New Tele modern player plus day!!
- Thread starter darnright
- Start date
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
I've got one too. I really love the neck because it's sort of a modernized version of a vintage maple neck. It plays like butter. The body, neck, and hardware is all good.
I think it's the first of the Chinese Fenders......that say Fender, not Squier. I hate to say it, but most of the quality is equal to MIM and MIA.
Where it suffers is the electronics. The pots, knobs, and wiring are rubbish. The pickups are OK, but should be replaced too.
My guitar is great now that I installed 250K solid shaft CTS pots, Fender dome knobs, new wire, and nickel Custom/59 Hybrid, stock strat middle, and Chubtone tele neck. But I'm still not done with it.
My next move is to send the pickguard to Chandler and have them trace it, route the new one for a mini humbucker neck, and send it back. The stock Chinese pickguard IS NOT THE SAME as guards for MIM and MIA Fenders. The body is also routed for HSS, so I'll have to remove everything from the body and route a Firebird sized neck pickup route. Essentially, it'll be a nickel C/59 that is splittable, an SM-1 or SM-3 in the neck, and a 3 way switch. Then I'll be satisfied with this guitar.
I've got one too. I really love the neck because it's sort of a modernized version of a vintage maple neck. It plays like butter. The body, neck, and hardware is all good.
I think it's the first of the Chinese Fenders......that say Fender, not Squier. I hate to say it, but most of the quality is equal to MIM and MIA.
Where it suffers is the electronics. The pots, knobs, and wiring are rubbish. The pickups are OK, but should be replaced too.
My guitar is great now that I installed 250K solid shaft CTS pots, Fender dome knobs, new wire, and nickel Custom/59 Hybrid, stock strat middle, and Chubtone tele neck. But I'm still not done with it.
My next move is to send the pickguard to Chandler and have them trace it, route the new one for a mini humbucker neck, and send it back. The stock Chinese pickguard IS NOT THE SAME as guards for MIM and MIA Fenders. The body is also routed for HSS, so I'll have to remove everything from the body and route a Firebird sized neck pickup route. Essentially, it'll be a nickel C/59 that is splittable, an SM-1 or SM-3 in the neck, and a 3 way switch. Then I'll be satisfied with this guitar.
TheLivingDead
Dawn Of The Shred
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
Faaaaaantastic.
Rock that thang!
Faaaaaantastic.
Rock that thang!
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
First, throw away the pots and knobs. Install CTS 500K solid shaft volume and tone, and vintage Fender dome knobs. Then use whatever pickups you want. Keep in mind that getting the polarity/wind direction situated with a HST setup isn't easy. You may need a rw/rp tele neck.
As for me, my next project is getting a pickguard with an SM-1 or SM-3 mini/firebird and a 3 way.
I'm leaning toward 59, Seth, PG, C/59H, P-Rail, or Phat Cat for ideal bridge pickups.
First, throw away the pots and knobs. Install CTS 500K solid shaft volume and tone, and vintage Fender dome knobs. Then use whatever pickups you want. Keep in mind that getting the polarity/wind direction situated with a HST setup isn't easy. You may need a rw/rp tele neck.
As for me, my next project is getting a pickguard with an SM-1 or SM-3 mini/firebird and a 3 way.
I'm leaning toward 59, Seth, PG, C/59H, P-Rail, or Phat Cat for ideal bridge pickups.
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OttoMatick
New member
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
I would go with a SD Tele Hotrails set(HB's with 4 conductor wires suitable for coil splits) with a SD pearly gates bridge(also 4 wire). Make it a 3 HB axe!
I would go with a SD Tele Hotrails set(HB's with 4 conductor wires suitable for coil splits) with a SD pearly gates bridge(also 4 wire). Make it a 3 HB axe!
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
New Tele modern player plus day!!
I have a $99 SX Tele where the pick guard and bridge and routing are al sliiiiiightly different; and what that means is that I can't swap the bridge / pick guard / pickups at will.
Only reason I'd buy Fender would be to know that I could swap with no weirdness.
Why, oh why?
That defeats some of the purpose of buying a name brand Fender.
I have a $99 SX Tele where the pick guard and bridge and routing are al sliiiiiightly different; and what that means is that I can't swap the bridge / pick guard / pickups at will.
Only reason I'd buy Fender would be to know that I could swap with no weirdness.
Why, oh why?
Laughing Kookaburra
Active member
tubecrunch
New member
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
Get your twang on.
Get your twang on.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: New Tele modern player plus day!!
They did a few things on the Chinese Fenders to make them non-interchangeable with MIM and MIA Fenders.
I'm not sure about the hardware and neck/body joints, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're off by a mm or something.
I know the pickguards aren't interchangeable, and they used some larger than normal pickguard screws. Notice how the screw heads are a bit bigger. When I get my new pickguard, I'll get Am. Std screws too.
But overall, this exact model is a great guitar once it's dialed in. It holds it's own against much more expensive Fenders. I use mine as a main player, and still can't believe I paid $325 out the door for it. $175 is a steal.
They did a few things on the Chinese Fenders to make them non-interchangeable with MIM and MIA Fenders.
I'm not sure about the hardware and neck/body joints, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're off by a mm or something.
I know the pickguards aren't interchangeable, and they used some larger than normal pickguard screws. Notice how the screw heads are a bit bigger. When I get my new pickguard, I'll get Am. Std screws too.
But overall, this exact model is a great guitar once it's dialed in. It holds it's own against much more expensive Fenders. I use mine as a main player, and still can't believe I paid $325 out the door for it. $175 is a steal.
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