I have decided to upgrade my Modern Player Telecaster with new wiring, and while I’m at it, new pickups. I have selected a SD Jb tb4 for the bridge, wired in series. I have been thinking about a SD ssl1/rw/rp in the bridge, and possibly a SD antiquity for the neck. I play blues, and classic blues rock. I would appreciate any advice as to this combination. Thank you in advance!
Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
- Thread starter Ajtele
- Start date
Ayrton
New member
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Welcome to the forum!
"Blues, and classic rock blues" is not what comes to mind with the JB to me. The modern players Tele is something if an enigma to me. I always felt like the layout was trying to be all things to all people. Having a strat middle with a Tele neck over a full-size humbucker just seems bizarre.
Anyway, what I think would kill two birds with one stone so to speak would be the '53 tapped tele set. You can eliminate the middle altogether (unless you find it really useful) and have a wide range of tones from an overdriven hard rock to a more traditional Telecaster sound. You would have to have a new guard and traditional Tele bridge as well.
Another suggestion would be a Seth Lover in the bridge, with two SSL-1s (or SSL-2 flat poles) in the middle/neck. This really turns your Telecaster into an HSS Strat, but that may be what you are looking for.
Finally, if you really want and use a traditional Tele neck pickup, you can't go wrong with any of the vintage choices Seymour offers. You can even go noiseless with the classic stack plus and a noiseless Tele neck.
Welcome to the forum!
"Blues, and classic rock blues" is not what comes to mind with the JB to me. The modern players Tele is something if an enigma to me. I always felt like the layout was trying to be all things to all people. Having a strat middle with a Tele neck over a full-size humbucker just seems bizarre.
Anyway, what I think would kill two birds with one stone so to speak would be the '53 tapped tele set. You can eliminate the middle altogether (unless you find it really useful) and have a wide range of tones from an overdriven hard rock to a more traditional Telecaster sound. You would have to have a new guard and traditional Tele bridge as well.
Another suggestion would be a Seth Lover in the bridge, with two SSL-1s (or SSL-2 flat poles) in the middle/neck. This really turns your Telecaster into an HSS Strat, but that may be what you are looking for.
Finally, if you really want and use a traditional Tele neck pickup, you can't go wrong with any of the vintage choices Seymour offers. You can even go noiseless with the classic stack plus and a noiseless Tele neck.
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Welcome to the forum!
Those aren't bad choices, as long as you are ok with it not sounding like a Tele at all. I love the Antiquity in the neck. Personally, I might choose something else other than the JB for that kind of music, though- that is more of an 80s hard rock pickup than classic rock or blues. Something like another Antiquity, Seth Lover, 59 or for more output, a 59/Custom Hybrid will do it.
Welcome to the forum!
Those aren't bad choices, as long as you are ok with it not sounding like a Tele at all. I love the Antiquity in the neck. Personally, I might choose something else other than the JB for that kind of music, though- that is more of an 80s hard rock pickup than classic rock or blues. Something like another Antiquity, Seth Lover, 59 or for more output, a 59/Custom Hybrid will do it.
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Thanks for the reply! Pretty new at the electric guitar, and heard some hot blues on YouTube played with a jb in the bridge. I don’t care much for the classic Telecaster chicken pickin neck pickups, but do like old muddy waters type stuff on the Telecaster. The Strat middle well, the guitar came that way. I realize it is a different type of set up, but I’m trying to make the most of what I have. Thanks again for the reply!
Thanks for the reply! Pretty new at the electric guitar, and heard some hot blues on YouTube played with a jb in the bridge. I don’t care much for the classic Telecaster chicken pickin neck pickups, but do like old muddy waters type stuff on the Telecaster. The Strat middle well, the guitar came that way. I realize it is a different type of set up, but I’m trying to make the most of what I have. Thanks again for the reply!
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Very true! Wish I could find a tele neck pickup with that sound!
Very true! Wish I could find a tele neck pickup with that sound!
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Own a modern player so will chime in here. In mine I am running a 59 Custom hybrid bridge, Alnico II pro tele neck and a standard SSL2 for the middle. The tele neck pickup is gong to be RW/RP so use a standard middle pickup to get hum canceling in the middle also will set you up as humbucking with a standard split on the humbucker.
While I really like the JB in the right guitar and have a few I would highly recommend the 59/Custom in a pine body modern player in particular for the type tones you are looking for. Less compressed and much more clarity + has amazing harmonics in one of thee guitars. The Alnico II neck has a soft warm singing tone that should really work also and the SSL2 is a non staggered vintage toned clean clear pickup that will give you a solid strat middle tone + those strat like 2 and 4 positions with a split 59/Custom or the Alnico II tele. Love this set up in my MP so good luck!!
59/Custom hybrid in a Tele
Own a modern player so will chime in here. In mine I am running a 59 Custom hybrid bridge, Alnico II pro tele neck and a standard SSL2 for the middle. The tele neck pickup is gong to be RW/RP so use a standard middle pickup to get hum canceling in the middle also will set you up as humbucking with a standard split on the humbucker.
While I really like the JB in the right guitar and have a few I would highly recommend the 59/Custom in a pine body modern player in particular for the type tones you are looking for. Less compressed and much more clarity + has amazing harmonics in one of thee guitars. The Alnico II neck has a soft warm singing tone that should really work also and the SSL2 is a non staggered vintage toned clean clear pickup that will give you a solid strat middle tone + those strat like 2 and 4 positions with a split 59/Custom or the Alnico II tele. Love this set up in my MP so good luck!!
59/Custom hybrid in a Tele
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Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
I will say that any humbucker won't nail that Muddy Waters tone...you gotta go real-deal Tele all the way. That being said, if your thing is classic blues and rock, and you have a humbucker in the bridge now, I'd go for something more vintage. Check out the 59, Antiquity or Seth Lover. None will sound Tele-ish, but it will certainly sound like an old guitar played for a long time! You will also have more touch-sensitivity than you would than with higher-output pickups.
I will say that any humbucker won't nail that Muddy Waters tone...you gotta go real-deal Tele all the way. That being said, if your thing is classic blues and rock, and you have a humbucker in the bridge now, I'd go for something more vintage. Check out the 59, Antiquity or Seth Lover. None will sound Tele-ish, but it will certainly sound like an old guitar played for a long time! You will also have more touch-sensitivity than you would than with higher-output pickups.
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
That sounds great! Thanks
Ayrton
New member
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Yeah, you say that now, but you can't take us anywhere. Just wait until Jerry and Lucid show up.
Yeah, you say that now, but you can't take us anywhere. Just wait until Jerry and Lucid show up.
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: Fender Modern Player Telecaster pickup selection advice
Lucid showed up at my shop couple weeks back and bought 2 Martins from me LOL! Cool guy in person!
Lucid showed up at my shop couple weeks back and bought 2 Martins from me LOL! Cool guy in person!
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