Chapman ML-3 suggestion please

[SkylineUK]

I've just bought a new Chapman ML-3 Traditional (i.e. Tele type). Chapman guitars have been creating quite a buzz in the past few months so I thought I'd check one out.
I'm very pleased with the overall construction especially the body and neck quality (made in Korea at the factory that makes for PRS and others) but at £440 it is nevertheless a bit 'budget' and I'm not happy with the sounds from the pickups.  In particular the top E string plays at a lower level than the others which is very annoying when playing lead parts.  So I want to upgrade the pickups.

The fitted 'Chapman Stacks' are humbucking but a pull pot enables the humbucking coil to be switched off for a brighter tone. Would I have to forgo that if I install BKs? (No big deal actually).

There's a bewildering array of Barknuckle Tele types so I was looking for some suggestions. I mainly play blues and  genres using clean tones so I like to use 'neck-y' clean tones most of the time. Sometimes I need a bit of twang and crunch but  I don't need pups that facilitate high gain.

All help, observations and suggestions welcome!

John
   

[richard]

This could be set-up issue rather than a pickup problem. Does your high E sound too quiet on either pickup ? Have you tried raising one or both pickups on the treble side ? I've watched a couple of demos and this is definitely not a usual characteristic of this guitar.

[Telerocker]

Like Richard suggest, if the E is too quiet, is probably a setup problem. A proper setup by a good tech does wonders to a guitar. I suggest to do that first and see what happens.

Besides that, your guitar will benefit from a pickup upgrade. I suggest the Blackguard 52-set, which has a quite stratty neckpickup. But, I can't even see a set of Country Boys work in mahogany setneck guitar. They will be a more twangy, but aren't shrill at all.

[Dave Sloven]

Has anyone checked out the new Cobra for Teles yet?  Could be interesting

[Telerocker]

Has anyone checked out the new Cobra for Teles yet?  Could be interesting

Nope, and I presume I won't. I like my tele with vintage single coils. I think the OP is not looking for that modern voicing either.