• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

FENDER MODERN PLAYER TELE

#182
Ive had this bass since Turkeyday and it is still the best $500 I have ever spent. I fiddled with the action some and put some DR Hellborg strings on it and wow! The strings added a little definition to the mudbuckers, the sound is still deep and fury but with a bit more clarity in the note. I play thru a Genz Benz 6.0 Shuttle with two 12's, e.q. set flat. Love the sound! I like this bass so much I am going back to 4 strings. I know its all subjective, but this is a very, very nice bass for the $$$.
 
#183
Just got my blond off thee brown truck. Wow, been through a lot of Fenders including my current #1 player 51P japan reissue (blond of course) and this thing is waaayyy cool. Love the chunky C neck and the low end, OMG, is gonna be a trip on a gig. Ya the parts are cheapo, the glue joint on a knob separated getting it off the shaft. Easy epoxy fix. But the electronics sound pretty boss just plinkin' through the stereo, very nice even volume and decay on almost all notes. Good wood... Sub 6 bills? Even better. The bridge pickup is kinda like a mid control and the neck for the bass, coolio . I think the Shuttlemax 9.2 will have a new friend :D
 
#186
C.Linton said:
Perhaps, like the ones on my Squiers appear to be, the knobs are two piece, an inner part for the knurled shaft, and an outer plastic shell. (or something similar)
Click to expand...

Yes, but just the reverse. The knob has an inner plastic insert for the pot shaft with an outer metal shell. I used a bit of JB weld epoxy on the head of the insert to fix the knob. JB weld is great stuff, produces a super strong joint. I've even drill and tapped the stuff to fix screw holes. Most hardware stores have it...
 
#187
Ran into a nut problem. Swapped out the stock Fender roundwounds for a set of Thomastik Jazz Flats and the A nut slot is cut too wide for the string letting the string hit the first fret. So it's a new bone nut for the Tele. The only problem is I have to wait till 2012 to get it on a gig... Still totally satisfied with the buy!
 
#188
Sooo........... Santa Claus, who looks a lot like my wife, gave to me this wonderful bass on Christmas day.

I've been playing the crap out of it.

Not sure what to say in the way of a review, but feel it's some what obligatory. Neck and action are great. No sharp frets. The bass seems solid. Balances well. Looks awesome. Feels really, really comfortable even though I've gotten used to Jazz like necks. It's an easy and fun playing bass. Has an old school vibe and sound that I like. Lots of thumpy (almost muddy) bottom, and lots of bark. Not a whole lot outside of that, but a lot of thick and dark and sweet sounds between. To my ears at least.

Playing in a zep tribute and brought it to rehearsal. The bass setup in the studio we rehearse in is the absolute worst. There's an 8X10 GK bottom with 2 speakers removed that projects nothing but boom. I had to dial all the bass out of the head and crank all the highs, but it sounded great. Sat well with 2 les paul driven marshalls and some loud drumms. I'm looking forward to using this with my head and bottom. I've got lots of EQ options on my BX500 and I'm certain I'm going to be able to dial in something wonderful.

I'm really bonding with this thing. That usually doesn't happen with me and Fender basses. Sold every one I ever owned but my Jaguar. Including a Mexican P deluxe that was a gift from my wife (girlfriend then) about 3 yrs ago.

Oh yeah, for those that haven't noticed, this ain't a slapping bass. No room whatsoever near the neck pickup. I can slap it below the pickup and it actually sounds kind of cool, but it ain't no chili pepper bass for sure. It's also a bit devoid of high end. I'm used to lots of treble, and the tone control seems to stop long before what I'm used to. I'm sure as already mentioned though that I'll be able to dial enough in on my head. Finger style funk works great, got to jam a bit with the zep guys.

I'm really digging this bass. Time to sell some of my others.

That's pretty much it for now.

Anyone know what kind of tuners are on it? I want to put a D-tuner on it and don't know what to order.
 
#189
Ok, I am an idiot. I have been raving over my tele for awhile now but I could not figure out how to raise the bass side of the humbucker. I wanted a little more low end to suite my taste and playing style. So I took off the pickguard looked around -no luck-, tried the two screws on the bass side of the bridge pu like you would a soapbar all to no avail. When I first got the bass I really noticed for the first time the four screws under each string in each pickup. I found out these are polepieces (again Im an idiot) and can be utilized to balance string output by unscrewing (raising the polepiece & increase volume) or screwing (lowering and decrease volume). On the tele there are 8 of these, 2 for each string, one for each pickup, etc. This is an excellent means to fine tune the string to string balance and also, a great way to adjust the tone. More bridge or neck pickup, you get to decide! Great pickups, great price, Fantastic bass. Have a happy new year!
 
#191
bdeaux said:
I'm going to throw some black nylon wound strings on mine. I like the idea of this combination. Might throw on a "Buh-dass" II bridge that's been sitting around.
Click to expand...

im thinking in oposite way and i will try то put there classic vintage bridge for more retro sound. This modern Tele has neverending sustain... Also when i play only bridge pick-up it sounds like there is a little echo..
I allso put both pick-up more deep to body. So now is also possible slap this bass without problems :).
It is nice bass only i would prefer if it will be little more yellow :D not like ri 51, but somewhere on half way of both..;)

P1050579.jpg


P1050581.jpg
 
#192
I've got one on order/back-order, I've been toying with the idea of moving the bridge PUP to a P position, but of course will spend time with it first.

I wonder how these respond to a string like DR Lowrider steels, might tame some of the mud?

Didn't Mel Schacher (sp) and Barry Oakley both put mudbuckers in the neck position of Jazz basses? I sure loved Mel's tone (Barry's wasn't too bad either).
 
#195
Does anyone know what size/type tuners these are? I want to put a hipshot on, and nobody knows what a direct replacement would be. Not even Fender. And yes, I contacted hipshot also.

If any of ya'll have another Fender with the same tuners it would be incredibly helpful to know the other basses they use them on. I really want to use this bass on an upcoming gig, and it's the ONLY gig I ever played that has a song where I actually have to shift tunings mid song.

Help? Anyone?
 
#196
Joe Nerve said:
Sooo........... Santa Claus, who looks a lot like my wife, gave to me this wonderful bass on Christmas day.

I've been playing the crap out of it.

Not sure what to say in the way of a review, but feel it's some what obligatory. Neck and action are great. No sharp frets. The bass seems solid. Balances well. Looks awesome. Feels really, really comfortable even though I've gotten used to Jazz like necks. It's an easy and fun playing bass. Has an old school vibe and sound that I like. Lots of thumpy (almost muddy) bottom, and lots of bark. Not a whole lot outside of that, but a lot of thick and dark and sweet sounds between. To my ears at least.

Playing in a zep tribute and brought it to rehearsal. The bass setup in the studio we rehearse in is the absolute worst. There's an 8X10 GK bottom with 2 speakers removed that projects nothing but boom. I had to dial all the bass out of the head and crank all the highs, but it sounded great. Sat well with 2 les paul driven marshalls and some loud drumms. I'm looking forward to using this with my head and bottom. I've got lots of EQ options on my BX500 and I'm certain I'm going to be able to dial in something wonderful.

I'm really bonding with this thing. That usually doesn't happen with me and Fender basses. Sold every one I ever owned but my Jaguar. Including a Mexican P deluxe that was a gift from my wife (girlfriend then) about 3 yrs ago.

Oh yeah, for those that haven't noticed, this ain't a slapping bass. No room whatsoever near the neck pickup. I can slap it below the pickup and it actually sounds kind of cool, but it ain't no chili pepper bass for sure. It's also a bit devoid of high end. I'm used to lots of treble, and the tone control seems to stop long before what I'm used to. I'm sure as already mentioned though that I'll be able to dial enough in on my head. Finger style funk works great, got to jam a bit with the zep guys.

I'm really digging this bass. Time to sell some of my others.

That's pretty much it for now.

Anyone know what kind of tuners are on it? I want to put a D-tuner on it and don't know what to order.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight - seems like these are pleasing and apparently a good value to those who have bought them. Tell me, Joe, what's the weight like? I anticipate I'll get one, but the heft will play a part in how often I sling it (disc surgery 2x).
 
#197
Lowbrow said:
Thanks for the insight - seems like these are pleasing and apparently a good value to those who have bought them. Tell me, Joe, what's the weight like? I anticipate I'll get one, but the heft will play a part in how often I sling it (disc surgery 2x).
Click to expand...

I am horrible with guessing the weight on instruments, and I don't have a scale. I only notice when a bass is ultra light or ultra heavy, and this is neither. Feels about the same as my Big Al, and that's close to 10lbs. I'm surprised the weight isn't listed on the Fender website. Nor are the type tuners that are on it, which I keep posting about but nobody seems to know.

Interestingly... I called Fender customer service yesterday, and while the guy was awesome and doing his best to be helpful, even after checking with other people the most he could do was guess at what tuners were on it and advise that I measure them. This is the 2nd time in my life that I called Fender customer service, with what I consider relatively easy questions, and got no information. Last time was when the American Deluxe basses had just come out and I didn't know how to adjust the neck. Was actually told I had to take it off, like on the old Fenders. Which was not the case. I'm digging this bass, but I still can't say I'm a Fender fan.

Gonna keep putting this out too... anyone know what tuners are on this? Are they the same as the MIM Fenders? Or the American Fenders? Or Squiers? Really want to get a hipshot.
 
#198
Thumper said:
I've got one on order/back-order, I've been toying with the idea of moving the bridge PUP to a P position, but of course will spend time with it first.

I wonder how these respond to a string like DR Lowrider steels, might tame some of the mud?
Didn't Mel Schacher (sp) and Barry Oakley both put mudbuckers in the neck position of Jazz basses? I sure loved Mel's tone (Barry's wasn't too bad either).
Click to expand...

I own the squier telebass, which is the modern player minus the bridge pickup. I used to string it with DR High Beams and yes, the extra high end REALLY brightened up the tone. Lowriders may as well, but aren't they scooped? I'm afraid of adding ANY more bottom end to those mudbuckers :D

FWIW, my Squier Telebass is strung with light gauge EB Slinkies. They're cheap, easy on the fingers, and on this bass anyway sound good.
 
#200
Legattabass said:
I own the squier telebass, which is the modern player minus the bridge pickup. I used to string it with DR High Beams and yes, the extra high end REALLY brightened up the tone. Lowriders may as well, but aren't they scooped? I'm afraid of adding ANY more bottom end to those mudbuckers :D

FWIW, my Squier Telebass is strung with light gauge EB Slinkies. They're cheap, easy on the fingers, and on this bass anyway sound good.
Click to expand...


FWIW, I seriously recommend adding a switch on these pickups that allows for series/parallel config. In parallel, the mud clears up quite a bit, actually.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back