Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker
Replacement Pickups & Reissue Upgrades
One of my favourite pickups, I've been working on these for a while. Here you have it, a new, true spec replacement for those Fender® Seth Lover Wide Range/Thinline tele Custom & Deluxe Humbucker reissues.
Whereas the original Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker pickups had threaded CuNiFe magnets, the modern reissues are merely a standard humbucker with bar magnet and pole screws. With the right capacitors & potentiometers, they’re not a bad pickup at all – they just don’t have the dynamics of the original Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker. My new versions are true to the original with threaded, adjustable magnets and I’ve created two varieties – a full sized version intended to be a direct drop-in replacement for the current Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker reissues and a slightly scaled down version to fit standard humbucker size.
Handwound in my workshop here in Manchester.
You can read the Total Guitar 5 Star/Best Buy review of my Creamery Wide Range Tele Humbucker Pickups here
Original Threaded Pole Magnets
Like the original, the pickup has threaded adjustable magnets just like the original. CuNiFe is prohibitively expensive now so these new Wide Range/Thinline humbucker style pickups use FeCrCo which is very similar to Alnico but with more stable magnetic properties, threaded to enable adjustment of the poles. The individual magnets and custom scatterwound coils give great clarity and string definition, with a ‘fat’ brightness unique to this design of pickup. The adjustable pole magnets allow you to emphasise certain strings.
As the FeCrCo threaded magnets could be more aligned with Alnico 5 in terms of 'colouring the sound' I'm offering two options on the direct drop-in replacements. One version with 12 threaded poles which keeps the brighter attack and another version with six adjustable threaded poles and six corresponding Alnico 2 rod magnets to give a slightly warmer tone.
Calibrated Outputs
Whereas the original Seth Lover designed Wide Range/Thinline Humbuckers had roughly the same output in both bridge & neck, I’ve voiced these new designs with differing outputs for better calibration, volume and tone. The bridge has an output of around 10.4-10.7k depending on version with the neck slightly lower at around 9.6-9.8k. Of course, if you’d like to keep output to the original specs, I can happily custom wind a set for you.
For the standard humbucker sized version I tap & thread my classic humbucker bobbins & baseplate to create the pickup whilst crafting the reflector plate by hand. With the full-sized Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker replacements the full-size bobbins, ferrous reflector plate and nickel silver baseplate are all made by hand here in my workshop.
So if you’ve a modern day Telecaster Thinline, Custom or Deluxe then you can purchase a direct Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker replacement with dynamics true to the original pickup.
If you’d simply like a true Wide Range/Thinline Humbucker style pickup for your guitar to replace a standard humbucker, then now you can.
You can read my blog piece about them here.
You can go straight to my Wide Range Tele Humbucker Upgrade options here
Custom Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbuckers
Classic '71 Wide Range Tele/Thinline Humbucker
- Direct Full-Size Replacement
Magnets: Threaded Pole or Optional Alnico 2
Coil Wire: 42AWG Plain Enamel
Lead Wire: Vintage Braided
Bridge Output: 10.7k
Neck Output: 9.8k
The vintage Wide-Range sound.
A true replacement for the modern Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker reissue pickups. Classic fat "Doubled Up" single coil tones - Great clarity and string definition with a bright warmth. Individual threaded pole magnets charged to around 2/3rds capacity allow you to dial in each string. A warmer mid-range than standard single coils and with a higher output, they're great for breaking up an amp. With a great fat bridge tone sounding akin to a "doubled-up" Tele and a neck with a warm, sweet brightness. Vintage nickel-silver baseplate, ferrous internal reflector plate, full-size custom bobbins with medium scatterwound coils - The Creamery Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker, a direct replacement for those modern reissues.
Calibrated Outut & Pole spacing for Bridge & Neck position
Unlike the originals & reissues, I’ve made the Classic ’71 Wide Range Humbuckers with 53mm Bridge pole spacing & 50mm pole spacing for better string definition in the neck position.
I’ve also lowered the neck output a little to give much better volume balance between bridge & neck pickup.
My vintage take on the original pickups have either 12 threaded magnets or a combination of 6 threaded magnets and 6 x hidden Alnico 2 rod magnets. With the threaded & Alnico 2 rod magnets together the tone is ever so rounder, warmer with a few less highs - Great if you want to take a little 'spank' out of the bridge position.
Only available in nickel covers.
PLEASE NOTE: These pickups are a direct drop-in replacement to fit the modern Wide Range / Humbuckers.
You can buy a Bridge & Neck set of my Classic 71 Wide Range Tele / Thinline Humbuckers here
Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbucker
- Standard Humbucker Sized
Magnets: Threaded Pole
Coil Wire: 43AWG Plain Enamel
Lead Wire: Vintage Braided
Bridge Output: 10.0k
Neck Output: 9.1k
Classic fat single coil tones - Great clarity and string definition with a bright chime & warmth. Individual threaded pole magnets charged to around 2/3rds capacity allow you to dial in each string. A warmer mid-range than standard single coils and with a higher output, they're great for breaking up an amp. With a great fat bridge tone sounding akin to a "doubled-up" Tele and a neck with a warm, sweet brightness, these Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker style pickups are a great if you're looking for something more to replace a standard humbucker.
Slightly brighter with a tighter bass response that my full-size Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker repros due to the slightly narrower coil - the output is reached by using the thinner 43AWG coil wire.
Available with either Vintage Braided or 4-Way wiring, the cover options are Chrome, Chrome H-Cover, Black, White, Cream or uncovered with black, zebra or B&W bobbins. You can also purchase the pickup with a Gold cover though please remember that the magnets will remain the same colour.
PLEASE NOTE: These pickups are a direct drop-in to fit a standard humbucker size cavity/scratchplate.
You can buy a set of my Wide Range / Thinline Tele Humbuckers - Standard Humbucker Sized here
Modern Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbucker
- Direct Full-Size Replacement
Magnets: Threaded Pole
Coil Wire: 42AWG Plain Enamel
Lead Wire: Vintage Braided
Bridge Output: 10.7k
Neck Output: 9.8k
A great modern, crunchy pickup.
A true modern replacement for those Fender® Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker reissues. Classic fat single coil tones - Great clarity and string definition with a brighter warmth than my Classic '71 pickups and with Individual threaded pole magnets fully charged allow you to dial in each string and match the radius of your neck, these modern versions of the Wide Range humbucker give a more attacking, punchier tone but still with a warmer mid-range than standard single coils and with a higher output they've more clarity and spank than a standard humbucker. They're great for breaking up an amp or played just on the edge of break-up for a great fat bridge tone sounding akin to a "doubled-up" Tele and a neck with a bright sweetness still with the warmth of an overwound pickup.
I make these without the internal reflector plate to help keep more brightness with coils handwound around full-size Wide Range Humbucker bobbins - The Creamery Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker is a direct replacement for those modern muddy reissues with more edge than my vintage replacements.
Available in nickel plated covers or white or black powder coat covers to stand out I recommend 500k pots and 0.022 caps to really allow the bloom of these pickups through, giving you great options to roll back the tone.
A more modern, punchier take on my Classic '71 Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker - A great crunchy pickup.
PLEASE NOTE: These pickups are a direct drop-in replacement to fit the modern Fender® Wide Range / Humbucker reissues.
You can buy a Bridge & Neck set of my Modern Wide Range / Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbuckers here
Overwound/Hotter Wide Range Humbuckers
Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbucker - Direct Replacement
- 12 Pole Humbucker
Magnets: Alnico 2, 4 or 5
Coil Wire: 42AWG Plain Enamel
Lead Wire: Vintage Braided or 4-Way
Bridge Output: 10.7k
Neck Output: 9.8k
Not your standard humbucker tone but more of a fat "doubled-up" single coil tone. Another direct drop-in replacement for the modern Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker reissues. A larger version of my standard 12-Pole Humbucker, these pickups feature great string definition & clarity due to the 12 pole magnets that offer true single coil tones when split. A rich, biting attack with the warmth that comes from slightly longer, wider coils. With higher output you can enable a great tru single coil tone when coil split (tapped). The Vulcanised Fibre baseplate helps to keep the higher frequencies at this output.
PLEASE NOTE: These pickups are a direct drop-in replacement to fit the modern Wide Range / Humbuckers and the output can also be custom to your requirements.
I can stagger the magnets to follow your neck radius. Just let me know whether you have a 7.25", 9.5", 12" etc etc neck radius and I'll stagger the magnets accordingly. This way you can keep a good action on your setup.
NOW AVAILABLE bare or in 12 pole White or Black powder coat covers similar to the Wide Range Humbuckers above
You can buy a set of my Wide Range / Thinline Tele Humbucker replacements - 12 Pole Humbucker pickups here
"Extra-Width" Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbucker
- Direct Full-Size Replacement
Magnets: Threaded Pole
Coil Wire: 43AWG Plain Enamel
Lead Wire: Vintage Braided
Bridge Output: 12.6k
Neck Output: 10.7k
A great modern, overwound pickup.
My overwound version & true modern replacement for those Fender® Wide Range / Thinline Tele Humbucker reissue Pickups. Still with the classic fat single coil tones - Great clarity and string definition with a bright warmth - the overwound nature of the coils gives the pickup more power to push an amp.
Handcrafted flatwork baseplate to keep the higher frequencies, handcrafted ferrous reflector plate, full-size Wide Range Humbucker Pickup bobbins with medium speed scatterwound coils - The Creamery Modern Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker Pickup is a direct replacement for those modern muddy reissues with more edge than my vintage replacements.
Available in white or black powder coat covers to stand out I recommend 500k or 1Mb pots for these pickups and 0.022 caps to really allow the bloom of these pickups through, giving you great options to roll back the tone.
PLEASE NOTE: These pickups are a direct drop-in replacement to fit the modern Fender® Wide Range / Humbucker reissue Pickups.
You can buy a Bridge & Neck set of my "Extra Width" Wide Range / Thinline Humbuckers here
Upgrading Reissue Wide Range Tele Humbuckers
I can upgrde your Fender® reissue Wide Range / Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbuckers to full vintage specifications. Choose from one of the three options below.
Reissue Wide Range/Thinline Tele, Custom & Deluxe Humbucker
- Upgrade
As you can see from the picture, the modern Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker Telecaster Reissues are simply standard Humbucker sized coils encased in wax to fit the larger Wide Range Cover. As with standard Humbuckers they feature a bar magnet underneath, the difference being the use of threaded slugs to mimic the threaded magnets of the original late '60s-70s pickups. Having a bar magnet underneath the slugs means these pickups will have a different voice to the clarity, definition and fat brighter tone associated with the original, vintage versions.
If you'd like to upgrade these reissues you have in your guitar then now you can:
OPTION ONE:
I'll carefully replace the bar magnet and slugs, replacing them with a full set of threaded magnets as found in my humbucker sized WR Humbuckers above. While not recreating the tone of the originals, this modification will open up the sound, giving more clarity, bloom, better string definition and a bright warmth with tighter bass response. A great upgrade if you're looking to breathe some life into your pickups for more of a "doubled-up" single coil tone. I can also reccomend potentimeter sizes & capacitors to work with, my personal. Once the work is done the pickup will be wax-potted if requested. This option is non-destructive, the original set-up can be re-instated at a later date should you require it - £40 per pickup / £70 per set
OPTION TWO:
Similar to OPTION ONE except that the three hidden threaded pole magnets on either side will be replaced by custom Alnico 2 rod magnets giving a little more warmth & mid-range to the pickup. I carefully take the pickup apart, protecting the coils whilst I ream away the thread on the hidden poles to accomodate the new Alnico 2 Pole Rod Magnets. As with OPTION ONE, I can also reccomend potentimeter sizes & capacitors to work with based on your guitar configuration. Once the work is done the pickup will be wax-potted if requested. This option is destructive only in the sense that the three hidden polepiece holes on each bobbin are widened slightly to accomodate the Alnico 2 magnets. Should you require the pickup to be re-worked to its original state at a later date, this can be achieved with simple dowels to plug the wider holes, then drilled & threaded for the original slugs - £45 per pickup / £80 per set
Both these options can be mixed to create a set of Bridge & Neck Upgrades.
OPTION THREE:
Here I'd take your exiting pickup, remove the existing coils, magnet & slugs and replace them with two full size handwound coils (see pic) wrapped around my handmade bobbins with threaded magnets and custom handmade reflector plate. Essentially a true Wide Range Humbucker pickup with the great warmth and tone similar to that of the original. I wind the coils to a slight variation on the original spec to account for the modern version of the threaded magnets. I wind the bridge coils to the same output as the original, reducing the neck slightly for better calibration of volume & tone between pickups. A true replacement for the modern Wide Range / Thinline Humbucker replacements. Classic fat single coil tones - Great clarity and string definition with a bright warmth. The Individual threaded pole magnets allow you to dial in each string. A warmer mid-range than standard single coils and with a higher output, they're great for breaking up an amp. With a great fat bridge tone sounding akin to a "doubled-up" Tele and a neck with a warm, sweet brightness. If the original baseplate is snagging the magnets as they line up with the cover I'll replace it with one of my handmade nicker silver ones - £102 per pickup / £192 per set
In all cases the pickup will look the same with your original Fender® logo cover & discounts are available for sets of pickups.
Read my blog post which runs through the Option Three Wide Range Humbucker Reissue Upgrade here
Option Three Tele Custom / Deluxe Neck Upgrade - Video Demo
by Sami Saarinen
Wide Range Humbucker Reissue Upgrade (Option Three) by The Creamery, UK from The Creamery
Reviews of my Custom Wide Range / Thinline Tele Humbucker Replacements / Upgrades
"Had my first gig with it last night - it sounded awesome! HUGE improvement in tone and clarity etc and was noticed by everyone. Really happy with the product and service Jaime!"
Dave Dixon
"Wow, what a great pickup! It's just what I was looking for. A marvellous sounding pickup. Well done. Now my '72 Custom's neck pickup sounds clear and twangy, with tight bottom. I believe that you got the original's sound excactly right :-)"
Sami Saarinen
The Creamery Wide Range Humbucking Pick-ups are really amazing. I've played for a long time, have owned a vast number of guitars with single coils and humbuckers, but these are something special, indeed. They're very dynamic, you can make them go from a whisper to a roar just by the touch of your fingers. The sound is clear and bright, but with a solid bottom, never thin or spiky. I've put them in my Japanese thinline copy and they do make the instrument come alive in a very special way. Very good if you don't want to have to chose between mellowness and twang - here you have them both!
Tomas Blom
"What to say... I am really impressed by the sound definition of these PUs. The other Wide Range that I tested before (re-issue ones) were muddy, no precise string definition and the twang of my tele was gone. This is one is trully amazing, clean, soft and subtile. Your telecatser is suddenly beathing ! About the bridge PU, with clean sound it's litterally smashing your face away ! Sounds powerfull and so precise, ready to roar ! Never heard such PUs combination before and really happy to play them today. Thanks so much Jaime for your beautiful work and patience. "
Fabz, from the band Lazarre
"It really is exactly what I was lookong for. All the twang and single note clarity my telecaster is supposed to have, but so much tighter when overdriven, like a humbucker is meant to be but with the added detail I would get from from my single coil. Thanks!"
Kyle Jernigan
"There is a real difference between these and the reissues - these are brighter/sharper and more tele like. The others were quite dark in comparison. I played it next to my single coil tele and it is now much more useable - it used to be like playing a cheap les paul at times!. Having scrutinised it all I am delighted with the sound"
Greg Dopson
"I've received the PUs yesterday and put them back in the guitar. I'm very very happy! With the CTS pots and PIO caps, the sound is great! The guitar now has that nice vintage, warm tone, no comparison with the original (crappy) reissue PUs. Thank you for your good job."
Judicaël Guesné
"They sound really good; open, punchy and very dynamic - I have to get used to all those nuances! It's like going from automatic gear to stick shift ... Played the first concert with them this saturday. It was an outdoor gig with no soundcheck, so I didn't get a chance to change the gain structure in my setup. It sounded great, and I guess it'll be even better when I some time to dial everything in."
Asger J. Steenholdt
"Its on my Telecaster Deluxe. Works awesome. Sounds great!"
Javier Rodriguez
"I cannot recommend your pickups enough Jaime ! They are everything you describe them as and more. Great Pickups...great service ! I look forward to taking the tele with me on tour in the summer with the blues festivals and club dates we have lined up ! Thanks again for giving me the tone I have dreamed of !"
Dave Dixon
"Received the Wide Range Humbucker Neck pickup this morning and popped it in. Sounds great. Now I’ll start saving for the bridge. Many thanks!"
Ian Carr
"Great pickups. Sounds like a new guitar. Would recommend to anyone. Sounds great through a blues junior with Texas heat speaker and JJ tubes Tone heaven"
Steve Humphries
"Hi Jaime, just fitted the Wide Range Humbucker upgrade into my '72 Custom Telecaster yesterday. What a revelation. Fantastic tone, dynamics and note separation. Actually unlike any pickup I've ever heard. Everything I like about single coils and more - and so much better than the muddy sounding 're-issue' 'bucker that Fender shipped the guitar with. These are the tones I was looking. Thank you! Very happy."
Gary Mortensen-Barker
"Really transformed the guitar. Really impressed, thanks very much Jaime."
Matt Johnson
"Hi Jaime, Installed the (Wide Range Humbucker Neck Upgrade) pup at weekend and have had a chance to play a bit this morning. Am very pleased with it - really sounds clearer and brighter than a regular bucker, pairs nicely with the Dimarzio in the bridge. Lovely clean tone and stays distinct when the gain is increased. Also sounds nice in parallel mode, and coil split useful too. Expectations exceeded. Will recommend you. Cheers."
Geraint Lewis
"Honestly Jaime, from now on any time I want new pickups I shall definitely come back to The Creamery. I've already got a couple of upgrades in mind, but that might be a little further down the line. Thanks again for all your assistance with this. First class pickups and first class service too!!"
