Opinions on Tele Custom II?

birv2 · 05-11-2010, 07:59 PM

I'm the proud owner of an Affinity BSB tele, but I'm looking to also acquire one of these. What do people think? How are the P90 pickups?

TIA,
Bob

AllroyPA · 05-11-2010, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birv2

I'm the proud owner of an Affinity BSB tele, but I'm looking to also acquire one of these. What do people think? How are the P90 pickups?

TIA,
Bob

From what I've read the Humbucker version gets better praise for sound. I had one awhile back and I just never bonded with the neck but the guitar was sharp for sure.

KRamone27 · 05-11-2010, 10:16 PM

I don't have the custom 2 but I own the custom with two humbuckers and it sounds freakin amazing for the price. The quality is great, the only thing I have a problem with is the tone control on the bridge pickup circuit. It doesn't work so I need to replace it along with the rest of the electronics minus the pickups.

1935streetrod · 05-11-2010, 10:34 PM

Had both the BSB and the custom II. Both are nice, but sold the custom to my brother inlaw and kept the BSB because of the look and the twang! You can pick up a nice one off the net for around a buck and a half if you want to go for it!

AllroyPA · 05-11-2010, 10:41 PM

I may be one of a very few to do this to one.

Was cool though ... hehe

Papa Joe · 05-11-2010, 11:13 PM

This is the only guitar that I have with P90s in it.I have yet to give it a real work out, but so far I like those pups.Love the action and looks.

birv2 · 05-12-2010, 10:49 AM

Thanks for the input. I'll have to play it to see how it goes. Since I can't buy it atm, I'm proposing some sort of trade, so we'll see how that goes.

I like the idea of those P90s!

Roxy · 05-12-2010, 12:33 PM

I had the Custom HH . I was on the fence between the two . The humbucker version was the better guitar . Check that one before you buy the P90 II.

dragonfly66 · 05-12-2010, 02:57 PM

I have the Custom II in black. The previous owner tinted the neck and put a bone nut on it. I can't say I'm over joyed by the sound. It uses 250K pots and that maybe why I think it sounds muddy. The neck feels good and it looks good in all black. It is not my favorite guitar, but worth keeping around. It is my only P90 guitar at this point. I'm working on a 3-P90 strat that will use P90s by Jon Moore at tonefordays.com.

As for the Custom II I have plans to change the pots to 500K, take the finish off, and change the saddle to a Wilkinson short bridge. To make it more comfortable I'm going to add an arm and tummy contours.

JKjr · 05-13-2010, 05:53 PM

I have a one with P90's that I picked up on CL. Didn't even know what it was called until I opened this thread. here's the lowdown on mine...

I don't think there's any need to go into fit, finish, etc...it's a Squier. What sets it apart is the LP style control layout. Straightforward and extremely versatile. Lots of good sounds hiding in there. OTOH, I don't care for the pickups at all but I'm a P90 freak. I have guitars with original '50's dogears,newer Gibson, Lollar, and Fralins, and the stock pickups are dull and lifeless in comparison. In a different world I'd just slap in one of the aformentioned sets and some new pots and be done with it, but since I have the P90 bases covered I'm considering some Lollar mini-hums as they are a direct fit in any soapbar mount. Maybe get into that Tele Deluxe territory?

dragonfly66 · 05-15-2010, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKjr

I'm considering some Lollar mini-hums as they are a direct fit in any soapbar mount.

I saw the mini-hums on the website and they don't look like they ar P90 sized, do you have to use the Les Paul mounting ring to make up the difference?

Vanguard448 · 05-15-2010, 02:41 PM

I own the 2 P-90 version and I love it. The finish is gorgeous, the pickups are nice and mellow but can still give plenty of twang from the bridge, the hardware seems to be excellently made. In fact, my only complaint is that mine pings a fair bit on the A and D strings. Strangely enough, it seems to be pinging at the saddles and not the nut. Also, the E string has a faint buzz to it at the nut. Nut these are all just problems that I have and may not be present on any others. I'd say go for it!

kevinpaul · 05-17-2010, 11:52 AM

I Played both of them and got the Humbucker Custom. I did not like the Custom II sound.

adamjn · 05-25-2010, 02:07 AM

Heard a guy playing one tonight at my local shop through a Vox AC15 and i thought it sounded AMAZING.

jaknzax · 01-23-2012, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papa Joe

This is the only guitar that I have with P90s in it.I have yet to give it a real work out, but so far I like those pups.Love the action and looks.

I have had the same exact model and color asPapaJoe and think its an awesome guitar. My wife and son got it for me for Christmas 2 years ago. Fuller sound than a traditional Tele, yet twangy too, if thats possible..it plays almost as good as my Hwy 1

lboorse2 · 01-23-2012, 03:08 PM

I got mine just last week. Same one as Papa, blonde finish w/p90's. I had wanted the Custom with the humbuckers but was really liking the blond finish. Since the 'bucker version didn't come in blonde, I thought I'd grab the P90 version and if I didn't like them, I'd modify it for buckers later on.

Now I already have a double-bucker tele, and once I played the P90's, I really liked the sound. I like that they've set these up with 250K pots instead of they typical 500K. They get that deep 'bucker bass with the 250K. They actually sound more like a humbucker than a single coil in many ways. However, they're capable of getting a more defined note.

MY P90 custom is actually heavier sounding than my H-H bullet despite that having the humbuckers and rosewood fret board. That one's actually more jangly than my Custom (problably due to being top-loaded vs body-through).

The P90's are downright raunchy sounding (which is good in my opinion, but I can understand why people don't particularly like 'em). I think this guitar is probably perfect for Hard Rock and Punk (think Social D), but can probably get a wide variety of tones with some minor tweaking.

I'm still working out the Custom. I do like it thus far, but I need to get more playing time with it to give it a fair shake.

D34dBaWx · 01-23-2012, 03:15 PM

I have always kept a eye out for one. I think they are neat looking. Would be even more appealing to me if they made them with a rosewood fretboard.

Scooter91 · 01-23-2012, 03:26 PM

I've still got my black one with the humbuckers, nice guitar, I briefly had the TV yellow with P-90s but had to sell it to make a house payment (damn!). Real good value for the money IMO...

Niallmo · 01-26-2012, 03:43 PM

I think its a fantastic guitar. Sure the P90's are a different sound but that doesn't mean its worse...think the clarity of single coils with the power of humbuckers.

lboorse2 · 01-26-2012, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D34dBaWx

I have always kept a eye out for one. I think they are neat looking. Would be even more appealing to me if they made them with a rosewood fretboard.

If you find one, I'll trade you a rosewood neck from the GC special run Bullet Tele (plus a few extra bucks) for the VM neck.

The VM neck seems to fit my hand perfectly.

jaknzax · 02-07-2012, 10:09 AM

BIRV2, Did you end up getting it? I played mine quite a bid last night and the P90s sound really good and its the loudest axe I have.