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TDPRI Member
Hi folks, first time poster, long time reader here. I'm a huge Telecaster fan, I've read loads of helpful and interesting material on this forum, thus it seems like the best place to ask for some quite specific advice.
For years now my career has forced me to downsize my musical equipment inventory. It's been impractical to have nice instruments I'd worry about, hence I've restricted myself to carrying an old beater acoustic (for general noodling etc) plus this really rather good Squier with dual humbuckers.
I found the Squier by chance in a guitar shop I've used and trusted since my late teens, when visiting for another purpose. I'd not owned an electric for years, and had no intention of changing that.
I've always been a fan of 1970s era Telecasters and others with wide range, regular and single coil sized humbuckers, so an attractive black on black Deluxe style body with a maple neck and regular / "proper" tele headstock for around £150 was intriguing.
I hadn't played a Squier for years, but I certainly didn't remember them feeling so nice as this one. The small shop only had a couple of Fender Telecasters, all with the traditional pickup configuration. I tried the least expensive maple board Fender, which was neither better nor worse, just different.
I nearly let headstock brand name snobbery get the better of me, as at first I assumed I'd immediately want to pay around the same again to upgrade the Squier's pickups - thus reducing the price difference, compared with the Fender.
However I got to take my time, play the Squier into a variety of amps and through lots of the shop's stock of pedals, both being mostly used items including some very nice vintage gear.
Once I'd got used to the sound of the stock humbuckers, I was quite happy with them. I was also reminded of how and why I'd got started on this unplanned guitar buying excursion - the undeniably attractive 1970s vibe that initially drew my eye to the Squier!
Over the years that guitar has done the job expected of it: I've travelled around with it, not having to worry about putting a more valuable instrument through the stresses of dramatic temperature changes, rough handling etc. Every time I've checked the action, intonation, fretboard and so forth, it's been pretty rock solid, hardly needing any maintenance at all.
Now I'm a much more settled, and after having all my musical gear in storage for some time, I'm reminded why I was attracted to this instrument all those years ago.
However I'm not sure whether a pickup upgrade might now be worthwhile? I can't pinpoint any specific problems with them, but I'd be happy to pay a reasonable amount for something that would provide a noticeable sonic upgrade.
I've looked around at used pickups for sale on Reverb, eBay and local Facebook groups, but I'm not finding much. Even Reverb seems to mostly have new items. Occasionally I see a second hand humbucker from a big brand like Seymour Duncan, but the prices being asked seem far too close to the cost of a brand new equivalent.
I've seen very inexpensive regular sized new humbuckers (ie parts that should fit my Squier Tele Custom) from companies like Artec, but they're so cheap I'm suspicious as to whether they offer a genuine upgrade over what's fitted as stock?
Having searched around various forums, this place seemed to have lots of posts about the guitar in question, as well as the second version which simply seemed to swap out the humbuckers for a pair of Duncan Designed P90s. Hence I thought I'd start by asking folks here for any experiences or recommendations around a potential pickup upgrade for my Vintage Modified Telecaster Custom.
I really don't want to spend a lot of money, though I probably could be convinced by some specific experiences from other owners. I've been so impressed with this Squier that I'm considering buying another, possibly a Custom Vibe Thinline or the Jaguar with humbuckers and a hardtail bridge, or maybe even a Fender Vintera or Japanese '72 Thinline (though I'm fully aware of the "issues" with these modern, non-CuNiFe versions of the Wide Range pickups!)
I'm not very familiar with smaller and/or UK based aftermarket pickup winders, aside from popular places like The Creamery. The latter is well outside of my price range (in this particular instance) as are all of the brand new options I've found, except for the suspiciously cheap Artec types.
I've been looking for something priced somewhere in the middle ground between those two extremes, either new or second hand. Am I simply being unrealistic, ie are there actually any options there?
Apologies for the long post, I just thought a bit of background might help folks in providing any advice.
Please feel free to ask any questions about my guitar, signal chain etc - I've left out information about amps and so forth, as I'm also considering adding something new in that department too...however that's obviously a whole 'nother topic!
For years now my career has forced me to downsize my musical equipment inventory. It's been impractical to have nice instruments I'd worry about, hence I've restricted myself to carrying an old beater acoustic (for general noodling etc) plus this really rather good Squier with dual humbuckers.
I found the Squier by chance in a guitar shop I've used and trusted since my late teens, when visiting for another purpose. I'd not owned an electric for years, and had no intention of changing that.
I've always been a fan of 1970s era Telecasters and others with wide range, regular and single coil sized humbuckers, so an attractive black on black Deluxe style body with a maple neck and regular / "proper" tele headstock for around £150 was intriguing.
I hadn't played a Squier for years, but I certainly didn't remember them feeling so nice as this one. The small shop only had a couple of Fender Telecasters, all with the traditional pickup configuration. I tried the least expensive maple board Fender, which was neither better nor worse, just different.
I nearly let headstock brand name snobbery get the better of me, as at first I assumed I'd immediately want to pay around the same again to upgrade the Squier's pickups - thus reducing the price difference, compared with the Fender.
However I got to take my time, play the Squier into a variety of amps and through lots of the shop's stock of pedals, both being mostly used items including some very nice vintage gear.
Once I'd got used to the sound of the stock humbuckers, I was quite happy with them. I was also reminded of how and why I'd got started on this unplanned guitar buying excursion - the undeniably attractive 1970s vibe that initially drew my eye to the Squier!
Over the years that guitar has done the job expected of it: I've travelled around with it, not having to worry about putting a more valuable instrument through the stresses of dramatic temperature changes, rough handling etc. Every time I've checked the action, intonation, fretboard and so forth, it's been pretty rock solid, hardly needing any maintenance at all.
Now I'm a much more settled, and after having all my musical gear in storage for some time, I'm reminded why I was attracted to this instrument all those years ago.
However I'm not sure whether a pickup upgrade might now be worthwhile? I can't pinpoint any specific problems with them, but I'd be happy to pay a reasonable amount for something that would provide a noticeable sonic upgrade.
I've looked around at used pickups for sale on Reverb, eBay and local Facebook groups, but I'm not finding much. Even Reverb seems to mostly have new items. Occasionally I see a second hand humbucker from a big brand like Seymour Duncan, but the prices being asked seem far too close to the cost of a brand new equivalent.
I've seen very inexpensive regular sized new humbuckers (ie parts that should fit my Squier Tele Custom) from companies like Artec, but they're so cheap I'm suspicious as to whether they offer a genuine upgrade over what's fitted as stock?
Having searched around various forums, this place seemed to have lots of posts about the guitar in question, as well as the second version which simply seemed to swap out the humbuckers for a pair of Duncan Designed P90s. Hence I thought I'd start by asking folks here for any experiences or recommendations around a potential pickup upgrade for my Vintage Modified Telecaster Custom.
I really don't want to spend a lot of money, though I probably could be convinced by some specific experiences from other owners. I've been so impressed with this Squier that I'm considering buying another, possibly a Custom Vibe Thinline or the Jaguar with humbuckers and a hardtail bridge, or maybe even a Fender Vintera or Japanese '72 Thinline (though I'm fully aware of the "issues" with these modern, non-CuNiFe versions of the Wide Range pickups!)
I'm not very familiar with smaller and/or UK based aftermarket pickup winders, aside from popular places like The Creamery. The latter is well outside of my price range (in this particular instance) as are all of the brand new options I've found, except for the suspiciously cheap Artec types.
I've been looking for something priced somewhere in the middle ground between those two extremes, either new or second hand. Am I simply being unrealistic, ie are there actually any options there?
Apologies for the long post, I just thought a bit of background might help folks in providing any advice.
Please feel free to ask any questions about my guitar, signal chain etc - I've left out information about amps and so forth, as I'm also considering adding something new in that department too...however that's obviously a whole 'nother topic!
