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31

Pickups / Tele suggestions?

« Last post by Iced Dragon on October 01, 2025, 07:19:01 AM »

Hi all,

I recently got a Squier Classic Vibe 50's. Pine body, maple neck. 
Overall, I'm quite happy with it for its price, stays in tune very well, and I managed to intonate it quite good. Nevertheless, I intend to upgrade it, including Gotoh In-Tune bridge/cutaway ashtray, pots, ... Machine heads can stay for now. Frets are a bit too small for my liking, but I can live with them.
It's my first ever telecaster, and never had played one before. So pickup-wise, I have no experience. The present ones are not too bad, but the neck is a bit dark and muddy (typical tele, as I understood?), and the bridge is ok, maybe a bit too bright, but could use some more edge to it.
I wanted a tele to extend the collection/sounds, and venture somewhat into country and funk (mainly to gain/expand my skills, not that I'm that much into country or funk) and have some nice cleans. I like the middle position!

So I'm looking for a set/mix that gives nice warm cleans in the neck, with good note separation, and a typical tele bridge (I'd say rather vintage than modern), but nothing harsh and not too hot (I think, I don't have a really defined idea yet since I lack experience), but it can have some edge to it/push the preamp somewhat if needed. Some twang is ok, still should sound like a tele, but mainly has to be versatile.

So, the guitar is intended for jazz, 80's pop/rock/funk (the latter maybe somewhat Prince-like?), and country. Mainly cleans, but being able to handle high gain is a benefit.

So I think I'd rather go nocaster/broadcaster type than 60's (too bright?), especially given the maple/pine combination

I originally thought of going for the Flat 50, but maybe the bridge is too hot and less suited for clean styles?
Is the Flat 52 still somewhat overwound compared to later era pickups? Or is the bridge too twangy? Are the 50 and 52 related, or entirely different beasts? Can you consider the Flat 52 still nocaster type of voicing?
What about the Yardbird set? Too much rock oriented?

Other (brands)?

I intend to mainly play them through a home-built blackface Vibro Champ/tweed amp.

Thanks.

32

Pickups / Re: What middle pickup to go with Nailbomb set?

« Last post by RobAbrams84 on September 22, 2025, 06:03:03 PM »

I've never really been fully happy with any HSH configuration, personally.  The closest was with a Suhr Modern with SSV neck, ML middle, and SSH+ bridge (the stock pickups).  Somehow, the positions 2 and 4 sounded REALLY good in that guitar, even better than a '54 AVRI Stratocaster that I had (also stock pickups), believe it or not.  So I ended up selling the Strat and keeping the Suhr Modern for a long time. 

Anyhow I might not be much help with a pickup recommendation, except that I think that you need to decide what you want the middle position to be for.  Other wiring might also play a part in what you choose, like in the in-between positions are you coil splitting the humbuckers or not?  Suhr and some other manufacturers do some wiring tricks (you can find diagrams online) where the humbucker sees a full load from the volume and tone pots, but when you switch to the single coil it sees half the load (typically you want 500k pots for humbuckers and 250k pots for single coils).  I'd suggest one of those wiring tricks whatever route you choose, maybe just look up the Suhr Modern wiring diagram as I was extremely pleased with that sound. 

I don't exactly know which single coil to recommend you, maybe a True Grit?  Personally I would get one that's a little bit hotter than a normal Strat, but that still sounds very Stratty.  I wouldn't worry about it keeping up with the Nailbombs (which are pretty high output), I would keep it for when I wanted a more traditional Strat sound and maybe step on a boost or something if I needed to worry about volume loss in a cover band situation or whatever. 

You kind of have two choices in other words: try to go high output single coil to keep up with the Nailbombs (in which case you will lose the Stratty tone), or just deal with the volume loss and keep the Stratty tone.  I prefer the second route.

33

Pickups / What middle pickup to go with Nailbomb set?

« Last post by Donatello on September 19, 2025, 10:14:05 AM »

Hi, 20 years ago I got my Ibanez JEM a set of Nailboms instead of the Dimazio Evolution that comes with the guitar. All good, but I kind of forgot the guitar (I have too many guitars?) But I picked it up during the summer and had forgot how good the Jem-neck is, and the pickups sounds great. BUT... I still got the stock middle pickup (Evolution?) and its too weak compared to the Nailbombs. 20 years ago I didn´t care about the middle pickup, but nowdays I do. I actually find the middle position to be good at beding well... "bland" in a good way, nothing special but also a good position (just the middle pickup) for almost everything being in a coverband situation, where the humbuckers might be a little "to much" at times.

So I would like a suggestion for a good single coil that can keep up with the Nailbombs. Booth in terms of volume and maby also a little bit of tone. (The stock pickup is booth to weak in volume AND in tone).

Cheers / Daniel

34

Pickups / Re: Another Pickup Suggestion Thread

« Last post by RobAbrams84 on September 18, 2025, 06:14:22 PM »

Mules or the Thornbucker 2 (it's higher output than the original).  In my opinion you really don't need higher output pickups than that unless you're doing metal.  If the Mule is too bright you can just turn the tone knob down, or change the value of cap or potentiometer.  I don't know what value pots and caps the Charvel comes with, but that's an extremely easy way to take off some top end (change a pot from 500k to 300k, or increase the capacitor value).

35

Pickups / Re: Polypaf info..Tim/Nolly

« Last post by 089Ray on September 11, 2025, 12:17:13 PM »

I’m very interested in the PolyPAF as well.. since I really enjoy my Polymath
How does it compare to the Mule?

it's actually quite different, and at the same time similar. In my experience going from the Mule to the Polypaf was a positive improvement on top end, low end tightness and overall mid fullness. If you like PAFs but also want to play 'modern' stuff on them, you're not going to be disappointed.

36

Players / Polypaf VS Mule/Black Dog VS Polypaf

« Last post by 089Ray on September 11, 2025, 12:09:03 PM »

Hello there!

Been on a bit of a pickup rabbit hole lately and ended up doing a side-by-side of the Polypaf, Polymath, and Black Dog/Mule set - all in the same guitar so it’s a fair fight.
I recorded a bunch of DI tracks (clean, crunch, high gain) and put them into a video along with my thoughts on how each set feels and sounds. It’s not just “which one is best” - more like what each one does well and where it might fit.

You can check the Polypaf review with comparison here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjoZEPRLP18

37

Pickups / Strat Tones From Silo Set With 5 Way Switch?

« Last post by BurritoConQueso on August 07, 2025, 01:44:35 AM »

I'm looking at the Silo set for my Ibanez RG1550m.  My other guitars all have active pickups and I'm looking for something more versatile that I can get strat tones out of in positions 2 and 4.  Would the Silo work for this, and what would be a good single coil pickup to pair with them in the middle position?

38

Pickups / Re: Nomad compared to flat 50 bridge

« Last post by b.gandt on June 29, 2025, 07:08:59 PM »

Having spent much time sailing on the Great Lakes (USA), I do dig a foghorn when near a reef.

 Less so coming out of my guitar.

39

Pickups / Re: Another Pickup Suggestion Thread

« Last post by b.gandt on June 29, 2025, 07:03:40 PM »

Did you solve your pickup problem?

40

Pickups / Re: Help IDing a Pickup

« Last post by ifarrer@ on June 04, 2025, 12:17:13 PM »

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try a more direct comparison with a newer NB-AL.