Which Tele pickup position do you play most?

[Chester P Squier]

Might be a bit off topic, but I find I can get the Claptonesque "woman tone" with my HH Tele's neck-only pickup and the overdrive channel on my amp (and playing in the vicinity of the 12 fret). On my Gretsch Electromatic 5120 I have to use both pickups (humbuckers). On my Squier Strat, I have to use the neck and middle pickups. My Tele rather surprised me.

 

[NiceTele]

My general gigging Tele is a Vintera Roadworn 50s, and I would put those pickups in every Tele- they're a surprise. We cover a lot of material in our band, and mainly Bridge for most things, Middle for rockabilly stuff, and Neck for blues material, with some added mild overdrive. Any other sounds, I pull out my Strat

 

[Fendereedo]

All, variety is the spice of life...?

 

[kinkstah]

On my "plain jane" Teles (i.e. with single coils only), it's either neck only OR bridge only, 50/50.
Now, on my go-to Tele which is equipped with a PAF humbucker in the neck, each position has (to my ears) it's own thing going on, and I use any of the 3 positions in equal amount.

 

[scooter44]

I’m surprised the bridge isn’t dominating the poll more!

for me it’s bridge 50%, neck 20%, middle 30%.

Ok for all you “bridge pickup only” players… what pedals are you using to fatten up that bridge???

 

[TunedupFlat]

Ok for all you “bridge pickup only” players… what pedals are you using to fatten up that bridge???

I would guess a way to fatten up the bridge if a person needed to could be an EQ pedal.

If a person is playing the bridge only, they can also dial in their amp for a fat sound and not have to worry about muddy neck sounds.

That said, I think most bridge players embrace the particular characteristics of the bridge pickup or change it out with one to fit their preference.

 

[Caffiend]

Once upon a time I was all about bridge pickups. Sometimes I still am, my main Strat at the moment is HxS 5way and spends most of the time on the bridge bucker. Tele though, I think I split my time fairly evenly between ends but probably with a smidge more in the middle. Hot a5 neck and 62 Custom bridge, Deluxe and tubescreamer with volume rollback to cleanup.

 

[red57strat]

I use 'em all! The bridge alone the most.

 

[DHart]

Neck and middle pretty much most of the time. Not very much use of the bridge on its own. I also tweak my Teles to open up the frequency range, so that the neck pickup can sing out the highs clean, clear and freely. I like a sparkly, rich, bright, full-bodied tone from the neck pickup. I can get that, even with a Gibson Classic '57 'bucker in the neck position. Great tone, to my ears.

 

[badscrew_projects]

Neck mostly, for both clean and drive.

 

[Sparky2]

I'm a mostly neck and middle (neck/bridge combo) player.
I find the purely bridge pickup alone to be too ice-pick bright for my tastes.

If I had to guess at the percentage of time playing in which position;

35% Neck

60% Middle

5% Bridge (and only when using high gain and distortion)

I'm gonna shut up now.

 

[Wrighty]

Whatever my start point, it’s the other one, every time!

 

[Wrighty]

My Tele was modded by a previous owner and has two volume knobs and neck HB.

I often use a blend of both. When playing lead, I will often use the neck PUP to fall back in the mix, and flip to the neck for solos.

When playing rhythm guitar I tend to use the middle and blend them since I have no tone control. I don’t play much trad country so the bridge doesn’t get used alone much when I’m playing rhythm.

When I first got the guitar I was quite confused how to use it effectively like that and planned to set it back to stock. Over time I came so see the possible benefits of this setup and I like it a lot.

I don’t get your second para?

 

[marc88]

Playing alone -Neck

Playing in the band- Bridge

Annoyed with 60 cycle hum- middle

I love the big full neck sound but it tends to disappear in the mix, in my experience anyways. The bridge cuts through perfectly. Similar habit with my amp EQ…usually have the bass pretty high balanced with the treble, that scooped fender shimmer thing when I’m noodling alone, but find that it gets to muddy in a band setting so I tend to roll back the lows in the group.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I don’t get your second para?

Probably because I’m an idiot. It should read switch to the “bridge” for solos.

 

[Wrighty]

Probably because I’m an idiot. It should read switch to the “bridge” for solos.

I should have fathomed it as a typo! FWIW, I tend to do the same, pick ups and typos!

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I should have fathomed it as a typo! FWIW, I tend to do the same, pick ups and typos!

It’s a really odd setup with two volumes and no tone. If I was actually gigging I would probably set up the neck for rhythm and the bridge for solos, but since I mostly jam playing on lead (and only in the living room), I tend set it to the middle position to blend them on the fly. That way rolling back either one will also work as a kill switch.

I bought it used and wondered how the original owner who modded it might have used it.

 

[StevieRayVogon]

Bridge position on a tele through a dirty marshall is a glorious thing

 

[Wrighty]

It’s a really odd setup with two volumes and no tone. If I was actually gigging I would probably set up the neck for rhythm and the bridge for solos, but since I mostly jam playing on lead (and only in the living room), I tend set it to the middle position to blend them on the fly. That way rolling back either one will also work as a kill switch.

I bought it used and wondered how the original owner who modded it might have used it.

Looks to be a really practical arrangement

 

[old school fender]

Mainly middle position. For more bight/attack, I pick more towards the bridge: for more warmth/mellow, I pick more towards the neck. Kinda' the best of both worlds.