American Standard Deluxe

mikejanbohn · July 8th, 2008, 05:54 PM

OK I spent an bunch of money to get a new Telecaster. they go for $1400 new. except one thing...IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A TELECASTER!!!!
the bass PU sounds like a jazz guitar and the treble PU can cut glass. but no tele sound. I use 10s and 11s on it depending on how I feel that day.
my guess is the nice bridge pieces. not the old time bridge .6 individual pieces. real nice. I think the Tele sounds like a Tele because of the crappy bridge. that banjo sound ....what do you say?????jmb

teleman1991 · July 8th, 2008, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikejanbohn

OK I spent an bunch of money to get a new Telecaster. they go for $1400 new. except one thing...IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A TELECASTER!!!!
the bass PU sounds like a jazz guitar and the treble PU can cut glass. but no tele sound. I use 10s and 11s on it depending on how I feel that day.
my guess is the nice bridge pieces. not the old time bridge .6 individual pieces. real nice. I think the Tele sounds like a Tele because of the crappy bridge. that banjo sound ....what do you say?????jmb

SCN pickups - no cycle hum - no life or airiness - no tele twang in my books. A good modern sounding guitar, but i know exactly what you mean.

Darrell · July 8th, 2008, 06:53 PM

I agree, some single coils will certainly get you one step closer.

boris bubbanov · July 8th, 2008, 07:12 PM

Welcome!

Yeah, the bridge is part of it; the saddles are part of it; and the pickups, while of good quality, aren't intended to make the Tele sound, IMO.

I think you might be able to find a set of pickups that will get you back into the right county, if you are so inclined. However, yours is a guitar with fine resale or trade value - it could make sense to do some horse trading.

I have heard there are humans who look just like us that do not like American Vintage 52 "Reissue" Teles. I haven't met one lately, but if you can find such a guy with an AV 52, you could soon be in high cotton.

teleman1991 · July 9th, 2008, 07:34 AM

First thing i would do is buy a replacement ashtray bridge with brass saddles. Then you can see for yourself if its making a good difference for you. Then ofcourse the next step would be different pickups. I wouldnt scrap the s-1 though because if you dont use it then its still your standard 3 way tele, but its there if you want it.

Jellecaster · July 9th, 2008, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teleman1991

First thing i would do is buy a replacement ashtray bridge with brass saddles. Then you can see for yourself if its making a good difference for you. Then ofcourse the next step would be different pickups. I wouldnt scrap the s-1 though because if you dont use it then its still your standard 3 way tele, but its there if you want it.

Note that a standard ashtry bridge will NOT fit that guitar. You would have to buy one from Glendale or Callaham that is meant to be a replacement for the modern American bridge. IMO, if you were going to replace the bridge and pups, you are better off trading that guitar for an AV52 or AV62. Perhaps even a Baja.

Better yet, sell it and buy a Squire Classic Vibe and pocket the difference. I have three American Deluxes and I honestly like the Squire just as well!

teleman1991 · July 9th, 2008, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellecaster

Note that a standard ashtry bridge will NOT fit that guitar. You would have to buy one from Glendale or Callaham that is meant to be a replacement for the modern American bridge. IMO, if you were going to replace the bridge and pups, you are better off trading that guitar for an AV52 or AV62. Perhaps even a Baja.

Better yet, sell it and buy a Squire Classic Vibe and pocket the difference. I have three American Deluxes and I honestly like the Squire just as well!

I should of remembered to say that...haha yeah if i had that money back, i would of bought a 52ri or the hotrod version... i think thats what its called? mini seymore duncan in the neck?... but yeah the baja is a great guitar, you still get the S-1 FOUR way switching and a brilliant blend between modern and vintage guitar tones. Then you'd have money left over to get a nice blues deluxe...*dreams*

mikejanbohn · July 9th, 2008, 08:38 AM

I bought this guitar about 5 or 6 years ago. so the PU's are the regular tele PU's...right??? having said that ...if you use 9's on it ,it sound a little more like a tele. but 9's go out of tune in about a day.( if you play like I do.)
also it has a dark neck....that might be a factor....what do you think?????jmb

GilmourD · July 9th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikejanbohn

I bought this guitar about 5 or 6 years ago. so the PU's are the regular tele PU's...right??? having said that ...if you use 9's on it ,it sound a little more like a tele. but 9's go out of tune in about a day.( if you play like I do.)
also it has a dark neck....that might be a factor....what do you think?????jmb

Can you post a picture of the guitar so we know which one exactly that you have? Initially we were thinking that it's the current American Deluxe with Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups... But I think the American Deluxe series had Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups 5-6 years ago.

Jellecaster · July 9th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikejanbohn

I bought this guitar about 5 or 6 years ago. so the PU's are the regular tele PU's...right??? having said that ...if you use 9's on it ,it sound a little more like a tele. but 9's go out of tune in about a day.( if you play like I do.)
also it has a dark neck....that might be a factor....what do you think?????jmb

First, I'm a little confused by "American Standard Deluxe". There's no such animal. If you bought it five or six years ago, it is either an American Series or American Deluxe. Assuming that it is the latter, it won't have SCN pups like the new one's do, I believe that it will have Noiseless. Either way, they don't sound like a "standard" Tele.

When you say "dark neck", do you mean a rosewood fretboard? People will debate all day long about how that will effect the sound, but either will still twang, so I can't see that being a factor.

GilmourD · July 9th, 2008, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellecaster

When you say "dark neck", do you mean a rosewood fretboard? People will debate all day long about how that will effect the sound, but either will still twang, so I can't see that being a factor.

I tend to believe that it's the brass bridge plate that kills the twang in the modern Teles. I think that a thinner steel bridge plate brings on the twang.

In any case, Callaham makes a replacement bridge plate that will just bolt right on. It's made of steel and has brass saddles.

boris bubbanov · July 9th, 2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellecaster

Note that a standard ashtry bridge will NOT fit that guitar. You would have to buy one from Glendale or Callaham that is meant to be a replacement for the modern American bridge. IMO, if you were going to replace the bridge and pups, you are better off trading that guitar for an AV52 or AV62. Perhaps even a Baja.

Technically, one can retrofit a 3 barrel "ashtray" style bridge on an Am Se, Am Std or Am Dlx., but it is not easy and not for the faint of heart. You gotta drill 6 new precision holes in the vintage plate, and drill 4 new precision mount holes in your MIA body. And you have to pray the existing plate hasn't marred the finish where it will now be exposed:

I've done 3. I'd rather NOT do any more.

mikejanbohn · July 10th, 2008, 09:03 PM

its definately a Deluxe and it definately does not have Noiseless PUs. the hum is there.
I screwed the PUs down a bunch and the sound is better. not a tele sound but better.
I noticed a picture of Mike Bloomfield and his PUs were screwed way down into the body. why???????

Jellecaster · July 10th, 2008, 09:39 PM

I think pics are needed at this point...

July 8th, 2008, 05:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
mikejanbohn NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: crestwood mo. Age: 56 Posts: 8	American Standard Deluxe OK I spent an bunch of money to get a new Telecaster. they go for $1400 new. except one thing...IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A TELECASTER!!!! the bass PU sounds like a jazz guitar and the treble PU can cut glass. but no tele sound. I use 10s and 11s on it depending on how I feel that day. my guess is the nice bridge pieces. not the old time bridge .6 individual pieces. real nice. I think the Tele sounds like a Tele because of the crappy bridge. that banjo sound ....what do you say?????jmb

July 8th, 2008, 06:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,464	I agree, some single coils will certainly get you one step closer. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

July 8th, 2008, 07:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 7,633	Welcome! Yeah, the bridge is part of it; the saddles are part of it; and the pickups, while of good quality, aren't intended to make the Tele sound, IMO. I think you might be able to find a set of pickups that will get you back into the right county, if you are so inclined. However, yours is a guitar with fine resale or trade value - it could make sense to do some horse trading. I have heard there are humans who look just like us that do not like American Vintage 52 "Reissue" Teles. I haven't met one lately, but if you can find such a guy with an AV 52, you could soon be in high cotton. __________________ Bubban0v

July 9th, 2008, 07:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
teleman1991 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Isle of Wight, UK Age: 17 Posts: 175 9 Photos	First thing i would do is buy a replacement ashtray bridge with brass saddles. Then you can see for yourself if its making a good difference for you. Then ofcourse the next step would be different pickups. I wouldnt scrap the s-1 though because if you dont use it then its still your standard 3 way tele, but its there if you want it. __________________ Blonde Baja Tele with cut off switch, MIM std. Tele with custom pickups, Fender USA Deluxe 85 amp

July 10th, 2008, 09:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 40 Posts: 2,085	I think pics are needed at this point... __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

July 9th, 2008, 08:38 AM	#8 (permalink)
mikejanbohn NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: crestwood mo. Age: 56 Posts: 8	I bought this guitar about 5 or 6 years ago. so the PU's are the regular tele PU's...right??? having said that ...if you use 9's on it ,it sound a little more like a tele. but 9's go out of tune in about a day.( if you play like I do.) also it has a dark neck....that might be a factor....what do you think?????jmb

July 10th, 2008, 09:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
mikejanbohn NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: crestwood mo. Age: 56 Posts: 8	its definately a Deluxe and it definately does not have Noiseless PUs. the hum is there. I screwed the PUs down a bunch and the sound is better. not a tele sound but better. I noticed a picture of Mike Bloomfield and his PUs were screwed way down into the body. why???????