Strat Pickup in Tele

[Micahbell]

I have always been a Tele guy, but I think I have recently been converted.
I do still greatly prefer the look of a tele to a strat, so I am wondering if I got a tele body routed for three strat pickups what would the sound difference be? Because of the body shape am I going to be missing the strat sweet spots?

 

[jackthehack]

Don't see how you wouldn't; you've going to need to custom order the body, as practically everything in the Showcase is routed for a Tele bridge; options:

1.) Custom order body for Strat hardtail or tremolo tremolo bridge and S-S-S PU routing
2.) For a Showcase body, you can have the neck/middle Strat PU routes (custom order Warmoth pickguard if using pickguard). You can put a Tele or custom Tele PU (SD Lil'59 or JBJr. come in Tele bridge form factors for an S-S-H option) in a standard Tele bridge and get the best of both worlds as "classic Strat" sound is primarily from neck.middle PU. OR order an HB re-route of bridge pickup route and use any HB you want in a S-S-H config.

You can custom order the body with Strat style comfort contours as well...

 

[Rick]

You might want to try some of those three pick up teles at guitar center.  Nothing like playing it for yourself to see how it sounds. 

 

[jackthehack]

Don't the "Nashville Teles" just have a Strat middle PU added?

 

[-CB-]

Jack, yes, thats a Nashville.

The idea of Strat, Strat, Tele-bridge pickup is a good one - esp if you use a good Tele pickup - the Fender 52ri for instance is a really good medium fat bridge pickup for tele.

I for one, dont like the Strat bridge pickups, or lack of control thereof.  The SST combo works well, +and+ any tele body on the showcase can be routed for it.  If ya NEED trem, then ad a Bigsby with a slotted tele bridge plate.

The Nashville ones, use a neck pickup in the middle position, and have it set VERY low for good balance... since Strat pickups tend to be just a hair more powerful than Tele.

Its a good idea, I've played one, and the tones are strat-like, but tele like too... brother Vic has a real nice one.

 

[spauldingrules]

I converted my MIM tele to Strat - Strat - Rail HB tele shape.  My strat pickups are Dimarzio Virtual Vintage which are great - now my tele sounds like a strat, or even a little like a LP in the bridge position!  Super-versatile - although it's lost it's tele character, it is my most versatile and tough guitar for live use.  I cannot deal with hum, so I only use "noiseless" pickups.  I would recommend a tele shaped bridge pickup, at least, so you can use the bridge to convert it back to a regular tele if you want to.  Just get HHH rout and you should be set for any config - get the pickguard to make what you want happen!

 

[Micahbell]

Thanks for the replies.
I didn't even know they made teles like that, I will have to go down to a shop and see if I can play one, but I can't imagine not liking it.
Spauldingrules brings up my next question - does getting a HHH rout affect the tone at all? I it seems like a lot of extra wood being taken out, but I don't know too much about this stuff so I don't know.

 

[tfarny]

Here ya go.

 

[Soloshchenko]

I like teles but I always change the neck PU for a strat one. I've never been a fan of the tele neck PU.

 

[spauldingrules]

People pay extra for hollow bodies - I didn't notice a big difference.  Maybe even more resonant after routing the middle.