My new 72 Custom: a few questions

[superbadj]

Ok, just received my 72 Custom RI.

I got a steal on it--under $400, and it's in brand new condition with ALL the materials and what-not in it. It's a 2006 model, looks essentially unplayed other than the old strings on it.

I was super stoked when it arrived. Love the looks. I've played a few 72 Deluxes in stores, and really liked them. I miss the contouring of that body, but I really wanted the bridge single coil.

So...when I plugged it in, I have to say, I was a little bit less than blown away.

Granted, these are OLD strings. But the output of this bridge SC is way low. Much, much lower than my 1985 MIJ '62 Custom Tele, surprisingly (I never thought THAT one had a "hot" pickup).

The 'bucker seems to sound pretty decent, though the QC of fitting the pickup cover to the pole pieces is actually pretty bad. But I've read that's a normal thing (though still kinda crappy of Fender to not fix that issue).



Anyway, here are my questions.

Has anyone else here found this pickup (just called a "Tele" pickup on the Fender site) to be very weak? I'm not a tech geek, but how can I find out more about this specific pickup? Are there easy fixes (pot changes, etc.) or should I just consider a swap?

I need to get new strings, of course, and do a full setup on it (i'm learning to do that myself with Dan Erlewine's help via his books--great stuff). But for the pickups themselves, I was just curious what experience you guys had this this guitar or similar bridge pups.

THANKS!

I'll try to post some pics of the tele and my other one soon.

[superbadj]

FYI, I "measured" output of the bridge pup not just in comparison to the HB, but by setting up the amp and putting the 72 Custom on the bridge pup and playing, and then (without touching the amp) switching over to my '62 Custom. The 62 was MUCH louder, much more positive sounding, much more aggressive and much beefier (if the bridge can be considered beefy at all).

Totally, totally different. No comparison.

And I've been thinking about putting Nocasters in the '62 because I wanted some more ooomph!

[superbadj]

Anyone? I did a search, but really found no discuss of the bridge pickup at all.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Change the strings first... Then spend some time setting it up and adjusting the pickup height. If you're still not happy swap it out for something else... Since you got it so cheap, an extra $60 or so for a really nice pickup won't hurt at all!

[Southern ILL]

OLD strings suck....get rid of them before you do anything else.Trust me(and yourself) on this.....also you may have to adjust pickuip height closer to strings.You probally know most of this info......Sounds like a killer git. Enjoy and post some pics.

[jazztele]

you might also consider lowering the 'bucker. it took me a while to get things balanced.

but hey, with the deal you got, why not get a nice, hotter bridge pup for that baby...then you'll have a screamer.

little hint with these things is--middle pickup position, roll down the volume on the neck to about 7 or so, run the bridge up full. great rhythm guitar sound, dirty or clean.

[superbadj]

Cool. Mainly, that's what I was getting at. I know it needs some adjustments, I was just SO surprised at how weak the bridge pup sounded that I wondered if they had a bad rep or anything. I think it is a bit low, looking at it compared to my '62.

once I get 'er adjusted, I think she'll be just fine.

[mellecaster]

I think some New strings and address the height adjustment, and you will be fine...I believe they use the same Pup as the MIM 60s Classic, and they are Pretty well thought of...does it have the White Cotton wrap on the coil ?

[superbadj]

Yep, the wrap is white, I assume it's cotton (obviously haven't pulled it out yet).

If I have to change that pup, it's no big deal I guess. But I wouldn't do that until everything else has been set up properly.

Actually, that brings me to a good question about pickup height that I'll post in the Pickup section.

[gtech]

I would say that it could be your 62 that is hotter.

That's why I bought a 62 repro when I built one of my Teles a while ago.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/re19hotalteb.html

[lostpick]

not one bit...

and its out of my STD MIM TSB now...

for good...

replaced by a OV...

I will never do staggered poles again
on a tele bridge pup...

That same pup is on the>>>

72 Custom...Joe Strummer Tele...60s Classic????

it sure looks the same....

I am really surprised 60s classic owners
spoke well of it

raspy...honky...grating...mids

and its weak output drove me crazy

[Trimac20]

Do you have a MIM or CIJ? I have a brand new CIJ, and they're supposed to sound worse than the MIM ones. I too found the WR Humbucker fairly decent actually - a nice tone to my ears, but the bridge pickup lacking - about the same as a MIM Standard. I'm replacing with a Broadcaster pickup and getting the pots changed (well getting the luthier to do it of course, lol, the Custom's wiring looks intimidating).

[morroben]

The stock bridge pup in my 72 Custom RI is one of the best sounding stock pickups I've ever heard. I changed it out because I had a SD 5/2 that I wanted to try, but I think the stock one is going back in. Either that or I might save it for my impending lapsteel project.
I'd change strings and adjust pup heights. FWIW I keep the humbucker in my 72 RI as low as it will go without the screws lifting up off of the pg.

[superbadj]

I always find it interesting how in one guitar, some will thing a particular pickup is just plain terrible, and others will say it's one of the best they've heard.

The thing is, they may both be right, they just may have different tastes!

Well, I'll be working with it to see if I can get it to work as-is by doing a setup, new strings, adjusting heights, etc. If I can't get it to sing properly, I'll look into a replacement!

Thanks for the responses, guys. Always helps to get some feedback.

[bluescube]

gfs FATBODY bridge would be a good match

[w0odman]

I'll second the GFS Fatbody. I have the 10k version and I love it.

[gtech]

I would tend to agree with the Fatbody too... as a second choice maybe.

I used the GFS Repro 1960 hotter 9.6K PU in a Tele that had a GFS Fatbody in the neck position. I thought they would go well together. And I wanted to make sure it would keep the Tele twang in the bridge position. And it has normal unstaggered poles.

[Blueblood]

Congrats on your purchase!

Now...have you gone here??
http://lidbjork.homelinux.org/72cc/

[superbadj]

Yeah, BB, I've been there. the Forum isn't exactly HOPPING, is it?

But there's some good info on there.


Well I cleaned the thing up (though it was already really clean), changed the strings, set the intonation, raised the bridge pup as high as I could get it reasonably, fiddled with the neck pup, and strung her back up in 5-string Keef style. A buddy of mine and I were donna record some just-for-fun stones stuff, so it made perfect sense.

It sounded AWESOME, frankly. And played wonderfully. So I'm totally happy with the purchase, at any price, but at the price I paid? I almost feel guilty. But I don't.

Anyway, I did decide for SURE to change out the bridge pup. It just sounds so tinny and blah, and I personally just can't get many useful tones out of it.

So now it's onto the options of what to use!

One option, that I might just do for now, is to get a set of Nocasters for the '62 Tele, and move that bridge pup over to the '72 until such a time that I want to replace that one. I like the pups in the '62 but I've heard such good things about nocasters that I want to try them. So we'll see.

Thanks for all the feedback, gents.

[graphs]

i still want to see a picture of this puppy!

also, i've heard the SD Donahue pickup is a decent match for a neck 'bucker.

[RocksOff]

Heh... I'm member 72 of the 72 custom club. Been awhile since I've been over there... at least 5 years. It started off as an offshoot of the fender forum after we all got evicted.

[Blueblood]

Originally Posted by RocksOff

Heh...the 72 custom club...It started off as an offshoot of the fender forum after we all got evicted.

Oh yeah...

[lostpick]

I would go for robust output....

After all....

A 72 custom is a Rock and Roll Tele....

When I switch to the bridge pup I
would not want a huge drop in output
and a gain boost is more useful to me...

But then your looking at a 10 k wind

[jazztele]

Originally Posted by lostpick

After all....

A 72 custom is a Rock and Roll Tele....

check out "stella by starlight" http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1011/audio.php

that's what a 72 custom can do, too.

[RocksOff]

LOL! Good one, blueblood.