Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound for Tele neck STR-3

Brent's take:

Full write-up is coming.  For now one thing to note is that this pickup, unlike all of the others in the Quarter Pound series, does not have the larger 1/4" magnets (look at the picture of the bottom of the neck pickup).  There are definitely ways to still get the same sound and my guess is that in the smaller neck pickup format the magnets and requisite amount of wire (and cover) just didn't fit.

From the manufacturer:

"application

High-output true single-coil pickup for hard-hitting tones. Great for classic rock, jazz-rock fusion, heavy rock and aggressive instrumental rock.

description
This brute has enough power to compete with humbuckers and hot P-90s. The stronger magnetic field of the quarter-inch diameter pole pieces increases the output and allows use of a special coil winding. It keeps the high-end definition for great treble bite and a full, powerful midrange. It's especially useful for overdriven tones. The STR-3 rhythm pickup matches the lead model in tone and output, but uses 3/16 pole pieces and comes with a chrome-plated brass cover.

complete setup
Available for both rhythm (neck) and lead (bridge) positions.

guitars
For all well-balanced instruments. Works equally well with maple and rosewood fingerboards.

available mods
Both lead and rhythm versions available tapped for dual output levels.

players
Cesar Rosas / Los Lobos, Gwyn Ashton, Joshua Partington / Something Corporate, Michael Sweet / Stryper "

Best videos/sound clips:

Here is a video from Seymour Duncan demonstrating the versatility of the STR-3 Quarter Pound for Tele neck Pickup. It features Steve Booke playing what appears to be a Fender American Standard Telecaster. To hear the STR-3 in combination with the bridge pickup in a high gain setting, skip to 0:36 in the video below. The nice thing about this video is that Steve has arranged this song to have the full band stop in certain sections, so we can hear the pickups independent of the mix. The pickup is featured alone at 0:44. At 1:03, we hear the STR-3 in a high gain lead setting, and alone, with no band at 1:16. Around 1:30, the guitar sound cleans up and we are able to hear the STR-3 in the middle position in a rhythm role. He switches to the STR-3 alone at 1:55, allowing us to hear a clean solo. A nice mid-gain rhythm section begins at 2:22, with the STR-3 being used in conjunction with the bridge pickup. The video ends with an extended solo played with the STR-3 only. Again, the band drops out for a bit, from 2:54-2:57, so we can hear the STR-3 in all its high gain glory, before the band comes back in until the end of the video. This video highlights the STR-3's ability to fit well in a musical context that you wouldn't expect from a Telecaster.

This video is another one from Seymour Duncan, this time featuring guitarist Rodney Gene letting us hear the STR-3 in a more traditional Telecaster style. He's playing a Fender Classic Player Tele through a compressor into a Peavey Delta Blues amplifier. The STR-3 is featured alone at 1:11, with Rodney playing some nice round rubato passages, giving us a little country jazz. At 1:55, he switches to the middle position, and we can hear the chimey "tele-ness" of the STR-3, with a little extra output and thickness. Really cool behind-the-nut bends and artificial harmonics in this section, too.

Here's a video by Belleville Paul showing us the versatility of the STR-3 and STL-3. This time, were in a more modern rock context, and played on a Fender Classic Player Baja Tele into Apple's Logic Pro X. After a nice little intro in the middle position, and the salute at 0:22, we hear the STL-3 with high gain playing big thick power chords, before falling away to a solo on the bridge pickup, from 0:35 until he switches to the STR-3 at 1:28 for the tune's chorus climax. At 1:42, we hear a section of unison bends with the STL-3 until the breakdown at 1:51. The breakdown is my favorite part of the tune. We can hear the STL-3 with a little space around it, and here it really reminds of the thickness and punch of a P-90. Good stuff from 3:00 to the end. 

So here's Belleville Paul again with the STR-3 and STL-3 in a Pop/Punk application. The guitar is a Fender Classic Player Baja Tele. Again, these pickups are big and round, with a little less twang than regular Tele pickups. The guitar enters after a salute at 0:12, and it sounds huge. In fact, it reminds of Billie Joe Armstrong when he uses a Les Paul Junior with a P-90! There is some cool chord work in the verse of the song, starting at 0:23. At 2:08, there is a really nice double stop passage that lets us hear the way the STL-3 sounds in the upper register. He flips to the STR-3 at 2:18, and we hear how great the STR-3 sounds for solos. Then it's back to the STL-3 again for the last chorus at 2:53 to the end. Great player getting a great sound from the STR-3 and STL-3.