Telecasters - what's the appeal?

[dave42]

Update.. The contour body is great! Comfy to play.

The pickups are strong! Wow! Nothing like the mim I had (Sold it yesterday.. lasted 2 days on CL). And the controls are much more solid.

Truly a step above. I'm really liking it.

[frenchie]

I hate the fact that I love Telecaster`s, if that makes any sense! Every time I look at mine, it appears so basic, and awkward, that I just feel that there has to be more to a great electric guitar. However, after 30 odd years of playing nearly everything, it is always this model that I come back too. It really is the Swiss army knife of guitars.





Steve.

[dave42]

Great looking Tele, Steve!

[Bob Womack]

Love the ashtray!

Bob

[RockerDuck]

I bought a Guitar Center exclusive Telecaster USA Professional yesterday. Great guitar. My 3rd telecaster.

[jwp2]

congratulations! You can never have too many Telecasters!

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by RockerDuck

I bought a Guitar Center exclusive Telecaster USA Professional yesterday. Great guitar. My 3rd telecaster.

Sounds interesting. What's different than the Am. Std., etc?

Thanks

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by jwp2

congratulations! You can never have too many Telecasters!

I'm starting to believe that! I regret selling my Fender MIM Tele so I can have my Les Paul re-fretted! And I should've bought a Tele with a Bigsby instead of the Strat for my "whammy" moments!!

[aknow]

Originally Posted by ToneSlinger

I've never played a Tele or Tele inspired model before. I'm noticing a lot of players I admire like this style guitar.

Just curious what makes the Tele so desirable?

Listen to the music of James Burton, or better yet, pick up a copy of this month's Vintage Guitar, and read about him too.

[Davis Webb]

Originally Posted by Fret Buzz

Plug one in and start playing some rhythm.

This is where I find it shines the most. Fills the entire mid and upper end of the bass register with sound. If you have ever heard down tuned metal guitar riff, that really throaty mid/bass is what the Tele will give you on the neck. Then when you do solo above the 5th fret, it really stands out.

This is a strength and a weakness. The sound can muddy with overdrive and so using it for solo riffing and more delicate playing its not as good as the Strat. The overtones can all blend together at high gain on the Tele, a Keith Richards chug. In some music, you need to dial that back, which is where the Strat comes in, its overtones are more separate. You can get a glassy feel with the Strat, the Tele gives you honest clean on the same settings, ie, chorus and delay.

The last thing I will say about the Tele is the bending. It is really easy to get a lot of subtlety in the bends as you strum or riff, making it a more versatile instrument than any other when looking for small changes in your riffs.

[Tadpole]

I'm starting to believe that! I regret selling my Fender MIM Tele so I can have my Les Paul re-fretted! And I should've bought a Tele with a Bigsby instead of the Strat for my "whammy" moments!!

I think I would really prefer a tele over a strat but I, also, like the tremelo. Seems the only tele with a Bigsby that's available over the counter is a Squire with humbuckers.

Am I guessing correctly that it would cost a couple hundred bucks, at least, to have a Bigsby added to a tele?

[MuddyDitch]

'nuff said.

Ditch

[RockerDuck]

Originally Posted by The Growler

Sounds interesting. What's different than the Am. Std., etc?

Thanks

Well the Am std comes with a case. I had a Am. std a couple of yrs ago and the neck didn't suite me. The USA Pro has as a neck that's like my Deluxe Strat, so it feels right, straight as an arrow, satin finish. Also the bridge pickup is the same as my HSS Deluxe Strat. The single coil neck pickup is great, no hum. I had the single coil hum on all my telecasters and strats and they got rail pickups. I now have n3's on my Strat and it sounds great.
The USA Pro. is a rock guitar, pickups are hotter than the Am. Std. Other than my preference, I only see the preference for rock versus twang between the two.

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by RockerDuck

Well the Am std comes with a case. I had a Am. std a couple of yrs ago and the neck didn't suite me. The USA Pro has as a neck that's like my Deluxe Strat, so it feels right, straight as an arrow, satin finish. Also the bridge pickup is the same as my HSS Deluxe Strat. The single coil neck pickup is great, no hum. I had the single coil hum on all my telecasters and strats and they got rail pickups. I now have n3's on my Strat and it sounds great.
The USA Pro. is a rock guitar, pickups are hotter than the Am. Std. Other than my preference, I only see the preference for rock versus twang between the two.

Got it. Sounds like a good fit. Congrats!

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by Tadpole

I think I would really prefer a tele over a strat but I, also, like the tremelo. Seems the only tele with a Bigsby that's available over the counter is a Squire with humbuckers.

Am I guessing correctly that it would cost a couple hundred bucks, at least, to have a Bigsby added to a tele?

Well, that's what it looks like at the moment, a Squier Cabronita with a Bigsby. And yes, from what I gather, a Bigsby installation on a Tele might set you back @ $250.