Drop Stock Strat Middle and Neck pickups into Tele?

[Hodgo88]

I ran my Nashville with a standard Tele 3 way, with an "on/off" for the middle pickup. In my mind it was simpler since most of my other guitars are 2 pickups so the adjustment between instruments is easier (for me). My Strat used to have a 5 way, with an 'on/off" for the bridge pickup. No series or "out of phase" wiring since I found that I just don't use them.

That’s a nice approach. The fun exercise with Nashvilles is deciding just how much Tele and how much Strat you want it to be.

I’ve often thought about putting together a Nashville Tele with a trem mounted below a cutoff Tele bridge plate, even though I don’t use trems - I just think they are part of what makes Strats feel and sound a certain way.

I could probably live with just a bridge, bridge+neck, mid+neck switching config on a 3-way if I really did away with the inessential. I rarely use the Tele neck by itself, nor the middle position on Strats.

 

[misterdontmove]

That’s a nice approach. The fun exercise with Nashvilles is deciding just how much Tele and how much Strat you want it to be.

I’ve often thought about putting together a Nashville Tele with a trem mounted below a cutoff Tele bridge plate, even though I don’t use trems - I just think they are part of what makes Strats feel and sound a certain way.

I could probably live with just a bridge, bridge+neck, mid+neck switching config on a 3-way if I really did away with the inessential. I rarely use the Tele neck by itself, nor the middle position on Strats.

Yes, I failed to mention that the middle alone is not available. I never use it anyway. And, the springs under the trem do change the feel and sound, as opposed to the string thru.

 

[Deeve]

Strat Neck & Middle w/ Tele Bridge - it works on the avatar sortacaster.
I will check for an old-school magnetic compass to see if we've got NSN or something else.
This is a helpful thread.
Peace - Deeve

 

[old wrench]

I approached your goal from the other direction - I went with a Strat with a Tele bridge pickup.

I wind my own pickups, but I followed the usual Fender conventions as far as winding direction and pickup polarity goes.

Strat neck - clockwise wind, and magnetically, the poles read south to the strings

Strat middle - counter-clockwise wind, poles north to strings

Tele bridge - clockwise wind, poles south to strings

I use the same terminology for describing the pickup pole's magnetic polarity as Fralin does - to me, it seems like an easier-to-understand way of describing a pickups polarity.

"South to strings" or "north to strings" is pretty descriptive and less likely to be misunderstood - it means the same thing as "south up" or "north up" or "south top polarity" or "north top polarity", respectively.

It means if you test a pickup that is "south to strings" with a test magnet, the north pole of the test magnet will be attracted to the top of the pickup - just remember that "opposites attract".






With the Strat neck and middle, and the Tele bridge, I get what I think are the best tones from each guitar all in one guitar.

This guitar also allowed me to use my favorite vibrato/trem, the Bigsby B16.

It sounds very good


.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Google tells me that the vintage 54s are south, south, south. That’s too bad. Pokes a hole in my plan. I might go for some Fralins because they do 50s that I believe can be customized. Just get the two I need and as long as I am confident in the polarity of my bridge pickup should be a safe bet to spend the $$ on those.

Yeah, just tell Lindy what you're doing and he'll make sure the N + M and M + B are reverse wound and reverse polarity, vis a vis the neighbor.

As for those Ohms readings, you can't really tell much of anything. Resistance that way, as a measure of the voice of a pickup, is about as useful as trying to judge the personality of someone by knowing their shoe size.

 

[JohnnyKRed]

Strat Neck & Middle w/ Tele Bridge - it works on the avatar sortacaster.
I will check for an old-school magnetic compass to see if we've got NSN or something else.
This is a helpful thread.
Peace - Deeve

I like the looks of that sortacaster! How do you find the middle and neck pickups? Similar to a Strat on the middle? Quack on the neck and middle? I don’t use my Tele neck pickup much as I don’t find the tone to be very interesting sounding to me.

 

[Deeve]

I like the looks of that sortacaster! How do you find the middle and neck pickups? Similar to a Strat on the middle? Quack on the neck and middle? I don’t use my Tele neck pickup much as I don’t find the tone to be very interesting sounding to me.

Thx - it came w/ this pup arrangement.
Initial rig was lipsticks, so I'm told. But not enough output for the previous owner.
I still wonder what it would have sounded like.
As is, it's in the standard strat layout - neck, neck+middle, middle, middle+bridge, bridge.
And, to the extent I can, yes - a bit of quack where you'd expect.
Peace - Deeve

 

[JohnnyKRed]

Hello, want to drop standard strat middle AND neck pickups into a Tele keeping the stock Tele bridge pickup and using a 5 way switch.

Would this work to keep winding directions and polarities optimal?

Telecaster is a Professional. Thinking of using 70th anniversary 54 pickups (Alnico 3). Want to encourage Jerry Garcia middle pickup and Clarence white neck pickup tones.

Also got the b-bender going.

Thanks!!

Thanks all! Update…got the pickups custom wound for me locally to mimic the 70th anniversary 54 strat middle and neck. Got the five way switch and kept the Tele bridge. Had the polarity and winding all sorted out, so I am super happy with them!! Sound great and no buzz etc.

 

[frisco slim]

Thanks all! Update…got the pickups custom wound for me locally to mimic the 70th anniversary 54 strat middle and neck. Got the five way switch and kept the Tele bridge. Had the polarity and winding all sorted out, so I am super happy with them!! Sound great and no buzz etc.

Looks great! Congratulations on sticking with it and working past all the obstacles to get just the result you wanted.