Squier tele custom II PU's

[riolux]

Hi all,
I recently bought a cheap, used squier tele custom II. I didn't play it for very long at the sellers house, but it sounded fine to me. However, when I play it in our rehearsal studio, I can't really get any tone. The guitar sounds very dark and somewhat muddy, even with the treble turned all the way up (and when I plug in my regular tele with that setting, my ears start to bleed )

Anyway, I'm not that familiar with P90's but is there anyway I can modify this guitar to get more treble? I'm thinking about rewiring it with new components. I don't know if there's a 250 or 500k pots in it but if it's 250 maybe I can change it to 500?

Does anyone else have this guitar? Is the muddyness in the PU's? They are Duncan Designed, do they have the same specs as real duncans except where they're made or are they completely different pickups?

I don't want to spend too much on this guitar (there are others...) but Tonerider has a set of P90's that are affordable and avaliable in my local store. Are they any good.

Sorry, that was a loooooooot of questions, but any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[DADGAD]

I have one in black and it was a bit muddy for me, too. First, the bridge pickup is overwound, making it pretty thick in the midrange department. Can't do much with it to get any clarity. The neck pickup is fine with a mod. That mod being replacement of the shielded wire running to the output jack. The coax on mine measured 120pF. It sucked a lot of high end. Replace it with a twisted pair. Next, I decoupled the neck from the body with a shim. That gave it properties more like an acoustic guitar and it became more lively & brighter. The neck pickup sounds great now. The bridge alone is 'okay' with lots of distortion but I would prefer a pickup like the neck in that bridge spot. I may be looking for some steel bridge saddles to replace the chrome plated cast saddles next.

Gary

[carlos]

I played a custom II and it's neck pickup didn't sound muddy, in fact to me it sounded brighter than a p90 antiquity mounted in a normal tele. As for the bridge pickup it did had strong mids but I believe that's how P90's are meant to be...

[The O.K.]

I own a Tele made by Squier although it is not the same model as yours. I learned quickly that the first thing one may need to do is change pots and PUPs in a Squier and they are not bad guitars for the price. You may have to do the same.

[riolux]

Hmm yeah... Thanks for the replies.
It actually sounds really good with a lot of gain, I just miss that little sparkle in the clean tones.

[eddiewagner]

Originally Posted by riolux

I just miss that little sparkle in the clean tones.

i have the custo 2 too. and i found it so lacking of any sparkle, that i installed stratocaster bridge pickup. looking back, i tghink it would have been smarter to install a better p-90 pickup, because that way the pickguard would still be unmolested. eddie

[riolux]

Originally Posted by eddiewagner

i have the custo 2 too.

I saw some pics in your gallery. I've been thinking about refinishing mine in white, and that looks really good. Also, the stripped look isn't that bad either.

[eddiewagner]

Originally Posted by riolux

Also, the stripped look isn't that bad either.

that was not a good strip. too much plastic underneath the colours. now it´s golden. that is very nice. eddie

[carlos]

Well, I'm no expert in p90's but to me the Duncan designed ones sound quite good, maybe the ones I played were an exception... maybe at the factory they put some real Duncans under the covers maybe it was that particular guitar... go figure.

I even A/B-ed it with some hummbucker equiped Ephiphones in the same price range (SG/Les Paul) and the Squier was the better sounding, certainly the most brighter and sparkling.

[bender-freak]

i have one that i Bigsbied and i left the stock Dunc Designs in there...they sound fine to me....i bought the guitar with the express intention of dumping the crappy neck right off the get-go...got it so cheap because of a "ding" in the back i just couldn't refuse it...again, the stock pups sound great in mine, and with a different neck with a little satin finish on the back instead of raw wood it plays great, too....

[mistermullens]

I've got one too, and I have no problem with muddiness. I believe they have 500k post already. You could try some 1 meg pots. Mine sounds great stock, but if I go above let's say "8" on the bridge pup, its a tad too hot for me. Part of me really wants to upgrade the pickups and do a complete rewire, but I can't stop playing it long enough to do so.

Lot of talk about these guitars lately. I like it.

[DADGAD]

Just changed out the chrome plated cast brass saddles on mine. I installed some Mighty Mite stamped saddles like those on vintage Strats and 72 Thinline Reissues. It made the guitar sound brighter with more jangle. It was a major improvement.

Gary