Alternative to Modern Player Telecaster?

penrithrdstudio · #1 03-24-2021, 04:36 AM

Hi people,
I'm a longtime acoustic player just starting out on electric. Currently have a cheap Jim Deacon strat copy, and a BC Rich Warlock on loan from a work colleague. I previously tried and liked a cheap Tele copy in a local music shop, and prefer the Tele neck pickup to the Strat neck pickup, but like using the Strat middle pickup and the bridge humbucker on the Warlock, so my ideal pickup configuration for one versatile guitar would be Tele neck pickup - Strat middle pickup - bridge humbucker (ideally coil splittable). The only guitar I know of that has this setup is the now discontinued Fender (Mexican) Modern Player Telecaster Plus from I think the mid 2010s (?) and they are pretty rare over here in the UK. Anyone know of anything else with this pickup configuration?

RoyBoy · #2 03-24-2021, 06:40 AM

The Nashville telecaster is about as close as you'll come to what you're looking for (minus the HB in the bridge). They are fairly common and the Mexican ones are reasonably priced.

Honestly, a strat and a tele are both iconic in their sounds, each does things that the other can't. Nothing really duplicates the quack of a strat (they're also really comfortable). The tele bridge PU is really powerful once you master it, and it's in tons of music we've been listening to for decades.

The simplest solution is just to have one of each, that's what I've done.

GCWaters · #3 03-24-2021, 07:57 AM

You can also get a regular tele and have it rewired—not all that expensive...

FrankHudson · #4 03-24-2021, 08:31 AM

Three pickup Telecasters are nice, and as mentioned the Fender Nashville Tele it still a current model and has been in the line for some time so there are used ones around too. Mod-wise: one could put a single-coil-sized humbucker* in the bridge position easily.

Similarly, one could put a Tele neck pickup in that position on a Strat, and Strats with bridge humbuckers that have that desired part already on board are common.

Some Telecasters and Stratocasters and bodies sold as parts come with lots of free space under the pickguards that would allow one to mod the pickup array too. With the traditional Tele "ashtray" bridge you would need to go with a different metal bridge to fit a full-sized humbucker as well.

And then, just how much have you worked with the regular Telecaster single coil bridge pickup? Some can be quite powerful and the extra treble they can produce can actually be a good thing in some overdriven contexts (and can be tamed with the tone knob when you don't want it).

*like the Duncan "Litttle 59" -- I've never used one, but that's part of what they're sold to do.

Paleolith54 · #5 03-24-2021, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penrithrdstudio

Hi people,
I'm a longtime acoustic player just starting out on electric. Currently have a cheap Jim Deacon strat copy, and a BC Rich Warlock on loan from a work colleague. I previously tried and liked a cheap Tele copy in a local music shop, and prefer the Tele neck pickup to the Strat neck pickup, but like using the Strat middle pickup and the bridge humbucker on the Warlock, so my ideal pickup configuration for one versatile guitar would be Tele neck pickup - Strat middle pickup - bridge humbucker (ideally coil splittable). The only guitar I know of that has this setup is the now discontinued Fender (Mexican) Modern Player Telecaster Plus from I think the mid 2010s (?) and they are pretty rare over here in the UK. Anyone know of anything else with this pickup configuration?

I'd second what Frank Hudson said above. Also, some research on forums like TDPRI might enable you to find out if that model is already routed to allow a humbucker in the bridge position; that seems to be pretty common with a lot of Fenders but I have no idea how to predict which ones will be like that.

dnf777 · #6 03-25-2021, 03:01 PM

G&L Bluesboy. Tribute (Indonesia) model more in line price wise with the player tele.

blue · #7 03-25-2021, 05:03 PM

I would respectfully disagree on the Bridge Humbucker. Just so you know where I'm coming from I have an single pickup esquire, a G&L ASAT Classic (think standard tele with super clean, very powerful P90-ish pickups) and a G&L Bluesboy.

My first point is a Tele-ish bridge pickup is one of the greatest sounds ever. It's not just the pickup, it's way the pickup sits in a tele bridge plate. It's just magic. I wouldn't trade that for a humbucker. I'd much rather put the humbucker at the neck.

Which brings me to my second point. My Bluesboy is my most versatile guitar. The neck humbucker, the Bridge single coil... The middle position with both on holds a unique tonal place in my collection.

Are you handy around wiring? G&L have so-called "swimming pool routes". You can buy a dirt cheap used tribute (import) G&L, or wait for the SDOTD at musician's friend to roll around to their monthly Tribute ASAT sale, and you can throw any combination of pickups into it you want. Tele bridge, mini hum or P90 middle, tele neck. Or Tele, strat middle, and neck humbucker. Anything you can imagine. Or just buy a bluesboy

rokdog49 · #8 03-30-2021, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyBoy

The Nashville telecaster is about as close as you'll come to what you're looking for (minus the HB in the bridge). They are fairly common and the Mexican ones are reasonably priced.

Honestly, a strat and a tele are both iconic in their sounds, each does things that the other can't. Nothing really duplicates the quack of a strat (they're also really comfortable). The tele bridge PU is really powerful once you master it, and it's in tons of music we've been listening to for decades.

The simplest solution is just to have one of each, that's what I've done.

I agree with these findings.