Bluesboy neck pickup (Seth Lover replacement options)

[kdl6769]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered many times, but I recently acquired a USA Bluesboy with the Seth Lover neck pickup, and like some others, I don't find the Seth Lover all that useful by itself, and tend to play the bridge pickup only. I'd like to switch out the Seth Lover, and after doing some reading have identified a few candidates: Lollar El Rayo, Lollar "singe coil for humbucker" (which is similar in sound to a P90), and Bare Knuckle Mississippi Queen (also a humbucker size pickup). I don't play jazz (too much of a hack) and find myself more in Keith, Mike Campbell, Page, Bruce territory, i.e. both twang and grit/crunch. I do love the classic Tele twang but would like to have some versatility. I'd be grateful for any thoughts about a suitable replacement for the Seth, especially if you have experience with any of these (or other) options. Thanks in advance.

[john o]

best sounding neck pickup i've ever played is the large bobbin G&L MFD pup on the ASAT special and the SC-2.
better than the 70's gibson HB (a close 2nd), standard alnico Fender tele, gibson p90, duncan '59 'bucker, and various strat pup's.

[blargfromouterspace]

I got nice results with a Zhangbucker Tele-bucker. It's never a perfect match with bridge single coil, neck humbucker pickup combo, there's always some compromise.

[NickHorne]

Your Keef / Campbell / Bruce reference strongly suggests the Bare Knuckle Mississippi Queen.
You should check carefully with Bare Knuckle re magnetic and winding polarity, to keep the combined pickups in-phase and hum-cancelling. They do talk to their customers well.
The G&L MFD tele-style back pup is magnetically "South-up", i.e. the North end of a compass needle points at its polepieces. So you want any new neck single-coil supplied magnetically North-up.
I'm not sure whether BK supply MQ's with 2-conductor+screen wiring. If so, then you have all options open.
But I recall an ex of this forum (one Louis Cyfer) fitting an MQ, and having a perfectly successful discussion with BK about polarity etc.

Any P-90 type will hum, of course, although the middle position won't (or not much) but will sound pretty juicy.

Just one guy's thoughts.

[kdl6769]

Thanks Nick, very helpful, and the BK is one I have my eye on. They do some with 2 conductor+ screen. Also thinking about Fralin humbucker size P90 or the slightly more single coil-sounding P92. Very hard to pull the trigger because i just don't know how any of these will blendn with the MFD bridge, but I guess I just have to roll the dice. Have you heard the BK?

[NickHorne]

The BK I know, as a very good P-90 type sound with a good ability to rock. Think John Lennon's Casino for Get Back, + heavier also.
The Fralin Hum-size P-90 is reputedly capable of very refined P-90 sound, beautiful and pricey, but the P-92 is a sort of alnico Z-coil layout, to get a humbucking P-90-ish result.
Both makers have some pretty decent demos online, with BK particularly aligned with your references.

[kdl6769]

Thanks Nick. I'm going to try the BKP Mississippi Quee. One question - I see that they recommend a Jensen BKP 0.015μfd capacitor to go with the neck pickup. I don't know what G&L uses or whether this would make any difference. Any idea?

[themikeaustin]

If you're willing to think "outside the box", consider pickups by Iron Gear. They're a UK company that makes all sorts of pickups. Their demos, on YT and their site, are very good and the prices are extremely reasonable.

http://irongear.co.uk/