Player Plus Nashville Tele Vs Player Plus Standard

[Mikelo1966]

I currently own a sunburst Player Plus Nashville Telecaster which is great, but sometimes feel that it hasn’t got the classic Tele tone. I love the additional features of the Player Plus (esp the rolled edge neck - I now struggle with guitars without this!) so am considering a ‘standard’ Player Plus Tele. Does anyone have experience of both versions to know if this is worth doing, or does the Nashville do everything the standard Player plus version does tone-wise? (and more). I would love to be able to go for an Ultra or Pro II, but these are really out of my price range. Thanks all and look forward to your comments.

 

[John C]

I haven't played them back-to-back but I have played them both. The neck & bridge pickups are the same; the Nashville just has the middle pickup added. I'm sure that besides the added pickup settings there is going to be some difference due to the magnetic pull of the middle pickup, but as to how noticeable that is I don't know since I didn't play them back-to-back; it was about a week apart. You do get the "both pickups in series" option with the "regular" Player Plus.

For what it's worth I'm usually in the camp of noiseless pickups not having the traditional tones anyway - I played both Player Plus models when I was searching for a Tele back last Thanksgiving and wound up buying an American Performer because I preferred the more traditional sound (with the larger frets I can deal with the not-really-rolled-but-also-not-sharp fingerboard edges). If you want traditional Tele pickups you could always remove the Nashville electronics and install traditional pickups and wiring, saving the stock parts to put it back stock. Some will say that you have to have the traditional bridge as well to get that classic Tele tone.

 

[Fenderdad1950]

Most Telecasters have 9 1/2" radius, the newer Nashville Teles have a 12" radius. Besides the added pickup of course, you would have something that feels more traditional (without going back to a 50s era) in your hand. Get a regular Tele to make you stable complete.

 

[nickmsmith]

If you swap the middle and neck pickup wires on the switch, you can have the middle position and basically have everything the regular Tele offers, plus the middle and middle/neck position. That’s what I did.
I consider it a 3 way switch plus 2 extra positions.

 

[_dave_]

I just gutted my player plus tele (2-pickup).
I love the neck and body (rib-cut, thin body).
I now found out that I don’t like the modern noiseless pickups (not enough dynamics for me) and prefer the vintage brass saddle sound. (Twang). I am keeping the 6-saddle for a more focused, thicker tone. I also changed control panel and switched to twisted tele neck and broadcaster bridge PUs from a ‘14 Am Std tele and NOW I have the dynamics and twang that cuts through and dynamics with a touch of a knob or switch.
I’m now saving for an American pro or performer or other vintage tele. Now that I know I’m more prone to vintage tele tone. It took me playing the modern setup since nov to realize the subtleties between modern/vintage.
Oh, and Std 3way wiring without treble bleed is awesome.
Hope this helps.

 

[Mikelo1966]

I just gutted my player plus tele (2-pickup).
I love the neck and body (rib-cut, thin body).
I now found out that I don’t like the modern noiseless pickups (not enough dynamics for me) and prefer the vintage brass saddle sound. (Twang). I am keeping the 6-saddle for a more focused, thicker tone. I also changed control panel and switched to twisted tele neck and broadcaster bridge PUs from a ‘14 Am Std tele and NOW I have the dynamics and twang that cuts through and dynamics with a touch of a knob or switch.
I’m now saving for an American pro or performer or other vintage tele. Now that I know I’m more prone to vintage tele tone. It took me playing the modern setup since nov to realize the subtleties between modern/vintage.
Oh, and Std 3way wiring without treble bleed is awesome.
Hope this helps.

Thanks very much, very interesting. Thinking vintage, I’m also considering the Jason Isbell signature tele. Gets great reviews. Expensive for a MIM but does have custom shop features and vibe. Decisions decisions…

 

[LovinTheTwang]

I haven't played them back-to-back but I have played them both. The neck & bridge pickups are the same; the Nashville just has the middle pickup added. I'm sure that besides the added pickup settings there is going to be some difference due to the magnetic pull of the middle pickup, but as to how noticeable that is I don't know since I didn't play them back-to-back; it was about a week apart. You do get the "both pickups in series" option with the "regular" Player Plus.

For what it's worth I'm usually in the camp of noiseless pickups not having the traditional tones anyway - I played both Player Plus models when I was searching for a Tele back last Thanksgiving and wound up buying an American Performer because I preferred the more traditional sound (with the larger frets I can deal with the not-really-rolled-but-also-not-sharp fingerboard edges). If you want traditional Tele pickups you could always remove the Nashville electronics and install traditional pickups and wiring, saving the stock parts to put it back stock. Some will say that you have to have the traditional bridge as well to get that classic Tele tone.

How are you getting on with the performer after a good while with it? I'm looking for a new tele myself and tossing up a few ideas. I think I've ruled out the noiseless and whilst I am keeping an open mind, I have seen a nice AM Performer and an nice AM Pro II - there's not much in it price wise either. Sound will be the determining factor for me to be honest. In your search, did you try any AM Pro II's?

 

[John C]

How are you getting on with the performer after a good while with it? I'm looking for a new tele myself and tossing up a few ideas. I think I've ruled out the noiseless and whilst I am keeping an open mind, I have seen a nice AM Performer and an nice AM Pro II - there's not much in it price wise either. Sound will be the determining factor for me to be honest. In your search, did you try any AM Pro II's?

I am liking it; I actually prefer the old-style "Modern C" neck that's found on the American Performer series to the "Deep C" neck found on the American Pro IIs. I have some left-hand issues that I have to watch out for and the "Deep C" necks typically have just enough shoulder to cause me hand pain as it's a pretty full C. The depth wouldn't be an issue on the "Deep C"; they start out the same and only get a little bit thicker. For me a D or U shape neck is just a non-starter, and many of the "Deep C" necks I've tried out in person are starting to approach a bit of a D shape. Not as much as the American Ultras D shape (or how the American Elites morphed into a D shape), but just enough in that direction to give me some issues.

Soundwise I like it; the Yosemite pickups are okay for me as I'm mostly playing classic rock on it - so I'm not necessarily looking for absolute twang, but running from say early Tom Petty through Zeppelin I in the range of clean to dirty tones - and it fills the bill with that. I believe I like it better with a little bit of gain than pure clean, but the pure clean might be more my amp than the guitar.

I will admit that I never cared for the original V-Mods on American Professionals; the new V-Mod IIs are supposed to be much nicer but I never really gave the Pro II a long play-test due to me not liking their neck shape.

 

[Mikelo1966]

I haven't played them back-to-back but I have played them both. The neck & bridge pickups are the same; the Nashville just has the middle pickup added. I'm sure that besides the added pickup settings there is going to be some difference due to the magnetic pull of the middle pickup, but as to how noticeable that is I don't know since I didn't play them back-to-back; it was about a week apart. You do get the "both pickups in series" option with the "regular" Player Plus.

For what it's worth I'm usually in the camp of noiseless pickups not having the traditional tones anyway - I played both Player Plus models when I was searching for a Tele back last Thanksgiving and wound up buying an American Performer because I preferred the more traditional sound (with the larger frets I can deal with the not-really-rolled-but-also-not-sharp fingerboard edges). If you want traditional Tele pickups you could always remove the Nashville electronics and install traditional pickups and wiring, saving the stock parts to put it back stock. Some will say that you have to have the traditional bridge as well to get that classic Tele tone.

Thanks again for suggesting the Performer range…I’d not really considered these previously. I’ve been doing some research and they generally do get great reviews. My choice is now between one of these or a Jason Isbell signature, I think.