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Post subject: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:36 pm
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hey, all. i have been reading online and doing research on my own about this. my question is, should i upgrade my 2003 tele with custom pickups etc. . to me my tele sounds good. i just left the strat camp by the way. i have been reading online about how you can transform your mim teles to sound like a 2000 dollar american tele. any ideas on what pickups or things i should go about changing first? any ideas or insight would be much appreciated it. thanks.


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:09 pm
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jackson1714 wrote:
to me my tele sounds good


Then why do you want to change it? What is it that you think you need to change? How do you think a change would improve it? Is there a sound you are trying to get that you can't get now?

If you can come up with good answers to those questions, then by all means, mod it. If not, leave well enough alone.

BTW, I mod all of my guitars for very specific reasons, #1 being I have no tolerance for 60 cycle hum.

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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:41 am
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i a newbie....this is my first tele, ive never played one or actually heard one in person before. im assuming that the more expensive tele's had a better or more pronounced sound than the one i currently i own. i mean if i can mod it to make it a better tele, i dont see why not? as for the sound im looking for not sure about that one, yet? thanks for you reply...heres a question, why do pickups matter and also how much it would cost to replace the pickups?


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:39 pm
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Different pickups have different sounds/tone. Pickups can range in price from $25 each to $250 each and more. The best thing for you to do is to play the guitar for a while stock. Learn how it works and how to alter the tone with the switch and volume/tone control. Play with the controls on your amp and see how they affect the sound. Once you understand the tones it is capable of making, then you can decide if you want to change things. Do you want it brighter? Darker? Louder? Once you decide what you want out of it, then you can look at different types of pickups. You should do some research on line into different types of pickups: ceramic magnet, alnico magnet, single coil, humbucker, blade, etc. Be prepared for when you ask for pickup recommendations in a forum such as this, that you will get as many recommendations for pickups as there are members in the forum. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 1:02 pm
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Do it only if you feel like something is missing. Listen other people playing Tele's and determine if yours sounds "true" or not. Take it to a good guitar tech and have them do a proper set up on it. That will likely make it better sounding.

I purchased a Tele Blackout Deluxe earlier this year and I replaced all three pickups with Seymour Duncan models. Why? Because the originals sounded a little muddy to me after just a short period. The SD's are far brighter than the originals - which I like. I am very happy with the new pups and love the way the guitar sounds now. But that's my ear, not yours.

Do what sounds and feels right to you. Don't do it if you like it the way it is. You'll likely not improve it much.


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 2:38 pm
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Well if you're new to guitar or this guitar, take the time to play with it and by that I mean the volume,tone and pup combinations.

It's easy to get caught up in the "upgrade-itis" for the sake of changing things based on what so and so has said made his/her Tele sound like a "monster". If it was as easy as that, all Telecasters would be the same in how they are built. Every one would have "monster".

Would be kinda boring too, No?

Do a proper setup or have one done and then take some time to hear how it sounds.
If you already like it, why change?

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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:34 pm
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thanks to all who took the time to respond. i played with a bassist today and it blew him and myself away. as of now im content with it, think I may want to darker later. as of right now i am just happy to have a tele! so what kind of tele do you guys play? ill show you mine if you show me yours lol! thanks again!


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:38 pm
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here's my tele! im hoping to get a seafoam green one day or a blonde one!


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:38 am
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Put a little 59 in the neck, or if you want to go big time, but a full size 59 in the neck, and a SD hot rail for teles in the bridge. Do it, and dont look back.


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:16 am
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whenever i figure out exactly what all that means...i may just give it a go, haha.


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:31 am
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Model types of different pups.

The "59" refers to 1959.
The "SD" refers to Seymour Duncan a manufacturer of after market pups.

You can find these here:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... p?page=all

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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:18 pm
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tyronne wrote:
Model types of different pups.

The "59" refers to 1959.
The "SD" refers to Seymour Duncan a manufacturer of after market pups.

You can find these here:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... p?page=all


those sd pickups seem to be a favorite i been reading that alot have been doing that...im not exactly sure yet but i hope to figure it out soon. i love my tele...I havent been able to put it down. I never played my strat this much! think im a tele man for life, though i would love to own that Kurt Cobain mustang in sonic blue.


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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 1:53 pm
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jackson1714 wrote:
thanks to all who took the time to respond. i played with a bassist today and it blew him and myself away. as of now im content with it, think I may want to darker later. as of right now i am just happy to have a tele! so what kind of tele do you guys play? ill show you mine if you show me yours lol! thanks again!


These are mine:

AVRI 52 Tele
Image

Squier Esquire
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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 1:54 pm
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brannon wrote:
Put a little 59 in the neck, or if you want to go big time, but a full size 59 in the neck, and a SD hot rail for teles in the bridge. Do it, and dont look back.


The first of many pickup recommendations you will receive claiming to be the "best". :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Post subject: Re: should i upgrade or customize my telecaster (mim)
Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:39 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
jackson1714 wrote:
thanks to all who took the time to respond. i played with a bassist today and it blew him and myself away. as of now im content with it, think I may want to darker later. as of right now i am just happy to have a tele! so what kind of tele do you guys play? ill show you mine if you show me yours lol! thanks again!


These are mine:

AVRI 52 Tele
Image

Squier Esquire
[url=http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2086315870090987409afugHQ]
Image[/url]



those are awesome bro! that 52 is sweet. i just love my tele, like im playing brand new on it right now and it sounds amazing way better than my strat.


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