partsocaster vs authentic

makikogi · #1 02-09-2009, 10:14 PM

Hi I'm in the market for a tele deluxe, in fact I'm in talks with taylorman22 trying to solidify a deal on his used tele deluxe. I'm fairly new to electrics but I'm wondering, what's the advantage of going authentic fender vs a partsocaster with high quality parts. Shur and usmasters are pretty pricey so they're probable out of my league, but it seems like there are much cheaper alternatives out than going with an actual fender brand guitar. Also I'm hearing a lot of good things about MIM tele's that are out there...folks are saying it maybe worth a look...I do have enough funds to get a tele, but wanted to double check for any additional advice...if I were to get a nice partsocaster for say half of what I would pay for a new tele deluxe, I could always use my leftover funds to finally get an alnico blue dog speaker, and an NYC pedalboard I've been eyeing up....well advice would sure be welcomed...thanks

JohnM · #2 02-09-2009, 10:50 PM

A quality Parts Tele would cost you around 900-1200.

Taylor007 · #3 02-09-2009, 10:57 PM

Well the Fender gurus would say that unless you are buying a Telecaster dated before Leo Fender left the company, you aren't getting an authentic Fender.

I'm not one of those gurus...but I think the other options are more plentiful now than they have ever been. How about a used Don Grosh? Nash? or the AGF's Mayes? Their offerings look like they are much higher quality than the stuff Fender is putting out these days - minus a few select models.

The best advice is to play them. I know for me thats hard because there aren't many places around me that carries the stuff I like. I have to drive 2 hrs to Lansing to go to Elderly to play the GOOD stuff. Ask yourself how much $ you want to put into a guitar. If you are just playing around the house, you'll probably be happy with a "Fender." I just got a cheap MIM strat and have been enjoying it unplugged around the house. Plugged in, it leaves a lot to be desired though. You could buy the Fender now for less and upgrade the pickups to Fralins or Lollars later. Thats my plan with my MIM. Enjoy the search!

donh · #4 02-09-2009, 11:03 PM

Generally it's better to approach building with the idea that you are going for quality rather than saving dollars, even tho you can actually save dollars if you are looking in the upper end of the instrument spectrum.

When I decided I needed a tele I considered a used one for about ten days, then started researching the parts. :-) We are not supposed to talk prices here, so I can only say that it was more than a grand experience, and I am very happy with the results.

As with any purchase, make a list of the bits that are important to you and then hope you find them all in one box!

best of luck in the quest

makikogi · #5 02-09-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnM

A quality Parts Tele would cost you around 900-1200.

Sorry, I should have been more specific....I meant a used partsocaster....and I'm looking into a used tele deluxe....sorry should have been more specific.

To my understanding and floating around thegearpage guitar for sale forum, I notice that the partsocasters generally go for about half of their counterparts (unless I'm looking at bad partsocaters....maybe I am) but from my understanding, unless it's something like shur, than the resale value tends not to be as high as original fenders or g&l for that matter...well if it helps my budget is about 1k. Hopefully I can score used cause I feel like it really is the best bang for the buck...

makikogi · #6 02-09-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donh

Generally it's better to approach building with the idea that you are going for quality rather than saving dollars, even tho you can actually save dollars if you are looking in the upper end of the instrument spectrum.

When I decided I needed a tele I considered a used one for about ten days, then started researching the parts. :-) We are not supposed to talk prices here, so I can only say that it was more than a grand experience, and I am very happy with the results.

As with any purchase, make a list of the bits that are important to you and then hope you find them all in one box!

best of luck in the quest

could you enlighten me on what parts you were looking for and what you ended up doing? Also what bits are good things to look for? The only thing I think I want to do is if I do end up with a tele, go with the 4 way switch, folks over at the tele forum really tend to speak highly of this mod...

stephenT · #7 02-10-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makikogi

Sorry, I should have been more specific....I meant a used partsocaster....and I'm looking into a used tele deluxe....sorry should have been more specific.

To my understanding and floating around thegearpage guitar for sale forum, I notice that the partsocasters generally go for about half of their counterparts (unless I'm looking at bad partsocaters....maybe I am) but from my understanding, unless it's something like shur, than the resale value tends not to be as high as original fenders or g&l for that matter...well if it helps my budget is about 1k. Hopefully I can score used cause I feel like it really is the best band for the buck going used...

those "partscasters" for sale are generally just that, a collection of parts that don't make a whole and that's why they are for sale.

Believe me, just because you can bolt on a neck, it doesn't mean you can build a guitar.

BTW, I'm a fender guru (whatever that means) and if the Fender company built it, it is a Fender, make no mistake. Some of the fenders built today far surpass many "vintage" models.

you can buy a CS model used from $1500 and up, that's where I'd look for your best bang and investment dollars.

having done the 4 position mod and removing it, i'd suggest it's a bedroom players mod. sounds ok if you have time to fool with the eq and volume difference but onstage it's a waste of time.

djphelan01 · #8 02-10-2009, 07:53 AM

If you use quality parts and have a good setup you'll be able to have a great partscaster. The only real benefit I see from sticking with the Fender name is resale value. I think a real Fender might have a better resale value than a quality partscaster. I own a Fender 52 Hot Rod and I love it. I have also played some partscasters that were great and I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

I built a strat from parts and I used all Warmoth parts. The quality and fit of the parts were great and the guitar came out great. I do think that I could have bought a used Fender with the same quality cheaper than what it cost to build. I could have also found cheaper parts but Warmoth has a great reputation for fit and quality.

JohnM · #9 02-10-2009, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makikogi

Sorry, I should have been more specific....I meant a used partsocaster....and I'm looking into a used tele deluxe....sorry should have been more specific.

To my understanding and floating around thegearpage guitar for sale forum, I notice that the partsocasters generally go for about half of their counterparts (unless I'm looking at bad partsocaters....maybe I am) but from my understanding, unless it's something like shur, than the resale value tends not to be as high as original fenders or g&l for that matter...well if it helps my budget is about 1k. Hopefully I can score used cause I feel like it really is the best bang for the buck...

Ahh yeah. ell then you could get one for around $700 I belive then. But once again it's more than just the parts, the details make or break it. Setup any good? (especially if an amateur did it) Is it wired good, and correct? Shielded correctly? ect..

You could probably find a used Fender american or G&L for around the same price if you look. I'd rather have that than an unkown if it were me in your shoes.

dahn8 · #10 02-10-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnM

You could probably find a used Fender american or G&L for around the same price if you look. I'd rather have that than an unkown if it were me in your shoes.

I agree! G&L makes some really nice guitars and are fairly reasonably priced in the used market.

A little off topic but i have to say, John, your Bombshell guitars look beautiful! I heard your one of your acoustics before at a show and was blown away. I'm sure these electrics sound amazing too

royd · #11 02-10-2009, 11:52 AM

I've built three partscasters...

for the reasons John says, they don't command as much on the used market because you can't be sure how well it was put together or how well the parts fit. Usually, the parts are worth more, even used, than the entire guitar. This is especially true if you've got high quality, name brand parts.

Buying a used partscaster, you can get a great guitar, but you need to have the skills to do the basic setup yourself for it to work. And you have to know what you're looking at as some parts are just not very good.

Building a partscaster from scratch, again as John said, you're looking at about $900 for good parts... and then you need to finish it and put it all together. If done right with high quality parts, you end up with a guitar equaling one worth in the 2K range. If not put together well, you have a lousy guitar made out of high quality parts that hopefully haven't been ruined in the process.

My 2nd partscaster, I bought a complete partscaster that had a few parts that I really wanted, knowing that there were some parts I'd want to swap out. So, I bought the complete guitar and then sold the neck and the pups and replaced them. They were good arts - Fralin pups and a USACG neck, so they sold for reasonable prices and I actually just about broke even when I got the neck & pups I wanted. I ended up with exactly what I wanted for considerably less money than if I had purchased all of the parts separately. I played that guitar for about 2 years and then sold it for roughly what I had in it.

My other two were both based on the Carvin kits. They are by far the most bang for the buck out there IMHO. I know you are looking at a tele, but with the hardtail Carvin kit, swap out the pups for something more tele like, a Schaller megaswitch, and maybe the bridge as well for a three barrel bridge and you could end up with a pretty cool guitar for not a lot of money that could cover the tele sounds with a few strat ones added for good measure.

if all else fails, some of the MIM teles are great guitars.

stephenT · #12 02-10-2009, 01:10 PM

I build tele style guitars from necks and bodies I out source, all to my specs from the lovely guys who run USACG. I finish the neck shape and roll the FB edges, level the frets, etc. etc, do the nitro finishes, etc. I've been building solid bodies since the early 90s, back then I did it all but a nasty aversion to hardwood dust has changed my approach.

I build because no one does necks like i think they should be done on off the shelf standard production models.

I can't tell you the number of "partscasters" I've played that are just sub par, but it's a bunch It takes more that a polyester covered Warmoth body and neck to make a great guitar. If you have those folks do your finish, you can spend more than the cost of a used CS Fender, which is a pretty nice guitar in general and usually nitro finished.

here are a couple of mine.

djphelan01 · #13 02-10-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talkgtr

I build tele style guitars from necks and bodies I out source, all to my specs from the lovely guys who run USACG. I finish the neck shape and roll the FB edges, level the frets, etc. etc, do the nitro finishes, etc. I've been building solid bodies since the early 90s, back then I did it all but a nasty aversion to hardwood dust has changed my approach.

I build because no one does necks like i think they should be done on off the shelf standard production models.

I can't tell you the number of "partscasters" I've played that are just sub par, but it's a bunch It takes more that a polyester covered Warmoth body and neck to make a great guitar. If you have those folks do your finish, you can spend more than the cost of a used CS Fender, which is a pretty nice guitar in general and usually nitro finished.

here are a couple of mine.

Beautiful guitars

Schtang · #14 02-14-2009, 03:32 AM

donh · #15 02-14-2009, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makikogi

could you enlighten me on what parts you were looking for and what you ended up doing? Also what bits are good things to look for? The only thing I think I want to do is if I do end up with a tele, go with the 4 way switch, folks over at the tele forum really tend to speak highly of this mod...

After a bit of research, I came up with this wishlist:

1-23/32" nut width
2-3/16" bridge string spacing
24-3/4" scale neck
zero fret
Gotoh 510 Mini tuners
passive Lollar pickups
electrojack
Joe Barden bridge bits
tall frets
three-way switch on a reversed plate
swamp ash body and maple/maple neck
a body/neck that is light and resonant, rather than heavy and sustainy

All these choices were based upon playablility for me. Most people would pass on the zero fret, the short scale, and the 1-23/32" nut width.

Tom at USA Custom Guitars helped me with the wood bits, and their fret job didn't even need any leveling!

We put a thin shiny finish on the body and headstock, but only a very thin coat of butcher-block oil on the neck and fretboard. The neck is sealed, but feels unfinished and slides real nice.

I added a bit of sustain by fitting threaded inserts to the neck and bolting it on with stainless screws. I also fully shielded the pickup and electronics cavities with some conductive gorp from StewMac, and grounded the strings and bridge assembly thru a decoupling circuit to minimise shocks from grounding faults.

The guitar is almost dead quiet, even tho it has passive single-coils.

The tone can go from fat and smooth to fat and twangy. This thing works geat as a bridge piece for a primarily acoustic player that sometime likes to think a littel electric. Now I gotta to learn more, so I can justify having this beast :-)