What middle pickup for a Nashville Tele?

Johnnyseven

I had a revelation yesterday in that I realised that I could make my US Standard into a Nashville Tele. The only issue is what pickup to put in the middle?

It has a Creamery Alt '88 in the bridge, a hottish A5 Tele bridge pickup. It has a Creamery Custom 13 humbucker at the neck, an A2/A5 vintage output HB.

I generally like warmer Tele bridge pickups with A3 magnets with 43 wire and like an A4 HB in the neck of my Teles. I'm thinking I should look at a 50's type Strat pickup, but what do you think? Any particular model suggestions?

earwighoney

Johnnyseven said:

I had a revelation yesterday in that I realised that I could make my US Standard into a Nashville Tele. The only issue is what pickup to put in the middle?

It has a Creamery Alt '88 in the bridge, a hottish A5 Tele bridge pickup. It has a Creamery Custom 13 humbucker at the neck, an A2/A5 vintage output HB.

I generally like warmer Tele bridge pickups with A3 magnets with 43 wire and like an A4 HB in the neck of my Teles. I'm thinking I should look at a 50's type Strat pickup, but what do you think? Any particular model suggestions?

As your guitar already has 2 Creamery pickups in there already, why not send him a message to ask what he'd think would balance the best with those two pickups? 

(and see it as an excuse to get another pickup from him!)

Johnnyseven

Thanks for the suggestion. The only thing that puts me off doing that is the lead time from order to delivery. The last couple i've had from him took six weeks and seemed to only have been made then because I pointed out to him that he had exceeded the timescale quoted on his website. There are builders that make pickups as good that I can get in a week.

Winny_Pooh

IMO it's not worth the bother. I'd rather add a 4 way switch for in-series tones. 

Teyeplayer

I disagree with the view above, I think it’s a great mod and I personally found the breadth of sound it provided me with was fantastic. However, I recognise it’s not for everyone.

I’d suggest you pick up a cheap Wilkinson strat pickup (you have a range of magnet and output options to choose from) for under £20 and give it a go. If it works for you then do the more costly upgrade in due course.

Johnnyseven

I have 4 Teles so I thought that i'd do this mod for something different. I got my US Strat out the other day, I rarely play it but was digging the middle pickup sound - so I figured why not put one in my US Tele as it's already routed for it. I've had a 4 way before and wasn't keen on it. 

Teyeplayer

Ditto^ far preferred the 5-way Nashville over the 4-way.

Roland

I’d go for something a bit stronger sounding than a Strat middle pickup. The Tele neck and bridge are more powerful than their Strat equivalents. You might even think about a Brent Mason style P90.

elkay

I did this mod some time ago, and would definitely recommend it. I had some Custom '54 strat pickups going spare, so I too thought why not give it a try. I opted for a 5-way super switch, which gives the same options as on a strat at positions 1,2,4 and 5, but with neck and bridge instead of middle pickup at position 3. Its brilliant having strat quack on a tele, with a slightly different flavour.