What about a Missisip Queen in the neck of my tele?

[gaex86]

What do you think guys? Is the MQ too hot? How is it on clean settings? I've heard some demos and it seems to me not muddy at all. Also with which tele bridge pickup would you pair it?
I'd like something like blackguard or a yardbird.
Give me your thoughts!
Thx

[Fourth Feline]

Hello and welcome !  :)

In contrast ( but not wholly contradictory ) to my comments on another ( Rob's ) thread, where clean Tele neck sounds were being sought, I would heartily recommend / use myself - a M.Q in  a Telecaster, as my needs for spacious are already met with other B.K.P.  My reason for 'prescribing' an M.Q to one person wanting cleans - and yet doubting it a bit in another case, is as follows :

The M.Qs are very clean, on a clean amp setting - but it is a relatively 'fat' and assertive  clean, however sweet. Pickup height adjustments can dial in a real edge to the notes.  As I once described the M.Qs : " They are not shy in the showers " .  If you want spacious detail ( finger picking perhaps ? ) The Manhattan, or Stormy Monday might be more suitable.

I used to use M.Qs in a semi- hollows 335 type copy, and in that situation, they were gorgeous !  When I tried them in an Archtop, they where clean and thick, but not any where near 'spacey' enough. Their clarity is ( as you have already presumed ) More Telecaster pickup / FAT strat pickup type clarity. Their clarity punching through the mix, and dominating in their own sweet way.  

The answer will of course be swung on your choice of bridge pickup, but  I cannot assist with / comment on that aspect.

[gaex86]

Thanks for the reply.
I'll try to explain the point. I got an american fender tele with a seymour duncan 59 humbucker in the neck and a stock bridge pickup. I find the SD humbucker too muddy and dark sounding and they don't seem to have a lot of clarity. After a little of debating I had choice to go back to the single coil route and take a yardbird set. But some days ago I've heard a couple of clips of a tele deluxe of a friend equipped with a set of MQ. I was stunned by the clarity of the notes and lack of muddiness; totally different from my neck pickup. Also keep in mind that the clips were recorded on a simple micro cube with no effect at all and this really impressed me. So after this experience I've began to consider the opportunity to put an MQ in the neck and match it with an appropriate tele pickup in the bridge. I'm always looking for the right compromise between the distinctive twang of the tele and a little of versatility, and since the tele signature sound is the bridge IMO, I thought this could be a good choice. Don't know if I'm wrong.

Keep in mind that I play rock and no country or finger-pickin, so I'm not absolutely looking for a super-cristalline clean, just want something that can stays pretty clean when needed and not drive the amp too hard.

After this things would you recommend me or not the MQ, and what do you think of my idea?
I like to hear advices so tell me fairly if I'm saying stupid things :lol:
Cheers!

[Fourth Feline]

Hello again . :)

No, you are not saying any "stupid things" - that's our job !

Now I understand the situation better, I heartily recommend M.Qs for the job - with the bonus that you have heard why I would recommend them. Just enough ooomph ! to dominate the amp, but can stay clean sounding until your teeth shake. Remember to specify neck pickup when ordering, as the M.Q bridge is Alnico V - and the neck Alnico IV ( smart design eh ? ).

The great thing about B.K.P - is that you will never get that 'Muddy' sound found in most stock pickups. You can have 'Dark' by request, but even that is subject to the usual B.K.P quality. My own M.Qs are without a guitar just now ; but I do so love their sound, that I am keeping them for a 'donor' guitar in later times. Your overall plan sounds great too !

Do remember to come back and tell us about the end result .  :D

[gaex86]

Thanks a lot for your answer and your help! I really appreciate your advices!

Now I need to figure out which tele bridge would be better to pair with a MQ in the neck. I'd like to avoid, for what is possible, an evident jump in volume going from the bridge only position, to both and neck only.
Also I got to figure out if it's better a 500k or 250k for volume and tone.
Any suggestions are welcomed!

[Fourth Feline]

Thanks a lot for your answer and your help! I really appreciate your advices!

Now I need to figure out which tele bridge would be better to pair with a MQ in the neck. I'd like to avoid, for what is possible, an evident jump in volume going from the bridge only position, to both and neck only.
Also I got to figure out if it's better a 500k or 250k for volume and tone.
Any suggestions are welcomed!

Hi,

As previously mentioned, I have no knowledge of which B.K.P Tele bridge would match the M.Q .- BUT,  would point out that the M.Q likes / needs a 500k volume pot. It may be categorised as a single coil, but it is ( as you may have gathered by it's size ) a quite heavily wound and fat sounding one . It benefits from being allowed to 'open up' as much as ( if not more than ) my B.K.P humbuckers.  I do hope those with a M.Q / Tele bridge set, join in a.s.a.p. At least on Monday there is the ultimate ( i.e Tim's ) opinion awaiting !    :)

[gaex86]

Yeah I've heard that the MQ, and generally p-90, need 500k to really shines.
I think I'll shot a mail to Tim to have an advice, because surely he knows what is the best  neck/bridge combo! I guess my tele will look more gorgeous than ever with a set of BKP!

[BigB]

Yeah I've heard that the MQ, and generally p-90, need 500k to really shines.
I think I'll shot a mail to Tim to have an advice, because surely he knows what is the best  neck/bridge combo! I guess my tele will look more gorgeous than ever with a set of BKP!

I was about to recommand the Blackguard Flat 50s bridge - GREAT Tele bridge for grinding rock tones and way more ballsy one would expect from a vintage spec'd pup - but I'm not sure how well it would work with a 500k pot.

For another option, someone here has a Piledriver bridge/MQ neck Tele (Andrew W, if your read me...) and it seems to work fine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtOjBj1Nz3M

But anyway - Tim is The Man, as usual  8)

[gaex86]

Yeah I've heard that the MQ, and generally p-90, need 500k to really shines.
I think I'll shot a mail to Tim to have an advice, because surely he knows what is the best  neck/bridge combo! I guess my tele will look more gorgeous than ever with a set of BKP!

I was about to recommand the Blackguard Flat 50s bridge - GREAT Tele bridge for grinding rock tones and way more ballsy one would expect from a vintage spec'd pup - but I'm not sure how well it would work with a 500k pot.

For another option, someone here has a Piledriver bridge/MQ neck Tele (Andrew W, if your read me...) and it seems to work fine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtOjBj1Nz3M

But anyway - Tim is The Man, as usual  8)

My only concern with the piledriver is that it seems to me too hot and maybe too oriented for heavy distortion and hi-gain sounds.
This is just an impression because I've never tried it!

[roland_rat]

Hi cannot comment on how the volume difference between bridge and neck p90 type pickup. I got no experience with the later. What I can say yardbirds for me are versitile. Lovely cleen tone covers most bases very well apart from metal. 

[BigB]

My only concern with the piledriver is that it seems to me too hot and maybe too oriented for heavy distortion and hi-gain sounds.
This is just an impression because I've never tried it!

Well... Never tried it neither, but from the reports and sound clips, it's surely more "modern" (ie, very hot and a bit compressed). I considered them for my own Tele, but followed Tim's advises instead and gave the Blackguard Flat 50s a try... and didn't look back :mrgreen:  But since you were asking for a Tele bridge / MQ neck setup, I thought I would mention this option too.

Anyway - Tim knows it's stuff, for sure.

[gaex86]

My only concern with the piledriver is that it seems to me too hot and maybe too oriented for heavy distortion and hi-gain sounds.
This is just an impression because I've never tried it!

Well... Never tried it neither, but from the reports and sound clips, it's surely more "modern" (ie, very hot and a bit compressed). I considered them for my own Tele, but followed Tim's advises instead and gave the Blackguard Flat 50s a try... and didn't look back :mrgreen:  But since you were asking for a Tele bridge / MQ neck setup, I thought I would mention this option too.

Anyway - Tim knows it's stuff, for sure.

I'd like, for what is possible, to keep a little of that vintage vibe of the tele. Let's see what is Tim's advice!

[BigB]

I'd like, for what is possible, to keep a little of that vintage vibe of the tele. Let's see what is Tim's advice!

Please let us know when you'll have his answer.

[PhilKing]

MQ's (and P-90's in general) have a hefty output.  I have my neck MQ matched with a bridge Warpig, so I think that it will be hard to match it with a tele bridge.  Having said that, Tim will wind pickups to make a set, so he can probably tame it a bit.  I have my Piledriver matched with a Slowhand neck pickup and a Brown Sugar with an original Mini-Humbucker.

[choucas09]

If you don't use the tone control much could you not wire the pups with two  volumes. 500k for the neck and 250k for the bridge.