Stratocaster toned Telecaster neck pickup

Stratocaster toned Telecaster neck pickup

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Telecaster neck pickups are much darker than any other pickup due to the fact they weren't designed to be used for guitar work. When Leo (Fender) designed the Telecaster neck pickup, he intended it to act as an imitation bass tone.

Nowadays we use it for guitar work, but it can quickly become muddy. Some people use Teles because they love the contrast between a dark neck and a bright bridge. Some would like the neck darkness tamed. These pickups are for the latter group of people.

Telecaster neck pickups are dark due to the use of a small winding area, requiring thinner wire to be used, in addition to being covered. If we use longer alnico rods to increase the winding area to that of a Stratocaster single coil and remove the cover, we can get a Stratocaster single coil tone. There will also be a significant shift towards that tone if you opt for a covered version, but it'll retain some of the Telecaster neck pickup characteristics.

Most winders would create one 'bright' Telecaster neck pickup and call it a day, expecting one size to fit all. we've designed many Stratocaster neck pickups, so why wouldn't we utilise them all? 

These pickups are 20mm tall, higher than a typical Telecaster neck pickup, so ensure your pickup cavities are deep enough!

For information about the individual models available, please read the corresponding Stratocaster pickup page at https://www.alegree.co.uk/collections/stratocaster-single-coil-pickups

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F
Funkfingers
Texan Hailstorm in Telecaster format

My most recent purchase - and new favourite Alegree pickup - is the Texan Hailstorm in Telecaster neck position pickup format.

This is installed in a 2006 Squier Standard series Telecaster via a Freeway 3B3 six-position selector switch.

As expected, the Texan Hailstorm model is louder and sounds fatter than its Frigid Haze equivalent. Fat enough that the host guitar was spared being routed to accept a bright humbucker or a Filter'Tron clone.

F
Funkfingers
Just What I Needed

I chose the “Frigid Haze” version of this pickup.

As a hybrid picking style player, I sought vintage output level Stratocaster neck position pickup tones and dynamic response … or something quite like it.

After testing the FHTN pickup in two different host guitars, I can report that it sounds more “Stratty” with steel bridge saddles than the traditional brass rod type.

The warranty card with my pickup says that the chromed cover is brass. If your bridge saddles are brass, I suggest that you order either a cover made from nickel silver or no cover at all.

Mention of the metal cover brings me to my only negative criticism of this pickup. Anyone planning a control circuit with phase reversal or series/parallel coil interconnection switching will require three conductors - coil start, coil finish and cover ground.

I agree with Henrytwang about the suitability of the FHTN pickup for smooth-yet-clear Blues/Jazz tones and playing dynamic control over valve amplification running into saturation. From flicky Mayfield/Hendrix rhythm guitar to searing lead. It’s all at your fingertips. IMHO, it would be possible to play an entire set on just the FHTN pickup.

My set-up and evaluation of the FHTN pickup was performed with reference to three American T style guitars - one with a Fender Twisted Tele neck pickup - and something with Firebird pickups.

HTH

H
Henrytwang
Outstanding

If you’re one of those people who find the standard neck position pickup in your Tele lacking something then try one of these. In the past I’ve swapped out the neck pickups in my Telecasters for the Fender Twisted Tele ones or Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders but I’ve just put one of these Frigid Haze neck pickups in my custom built swamp ash body Tele and it sounds great. A very clear sounding pickup which brings out the natural tone of the guitar, it balances well with the Seymour Duncan Broadcaster pickup I have in the bridge. It’s given this already nice guitar a whole new dimension, great for smooth blues and articulate chords , it also works well with fuzz and distortion pedals.