Here’s an opposite-coincidence: I had to get a bang-on Tele bridge pickup sound for a project at client request.
So I needed something with the traditional Tele pickup plate, single coil, the angled pickup, body wood, etc. But I cannot play a Fender without becoming aggravated with the feel. So I picked up a Tom Anderson. Their T-icon has “that sound.” It’s a better ergonomic fit for me.
The neck pickup is appealing.
But I’ve never loved the real-deal Tele bridge pickup tone, so except for this one project, the bridge pickup won’t be at all useful.
The bridge pickup on the NF 53 is much more my style.
Go figure.
My takeaway is if a player needs a specific tone, it’s going to take certain hardware, electronics, body mass, design and wood to get there, and there’s no way around that.
For me, it’s fine; the guitar is a cost of doing business to get the project, and it plays well. I like the neck pickup, so at least there’s that.
In this day of internet/eyeball buying, I think it’s another example of the advantages to the old school way of playing the guitars in the store and being able to listen to the guitars!
I’m not implying that the OP was saying he wanted a true Tele tone, he might be referring to something else. Or that he bought on the web.
Just a general ‘my two cents’.