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Thread: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

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    Forum Member 1Duffy1's Avatar
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    Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    I put a down payment on a Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom at a music store near me. I played the guitar and actually liked it better than the Road Worn similar but different version, in terms of both the feel and sound.

    I thought the sound of both the WFHB and the single coil sounded better than the pickups on the Road Worn, which has, I believe, a Seymour Duncan '59 full HB at the neck. I thought that the guitar was very well built and it felt great.

    I will be bringing it home in a few days.

    Are there any modifications that I should consider doing, right from the start? Brass saddles might be a good idea but I have no idea where the best places to order these would be and which ones would be the correct size. I heard some of the brass saddles are bigger than the stock ones. Possibly Fender would sell their brass ones.

    Anyway, I thought the bridge pickup sounded good, but I would consider a Seymour Duncan "Jerry Donahue" tele bridge pickup. I like the alnico II SD pickups.

    Does anyone know if the "stock" bridge pickup on these current versions have the metal baseplate on the bridge single coil tele pickup?

    Feedback is appreciated.
    "Walk along the river, sweet lulla by, it just keeps on flowing,
    It don't worry 'bout where it's going, no, no..."
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    Forum Member buckaroo's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    probably not the answer you seek but here goes: I avoid modifications to guitars. If they don't provide what I want "as is stock" then I look for another guitar. Set up excluded of course. The bad side is that I have gone through many a guitar over the years finding "the right ones for me"!

    Not to ruffle any feathers to those tinkerers out there.....just saying that is how I do it. Nothing wrong with modding a guitar if that floats your boat.

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    Forum Member 1Duffy1's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    True. But often there are mods that a lot of people like to do to specific guitars. Especially with telecasters it seems. I'm just trying to see if there any common things people recommend doing to these.

    Thanks though.
    "Walk along the river, sweet lulla by, it just keeps on flowing,
    It don't worry 'bout where it's going, no, no..."
    Allman Brothers Band

  4. #4
    Gravity Jim
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    Quote Originally Posted by buckaroo View Post
    probably not the answer you seek but here goes: I avoid modifications to guitars. If they don't provide what I want "as is stock" then I look for another guitar. Set up excluded of course. The bad side is that I have gone through many a guitar over the years finding "the right ones for me"!

    Not to ruffle any feathers to those tinkerers out there.....just saying that is how I do it. Nothing wrong with modding a guitar if that floats your boat.
    Yeah... so, if someone ask about potential mods, bother posting that you never do it? "Not to ruffle any feathers," but... who cares?

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    Forum Member buckaroo's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    In response to silent J above:

    The OP asks about "mods I should consider right from the start".

    I post my perspective simply to add that perspective as a potential solution for the OP to consider.......in case he has yet to consider "doing nothing to the guitar"......note that it appears that he has yet to receive the instrument; he may like it as is! I see nothing wrong with offering that advice.
    Last edited by buckaroo; 07-13-2012 at 03:48 PM.

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    Forum Member 1Duffy1's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    I bought the guitar today and it's the sunburst and wry nice. I also played an ltd viper deluxe with SD alnico II Pro gold HBs and a cream body. I also Played a Epi prophesy SG OLD STYLE with dirty fingers pickups but they sounded like my LP and other guitars I have. The Fender 72 Custom was very clear and clean sounding in comparison including the Fender HB. The bridge tele pickup is very nice and also quiet but I would consider putting in one of those SD tele hot stack noiseless single rail stacked single coils or a SD Jerry Donohue hot alnico II or even the regular alnico II pro bridge pickup.

    I am going to leave it alone for now but you can see the type of things I'm conside ring. It compared favorably to my butterscotch Squier CV tele which is a good sounding guitar.
    "Walk along the river, sweet lulla by, it just keeps on flowing,
    It don't worry 'bout where it's going, no, no..."
    Allman Brothers Band

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    Forum Member buckaroo's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    I hope you enjoy it! Congratulations.

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    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    I would highly recommend replacing the stock WRHB with a quality replacement such as a Telenator. The stock pickups look like WRHB's but sound nothing like the originals.

    Playing a true WRHB into a nice amp is one of guitardom's greatest pleasures IMHO.

    True WRHB's are to PAF style pickups as P90's are to regular SC's.

    Or you could replace the nut with a 5 string nut and tune it to open G. That pretty well pegs the cool-o-meter.

    That said, the "do nothing " option is perfectly acceptable. If you bought the guitar for what it is then enjoy it.

    Guitars are like women. You have to like them the way the are.

    If you marry one thinking "I'll get her to lose weight, dye her hair and buy her some boobs" you are destined to end up disappointed.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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    Forum Member buckaroo's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post

    That said, the "do nothing " option is perfectly acceptable. If you bought the guitar for what it is then enjoy it.

    Guitars are like women. You have to like them the way the are.

    If you marry one thinking "I'll get her to lose weight, dye her hair and buy her some boobs" you are destined to end up disappointed.
    That is essentially my view as well. YMMV

  10. #10
    Forum Member refin's Avatar
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    Re: Suggestions for mods to a new Classic Series ’72 Telecaster® Custom

    Quote Originally Posted by buckaroo View Post
    probably not the answer you seek but here goes: I avoid modifications to guitars. If they don't provide what I want "as is stock" then I look for another guitar. Set up excluded of course. The bad side is that I have gone through many a guitar over the years finding "the right ones for me"!

    Not to ruffle any feathers to those tinkerers out there.....just saying that is how I do it. Nothing wrong with modding a guitar if that floats your boat.
    As an addicted tinkerer,I can say "amen!"
    Usually I don't find a guitar that has everything---the feel may be great,but the sound is "meh".I haven't bought a new guitar in quite awhile,usually trade/build my own.
    But........when I find one that sounds right to my ear stock,I usually leave it alone.Sometimes modding can be good,sometimes not.Example---when I got my Hartke bass amp,I took the aluminum speaker out right away and put in an EVM-12,thinking it would be even better.Big mistake,changed it back.
    "My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
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