[PJ]

Kevin...a big part of the "tone" of your Tele is going to be influenced by the pickups. I've never owned a MIM Std. Tele. but I suspect the bridge pickup probably doesn't have the copper baseplate that the vintage Tele pickups have. But, you're right. Your model Tele is probably designed to sound a certain way with the hardware and pickups it ships with. I've just gotten used to the vintgae bridge - but if I was unhappy with the resulting tone, I'd probably do the same thing.