The Klien Tri-State pickup look interesting.

[Deep South]

Triple tapped pickup.
Version 1: Version 2:
Outputs: Outputs:
Tap 1: 4.3k Tap 1: 5.2k
Tap 2: 6.3k Tap 2: 6.7k
Tap 3: 7.9k Tap 3: 8.3k


This would be like getting three pickups for the price of one right?
Seems like a cool idea.

Version 2. Triple tapped pickup. The pickup starts with Large Diameter .197 Alnico 3 flush mount, 42ga Plain Enamel. The first tap is wound to 5.2k a 50's low wind for the ultimate pure country tone. The second tap lends to a mid 60's output at 6.7k. The third tap winds to 8.3k which is a slightly overwound Esquire and lies closer to a Nocaster bridge output. This pickup is a perfect for all esquires. Wax potted to avoid unwanted microphonics.

If you get tired of your sound just change taps. I might have to try one of these. I wonder if one could wire a switch to change taps on the fly? hmmm

[Teleterr]

I got a, 1 of, Tele bridge from ebay, made for some Seatle music store.Like above the Full and Tap are voicings rather than normal/overwound. Its 5.7, 6.4. Sort of '50s, '60s tones. I use it as a neck p/up in a HB route on my hardtail Strat.The voicings taps, rather than a hot for overdrive is a much better tapping idea and long overdue.

[JCollins]

I have a Klein Tri-State, version 2, in my Esquired clone. The three-way switch simply selects the tap. The volume and tone are always active.

I love this pickup, in this guitar. The differences between the three taps are subtle, but they do become more pronounced when different effects are used. If I were to plug straight into a blackface style of amp, the three different sounds are very similar. However, if I add compression, the tones become more distinct. When I add OD/distortion, the three sounds can become more distinct, as well. Don't expect this pickup to sound like three different guitars. Instead, think of it as three different shades of the same guitar.

I liked this pickup so much that I had Klein make a two-tap version, using the full and middle taps. That pickup, along with Klein's neck pickup, are in my other Tele. That sports a five-way switch, giving me: tapped bridge, tapped bridge+neck, neck, full-bridge+neck, and full bridge. The two parallel sounds, in this guitar, are distinct.

[Teleterr]

Mine is pretty well done. It sounds as different as say, switching out a Fat 50 for a '69.Like 2 different p/ups.

[Deep South]

I have a Klein Tri-State, version 2, in my Esquired clone. The three-way switch simply selects the tap. The volume and tone are always active.

Ahh! I was wondering how that would work. Might be a problem in my next build since I will be going with a three pcikup Nashville setup.

[JCollins]

You could add a mini-toggle switch to your design. That could be used to select one of two taps for the bridge pickup. In order to be able to select any one of the three taps, in such a build, you would need a mini-toggle in either DPTT or SPTT configuration. I have been unable to find one of those. (A DPDT switch, in ON-ON-ON configuration will not do what you want.)

If you were going to try a mini-toggle, I'd suggest using it to switch between the first and third taps. The difference between those sounds is greater than the difference between either the first and second, or the second and third.

[D.Allen]

I worked on one for the last 8 months and found that if I had the values to close there was not enough difference coming out the amp to make it usable. I ended up with 5.3, 7.8 and 10k with alnico 5's and 42 ga wire. I tried using 43 on the last tap and it seemed to get a bit dark.
I will have them out next month.