in your MIM tele has no metal baseplate and that there is a separate ground wire to the bridge itself.

Does that mean it wouldn't work at all?

This pickup has a very unique sound.

It has tons of midrange and has the tightest sound akin to an EMG 81 in the neck position but not quite as much output. The midrange comes from this being a humbucker and the tightness comes from it's smaller footprint. It has a percussive attack but not as sharp as a single coil. It's not a smooth, warm pickup like the P90 but does have some of the same tones as a P90's bridge pickup distorted. Unlike a P90 in the neck with distortion, the mini humbuckers (most makers) has great note definition usually found only in the bridge pup or with a really high gain active pickup and is imho a better pickup. Why the mini is not anywhere as popular is probably because most makers went with full sized humbuckers or P90s, but rarely with mini humbuckers. This pickup is an undiscovered gem.

That being said, it's not the best pickup for clean rhythm or jazz but then again the stock tele pickup in most teles is just that but not a rock and roll burner.

The SD neck pup in the neck is about as opposite as the traditional neck tele pickup as you can get without getting an active, full sized ceramic magnet humbucker. This is a rock and roll monster and even the model 1 is a kick butt metal pickup.

Also, probably the closest clean tone is to that of a Rickenbacker and could jangle well when played as a pair. I don't really like it alone when clean though unless it's in the bridge position. Get a full sized humbucker if you want to equally have a great tone clean and distorted in the neck position. I am gassing right now for an Epi Sorrento because of that perfect '60s jangle with the mini-humbuckers. Two full sized humbuckers clean can get a little too big for me and lose clean definition against other instruments.

No, it will work fine--just follow his directions.

It's an INCREDIBLE pickup, by the way--you won't be sorry.

Great Pickup - and works perfectly in my modded Nashville - but yep had to reverse wire the Fralin bridge to work (but with the strat pickup). Not the jazziest sound -but for everything else - I love it.

Guitarfetish will have the pickguard...