Telecaster or Firebird bridge pickup?

Lebarque

Planning a partscaster and am sold on putting a (proper) Firebird-style neck pickup in it, having tried a Lollar on a Novo in Coda. But what to pair it with? Do I take a chance with a Firebird bridge pickup, having never played (a proper) one? Or should I opt for a tried and tested Tele bridge pup, which I hear pairs nicely? 

earwighoney

Lebarque said:

Planning a partscaster and am sold on putting a (proper) Firebird-style neck pickup in it, having tried a Lollar on a Novo in Coda. But what to pair it with? Do I take a chance with a Firebird bridge pickup, having never played (a proper) one? Or should I opt for a tried and tested Tele bridge pup, which I hear pairs nicely? 

I've been thinking about building a Partscaster with similiarish pickup specs myself and I've been leaning towards a Tele bridge as there's more variation for different specs.

For a FB, most options are AWG42 wire Alnico 5 (or 2) at around 6k output.  With Tele Bridges there are a multitude of different options and higher outputs as well.  There are a few other pickups that fit the FB route though, eg Gold Foil etc.

DrBob

I’ve not got any experience of a Firebird bridge pickup but I can tell you a Tele loaded with a Firebird neck pickup and a BKP Boss Tele pickup is a thing of great joy 

chris78

Have you already got a tele? If not, get a tele bridge. If you have, go for a bit of variety

stimpsonslostson

It’s probably not the most accurate test, but on the Variax I had the top 3 pickups were: 
3- Tele bridge
2- LP Special P90 bridge
1- firebird bridge

i was surprised as I’ve never really heard one before. It was great. 

If you want a different sounding bridge, I’m running an Oil City Liquidator in my Telemaster & it’s excellent 

Lebarque

DrBob said:

I’ve not got any experience of a Firebird bridge pickup but I can tell you a Tele loaded with a Firebird neck pickup and a BKP Boss Tele pickup is a thing of great joy 

How do they balance in terms of output and EQ?

Lebarque

earwighoney said:

Lebarque said:

Planning a partscaster and am sold on putting a (proper) Firebird-style neck pickup in it, having tried a Lollar on a Novo in Coda. But what to pair it with? Do I take a chance with a Firebird bridge pickup, having never played (a proper) one? Or should I opt for a tried and tested Tele bridge pup, which I hear pairs nicely? 

I've been thinking about building a Partscaster with similiarish pickup specs myself and I've been leaning towards a Tele bridge as there's more variation for different specs.

For a FB, most options are AWG42 wire Alnico 5 (or 2) at around 6k output.  With Tele Bridges there are a multitude of different options and higher outputs as well.  There are a few other pickups that fit the FB route though, eg Gold Foil etc.

True, although makes it harder choosing a Tele bridge pup! Will have to try gold foil too.

Lebarque

chris78 said:

Have you already got a tele? If not, get a tele bridge. If you have, go for a bit of variety

No I haven't. They're like playing an ironing board! I do like the bridge pup sound though. Fair point though. Telemaster would be my route.

Lebarque

I wonder whether any of our friendly neighbourhood winders may be able to chip in? @OilCityPickups @Mojopickups @Alegree ;

OilCityPickups

Depends what you are after ... a 'proper' Firebird bridge pickup is not as 'strident' in power or treble as a proper Tele bridge pickup ... but of course it is hum cancelling, and had nice chewy mids. Perhaps a slightly overwound bridge Firebird pickup might give you the best of all worlds. They can be taken up to PAF sort of winding levels but still maintain a unique character due to their twin magnets, narrow sensing area, and 'inductance' plate.  

Mojopickups

As Ash has already said, it's kinda dependant on whether you want single coil or a humbucker, I'd probably say a Firebird in the bridge too.........I no longer sell them so not pushing for work.

Funkfingers

OilCityPickups said:

Depends what you are after ... a 'proper' Firebird bridge pickup is not as 'strident' in power or treble as a proper Tele bridge pickup

I can vouch for this. I have a pair of OCP Winterizer II 'buckers in a PRS S2 Singlecut. This guitar has a 2V, 2T control layout. I consider this to be essential to get the best out of these pickups.

OilCityPickups said:

a slightly overwound bridge Firebird pickup might give you the best of all worlds. They can be taken up to PAF sort of winding levels but still maintain a unique character due to their twin magnets, narrow sensing area, and 'inductance' plate.  

I fancy a pickup like that. 'Bird but with more oomph.

stimpsonslostson said:

3- Tele bridge
2- LP Special P90 bridge
1- firebird bridge

4 - overwound Filter'Tron clone.

Winny_Pooh

I've had a firebird pup in the neck position of two guitars now. IMO it sounds stratty but without a mid scoop and is more compressed.
If you like low wind PAFs with more air it'll do you. But it won't cut like a tele so it's a matter of preference. 

TJT1979

OilCityPickups said:

Depends what you are after ... a 'proper' Firebird bridge pickup is not as 'strident' in power or treble as a proper Tele bridge pickup ... but of course it is hum cancelling, and had nice chewy mids. Perhaps a slightly overwound bridge Firebird pickup might give you the best of all worlds. They can be taken up to PAF sort of winding levels but still maintain a unique character due to their twin magnets, narrow sensing area, and 'inductance' plate.  

Interesting re: overwound firebird pickups. By overwinding presumably you would gain mids and lows, increase output and reduce the brightness a bit. FB pickups are the only humbucking ones I've tried which retain most of the percussive twang on the low E string.

How much hotter would you go on the bridge pickup (vintage ones are mostly 7.0 - 7.5K)? By going a bit hotter would we get closer to a P90 vibe?

Thanks in advance!

timmypix

Just to chime in - Ash @OilCityPickups wound me a Firebird neck and Tele bridge pair for my parts Tele and they're phenomenal together! The neck is slightly overwound, and I think it's my favourite neck pickup ever. Stunning clarity but still has that humbucker fatness when you dig in, the perfect amalgamation of a Tele neck and a humbucker neck. The Hardman in the bridge has Tele twang but not too much and plenty of balls, and the middle position is sublime.

Whether you decide to go Tele bridge or Firebird bridge, I can' recommend OCP enough.

OilCityPickups

TJT1979 said:

OilCityPickups said:

Depends what you are after ... a 'proper' Firebird bridge pickup is not as 'strident' in power or treble as a proper Tele bridge pickup ... but of course it is hum cancelling, and had nice chewy mids. Perhaps a slightly overwound bridge Firebird pickup might give you the best of all worlds. They can be taken up to PAF sort of winding levels but still maintain a unique character due to their twin magnets, narrow sensing area, and 'inductance' plate.  

Interesting re: overwound firebird pickups. By overwinding presumably you would gain mids and lows, increase output and reduce the brightness a bit. FB pickups are the only humbucking ones I've tried which retain most of the percussive twang on the low E string.

How much hotter would you go on the bridge pickup (vintage ones are mostly 7.0 - 7.5K)? By going a bit hotter would we get closer to a P90 vibe?

Thanks in advance!

Fatter but not P90 ... still has that narrow sensing area :-)

timmypix said:

Just to chime in - Ash @OilCityPickups wound me a Firebird neck and Tele bridge pair for my parts Tele and they're phenomenal together! The neck is slightly overwound, and I think it's my favourite neck pickup ever. Stunning clarity but still has that humbucker fatness when you dig in, the perfect amalgamation of a Tele neck and a humbucker neck. The Hardman in the bridge has Tele twang but not too much and plenty of balls, and the middle position is sublime.

Whether you decide to go Tele bridge or Firebird bridge, I can' recommend OCP enough.

Thanks for the big up old chap :-)

lysander

I have an @Alegree bentbucker which is a kind of high output firebird pickup in one of my teles, and IMO it works extremely well as a hum free tele bridge pickup if it is backed off the strings a little bit.
So +1 for a firebirdish pickup on the bridge.

TJT1979

lysander said:

I have an @Alegree bentbucker which is a kind of high output firebird pickup in one of my teles, and IMO it works extremely well as a hum free tele bridge pickup if it is backed off the strings a little bit.
So +1 for a firebirdish pickup on the bridge.

I stumbled across the Bentbucker page recently. How much hotter is it than a vintage Firebird pickup? Or a PAF?

lysander

You should ping Alex from @Alegree, he’s always very responsive.
I can’t comment on firebirds as I’ve never played one, but they are much hotter than PAF.

Funkfingers

Modern Gibson Firebird small humbuckers are, indeed, vastly overwound. 

Vintage specification Firebird pickups and faithful replicas balance nicely with a mildly overwound Telecaster bridge position single coil pickup.