Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

[Enio]

Dear all,
Another question !
I have a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe (mapple neck, ash body).
I am thinking about an upgrade for her : a single Antiquity on the bridge, an Antiquity humbucker on the neck.
I'm also thinking about taking off the S1 switch, useless for me.
Is it a good idea or something stupid on this kind of instrument ?
Thanks a lot for your suggestions !

 

[EAProwlerB]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Dear all,
Another question !
I have a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe (mapple neck, ash body).
I am thinking about an upgrade for her : a single Antiquity on the bridge, an Antiquity humbucker on the neck.
I'm also thinking about taking off the S1 switch, useless for me.
Is it a good idea or something stupid on this kind of instrument ?
Thanks a lot for your suggestions !

Keep it stock, it has a great set of pickups in it now.
If you want to experiment with swaps get a classic vibe and have some fun in toneyland.

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

But I'm looking for a S/H set-up.
An SD Antiquity is worst than a Fender Noiseless ?
I like her body, not her pickups ;-)

 

[EAProwlerB]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

It is an excellent guitar and worth more stock. If you don't like it, sell it and like I said, buy a classic vibe with the proceeds and you'll have enough dough to swap pickups and be way ahead.

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

It is an excellent guitar and worth more stock. If you don't like it, sell it and like I said, buy a classic vibe with the proceeds and you'll have enough dough to swap pickups and be way ahead.

Clearly two huge differents guitars...
I won't take a CV for my project, I like it but I'm looking for the perfect set ;-)

 

[EAProwlerB]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Clearly two huge differents guitars...
I won't take a CV for my project, I like it but I'm looking for the perfect set ;-)

There is no thing as the perfect set! Please don't ruin that American Deluxe.

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

What's wrong about asking a professional to put a humbucker on it and take off the switch ?
Your reaction is a bit strange sorry, I m looking for advices and experiences, not a judgement ;-)

 

[elelpe]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Proceed and keep the stock pickups, switch and the rest of electronics intact. Just in case...

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Proceed and keep the stock pickups, switch and the rest of electronics intact. Just in case...

That's exactly what i wanna do !
Any idea aboutmy pickups choice ?

 

[VinceT]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Enio - my Am Deluxe Tele was on the chopping block to sell several times - I just couldn't bond with it, and my head kept telling me it "should be a great Tele", but my heart and soul just didn't respond in the same way. After I tried to sell it for the 3rd time (yeah, so much for resale value) I decided to really pinpoint what it was that didn't work for me.

Long story short, I swapped out the stock N3 noiseless pickups for a TVJones Starwood for Tele set, and wired it (Gibson) 50s style to a no-load tone pot, and it was like the clouds parted and heavenly choirs sang. This wasn't just a good Tele, it was a GREAT Tele!!!

And there was another benefit - suddenly, the S1 switching made sense and became a sound I could actually use, rather than the loud mud it had been with the stock PUps.

I don't know the PUps you're considering, so can't comment on that, but bottom line, try the change, it worked for me!


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[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Enio - my Am Deluxe Tele was on the chopping block to sell several times - I just couldn't bond with it, and my head kept telling me it "should be a great Tele", but my heart and soul just didn't respond in the same way. After I tried to sell it for the 3rd time (yeah, so much for resale value) I decided to really pinpoint what it was that didn't work for me.

Long story short, I swapped out the stock N3 noiseless pickups for a TVJones Starwood for Tele set, and wired it (Gibson) 50s style to a no-load tone pot, and it was like the clouds parted and heavenly choirs sang. This wasn't just a good Tele, it was a GREAT Tele!!!

And there was another benefit - suddenly, the S1 switching made sense and became a sound I could actually use, rather than the loud mud it had been with the stock PUps.

I don't know the PUps you're considering, so can't comment on that, but bottom line, try the change, it worked for me!


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Thanks vince ! I wanna put an Single Antiquity on bridge and an Antiquity humbucker on the neck. With this setup can I use the switch ? What do you think about it ?

 

[VinceT]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Can you? Yes, though I haven't done it with a humbucker (especially if there's also a coil tap).

Should you? I don't know the antiquity HB's output level, so can't comment on the tone you'd get from combining in series. The TVJones turn out to be ballsy as hell in series!

One side note, the S1 is pretty easy to wire, once you work out how it works (there isn't much online, but I turned up several how-to guides just by Googling).

I found the stock wiring of the N3s confusing (so many ground wires) and ended up stripping it all out and wiring from fresh.

I would try taking it in a step-wise fashion - put in the new PUps with the S1, live with it for a while and see if it's a tone you can use (which was a complete surprise for me - I'd written it off before I modded the guitar). If it isn't, you can always rip out the switch and quickly put in a 3-way.

Best of luck!


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[VinceT]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

The guitar is in this vid - which I quickly put together for another post here.

https://youtu.be/8mRIqVdNgD8


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[Warlag]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

I love the American deluxe series... I had one and sold it and regretted it so bad.. I figured my Jeff beck guitar would fill the void.. it did a lot but I wish I had both now lol.. if I had your tele and was going to swap pickups I'd make sure to keep the original parts and have them ready to just drop back in of things do t go well... I'd make sure I didn't have to do any routing and if you were feeling a humbucker In The neck I'd check out some hot rail or cool rail pickups. I'd recommend keeping it original but if you don't like what's in it that's what I would do. Hope you figure everything out! Good luck man!

 

[Jacew]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Dear all,
Another question !
I have a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe (mapple neck, ash body).
I am thinking about an upgrade for her : a single Antiquity on the bridge, an Antiquity humbucker on the neck.
I'm also thinking about taking off the S1 switch, useless for me.
Is it a good idea or something stupid on this kind of instrument ?
Thanks a lot for your suggestions !

hmm... S1 switch for halving the humbucker and getting it switchable to parallel with bridge would be what i'd do. If you can wire it, trying a series is with those is also an option. If you use 500k for humbucker it shouldn't be muddy at all (since halved antiquity should have pretty low resistance).

Sounds really interesting. Go for it, I say: Customized gear is always better than stock!

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

I'll maybe put 250K, don't know yet.
I've take my decision for the moment !
I'll put an Antiquity S.H. set up.
Thx guys

 

[EAProwlerB]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

What's wrong about asking a professional to put a humbucker on it and take off the switch ?
Your reaction is a bit strange sorry, I m looking for advices and experiences, not a judgement ;-)

Also a bit strange that you are looking to replace pickups in three guitars all at once: CV Tele; Deluxe Tele and MIJ Stratocaster. Have you perhaps been here before?

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Actually I have sell the CV because of a great opportunity to buy an American Deluxe, dude.
And I have time to change pickups on my guitars because I have health issues, cannot use my right arm, so I have time to think about my gears and hope to get my mobility back ;-)

 

[Enio]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

Actually I'm not sure to understand your question.
English is not my first language, I can't get all the meanings of your sentence.

Anyway...
Thanks for all guys ! ;-)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickups upgrade on a Fender Telecaster American Deluxe

I love the Antiquity idea.
But I'd keep the S1 switch, and see if I could use it to put both pickups in series. Or get a 4-conductor Antiquity humbucker and use the S1 switch to split it. Those Antiquities are really wonderful in a Tele.