My name is Sgt Pepper, and I like my MIM stock pickups

[Sgt Pepper]

Group therapy beside the fact, I'm not sure why so many people change out their MIM pickups.

Personal preference, I get, but the pickups in my 2017 Standard sound great to me. I guess I should add my previously noted disclaimer that I'm just a singer that plays some guitar, so I'm not as savvy as a lot of guitar players, and though my hearing is some impaired from playing bands since I was a teen, and a carpenter that has to use loud tools, I can still discern what sounds good to me.

I am fortunate enough to be able to afford a few pretty nice guitars, including a new Thinline Telecaster I received a few days ago, so I thought I would sell my MIM since I have a couple of other Telecasters now. I got out the red Telecaster for the first time in a few months and plugged in to compare to the new guitar. Hmm, I like the new Thinline, and my old back will especially like it, but the MIM guitar just sounds a little better, which imo is understandable considering the body of the Thinline, but the tradeoff is good, plus the Thinline just looks cool too. Then I compared it to my American Showcase Telecaster, my 2011 model American Standard Stratocaster, and the 2020 American Professional Stratocaster. The red MIM compares favorably, sonically speaking, to all of them, and is noticeably better than the 2020 Strat, which imo is the least pleasurable to my ear.

Bottom line: I'll keep the MIM Telecaster and the pickups that came stock in it, but does anybody want to buy an American Professional II Stratocaster ?

 

[ChicknPickn]

I'm with you, even though I did the same thing with my 2002 MIM Tele - - removing the stock pickups, that is. My reason was that having played a bucker-equipped guitar for years prior, I was acutely aware of the single-coil noise. I liked the high-end chiming, but not the hum. I didn't know about shielding then. But I did discover Bill Lawrence and his noise-free singles. And that was a fine discovery indeed.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I very briefly owned a 2007 MiM Telecaster 15 years ago and thought the ceramic pickups were a little hot and harsh sounding.

But the 2022 Player Telecaster I've owned since last September just sound exactly like I'd want a Telecaster to sound, my poor playing aside. The current generation Alnico pickups are everything they should be IMO.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

. My reason was that having played a bucker-equipped guitar for years prior, .

yeah. I get that too. I do have a LP and actually more often I use a PRS SE, kind of a LP copy, I bought for $260 years ago. It already has the dive bar scars, and it plays well imo.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I very briefly owned a 2007 MiM Telecaster 15 years ago and thought the ceramic pickups were a little hot

I still play mostly rock. I like hot guitars, hot cars, and hot womens : ) Unfortunately for me the hot womens don't seem to like me as much anymore.

Actually I'd like to play more country and Americana but since moving away from town, and consequently less good musicians in my area, I'll play whatever anybody else wants to short of thrash metal.

 

[Boreas]

Heck, I even like Squier pickups (gasp!). They do what I need them to do.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Heck, I even like Squier pickups (gasp!). They do what I need them to do.

I bought a Squier Classic Vibe Thinline in December and I was surprised at the quality of the guitar at that price point. I actually liked it so much I decided to sell it and buy a Fender American Thinline (hope that makes sense) and I don't think the Fender American Original 60's is 4 times better. Actually, I think the entire American Original line is over priced, but I thought that before I purchased one, and actually got what I think is a decent deal for a new one (old stock). $1900 at Foxes Music Co. in Falls Church, Va, along with a few free items and arrived at my door less than 48 hours after the order. Great customer service...foxes music

But anyway, that Squier was a good one imo and I got my money back since I purchased it at a discount around Christmas. A Squier is the first guitar I ever bought my son when he was about 12. He has several other guitars by now, including a pre CBS Fender I bought when I was 16, and he plays bass most of the time, but I think he still plays that Squier more than any of the other guitars he owns.

 

[Sax-son]

I very briefly owned a 2007 MiM Telecaster 15 years ago and thought the ceramic pickups were a little hot and harsh sounding.

Those were my issues exactly with the early MIM guitars. However, those guitars have improved significantly over the years and now I can see where many may choose to stick with them.

I had a 1995 MIM Stratocaster that I swapped the ceramics out for some Lindy Frailin Vintage hots. At the time, the pickups cost more than the guitar, but it made that guitar sound better than my American Fender Lone Star Strat. Huge improvement to say the least.

 

[Peter Graham]

But will you still need them and will you still feed them when you're 64?

 

[Sgt Pepper]

But will you still need them and will you still feed them when you're 64?

ha. I'm 66 now, so yeah.

 

[Gary in Boston]

Hmmmmm I wonder how many Telecaster bridge pickups exist in the world.........?

 

[Fiesta Red]

I agree.

The bridge pickup on my pinstriped Telecaster is phenomenal…I don’t see why I’d ever change it.

I will admit that the stock neck humbucker was terrible; that got yanked out pretty quickly, and after a stint in Esquire mode, I eventually put a cheap $20 Mighty Mite P-90 in it’s place.

The faux WRHBs in my MIM 72RI Telecaster Deluxe are pretty dang good, too.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Hmmmmm I wonder how many Telecaster bridge pickups exist in the world.........?

I don't know but somebody should volunteer to try every single one of them and hit us all back as to the unsubjectively, absolutely best one.

 

[Brent Hutto]

Hmmmmm I wonder how many Telecaster bridge pickups exist in the world.........?

I could stick a different one in there every week and eventually make it through the whole list (if I live to be 117 or so). Heck, I wouldn't need to bother soldering the wires since I never switch it on anyway...

 

[TeleToneTony]

I very briefly owned a 2007 MiM Telecaster 15 years ago and thought the ceramic pickups were a little hot and harsh sounding.

But the 2022 Player Telecaster I've owned since last September just sound exactly like I'd want a Telecaster to sound, my poor playing aside. The current generation Alnico pickups are everything they should be IMO.

As a older player the current fender pups are not to my liking. Kinda thin/brittle. I prefer the old American Standard pickups 2000-2016, anything after that are the so called Shaw designed pups.

 

[Tone Quest]

Tone is very subjective. If you like it, that's all that matters.

 

[beachbreak]

I changed the MIM pickups. The bridge was wound strong but there was not enough twang.

The stock bridge pickup on my '79 Am. Std. was a twanger and then some.

Not the MIM though.