Bridge pickup suggestions?

[dgerchtele]

I have a Telecaster Custom that used to have a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickup in the bridge. I loved how it sounded in the middle position but hated how it sounded isolated. Much too mid-rangey and aggressive for my tastes.

I wanted to replace it with a bridge pickup that lent itself to clean funky stuff, so I sold the Quarter Pounder and got a standard Tele bridge pickup.

The bridge sounded pretty good (like it, don't love it) but the middle position isn't as good as it used to be.

In the interim, I got a Strat and my need for that funky sound was fully realized.

So.... my question is: Is there a bridge pickup that sort of splits the difference between the Quarter Pounder and standard Tele bridge?

 

[cyclopean]

I really like the quarter pounder in the bridge.

 

[Jakedog]

SD Hot Stack Lead. Kinda halfway between a Tele pickup, and a P90. Absolutely killer.

 

[ahiddentableau]

Why not try one of the many models that takes the standard/vintage bridge formula and then adds some turns? Cavalier's explanations are very clear and full of good info, and he lays out his offerings in ascending order of output. So I think that would be a good place to start. Plus if you're still not sure which one to go with you can call him and get advice from somebody with real experience and expertise. At some point you'll find the balance you're looking for.

 

[KeithDavies 100]

Not sure if this helps, but my guitar tech put a 5-way switch on my Tele. Usual three options, plus 2 and 4 that give 75:25 splits of the pickups, instead of the middle position's 50:50. Just takes some of the edge off the bridge pickup. (And, obviously, does something analogous with the neck pickup, though I hardly ever use that option.)

My pickups are Joe Barden's, for what that's worth, but the pickup idea should work on any set, if you wanted to slightly shift a tone?

 

[jackal]

SD "Hot for Tele" pickup should give you what you're looking for.

 

[cyclopean]

Maybe a hotter than normal set, because middle position is the average of the two pickups?

 

[ZiggyZipgun]

I have a Telecaster Custom that used to have a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickup in the bridge. I loved how it sounded in the middle position but hated how it sounded isolated. Much too mid-rangey and aggressive for my tastes.

You can order any SD pickup with an added coil tap, and wire it up so that the middle position uses the full coil, and the bridge only position uses the tap. Or use an S-1 switch to toggle between the tap and full. Either way, you could experiment with adding a small cap and/or inductor to tame it.

 

[Maggot]

Which humbucker is in the neck position. Q pickups makes a Tele Custom Keith Richards-style set with a somewhat overwound 50s-style bridge pickup. You could checkout that pridge pickup. It'd be cheap too, and it would sit between a standard Tele-style and a Quarter Pounder in terms of output, probably leaning toward the Tele-style.

 

[cyclopean]

You can order any SD pickup with an added coil tap, and wire it up so that the middle position uses the full coil, and the bridge only position uses the tap. Or use an S-1 switch to toggle between the tap and full. Either way, you could experiment with adding a small cap and/or inductor to tame it.

I wish that had been an option when i got my qp pickup.

 

[Wyatt]

I was also thinking the Seymour Duncan STL-3T Quarter Pound Tapped.

 

[Sax-son]

No problems with the Quarter Pounder here. However, sounds like you are looking for twangier bridge pickups to where the choices are unlimited. Try out the Bootstrap Palo Duro, it might just be your cup of tea and could fit the bill. Inexpensive too.