Picked up a Fender Modern Player Tele

[Supertacks]

So I threw in the towel and picked up a Fender Modern Player Series Telecaster Plus. I got the charcoal colored one. GC had them at 374, I used the 50 dollar off Holiday coupon and got it for 324. While I have read mostly good reviews with a few bad ones here and there, I have to say it is way better than I would expect for a 325 dollar guitar. Fit and finish are flawless, neck pocket is super tight. It was actually set up well out of the box. As some other's have mentioned in reviews, the bridge pickup seems just a bit weak when coil tapped, but otherwise I think she is a keeper. The tone knobs add value across the entire range, and I was able to find good sounds hidden in it across the most of switch settings.

The frets ends are finished off very well on mine, matter of fact every bit as good as my 89 Custom Shop 52 RI. The neck is nice and straight, and contrary to other reports I have read, not too thin.

At this point, if I were to mod it, I may look at a different bridge PUP, and possibly a tuner upgrade. (Not that the tuners are bad) I just read somewhere that others are doing it so have it stuck in my head.

But before I climb on that slippery slope I may just leave it as is for a few weeks.

 

[Eric Smith]

You know what they say, this thread is useless without photos. Sometimes they say, photos or it didn't happen. I've even read where people will say that you are full of sh!t if there aren't any photos. Now surely you're not full of sh!t are you?

 

[Supertacks]

Yea I know . . . but it is such a not really all that exciting purchase I got lazy. Fine pics tomorrow when I can get natural sunlight on it.

 

[michaelinokc]

Yea I know . . . but it is such a not really all that exciting purchase I got lazy. Fine pics tomorrow when I can get natural sunlight on it.

Any guitar purchase is exciting. Congrats. Now get some darn pics up.

 

[Supertacks]

We'll here are the pics. Very difficult to photograph. Without sunlight it looks black. But with sunlight it looks brown. It really is a very pretty guitar. The body is pine, and the grain looks it. Kind neat actually. Makes me feel like I could glue up some 2 x 8 and cut one of these out. I may swap out the chrome bucker trim for black.

 

[RaSTuS26]

Sweet Tele mate, looks great, enjoy and HNGD.

 

[Zardoz]

What do you think of the Strat pickup in the middle? Can you get decent Strat tones out of this guitar?

 

[Kungphugrip]

What do you think of the Strat pickup in the middle? Can you get decent Strat tones out of this guitar?

i have the very same guitar
and its better at producing strat tones than tele tones
all three pups are fine(low output)but good tone
overall they are very nice guitars

 

[Kezman]

Looks pretty nice!

 

[Supertacks]

Totally agree with Kungphupro. Easier to get Strat tones, than Tele tones. Some real interesting tones throughout though. I can honestly it doesn't replicate anything else I have closely. My Strat has Texas Specials though. Can't beat it for the money. Much prettier in person too.

 

[Electroman67]

Dude, i don't usually quote Paris Hilton but 'That's hot'

 

[nutsauce]

I really like that finish!!

 

[sollophonic]

I have looked at these and wondered about them.

They sell for as cheap as Squier CVs over here in the UK sometimes.

I had always thought these would make a good budget Tele Plus project too.

 

[Chadd]

I played a couple of the modern player guitars and they all felt cheap to me. I really wanted to like them but I just couldn't do it.

 

[Heilage]

That was a really nice finish. Looks like a damn good Tele to me.

 

[LKB3rd]

The Tele bridge pickup has a very distinct sound. It has clarity and bite, but with more balls to it than a Strat bridge. So I am not surprised that it doesn't do the Tele bridge pu thing with a split humbucker. Even a single coil Strat can only get close.
It looks like they used a filler on the fret ends to cover the tangs.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

We'll here are the pics. Very difficult to photograph. Without sunlight it looks black. But with sunlight it looks brown. It really is a very pretty guitar. The body is pine, and the grain looks it. Kind neat actually. Makes me feel like I could glue up some 2 x 8 and cut one of these out. I may swap out the chrome bucker trim for black.

VERY NICE colour

There is one in my local used column, might pick it up !!!

 

[Stoj]

Nice Score - Congrats & HNGD

 

[DW4LesPaul]

How did they feel cheap? I picked one up in GC a few months ago and I'm still contemplating selling my 2013 Chinese Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop Pro and getting the modern Tele plus. The Epiphone is really pretty and solid, and heavy! But, when I played the Tele I was like, "WTF? This thing is like holding a precision machine, and light too." It has the belly cut, which makes it feel really tight against your body, too.

I played a couple of the modern player guitars and they all felt cheap to me. I really wanted to like them but I just couldn't do it.

 

[DW4LesPaul]

I think the only thing I question is the FB being covered in poly. I mean it looks nice, but what happens when it wears off--or does it? Do you get bare wood?

I really love this guitar. The main tech at GC in Sacramento told me he bought one. The first thing I asked him was, "What did you mod?" He said, "Nothing. It's perfect just like it is. I still can't believe they are selling these for less than 400.00"