Why do only some Tele's come with a HB route in the neck position?

[Night Prowler]

It would seem to me that ALL Tele's should have a humbucker route in the neck position. I mean its not like you can't still have a single coil pup mounted in the humbucker route. But if you want to install a HB pup and your Tele doesn't have the route for it, then you're SOL unless you want to go at it yourself with routing the body. So is there a specific reason why only some Tele's have a HB route?

[Finnlozada]

If it was routed for humbuckers all the time, the neck PU would have to be screwed into the pickguard or it would fall in & many prefer their teles without those screws .. i assume .

[androo]

Originally Posted by Finnlozada

If it was routed for humbuckers all the time, the neck PU would have to be screwed into the pickguard or it would fall in & many prefer their teles without those screws .. i assume .

Nope. Humbucker routed Teles most certainly do not require pickguard mounted neck pickups. They mount the same as a non-routed neck pup, just in the bigger route.

I'd guess it was because the original design was for single coils, and the HB route came along as a modification, most likely just like the OP said, folks went at it themselves. And then Fender followed the advice of the players. That's my guess.

[Night Prowler]

I'm wondering if it would affect the sound at all by installing a single coil pup in the neck position that has a humbucker route.
I can't imagine it would but perhaps I'm wrong. If not then I really can't understand why all modern Teles don't come with a HB route in the neck position.

[Bartholomew3]

I just put back my 68 tele pickups. It was cut for a humbucker way back and I had a D'Imarzio PAF put in.

The original neck pickup screws right down into the wood, I even kept the original screws and I don't think enlarging the cavity made any difference to the sound.

If it did I can't hear it.

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by Night Prowler

It would seem to me that ALL Tele's should have a humbucker route in the neck position. I mean its not like you can't still have a single coil pup mounted in the humbucker route. But if you want to install a HB pup and your Tele doesn't have the route for it, then you're SOL unless you want to go at it yourself with routing the body. So is there a specific reason why only some Tele's have a HB route?

Why stop there?

Hands up all those who want a swimming pool route so they can mount anything, anywhere.

No-one?

Typically, vintage style Teles don't have the HB route simply because the guitars they are based on didn't have an HB route: Classic 50's, 60's US RIs, etc.

[5am5]

if you did that, it would remove choice and mean that you couldn't remove the pickguard and have yourself a cool guitar like this

[tele-bastard]

Mexican Telecasters are routed for humbuckers... American Telecasters are not.

[stilesg57]

Originally Posted by tele-bastard

Mexican Telecasters are routed for humbuckers... American Telecasters are not.

Not exactly.

Actually it depends on model, not place of manufacture.

My Baja is MIM but has a standard single-coil route in the neck position. My MIA American Standard, however, has a humbucker route in the neck and a single-coil route in the middle:

[free2rock]

What's the extra hole for?

[Scotty 2]

Originally Posted by free2rock

What's the extra hole for?

The x-tra hole is to keep your picks and your tips in

[chezdeluxe]

And guess what? The humbucker rout in my 2008 American Standard is too shallow to fit a Gibson Classic 57.

[dconeill]

Originally Posted by tele-bastard

Mexican Telecasters are routed for humbuckers... American Telecasters are not.

This happens not to be the case. The American Deluxe and American Standard Teles, at least, are routed for a humbucker at the neck and for a single Strat-type pickup in the middle, along with the usual Tele pickup at the bridge.

[waparker4]

What bodies are routed for a single coil currently that aren't reissues or vintage-styled (classic player series)?

Mex Std., Am Std., Am Del., Am Special all HB routed.


I don't personally care, unless I plan to do a HB build, or I plan to go no-pickguard.

[pondcaster]

FWIW, both my CVC and my CV50 BSB have HB routes in neck position... none of my old MIMs or MIAs ever did.

[StratBluesRock]

Because some people like to burn in hell

[73Telecaster]

Originally Posted by free2rock

What's the extra hole for?

Its a ceremonial spirit box. You put your weed in here!

[Fresh]

It is for ease of manufacturing, if you work at fender you
1. Pick up a body
2. Pick up a loaded pick guard
3. Insert pick guard into body.
4. Move guitar along the assembly line
5. Start process all over again.
It does not matter, the body or the loaded pick guard they fit. Of course, this is just an educated guess on my part. Nevertheless, if you ask me I am right again as usual :) LOL

[telex76]

If I don't have a Humbucker, then I don't want a humbucker route.
I sure don't want a swimming pool route.

I cut my own pup route for the humbucker in my Nocaster. No problem.

[Lenderman_k]

I have been wondering this for awhile now. Especially since the other day when I discovered my AM STD has the HB route.