It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:00 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:12 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:04 pm
Posts: 2
Hi, guys!

I'm looking at getting the modern player tele and i've seen a few posts about it on here but none which specifically answer my question :)

I play heavy rock and i've read about the humbucker not being up to scratch in terms of colour and output so i just wondered if anyone could give me some suggestions? I have used bareknuckle in the past and have been happy with them but i don't want to strip the guitar of its character.

I'm new here, by the way!

This is a link to my band so you can see the sort of "beef" i want!

http://everyoneanarmy.bandcamp.com/track/sang-real

x


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 1:17 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:07 am
Posts: 10
You should get the hot Duncan P-rail and coil tap it. Gives you plenty of options and nice output as well.

_________________
Guitars: Fender Stratocaster HSS (MIM), Fender Telecaster (MIM), Gibson SG special, Carvin C350 cobalt, Yamaha Aex500, Squier VM Jazzmaster, Squier Affinity Stratocaster (1996). Amps: Peavey Ultra Plus - XXX 4x12 Cab, Sovtek Mig 100 - Sovtek 4x12 Cab.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 2:58 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2012 12:04 pm
Posts: 2
Cheers for the reply! I'm really not up to the job myself so have some questions :) Would it fit straight in? Or would any special rewiring be required? Basically, i'd just like to know if it would be a straight swap and ready to go in accordance with the selector switch etc? Thanks!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:20 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:07 am
Posts: 10
As far as fit is concerned, it is a drop in fit - same size as a standard humbucker. Being that the tele modern player has a split switch you could wire it up the same and have the option of running humbucker and either p90 or rail. You'd have to install a push pull knob in place of a tone pot or the volume pot or switch to a three way type switch in order to use the pickup in all three possible modes. If you can live with just two then it will be a simple install, and duncan provides necessary shematics to wire up with their pups to make it painless. If you want all three settings then you'll have to do a bit more work, or have a tech at a music shop do it for ya.

Little link action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0euR6Kxz ... re=related

_________________
Guitars: Fender Stratocaster HSS (MIM), Fender Telecaster (MIM), Gibson SG special, Carvin C350 cobalt, Yamaha Aex500, Squier VM Jazzmaster, Squier Affinity Stratocaster (1996). Amps: Peavey Ultra Plus - XXX 4x12 Cab, Sovtek Mig 100 - Sovtek 4x12 Cab.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:36 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
Posts: 10760
Location: Athens, Greece
Another solution is to put an S1 switch.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 10:26 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:07 am
Posts: 10
The S-1 is a cool idea from fender, but I've heard complaints about them not fitting in the cavity, making popping noises when pushed, and it doesn't help that they have no clear visual means to indicate what is active when. With a toggle you can visually see what is selected without having to push a button in several times and hoping you don't over shoot and have to work your way around again, which could be awkward in a live situation if he wanted to jump from bucker to p90 or something like that. Since the Modern Player already has a two way switch for coil-splitting, it would be easier to yoink that and drop in a 3 way toggle than it would be to install an S-1 and have a switch serving no purpose hanging out on the guitar.

_________________
Guitars: Fender Stratocaster HSS (MIM), Fender Telecaster (MIM), Gibson SG special, Carvin C350 cobalt, Yamaha Aex500, Squier VM Jazzmaster, Squier Affinity Stratocaster (1996). Amps: Peavey Ultra Plus - XXX 4x12 Cab, Sovtek Mig 100 - Sovtek 4x12 Cab.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:52 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:19 pm
Posts: 3
i would try it before changing pick ups.on mine,the humbucker sounds full and pretty strong.it only gets weak when its split.just my 2 cents and i probably owe you change


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:08 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:44 pm
Posts: 2
Hi everyone!

Martypow!
Did you trade the pickups on the Modern Tele??

I was thinking of a:
- Humbucker DiMarzio Super distortion DP100;
- DiMarzio The Choper DP184;
- DiMarzio Fast Track2 DP182.

What do you think?
Will it work?!?!? ( :D :D :D )


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:58 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:25 am
Posts: 16
I put Seymour Duncan pickups in the mid and bridge positions of my MP Tele Plus.

From the factory:

Image

With the new pickups and 3-way mini-toggle switch:

Image

I went with the Invader SH-8b humbucker at the bridge and replaced the 2-way toggle coil split switch with a 3-way (on/on/on) DiMarzio mini-toggle (looks exactly like the stock 2-way switch) for serial/split/parallel functionality for the humbucker. Because the guitar already comes with a coil split switch the 3-way mod is very easy.

This is the wiring before the mod:

Image

I followed Seymour Duncan's diagram for the 3-way switch:

Image

I went with a Quarter Pound SSL-7 RW/RP pickup at the mid position. It's a very high output Strat true single coil pickup. The RW/RP makes it humbucking when paired with the Invader bridge pickup in split coil mode but the magnetic polarity is incorrect to get hum canceling when paired with the neck pickup (see Polarity Problems below). Both pickups are exact fit drop-in replacements.

The Invader is a very high output humbucker so it still sounds good when it's split. The stock humbucker was weak when split. The stock neck Tele pickup is now a little weak in comparison to the two new Seymour Duncan pickups so I'm considering a Five-Two or DiMarzio Area T for the neck--but I'm in no hurry. I love the tone flexibility I have with this guitar. I might also add a push-pull pot for the "neck on" mod that allows adding the neck pickup to whatever is selected with the 5-way switch, such as neck + mid + bridge or neck + bridge.

The Modern Player Telecaster Plus is a fantastic value and the Chinese craftsmanship is very impressive with this guitar. It does not have the traditional Tele twang due to the lead (bridge) humbucker, but it's a very, very versatile guitar and even more so with a couple of easy mods. You owe it to yourself to play one of these if you get a chance, you'll be impressed.

Image

Magnetic Polarity Problems

You need two things to get hum cancelation in a humbucker or between two single coil pickups: Opposite electrical flow in the two coils (one coil's current flows clockwise, the other runs counter-clockwise) and opposite magnetic polarity (North+South or South+North).

Several weeks after completing this pickup swap I tested this guitar's pickups' magnetic polarity using a Schatten Design Magnetic Polarity Tester. That's when I discovered the wrong mag polarity between the neck Tele and new Seymour Duncan mid Strat pickup. The mid + neck position had the correct reverse electrical phase but magnetically they were out of phase with a South+South pairing so no hum canceling.

The factory pickups were: Bridge humbucker: South screw coil:North slug coil....mid North....neck South (SN....N....S)

This configuration gave hum cancelling when the neck + mid pickups were paired. You also got hum cancelling when the humbucker in split mode was paired with the mid pickup (South screw coil + mid North).

I found out too late that Seymour Duncan pickups have the opposite polarity as modern Fender pickups so the new Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound RW/RP mid pickup is South up--the same as the neck pickup so I'm not getting hum canceling when playing the neck + mid pickups (South+South).

With the new bridge and mid pickups installed the polarity is: NS...S...S

Yes, the Seymour Duncan Invader humbucker in split mode has the active North coil closest to the bridge which is backwards to the norm. Normally the bridge side coil (screw coil) is South and the neck side (slug coil) is North. When split you want the coil closest to the neck to be active because it will sense more string movement.

I have already ordered a DiMarzio Area T stacked humbucker for the neck position which will make the neck pickup hum canceling. The moral of the story is to verify the magnetic polarity of your pickups before you start to solder. The $9 simple to use Schatten Design Magnetic Polarity Tester is available from StewMac. It would also be a good idea to connect your new pickup using alligator clips so you can confirm you're electrically in phase with the other pickups before you solder.

The details of the install are here: http://robrobinette.com/TelecasterMod.htm


Last edited by robrob on Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:14 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:48 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:44 pm
Posts: 2
Hi!!

Nice MOD on the Tele.
So what about that MP Telecaster Sound!?!?!

I was really thinking on the DiMarzio DP100 or the Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 model - Bridge.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:03 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:25 am
Posts: 16
My MP Tele definitely sounds different with the two Seymour Duncan pickups but I'm too much of a guitar noob to offer an informed opinion on the new tones or comment on your pickup choices. I simply wanted a more aggressive tone and more output than the original MP Tele mid and bridge pickups.

I do recommend to anyone that replaces the bridge humbucker to get a 4 wire pickup and replace the 2-way toggle with a 3-way series/split/parallel switch--it's a very easy upgrade.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:18 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:55 pm
Posts: 62
Location: Low Country Blues, SC
I got one about 2mo's ago. I installed Joe Barden pup's. What a difference. The front tele pup sounds like a mini humbucker. Maybe it is just me. The split coil humbucker works great. Hot & bright.
This Tele is a good value with many choices for set up & tones. Enjoy!

Keep Jammin! Enjoy Life!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Modern player tele-pickup replacement?
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 3:07 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2017 2:38 pm
Posts: 1
Don't usually post stuff... read a lot....
RFH bought one of these mods as kind of a throw away/slam it around/"hey, do you guys have a spare guitar we can use" type of thing. Got it on sale at GC for almost nothing because the neck was nice. Played around with it for about a year then forgot about it. Wasn't really that impressed actually.
Then I got bored.
Changed the factory pegs with Klusons. Replaced the plastic nut...(PLASTIC????) with Fender vintage bone. Replaced the cast aluminum (?) bridge with a solid Fender Brass one and ripped out the electronics and pick ups.
Put in 500k pots, took out the coil switch and put in all Seymor pups, Humbucker, 1/4lb Strat and Tele.
The most painful part was hand stripping the neck to get all of the factory goo off of it. Yes, days of razor blades and gentle hand sanding until I had bare maple... again... best thing on the thing stock was the neck. 4 light coats of Tru Oil and the BAM.
The only problem now is that 1/4 lb Strat pup. It's a monster and buzzes a bit but hey.... who cares.
The overall output with these pups and the big pots is well.... it SCREAMS.
The tones are amazing. After the neck surgery it plays as well as my old 62 Strat.
Light gauge strings, set up was easy with the new bridge.... but now I'm wondering.... should I put the coil switch back in. Grrrrr.....
Haven't made up my mind yet.
Over all I think this surgery went extremely well. Patient is now getting played often.
Has anyone put a Seymor HB 5 wire into this thing keeping the original 2 way switch and how does it sound?


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: