Esquire stealth neck pickup

[Ratrod]

I'm experimenting with converting my Esquire to a so called stealth Esquire.

This means it has a hidden neck pickup under the pickguard.

I rewired the switch and put a test pickup in it from the parts bin. The tone is surprisingly good but it's underpowered. The bridge pickup is a BG50 reading 7.0K, the neck pickup is a humbucker reading 6.5K.

Now I'll need a proper pickup. I want to keep it 50's like the rest of the guitar so it'll have to be a PAF-like pickup. it also has to be cheap because I have to mod the pickup to make it fit. The legs need to be bent or cut and the pole screws need to be shortened. I can't do that with a BKP. The pickup will also never be at it's sweet spot so again it would be a shame to use a BKP. I decided on a humbucker because of the larger magnetic field.

I would like to have your input on how hot this neck humbucker needs to be. My personal guess is that 8K might just be enough.

The pickup that might fit the bill is the GFS Vintage '59 or one of the hotter versions if 8K isn't enough.

Your thoughts on this please.

[FernandoDuarte]

Cool, I've thought about it sometimes... in deed I think I've made a thread with it just when I've entered the forum...

[gwEm]

believe kent armstrong do some ceramic PAFs, might be worth a look at

[Dashface]

Funny that this should come up, because I've done just that.   I put just a regular old Gibson pickup that I took out of a Les Paul studio up there.  It's still just a touch underpowered, but I kinda like it that way.  Gives a neat sound.

If I were to do it again, I'd aim for a pickup in the 11k range.

[tomjackson]

Fender use Texas Specials, this sounds pretty good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAR_yW2XCqw

I've never heard, I'd consider stealthing a middle pickup in my Tele, possibly an Irish Tour

[Ratrod]

I think those Texas Specials might be custom wound.

And I think Dashface is on to something. 8K might not be enough.

It's kinda hard to find a decent but inexpensive PAF style pickup with high output.

So now I'm looking at a WSC PAF '59 with 10.2K output, AV (35 Euro) and the Fat Pat from GFS 10K, AV ($30).

The WSC has a flat baseplate with ears instead of legs and now screws sticking out from the under side. Not very vintage correct but I won't have to mod (read: mutilate) it.

[Philly Q]

It's kinda hard to find a decent but inexpensive PAF style pickup with high output.

So now I'm looking at a WSC PAF '59 with 10.2K output, AV (35 Euro) and the Fat Pat from GFS 10K, AV ($30).

I know I'm being pedantic, but is it really a PAF style pickup at all if it's high output?  I remember someone on here saying that if you're using vintage-correct enamelled 42 gauge wire, the most you can get, DC-wise, is about 9k.

I'm not saying they're not good pickups!

[Ratrod]

I'm trying to keep the guitar in the idea of "this could have been done in the 50's".

I don't know what kinds of different coil wire was available back then. What worries me about the WSC is that the baseplate isn't remotely like a PAF and it might be utter cr@p.

The GFS looks more like it.

Or maybe go for an overwound single coil.

[WezV]

i struggle with this idea, we know how important pickup height can be... and whilst it might sound ok, it will sound better with a visable pickup set at the right height

but if i was going for it i would be looking at stronger magnets rather than a higher wind count

[Ratrod]

I know the height is important and that's why I don't want to use a boutique pickup.

It's all just a bit of fun really. Several great buiders and many amateurs are experimenting with it. And I'm hoping to find a workable recipe.

A bit of a curse word here but the Duncan STR-2 might do the trick. 9.7K tele neck pickup.

[Philly Q]

A bit of a curse word here but the Duncan STR-2 might do the trick. 9.7K tele neck pickup.

Not a curse word to me.  What about the STR-3?  11.8k and a "stronger magnetic field".   :)

[Ratrod]

The STR-3 might work very well those big-ass magnets. Hopefully it's not too loud.

But it does have a coil tap. Is it possible to put a pot on that coil tap and blend output in and out?

[Philly Q]

But it does have a coil tap. Is it possible to put a pot on that coil tap and blend output in and out?

I guess so, it would be similar to using a pot for coil-splitting a humbucker, presumably.

[WezV]

It's all just a bit of fun really. Several great buiders and many amateurs are experimenting with it. And I'm hoping to find a workable recipe.

its nots that new an idea,

the one i always remember was by brian eastwood back in the 80's:
http://www.theguitarcollection.org.uk/gallery9/bluemoon.jpg

and it does make some sense to hide the pickup when aesthetics need to be put first

i seem to remember reading somewhere that he had to use more powerful magnets to get this sounding anywhere near right - vague bit of info floating around in my head :?

[gwEm]

but if i was going for it i would be looking at stronger magnets rather than a higher wind count

yes i fully agree