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Post subject: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:13 am
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Hi,
I emailed Fender, but got no answer, so I'll try here...

I'm in the market for a 2011 Custom Shop Time Machine 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster.
I'm a bit confused as to which pickups are used in this guitar.

Fender Custom Shop website says "Vintage Design 50s",
in a 2011 NAMM Video Mike Eldred says "Hot Broadcaster" bridge and "Twisted Tele" neck,
and some shops list these as 2 "Nocaster" pickups.

Which is it? What are the specs of these pickups, low ouput/hot etc.?

I have also seen a very nice 52 team built, which would be an alternative .. good reviews, nice PUs, but I'm not so sure about the big neck, how big is the difference to the 53's soft V (I have a soft V on a strat, very comfortable).

Thanks a lot for any help/suggestions.
Regards
Robert


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:07 pm
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rsc, go here and click on the video "1953 Heavy Relic..." http://www.fendercustomshop.com/index.php/gallery/instruments/ , at the 1:21 minute mark you will hear ME describe these particular pickups and the wiring.


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:14 am
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Hi,
thanks, I've seen that already. In this video he says "stock 50's" ... what are "stock 50" pickups? Are these nocasters, are these from the non-CS american vintage series...?
Thats the only reason I'm asking ... different naming for the pickups everywhere.

I've test-played CS teles with nocasters and with broadcaster/twisted tele, love both, so I'm hoping one of these sets is in the 53.
I love the 53's look and V-neck, problem is, I can only order it, so I would like to know where this takes me sound-wise before placing the order.

As I wrote above, at NAMM 11, ME says broadcaster/twisted tele, but i'm wondering if it's a special NAMM model or if it applies to the regular time machine model as well. (link at 9:28) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oixZVi_jKak

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:31 am
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Hi,

i had the chance to play a 53 and a 52 (Limited Edition for the Frankfurt Musik Messe) in comparision some weeks ago. The 52 blew the 53 away soundwise - IMHO. I think the pickups in the 53 are standard CS Nocaster pickups, the pickups in the 52 were the Hot Nocaster/Twisted Tele combo. But please keep in mind that not only the pickups play a role in a guitars' sound, the used wood sets the base. In the end i took the 52 home for a friend of mine. The neck size difference was not too big on these two guitars. Slight V to a full C on the 53, the 52 had a 52 U neck (smaller than a Nocaster, a tad fatter than a 65C). Hope this helps.


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:24 pm
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Thanks a lot.
I'm still undecided between the 52 and 53, but this puts me more in the direction of the 52.
I, too, prefer the HotNoCaster/TwistedTele setup, only thing that puts me off is the neck. Plus, the aging on this particular 53 looks great (though bit over the top, the 52 being a bit more 'realistic', same color on both).
I had hoped that in fact a NC/TT combo is in the 53, but based on your impression that doesn't seem to be the case. If the neck difference is not that much, it really might work for me.
Thanks again.


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:58 am
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Mhm, it seems the Frankfurt Messe Limited 52 differs profoundly from the other 52 incarnations. It has a C-shape and Abby handwound pickups. This would explain the big difference in sound, and not so big difference regarding the neck.

Anyone else who's got experience with this year's 53?


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Post subject: Re: CS 53 Heavy Relic Telecaster Pickup Question
Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 3:49 am
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rsc wrote:
Mhm, it seems the Frankfurt Messe Limited 52 differs profoundly from the other 52 incarnations. It has a C-shape and Abby handwound pickups. This would explain the big difference in sound, and not so big difference regarding the neck.

Anyone else who's got experience with this year's 53?



Me again. These were the guitars i compared:

53 Tele:

http://www.musikhaus-hermann.de/xtv/ind ... &info=6747

Musikmesse 52 Limited:

http://www.musikhaus-hermann.de/xtv/de/ ... ney-blonde

"Standard" 52 from 2011:

http://www.musikhaus-hermann.de/xtv/de/ ... ter-blonde

The Musikmesse Limited 52 and the Standard 52 from this year have exactly the same specs (neck shape, pickups). No difference except the cases on these (blonde/tweed).

I compared these 2 52s to the 53 above. as said, not too much difference in the neck shapes (of course the 53 has a slightly thinner neck plus a light shape on the first frets, but it gets more to a C up to the 12th fret). But a big difference in the sound due to the pickups as stated earlier.

Plus, i have a 52 from 2010 (white blonde with a neck Humbucker). This has the same neck dimensions as the 2 52's above.


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