Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

[Simon_F]

I'm looking into my options for a Tele purchase, and according to the Fender web site the current MIA standard Teles have the Delta Tone system. This is said to consist of a no-load tone control and high output bridge pickup.

Does anyone have any experience of a Tele with this Delta Tone system?

I'm assuming the no-load tone control is like the nail polish mod - the tone control is "invisible" when turned up all the way. What about the bridge pickup - how does it differ from what you might consider a "regular" Tele pup?

If there's any guitar that doesn't need a no-load tone control I'd think it would be a Tele - aren't they bright enough already? My old one certainly was!

I'm drawn to the MIA standards because of the medium-jumbo frets, flatter radius and rolled fingerboard edges, but I'm curious about this Delta Tone system. I'm not sure I want this - I'm after a traditional Tele tone. And Fender don't go into a lot of detail about it. :boggled:

Has anyone got any information or experience regarding this?

Thanks.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

No experience with it per se', but think about it this way, a hotter bridge pup will be fatter and darker,for a more all around use, as such it would probably benefit from the no-load control for when it needed to be a *tele*, and then the neck can most always benefit from having extra sparkle ... my advice try it out. Not really a ton of help, but ... well you know...

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

No experience with it per se', but think about it this way, a hotter bridge pup will be fatter and darker,for a more all around use, as such it would probably benefit from the no-load control for when it needed to be a *tele*, and then the neck can most always benefit from having extra sparkle ... my advice try it out. Not really a ton of help, but ... well you know...

Actually that is a ton of help - I hadn't thought about it that way. Thanks.

Yes, I need to get out there and play a few.

 

[RockNRoling]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

My MIA tele is just sooo bright and punchy, I know a lot of it is the pickups, and I am sure the delta tone pots give it a little extra kick too. I don't use tone pots at all, but on the strat one if you are on 10 the knob actually locks into place and it actually bypasses the tone pot. Diffinately a cool thing! If you buy a Mim tele, I would recomend getting the vintage noiseless (seeing as how teles are REALLY buzzy), I think they even come with there own pots too.

 

[Curly]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

I've had an MIA for a couple years. Yeah, there's a detent on the tone pot when it's wide open - I actually don't like that, as it kinda gets stuck, and I never use the pot wide open on the bridge pickup. Some players might use it in the other two positions, though.
I agree about the neck and playability. Mine sounded pretty good out of the box, although it sounds better with Duncans.
I realized when I changed the pickups on it that Duncan construction is just better than Fender's - and there's that whole tone thing, too.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Mine sounded pretty good out of the box, although it sounds better with Duncans.
I realized when I changed the pickups on it that Duncan construction is just better than Fender's - and there's that whole tone thing, too.

Thanks Curly. What Duncans have you got in that guitar?

 

[Curly]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Simon,
I have a JD bridge/ hot neck that you can hear here:
AS tele

I'm not totally sold on that combo - both pickups sound fine alone, great in fact, but the trick is getting both balanced well in the mid position. I thought the stock set was well balanced; I just wanted to try something different.

BTW, my Antiquity set in my 50's style tele has an excellent balance through all positions ... but those are more of an "ultimate tele" set

I think you might be happy for a while with the stock pickups - the hard part is finding a nice playing one of decent weight. I was looking to take advantage of the recent rebate, but didn't find anything I would buy. Teles are just less common than strats in the stores.

 

[bloodswords]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

i own an american std tele (discontinued, now currently reincarnated as the American Series) with the aforementioned circuitry & yes it added top end to this guitar but in a healthy way. it's done away with because it got rusty + i switched to a 500K version as i now have a humbucker in my tele. i didn't miss the system too much...

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Yeah, there's a detent on the tone pot when it's wide open - I actually don't like that, as it kinda gets stuck, and I never use the pot wide open on the bridge pickup.

Well, Curly, ... In all honesty ... Ya know, I've heard people gripe about the detent ... But come on, seriously ...WHY?
The tone control right ...BEFORE that detent will be 250K (or whatever, depending on the tolerance of the pot itself) ... that's the same as being on *10* .. so, my question would be, *why feel the need to roll the knob all the way to ten, ... The detent is made to catch it, and stop you. At that point the knob is at *10*. You can work that detent in a bit, by moving it back and forth across the area that it catches at (as they are a bit stiff at firtst when new).
I don't find it a problem personally, but other's do, and although I don't understand it (other than wanting to go from a roll of whatever value to a no-load condition {now that I understand, although I find the differences minimal ... but that's me} ), I do respect one's position on the matter.
I guess I just don't get it ... :cool3:

 

[Curly]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Well, Curly, ... In all honesty ... Ya know, I've heard people gripe about the detent ... But come on, seriously ...WHY?
The tone control right ...BEFORE that detent will be 250K (or whatever, depending on the tolerance of the pot itself) ... that's the same as being on *10* .. so, my question would be, *why feel the need to roll the knob all the way to ten, ... The detent is made to catch it, and stop you. At that point the knob is at *10*.

Kent,
I just prefer a regular pot. The problem for me is, on a tele, it's a little difficult to tell when you're "just before" 10.
also, I didn't find a tone advantage with the pot wide open, in any position.

and, yeah, the detent is rather stiff

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

I have 4 American Series Teles with the Deltatone system, and I think they are great guitars (great necks, bodies, and hardware). The no-load detent is very noticeable, and rolling back to just before the detent can be a little touchy, but otherwise it is definitely worth having. It is not unlike the wiring of original Esquires, where one position has the bridge pickup with the tone pot active and another position has the bridge pickup with the tone pot bypassed. If you go by your ear, it is not at all difficult to roll back the Deltatone control to darken the bridge pickup to taste, and as already noted the no-load option is great for the neck and combined settings.

The stock pickups in these guitars aren't bad, especially the neck pickup. The bridge pickup is designed without a baseplate and responds well to overdrive and distortion, but it can sound a bit harsh at times, especially in an ash/maple guitar. An alder body and rosewood fingerboard tame the harshness, but a lot of aftermarket pickups will sound richer and more vintage than the stock bridge pickup. The Fender CS Nocaster will sound good at the bridge in combination with the stock neck pickup, or you could go with the Nocaster set or a set of SDs (or any of the many other options out there). One of my American Series Teles came stock with a Fender CS Nocaster set (a limited edition model), and I have replaced the pickups in two of the others: one has a Nocaster bridge and SD SM-3 minihumbucker neck, and the other has a SD Jerry Donahue bridge and Phat Cat neck (higher output tone). I am looking at options for the fourth one now, which is the only one I have with an alder body. Another JD with a Five-Two neck or a Hot Tele set seem pretty enticing so far.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Kent,
I just prefer a regular pot. The problem for me is, on a tele, it's a little difficult to tell when you're "just before" 10.
also, I didn't find a tone advantage with the pot wide open, in any position.

and, yeah, the detent is rather stiff

That's cool, don't feel you have to defend your position or anything, i just don't get it ...But you see what I mean about that stiff detent catching you?
You can work that in a bit if one chooses to. I think I see what you are saying though ... Whatever works for you personally is great, rock on ... :cool3:

 

[Kent S.]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

On a side note, Lindy Fralin sells retro-fit baseplates, I kinda like the idea of the bridge without one, and adding on the the neck ... just something a bit different that might be worth exploring.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Delta Tone system on MIA Teles?

Thanks for all your responses guys. This is great stuff.

Anyone else?