Now I need some Yardbirds

[AndyR]

There's been a bunch folks acquiring Fender Japan 62 Customs (Roo, that's a classy looking version of "a man's guitar" :lol:), both on here and over on TDPRI...

And I keep saying "it's the black one that gets me..."

I nearly bought one a few months ago, but I hesitated, and when I went back the next day it was gone.

I saw this one a couple of weeks ago, next to the Roadworn 50 that I tried. I loved the Roadworn but I've already got two blonde maple boarded teles, and I'm not convinced it's worth its asking price to me. However the black custom next to it was worth the asking price, and after the Roadworn had put me in "buying mode" I didn't dare try it that day. But it's been haunting me.

And then maranz1300 got one in Candy Apple Red for his birthday, and I thought well, it's Alice's (my Baja tele) birthday today, and it's mine tomorrow, so maybe I'll get us a joint pressie?

Me and the missus went up to the shop (me secretly hoping it might be gone like the last one was), and there she be... :roll:

She ain't there no more folks... she's sat on the sofa next to Alice, we're all listening to Dr Feelgood, and all feeling very good about our selves 8)

Extremely tasty guitar, I've already taken the 10s off and stuck on my 11s. Already started modding it - whipped out the treble bleed capacitor, hate the things.

Now, I've heard that the only down-side of these guitars is the pickups, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I gave them a good old height adjustment and they really aren't as bad as I was expecting. I actually wonder whether the treble bleed capacitor is what makes people think they're so pants. Before I took it out, just backing off the volume a tiny bit made them start to get really weedy - now it's gone they act just like I want them. However, I can't really see me not ordering Yardbirds and another 4-way switch in the near future though! :lol:

[MrBump]

Yardbirds, Andy?  You mean you're NOT gonna put a 3rd set of Blackguards in it..?

Mark.

[Philly Q]

Nice one, Andy!  :D   I knew where this was going as soon as I saw the thread title.  :lol:

Why's it a present for Alice, though?  Isn't she going to resent the competition?

[d1dsj]

You're right... it's very tasty and very classy to boot! Nice guitar.

[marantz1300]

Congrats. Beautiful Tele you have. I love the black. Brass saddles would look good on that. The stock pickups sound good to me.I just wnt better ones.Yardbirds coming next week.

[Fourth Feline]

A lovely guitar there Andy !   ( says an 'out of the closet'  Butterscotch Baja Tele owner / lover )  :)

( Beware the wrath of Roo ...  :roll: ).

Now, after walking the dog , sit back with Roxette ( she does it right  ) - and celebrate with some milk and alcohol ...   8)

[FernandoDuarte]

Looks good... You need some nice psychedelic paint on it :D

[Philly Q]

Already started modding it - whipped out the treble bleed capacitor, hate the things.

I actually wonder whether the treble bleed capacitor is what makes people think they're so pants. Before I took it out, just backing off the volume a tiny bit made them start to get really weedy - now it's gone they act just like I want them.

Interesting point, that.  I've never really tried treble bleed capacitors unless they're already in the guitar (like PRS), but I never thought they'd actually make a guitar sound weedy (or weedier).  But it makes sense, if the pickups are low-output to begin with.

I've always thought a treble bleed cap would be a good idea with high-output single-coils, like Duncan Quarter Pounders.  That way you'd get the equivalent of a vintage-output pickup by turning down the volume.  Or maybe not.   I was thinking of putting one on my LP Jr with the BKP-91.

[dave_mc]

^ i dunno. there's always the chance that it just has the "wrong" value of cap. personally, i like them on some guitars, and don't really like them on others...

very nice guitar, by the way. black actually looks quite nice on that tele with the rosewood board. :)

[38thBeatle]

Great looking guitar Andy.

[roland_rat]

I have a set of yardbirds and got to say they are great.  Lovely vintage type tone.

[AndyR]

Still bonding here :D This could end up being my favourite guitar (still the honeymoon period though - so take this with a pinch of salt...)

OK - then...

Psychedelic paint... nooo way! :lol:

Brass saddles - maybe. I prefer them on my other two, but the idea is that this thing behaves different, and at the moment I'm getting a nice twang out of it. I'm also getting used to the look of these saddles, and they're not shredding my hand like I thought they might.

Pickups - Yardbirds, definitely :D. There is a possibility, when I see what they do in this one, that further down the line I might try swapping Blackguards into this one and Yardbirds into the Baja or the 52 - I suspect that would give me three different vibes... but we'll see.

Does Alice resent the competition? No... she knows what she can do, and she has a good self-image :lol:

Treble bleeds - I think they're an acquired taste, and I guess that yes they depend on the guitar/pups/pots that they're working with. I tried installing one years ago on a strat and discovered that for me it kind of takes the beef out of pickups (probably because I like to settle the volume control around 7-9 for "crunch-rhythm"/"clean-lead" and then crank it for "more"). Since then, the only guitars I've come across treble bleeds are EVERY tele I've bought, and my Dano 59 re-issue.

The Dano really needed it taking out for me, and then I investigated what it was doing to my teles... Philly, try temporarilly disconnecting the bleed capacitor in your Baja and see what you think... I never reconnected it. It made less difference than when I tried it on this beast yesterday (but I already had BKPs in the Baja when I tried it, so that might have some bearing on it!)

I am seriously loving this guitar. It does feel like I ought to be getting me a big cowboy hat to wear when I'm playing it though :lol:

[Philly Q]

Philly, try temporarilly disconnecting the bleed capacitor in your Baja and see what you think... I never reconnected it. It made less difference than when I tried it on this beast yesterday (but I already had BKPs in the Baja when I tried it, so that might have some bearing on it!)

Won't be doing that - it's going up for sale today....  :oops:

[AndyR]

Thought it might be soon Philly.... still the neck?

I've only just appreciated how big the Baja neck is now that I've got the 62 Custom home. The custom's neck is very very similar to my #1, the CIJ 62 reissue strat, but for some reason having this neck on a tele has made the size of the Baja neck more obvious.

Luckily I like both :lol: (I spose it's another reason why Alice the Baja isn't feeling threatened - she encourages a different sort of playing)

[Philly Q]

Thought it might be soon Philly.... still the neck?

Yeah, plus the fact that I have so many Teles something had to go.... the Baja's completely stock, so it's more instantly sellable (hopefully) than the bits-and-pieces ones. 

The only other one which is an actual Fender guitar (rather than some Fender parts put together!) is my Thinline, and that's not going anywhere.