HB or Lipstick in the Middle?

[guycalleddave]

I'm going to be performing surgery on my stock CV tele...there's space for a 3rd pick up, so why not use it?

I have the stock PUPs and a DiMarzio Air Classic HB.


Would it make more sense to install a HB at the neck position (copying the G&L ASAT Bluesboy) with the lipstick in the middle?

Or basically have a stock tele with a HB in the middle?


Opinions, Concerns, Criticism, and Encouragement welcomed.

[puremania]

Tele Neck Pickup:


Lipstick Pickup:


Fairly different sounds. Are you keeping the Tele neck pickup, or purchasing a new lipstick pickup?

Honestly, I'd like the HB on the neck with a lipstick in the middle and save the Tele neck pickup for a different project, unless you wanted to chuck it...which I wouldn't suggest

[guycalleddave]

my bad, it's a tele neck pickup. I guess I'm just too new to the Tele world to know the difference. My bad.

Originally Posted by puremania

Tele Neck Pickup:


Lipstick Pickup:


Fairly different sounds. Are you keeping the Tele neck pickup, or purchasing a new lipstick pickup?

Honestly, I'd like the HB on the neck with a lipstick in the middle and save the Tele neck pickup for a different project, unless you wanted to chuck it...which I wouldn't suggest

[puremania]

No worries!! The usual placement is to replace the current neck p'up with the HB. I've never heard a Tele neck p'up in middle placement, why not grab a new pickguard, cut it and try it? You'll want to pick up a 5-way switch to go with it, too...

[guycalleddave]

Yeah I think that makes the most sense. Now the fun part is to decide if it's worth coil tapping the humbucker. :)

Do you have any idea what kind of caps I'd want to use?

[JKjr]

I've heard a neck pickup moved back to make room for a mini, didn't like it at all. It seemed that rather than adding a bit of brightness to the warmth it just took away the warmth entirely,sounded kinda sterile. Could have just been that guitar,the idea sounds great. Good luck!

[RomanS]

Personally, I'd go for dumping both the HB and the stock neck PU, and getting two Strat pickups (and a pickguasrd that can mount them).
Sure, a Tele neck PU can sound OK - but even the best Tele neck PU will never get that iconic Strat neck PU sound that is one of the best guitar tones EVER...
And if you are adding a third PU to a Fender-ish guitar, it's a given that you're looking for Strat-y position 2 & 4 quack tones - and neither of your two options will give you that.
I have to admit that I'm not a fan of humbucker tones at all, though...

So, as I said, get two Strat pickups (and a fitting pickguard), and go for a switching scheme that gives you both the Tele middle position (because there won't be a huge difference betwee using a Tele or Strat neck PU in the neck position), as well as both quack settings - that way, you get the iconic (Hendrix, SRV,...) Strat neck tone, the classic Strat quack settings (Knopfler,...), but won't lose the classic Tele middle position tone.

If you absolutley have to use only those pickups you already have, put the HB in the middle - that way, with the right kind of switching, you'll still have all three classic Tele tones, and you can use the middle HB by itself as a higher output lead/solo setting (I doubt that you'll get much quack with the HB combined with either the neck or bridge PUs, though).