Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on May 25, 2023 17:14:05 GMT -5
I’m looking. Vintera? American original? American vintage? American performer?
Different prices I realize, but I don’t know much about them even though I’ve read specs.
I’d have to sell a couple of guitars if I went with the original or vintage. That’s ok because I’m getting older and don’t mind thinning out.
|
|
|
Post by larryguitar54 on May 25, 2023 17:24:24 GMT -5
I got this 52 Custom with SDMH circa 2005. Here is a clip when I hit the neck pickup so you get the tone.
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on May 25, 2023 19:05:39 GMT -5
Thanks Larry, that sounds great. Nice playing too. I hadn’t thought of the mini.
|
|
jtheissen
Wholenote
Montana lurker, mostly🎸
Posts: 202
|
Post by jtheissen on May 26, 2023 12:22:46 GMT -5
Love my 70s Vintera Tele.
|
|
Tequila Rob
Wholenote
Posts: 683
Formerly Known As: Guitar Fool
|
Post by Tequila Rob on May 26, 2023 12:45:20 GMT -5
if you can go used, Fender had some nice tele's with humbuckers in the late 90's early 2000's....the California series was made in 1997 and 98, then morphed into the Fat tele from 1998-2002....bigger profile necks, 5 way switching so you can get the split humbucker tone as well.....I have a 2001..I had a 98 California series and sold it...what a dumbass I am!...I'd certainly love to have another.....but that means selling one of the tele's I have.....
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 26, 2023 12:47:26 GMT -5
I can’t speak to Fender offerings, but I’ve used both the SD Jazz or ‘59 neck models with nice results.
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on May 31, 2023 8:39:37 GMT -5
Now, I’m looking at a G&L Asat Bluesboy, neck humbucker, single coil bridge.
I think I can get a good deal on it from a music shop about an hour from me.
Years ago I had an asat classic which I thought sounded real good…probably shouldn’t have sold it but I found something else I wanted more. I’m good at that!
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 31, 2023 9:50:01 GMT -5
I had a Bluesboy Tribute for a while. It was my first "Tele" with the neck HB. It did that thang well! I built myself my own rendition of the configuration and sold the BB. I didn't "off" the guitar because I didn't like it. It was purely herd-thinning.
I'm currently waiting on a neck for a build that is nearly finished. It is also the same configurations, but a different take on it.
I'd recommend the ASAT. Of course, YMMV, etc.
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on May 31, 2023 11:24:54 GMT -5
Thanks Leftee, that’s a good endorsement.
|
|
|
Post by LesTele on May 31, 2023 14:19:10 GMT -5
I would like the Andy Summers Custom Shop Tele from a few years ago.
Distressed and with flight case.
It’s my birthday in November.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on May 31, 2023 14:32:33 GMT -5
If you’re nice to him, maybe Barry would buy that for you.
|
|
|
Post by funkykikuchiyo on May 31, 2023 19:53:32 GMT -5
I don't have any favorites for the guitars themselves, but it works best when you have a brighter, lower wind neck pickup and a really beefy bridge pickup. You're working against the laws of physics for balancing the two pickups to begin with, and selecting a boomy neck pickup and bright/thin bridge pickup is asking for headaches. Also, if you have 500k pots, you can make the bridge pickup a little less thin by wiring in a resistor (470kohm or higher) in parallel to the bridge pickup - easiest thing to do is to do it at the switch lug. You can also experiment with them if you leave the control plate open and just wrapping the leads around the lug or paperclipping it, and the other end just has to be anywhere there is a ground, so could just be the plate.
Or, if you find one that sounds great stock, ignore everything I said.
|
|
sirWheat
Wholenote
For a better future, play Stevie Wonder for your children.
Posts: 319
|
Post by sirWheat on May 31, 2023 22:35:00 GMT -5
I've had a Seymour Duncan SM-3 in the neck of my tele for a very long time. While I'm a fan of Firebird-style pickups in general, I think they complement a tele bridge pickup quite nicely. In this case it's paired with a Dimarzio Pre B-1 (a very hot pickup), going along with what Mr. Funky says above perhaps...but I've used a full-sized HB with normal tele bridge pup successfully in the past, FWIW.
I don't know about everyone else, but my experience is that Fender HBs are just crappy.
|
|
|
Post by Rick Knight on Jun 1, 2023 6:53:27 GMT -5
I've had a Seymour Duncan SM-3 in the neck of my tele for a very long time. While I'm a fan of Firebird-style pickups in general, I think they complement a tele bridge pickup quite nicely. I heard a Tele with an SM-3 neck and a Little 59 bridge that sounded good, and replicated it in a Warmoth body. I like the SM-3 but am less fond of the Little 59, and plan to try a BG 1400 as a replacement.
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on Jun 1, 2023 8:54:40 GMT -5
Thanks guys, and funky, I agree. Don’t want that thin bridge pup with the neck humbucker. I think I’m going to visit the G&L I mentioned on Saturday.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 1, 2023 9:14:12 GMT -5
To me, the neck HB in a Tele is about that darker tone. It can actually be muddy depending on the amp and settings.
What I’ve done so far is to use the neck version of the HBs employed. They are lower winds, relatively speaking. I also use a 300k (280k-ish) volume pot. It adds a hair more bite to the bridge pup and moves the neck pup in an ever so slightly brighter direction. I also use a 500k tone pot with a .022uF cap (wired ‘50s style) to complete the config. I like my results, thus far.
|
|
|
Post by funkykikuchiyo on Jun 1, 2023 9:34:19 GMT -5
To clarify, I'm not saying anyone should put a hot rails in the bridge and the lowest wind humbucker size pickup you can find - that would defeat the whole purpose of getting a humbucker tele! More just nudge it in that direction. As sirWheat mentioned, Fender HBs are usually pretty awful, and part of that is they're needlessly hot. Many standard Tele pickups out there are kinda low wound as well. I wouldn't expect a lot of the stock setups to really nail it.
Without giving it too much thought, my ideal spread would be something in the lower wind PAF territory in the neck (The 59 and Jazz models Leftee mentioned would be great) and something more like a Broadcaster pickup in the bridge, where they were kinda closer to a lapsteel pickup than the shrill love letter to the country western guys of the '60s. You won't get a perfect volume match between the pickups, but the tones will match nicely and the volumes will be close enough. When they're REALLY off, you end up having to figure out ways to quickly roll down your volume control or something, and that is just a pain.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 1, 2023 10:37:17 GMT -5
A Quarter Pound bridge also works great. It’s a tad more P90, but you can roll back the volume just a smidge into Tele-Land.
I’m waiting on a neck for the body I just posted in the “… resolutions” thread in the instrument workshop forum, below. I’m trying a SD Vintage Stack in the bridge and a Psyclone neck pickup. I can’t wait to try it out!
I could slap a neck on it. I have a couple waiting in the wings. I have a custom neck ordered and it should be delivered soon, so I’m holding out for wedding day. 😂
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on Jun 1, 2023 20:16:01 GMT -5
I hear what you all are saying. The point I’m at now is I won’t be playing out anymore, I resigned from the church band last year, I’m 74, health isn’t great…I just hope I like how this one sounds without modding it. As in, been there, done that.
My wife thinks I’m nuts for even getting another guitar, and says, I really don’t understand. I say, that’s right you don’t understand. I’m also done trying to explain t to her…again!
Anyway, I’m going Saturday to check it out. I’ll report back.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 1, 2023 21:01:08 GMT -5
Our posts went off the tracks a bit on the topic. It’s what we do. 😊
We’re looking forward to your findings.
|
|
|
Post by HenryJ on Jun 2, 2023 9:02:43 GMT -5
My newest guitar acquisition is a MIM HH Fender Player Telecaster with a maple fretboard. I like the way it sounds. I play it better than I play my other guitars.
It has coil-splitting, the only downside of which is that the volume drops considerably when the coils are split.
If I were to buy another Tele, which is highly unlikely, it would have the standard single could Tele bridge pickup and a humbucker neck pickup. Although I know there are posts above that oppose such a configuration.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 2, 2023 9:54:16 GMT -5
I often don't include the option for pickup splitting in my builds. It's usually just a weak attempt to cover the single coil base.
$.02
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on Jun 2, 2023 10:17:23 GMT -5
Our posts went off the tracks a bit on the topic. It’s what we do. 😊 We’re looking forward to your findings. That’s no problem Leftee. I find it interesting to hear what people have tried. I put gibson p90s in a casino a few years back, and then sold it because I didn’t like the neck.
|
|
sirWheat
Wholenote
For a better future, play Stevie Wonder for your children.
Posts: 319
|
Post by sirWheat on Jun 2, 2023 18:32:47 GMT -5
Just wanna point this out; in my experience, when splitting a humbucker, yes, you may notice a volume drop, but when playing at volume it's really a non-issue. At bedroom levels a split HB is off-putting but if you're playing with a band at stage volume the difference is less of a big deal. My aforementioned tele uses a five-way switch and gives me knock-off versions of the traditional tele selections; sounds great at volume but around the house not so much. Just sayin...
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on Jun 4, 2023 8:46:16 GMT -5
I went yesterday and came home with the G&L. It’s a nice guitar. Pine body, Seth Lover neck humbucker, and a nice strong single coil in the bridge. I remember that bridge pickup from the Asat Classic I had years ago. I was surprised at how balanced the pickups were. Also it weighs in at 7 lbs. I’ll post a picture later…I need to get out and mow before it gets hot. flic.kr/p/2oF4cDK
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 4, 2023 16:05:29 GMT -5
Very nice! It might not get any better - that neck pickup.
|
|
Ryder
Wholenote
Butterscotch Blues
Posts: 856
|
Post by Ryder on Jun 6, 2023 13:19:10 GMT -5
Leftee, I think you may be correct. It sounds real good. Not muddy that’s for sure. Clean and dirty both sound great.
|
|
|
Post by Leftee on Jun 6, 2023 14:14:55 GMT -5
G&L seems to be extremely adept and getting it right.
$.02
|
|
|
Post by langford on Jun 23, 2023 6:57:03 GMT -5
I don't have any favorites for the guitars themselves, but it works best when you have a brighter, lower wind neck pickup and a really beefy bridge pickup. You're working against the laws of physics for balancing the two pickups to begin with, and selecting a boomy neck pickup and bright/thin bridge pickup is asking for headaches. Also, if you have 500k pots, you can make the bridge pickup a little less thin by wiring in a resistor (470kohm or higher) in parallel to the bridge pickup - easiest thing to do is to do it at the switch lug. You can also experiment with them if you leave the control plate open and just wrapping the leads around the lug or paperclipping it, and the other end just has to be anywhere there is a ground, so could just be the plate. Or, if you find one that sounds great stock, ignore everything I said. The things you know never cease to amaze me.
|
|
|
Post by HenryJ on Jun 24, 2023 8:37:07 GMT -5
I went yesterday and came home with the G&L. It’s a nice guitar. Pine body, Seth Lover neck humbucker, and a nice strong single coil in the bridge. I remember that bridge pickup from the Asat Classic I had years ago. I was surprised at how balanced the pickups were. Also it weighs in at 7 lbs. I’ll post a picture later…I need to get out and mow before it gets hot. flic.kr/p/2oF4cDKIs the bridge pickup of the magnetic field design?
|
|