Blown away by a 9 dollar pickup

Darrell · July 29th, 2003, 04:32 PM

Ok, I have two tele's. One a poplar body with a SD Hot Rythym in the neck (runs about 9.5 DC). The other is a alder body tele with a stock pick up from a MIM standard tele.

Why is the stock MIM pickup darker, woodier, and bigger sounding, almost humbucker'esc (I am not say more powerful) than the SD pickup, which I would imagine has many more winds. And we are not talking a little bit of a difference, but a really big difference.

Is it the wood of the guitar or are these MIM stock pickups wound up a lot more that I am led to beleive. Any clarification would help.

Is it possible that the best neck pick up that I own is a 9 dollar MIM standard? I wish someone would have beat me over the head with that news a few years ago...I could have saved some cash.

I am still hanging on to the SD...it's not bad, just brighter and less smooth. Besides I really like the other SD pu's that I have. And I like the company.

Mark Davis · July 29th, 2003, 05:22 PM

I bought 5 different expensive boutique neck pickups before I realized the stock neck pickup in my 50's Classic MIM Tele sounded better than all of them.

rebelern · July 29th, 2003, 06:38 PM

I Agree,about that MIM Stock Neck Pickup, I was told, it's
fitted to the Classic 50's/60's/& 69 Thinline,and now it's Stock,on the MIA/Highway-1, Which I Bought recently, and so far, I'm Really Pleased with the Sound/Tone, and the Bridge Pickup's, good also,and it was Stock on
the MIM/50&60's, but not the 69 Thinline.

Ernie.

Darrell · July 29th, 2003, 06:54 PM

To get the same sweet darkness, that is in the humbucker range...

MIM stock w/ tone all the way UP =
SD HOT neck pu, with the tone turned all the way DOWN.

That is REEL dark.

This makes a wonderful jazzy thing WITH range, because it will get a lot darker. Jazz, western swing, perfect.

maxvintage · July 31st, 2003, 11:09 AM

A: What a pickup sounds like depends a lot on the guitar it's in

B: pickups represent the cutting edge technology of about 1928--some magnets and some wire. No reason why a cheap pickp can't be great (see point A)

Darrell · July 31st, 2003, 12:54 PM

If you have an alder tele...try just the plain ole MIM neck. Sure, it doesn't sound like much at room volume, but just add a little more volume, some magical stuff starts to happen. You probably won't be able to put the guitar down after that.

I played with it for about 2 hours last night. It is truly special.

You are probably thinking, why didn't leave the other pickup in the guitar (AS neck). I had put a new SD Bridge in the guitar. For them to work together, I had to cut the ground on a neck pickup. I didn't want to cut the AS neck incase I wanted to put it back in with a Fender wind. Besides, there was something special about the darkness that caused me to experiment by putting this pu in.

I am glad I did.

MRK · July 31st, 2003, 02:36 PM

I'm new to replacing pickups. Darrell, what do you mean you have to cut the ground on the neck pickup? Does all SD bridge pups require that?

Thanks.

Jef · July 31st, 2003, 02:52 PM

The neg. wire of tele pickups is grounded to the elevator plate on the bridge pickup / resp. the cover of the neck pickup. SD pickups happen to be out of phase with stock Fender pickups. This problem only occurs when combining both brands on the same guitar and can easily be solved by reversing the wires, BUT, you'll have to cut the ground and connect it to the other wire or run a separate ground wire.
By the way, I really like the Tex Mex neck pickup that came stock with my MIM Nashville.

Jef

Scotland · July 31st, 2003, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

I bought 5 different expensive boutique neck pickups before I realized the stock neck pickup in my 50's Classic MIM Tele sounded better than all of them.

Best neck pickup around in my opinion. Do they sell them on their own?

Darrell · July 31st, 2003, 02:55 PM

are wound the opposite of Fender, and other mfg'ers. So if you use one of these IFender or other mfg) with an SD, you will have to cut the ground, and use the black wire as the power wire for them to work together properly.

I didn't want to cut the my AS neck pu because I may replace it in the guitar with another Fender one day (thinking it was the better pu). So I took the little cheapy MIM stock neck pup I had in the drawer and cut the ground on it, ran the black wire to power, so it would work with the SD bridge pu that I bought. Lucky for me, I have a neck pu that is far better than I expected.

MRK · July 31st, 2003, 03:20 PM

Thanks for the explanation but I still don't get it. . .I need some advice.

I recently ordered a SD Broadcaster bridge and DiMarzio Twang King neck pickups. So in order to get them to work together, I have to connect the SD's black wire to the 3-way selector switch and solder the other wire to the pot?

Thanks.

Darrell · July 31st, 2003, 03:56 PM

Lets say you wire the two up straight out of the box. When you put the switch in the mid position, they will be out of phase. Which means when you raise the volume, in the two position, the guitar won't get any louder, because one pickup is going to cancel the other out.

To fix this, one of the two pickups will have to be modified. I usually modify the neck pu. To do that you have to cut the little ground wire on the back of the pickup. Then run the black to hot and white to ground (backwards). Then the two will work right in the mid position.

stantheman · August 3rd, 2003, 12:50 PM

In my '58 I've got Lindy Rewinds and they're amazing,
haunting with a brass slide. In my Classic 50's MIM the
pickups are close.....very close.....very. Let's face a reality here the "real stuff" for the most part was made
by Mexicans, (that "TG" on the neck don't mean "Tim Gilhooley") So it only stands to reason that the folks
South Of The Border are on a mission to show the world
they got what it takes to build more than a merely good guitar- yep these people are making their stuff with Soul.
Two weeks after I brought home my MIM I had a chance to get a Mary Kay for 10% over cost (great deal),
I passed.

lewis · August 4th, 2003, 02:49 PM

...just kills the std. bridge p/u in my MIA '62ri.

July 29th, 2003, 04:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	Blown away by a 9 dollar pickup Ok, I have two tele's. One a poplar body with a SD Hot Rythym in the neck (runs about 9.5 DC). The other is a alder body tele with a stock pick up from a MIM standard tele. Why is the stock MIM pickup darker, woodier, and bigger sounding, almost humbucker'esc (I am not say more powerful) than the SD pickup, which I would imagine has many more winds. And we are not talking a little bit of a difference, but a really big difference. Is it the wood of the guitar or are these MIM stock pickups wound up a lot more that I am led to beleive. Any clarification would help. Is it possible that the best neck pick up that I own is a 9 dollar MIM standard? I wish someone would have beat me over the head with that news a few years ago...I could have saved some cash. I am still hanging on to the SD...it's not bad, just brighter and less smooth. Besides I really like the other SD pu's that I have. And I like the company. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 29th, 2003, 06:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	This is how dark it is To get the same sweet darkness, that is in the humbucker range... MIM stock w/ tone all the way UP = SD HOT neck pu, with the tone turned all the way DOWN. That is REEL dark. This makes a wonderful jazzy thing WITH range, because it will get a lot darker. Jazz, western swing, perfect. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 31st, 2003, 12:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	Well If you have an alder tele...try just the plain ole MIM neck. Sure, it doesn't sound like much at room volume, but just add a little more volume, some magical stuff starts to happen. You probably won't be able to put the guitar down after that. I played with it for about 2 hours last night. It is truly special. You are probably thinking, why didn't leave the other pickup in the guitar (AS neck). I had put a new SD Bridge in the guitar. For them to work together, I had to cut the ground on a neck pickup. I didn't want to cut the AS neck incase I wanted to put it back in with a Fender wind. Besides, there was something special about the darkness that caused me to experiment by putting this pu in. I am glad I did. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 31st, 2003, 02:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	All SD's are wound the opposite of Fender, and other mfg'ers. So if you use one of these IFender or other mfg) with an SD, you will have to cut the ground, and use the black wire as the power wire for them to work together properly. I didn't want to cut the my AS neck pu because I may replace it in the guitar with another Fender one day (thinking it was the better pu). So I took the little cheapy MIM stock neck pup I had in the drawer and cut the ground on it, ran the black wire to power, so it would work with the SD bridge pu that I bought. Lucky for me, I have a neck pu that is far better than I expected. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 31st, 2003, 03:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,450	Ok.. Lets say you wire the two up straight out of the box. When you put the switch in the mid position, they will be out of phase. Which means when you raise the volume, in the two position, the guitar won't get any louder, because one pickup is going to cancel the other out. To fix this, one of the two pickups will have to be modified. I usually modify the neck pu. To do that you have to cut the little ground wire on the back of the pickup. Then run the black to hot and white to ground (backwards). Then the two will work right in the mid position. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 29th, 2003, 05:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 57 Posts: 12,258	I bought 5 different expensive boutique neck pickups before I realized the stock neck pickup in my 50's Classic MIM Tele sounded better than all of them.

July 29th, 2003, 06:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
rebelern Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Swampyville, Australia. Posts: 896	I Agree,about that MIM Stock Neck Pickup, I was told, it's fitted to the Classic 50's/60's/& 69 Thinline,and now it's Stock,on the MIA/Highway-1, Which I Bought recently, and so far, I'm Really Pleased with the Sound/Tone, and the Bridge Pickup's, good also,and it was Stock on the MIM/50&60's, but not the 69 Thinline. Ernie.

July 31st, 2003, 11:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
maxvintage Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 49 Posts: 427	A: What a pickup sounds like depends a lot on the guitar it's in B: pickups represent the cutting edge technology of about 1928--some magnets and some wire. No reason why a cheap pickp can't be great (see point A)

July 31st, 2003, 02:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
MRK TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New York City Posts: 60	I'm new to replacing pickups. Darrell, what do you mean you have to cut the ground on the neck pickup? Does all SD bridge pups require that? Thanks.

July 31st, 2003, 02:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jef Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Antwerp, Belgium Posts: 670 1 Photos	The neg. wire of tele pickups is grounded to the elevator plate on the bridge pickup / resp. the cover of the neck pickup. SD pickups happen to be out of phase with stock Fender pickups. This problem only occurs when combining both brands on the same guitar and can easily be solved by reversing the wires, BUT, you'll have to cut the ground and connect it to the other wire or run a separate ground wire. By the way, I really like the Tex Mex neck pickup that came stock with my MIM Nashville. Jef

July 31st, 2003, 03:20 PM	#11 (permalink)
MRK TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New York City Posts: 60	Thanks for the explanation but I still don't get it. . .I need some advice. I recently ordered a SD Broadcaster bridge and DiMarzio Twang King neck pickups. So in order to get them to work together, I have to connect the SD's black wire to the 3-way selector switch and solder the other wire to the pot? Thanks.

August 3rd, 2003, 12:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
stantheman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 4,829	Cheapos... In my '58 I've got Lindy Rewinds and they're amazing, haunting with a brass slide. In my Classic 50's MIM the pickups are close.....very close.....very. Let's face a reality here the "real stuff" for the most part was made by Mexicans, (that "TG" on the neck don't mean "Tim Gilhooley") So it only stands to reason that the folks South Of The Border are on a mission to show the world they got what it takes to build more than a merely good guitar- yep these people are making their stuff with Soul. Two weeks after I brought home my MIM I had a chance to get a Mary Kay for 10% over cost (great deal), I passed. __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime

August 4th, 2003, 02:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
lewis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,764 23 Photos	A Fernandes bridge p/u... ...just kills the std. bridge p/u in my MIA '62ri.