I'm starting to get this Mod" thing....

gibsonjunkie · February 27th, 2008, 02:13 PM

I have had a natural ash American built Telecaster for a few years now and kept it pure stock. I really didn't think about upgrading anything and have left it alone. As I think about it though, I love the look of it, and the way it plays, but I never pick it up and play it because I'm not happy with the tone...

H-m-m-m... probably time to start thinking about a pickup swap...

Let the suggestions come forth!!!!

ChicknPickn · February 27th, 2008, 02:17 PM

I have two sets. Love 'em. So does everyone who hears 'em. Including a friend who is a Les Paul snob. Can't beat the price or service, either. The 290 lead unit is a little higher in output.

http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickup_Window/280.htm

BroadMaster · February 27th, 2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibsonjunkie

I have had a natural ash American built Telecaster for a few years now and kept it pure stock. I really didn't think about upgrading anything and have left it alone. As I think about it though, I love the look of it, and the way it plays, but I never pick it up and play it because I'm not happy with the tone...
H-m-m-m... probably time to start thinking about a pickup swap...

Let the suggestions come forth!!!!

What genres of music do you like play?

Flat357 · February 27th, 2008, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibsonjunkie

I have had a natural ash American built Telecaster for a few years now and kept it pure stock. I really didn't think about upgrading anything and have left it alone. As I think about it though, I love the look of it, and the way it plays, but I never pick it up and play it because I'm not happy with the tone...

H-m-m-m... probably time to start thinking about a pickup swap...

Let the suggestions come forth!!!!

What tone is it giving you at the moment , and is it brighter or warmer than you prefer ?

gibsonjunkie · February 27th, 2008, 03:04 PM

I got it for country-rock/rock and a "clean" sound. The only way I can describe the sound is "lifeless". OF course I'm plugged into a Marshall AVT 100 which is not my first choice for an amp, but it's what I have...

byrdbrain · February 27th, 2008, 03:20 PM

I suggest bringing your guitar to a music store
and playing it through, say, a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue.
If it sounds great then, you're in for much more expensive investment

Seriously, the first thing you should try, though, is adjusting the pickup height.
It really changes the tone a lot, and a bit of tinkering won't cost you
anything.

gibsonjunkie · February 27th, 2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byrdbrain

I suggest bringing your guitar to a music store
and playing it through, say, a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue.
If it sounds great then, you're in for much more expensive investment

Seriously, the first thing you should try, though, is adjusting the pickup height.
It really changes the tone a lot, and a bit of tinkering won't cost you
anything.

I'm planning on a new amp this summer (the Mrs. says I can get one for my birthday) and that may make a difference... I'm looking forward to trying a few things out to see what works...

mellecaster · February 27th, 2008, 05:21 PM

I'm not familiar w/ a Marshall AVT 100...but I would first try your Guitar thru a Large Fender All Tube Amp...you may just leave it stock !

gibsonjunkie · February 27th, 2008, 10:47 PM

I'm thinking the amp may be part of the problem, too. It's got a tube preamp and solid state amp with digital (lousy) effects. I will be trying it out on a friend's fender amp before I do anything to it...

Don Miller · February 28th, 2008, 12:21 AM

Quite likely your guitar has American Standard style pickups...which lack the metal baseplate on the bridge pickup that contributes to the traditional tele sound...and a .022mfd cap.....the "classic" cap is ,047mfd...I figured maybe Fender used the 22 to compensate in some way for the less than lively pickups...

Theres alot of good aftermarket pickups...Duncan, Fralin, Lollar, Stuarts,etc etc etc...even the Fender Vintage pups... the ones they used to put in the 52 RI would likely be an improvement....currently my main guitar has Duncan Antiquities...its a double body Nashville West "Clarence " clone with a hollow back so its got more resonance than a solid tele....

Ive also got teles with the formentioned Fender vintage and Duncan Alnico II pickups...as I think about it, I like the Alnicos, and think theyd do well with the style you play....and they are relatively inexpensive compared to some aftermaket offerings....

MBradford6288 · February 28th, 2008, 12:57 AM

The rio grande muy grandes and halfbreeds really sound amazing. I've put in a lot of different duncans and dimarzios into a couple of teles, and then I found the rio grandes and wow, huge difference. Tons of harmonic quality. Turns a lifeless guitar into an incredible instrument.

YMMV
Matt

boris bubbanov · February 28th, 2008, 01:03 AM

I think the very best thing you can do to awaken the guitar is to get access to an amp that can really show you what is in store.

I've changed a lot of things on my 2004 Am Se Fender Tele; the pickups is not one of those things.

gibsonjunkie · February 29th, 2008, 10:10 PM

Well, you guys were right. I was at a buddies house today and we played it through a Deluxe Reverb after he did a set-up. Adjusted string height, pickup height, intonation and played through his amp - GOLDEN!!!

I gotta get me one of them amps...

BroadMaster · February 29th, 2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gibsonjunkie

Well, you guys were right. I was at a buddies house today and we played it through a Deluxe Reverb after he did a set-up. Adjusted string height, pickup height, intonation and played through his amp - GOLDEN!!!

I gotta get me one of them amps...

Deluxe Reverb (what year?)... or Deluxe Reverb / Reissue?

gibsonjunkie · March 1st, 2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadMaster

Deluxe Reverb (what year?)... or Deluxe Reverb / Reissue?

Don't really know yet - it will be an adventure searching for the right amp...

February 27th, 2008, 02:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 644	I'm starting to get this Mod" thing.... I have had a natural ash American built Telecaster for a few years now and kept it pure stock. I really didn't think about upgrading anything and have left it alone. As I think about it though, I love the look of it, and the way it plays, but I never pick it up and play it because I'm not happy with the tone... H-m-m-m... probably time to start thinking about a pickup swap... Let the suggestions come forth!!!!

February 27th, 2008, 02:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChicknPickn Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Suffolk, VA Age: 45 Posts: 436	Especially for a Gibson guy . . . . I have two sets. Love 'em. So does everyone who hears 'em. Including a friend who is a Les Paul snob. Can't beat the price or service, either. The 290 lead unit is a little higher in output. http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickup_Window/280.htm

February 27th, 2008, 03:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
byrdbrain Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sweden Age: 50 Posts: 1,416 4 Photos	I suggest bringing your guitar to a music store and playing it through, say, a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue. If it sounds great then, you're in for much more expensive investment Seriously, the first thing you should try, though, is adjusting the pickup height. It really changes the tone a lot, and a bit of tinkering won't cost you anything. __________________ In vino securitas

February 27th, 2008, 05:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,774 17 Photos	I'm not familiar w/ a Marshall AVT 100...but I would first try your Guitar thru a Large Fender All Tube Amp...you may just leave it stock ! __________________ I have never owned an Ipod or Blackberry..and doubt that I ever will......

February 28th, 2008, 12:57 AM	#11 (permalink)
MBradford6288 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 141	Try some rio grandes The rio grande muy grandes and halfbreeds really sound amazing. I've put in a lot of different duncans and dimarzios into a couple of teles, and then I found the rio grandes and wow, huge difference. Tons of harmonic quality. Turns a lifeless guitar into an incredible instrument. YMMV Matt __________________ Classical music is the kind we keep thinking will turn into a tune. -Kin Hubbard (1868 - 1930) Music makes one feel so romantic - at least it always gets on one's nerves - which is the same thing nowadays. -Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)

February 27th, 2008, 03:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 644	I got it for country-rock/rock and a "clean" sound. The only way I can describe the sound is "lifeless". OF course I'm plugged into a Marshall AVT 100 which is not my first choice for an amp, but it's what I have...

February 27th, 2008, 10:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 644	I'm thinking the amp may be part of the problem, too. It's got a tube preamp and solid state amp with digital (lousy) effects. I will be trying it out on a friend's fender amp before I do anything to it...

February 28th, 2008, 12:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
Don Miller Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Age: 57 Posts: 593 14 Photos	Quite likely your guitar has American Standard style pickups...which lack the metal baseplate on the bridge pickup that contributes to the traditional tele sound...and a .022mfd cap.....the "classic" cap is ,047mfd...I figured maybe Fender used the 22 to compensate in some way for the less than lively pickups... Theres alot of good aftermarket pickups...Duncan, Fralin, Lollar, Stuarts,etc etc etc...even the Fender Vintage pups... the ones they used to put in the 52 RI would likely be an improvement....currently my main guitar has Duncan Antiquities...its a double body Nashville West "Clarence " clone with a hollow back so its got more resonance than a solid tele.... Ive also got teles with the formentioned Fender vintage and Duncan Alnico II pickups...as I think about it, I like the Alnicos, and think theyd do well with the style you play....and they are relatively inexpensive compared to some aftermaket offerings....

February 28th, 2008, 01:03 AM	#12 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,574	I think the very best thing you can do to awaken the guitar is to get access to an amp that can really show you what is in store. I've changed a lot of things on my 2004 Am Se Fender Tele; the pickups is not one of those things. __________________ Bubban0v

February 29th, 2008, 10:10 PM	#13 (permalink)
gibsonjunkie Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bloomfield, Connecticut Age: 55 Posts: 644	Well, you guys were right. I was at a buddies house today and we played it through a Deluxe Reverb after he did a set-up. Adjusted string height, pickup height, intonation and played through his amp - GOLDEN!!! I gotta get me one of them amps... __________________ The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...