Tele Questions

[Taylor007]

Scoping out Telecasters just for fun. Someday I'd like to own an electric.
I always liked the sound/feel of telecasters. A couple of questions.

1. Fender seems to offer dozens of variations of this model. Mexican, USA, Vintage, Relic, Etc. Where does one start to look?

2. What are the major price points? In the acoustic world, solid wood, adi spruce, Braz rosewood, can drive up prices, but for some of us its worth it. What are the price points when it comes to teles.

3. If you know a lot about telecasters, which is your favorite and why?

4. Lastly, are there non-fender builders that offer teles based on Fender's designs. (Like what Collings does with Martins)

Thanks!!

[Lewguitar]

There's some really nice made in Mexico Fender Teles, like the James Burton model, but I doubt that any are made of light weight swamp ash.

If you want the real Tele tone you need to find one with a lightweight swamp ash body because alder or poplar just don't get that classic 50's tone. I have a James Burton and it's a cool guitar but my Nocaster is made of the correct wood and sounds "better".

I'm a Tele player and I also have a real '54 Tele. It and my '51 are the two best Teles I've ever owned.

IMO, the finest pickups I've ever had in a Tele are the Seymour Duncan Antiquity I (ALNICO 2) or II (ALNICO 5) for single coils and Joe Bardens for single coil size humbuckers.

I use the Bardens and so did Danny Gatton - my favorite Tele player. I also use a Barden bridge with angled brass saddles.

If you want to keep your total purchase under say $600, look for a used MIM Fender Tele and then change the pickups because that's where they cut corners: on the electronics and pickups.

You might also find a used Fender USA '52 Reissue Tele. Some of those are great guitars and the swamp ash bodies can be pretty light and resonant if you pick through a few.

More expensive ($1000. and up) would be a nice used Fender Nocaster. Now you're going to be getting into select light weight swamp ash for the body and every one of those I've played or owned has been a pretty nice guitar!

[DenverSteve]

I play strats and a few years ago I wanted a Tele to play with. I went to a big-box store and played all the above and settled on a Squier Telecaster. It was less than 200 and had a superb neck and sound.

That is all to say play all you can, pick the one that appeals to you the most.

[Lewguitar]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

I play strats and a few years ago I wanted a Tele to play with. I went to a big-box store and played all the above and settled on a Squire Telecaster. It was less than 200 and had a superb neck and sound.

That is all to say play all you can, pick the one that appeals to you the most.

Yep. That's the ticket. Some of my favorite and best sounding and playing electric guitars I own are made in Japan late 80's Fender Squier Strats and Teles. But I did find that I had to replace the pickups in all of them to get them to sound totally professional.

[RickC]

You may also want to check out a G&L ASAT or the less expensive import G&L Tribute ASAT. I've played several and they're very nice guitars. I own a G&L S500 Deluxe which is more of a Strat type G&L and it is superb in fit and finish as well as sound and playability.

[sterling]

I agree with tht G&L suggestion. I think their tribute line is a great deal. I have played many ASATS that were great guitars.

[imwjl]

You might want to check this link.

http://www.kellyindustries.com/guita...elecaster.html

I've owned/own Squire and Fender and have played a lot from the Asia-made, MIM up through the USA Deluxe level Fenders. No matter what I thought the pickups of the Squire didn't sound as good, but they are an amazing value with just a bit of setup work.

My Highway One Tele is more than a MIM, but I liked its neck more than any MIM and its pickups were neither not as thin and not as hot as many so it has ended up as a total pleasure to play even though many MIMs are super values and same or less money depending upon trim level.

You have long scale neck no matter what, but have different neck profiles and frets among the many types. I have fun with the large frets but you do have to fret with care to have good intonation as your trade off for easy barre chords and easy bends.

Just go play many. I spent a month playing Squire through American Deluxe and more special models and kept going back to the same Highway One.

Go have fun!

[PorkPieGuy]

I've played drums in probably over a dozen bands/groups over the past 15 years. I will have to say that the most BRUTAL distorted tones I've ever heard have ALWAYS come from a Fender Telecaster. Ugly headstock and all, they make an absolute wonderful distorted tone for rhythm playing.

If it were my money, I'd put it on a Hwy 1 Tele. American made w/o all the bling.

Just my honest opinion.

Don't want to drive you away, as there is a wealth of knowledge here. But I'd advise you to check out the posts on this telecaster forum...

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/index.php?s

There's a great deal of info to be found here on not only tele's, but electric guitars in general. Good luck in your search!

[dahn8]

Originally Posted by RickC

You may also want to check out a G&L ASAT or the less expensive import G&L Tribute ASAT. I've played several and they're very nice guitars. I own a G&L S500 Deluxe which is more of a Strat type G&L and it is superb in fit and finish as well as sound and playability.

+1 on the G&Ls. Definitely check out the Tribute line too; i was set on buying an American G&L but tried the Tributes in the store too.... i ended up with a tribute that sounded better than the American G&Ls too (which sounded really good too). I'm guessing that even within the Tribute line, there are some gems out there

the ASAT Classic is a more traditional tele. But ASAT Specials sound great too if you want something a little different (but not too much)! Leo Fender took his tele design and added some design and pickup mods when making the ASAT Special, so i suppose its his last take on the tele.

[rolleiguy54]

I own 2 tele's One 52ri and a parts caster I put together with a vintage mini humbucker. I love that pickup. It is currently on the 52 ri hotrod. If I started over that is what I would buy. My guitar store manager said it was the best tele he ever played. If that is out of your price range the new american standard is getting very good reviews.

[rolleiguy54]

This one is worth checking out.

http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/elect.../dz3111691.php

I love the look. I have no affiliation with this store or guitar.

The american deluxe is great. Seems like a fair price.

[Sprinter]

Forget about Fender. G&L, is the only way to go! G&L, was Leo Fender's last company. The build quality of a G&L is superior to anything that's been made by Fender over the past 43 years. Before you buy anything be sure to check out some G&L, Asat's!



'92 G&L, Asat Classic Signiture model with ultra rare Leo Fender designed fine tuner equipped tremolo.



Sprinter

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by Taylor007

Scoping out Telecasters just for fun. Someday I'd like to own an electric.
I always liked the sound/feel of telecasters. A couple of questions.

1. Fender seems to offer dozens of variations of this model. Mexican, USA, Vintage, Relic, Etc. Where does one start to look?

2. What are the major price points? In the acoustic world, solid wood, adi spruce, Braz rosewood, can drive up prices, but for some of us its worth it. What are the price points when it comes to teles.

3. If you know a lot about telecasters, which is your favorite and why?

4. Lastly, are there non-fender builders that offer teles based on Fender's designs. (Like what Collings does with Martins)

Thanks!!

1. Go to your local "GC" store, and just play as many Telecasters as you can. Most Tele "afficianados" seem to go for the '52 Reissue.
2. There are Telecasters that can be had for a couple of hundred $ all the way to over 2 grand.
3. I play a Mexican Standard Tele that my wife bought for our wedding. It's all I really need.
4. As others have said, besides G & L...and opening "a can of worms", there are other electric guitar companies that build their version of the "Telecaster". "Google" Anderson guitars or Suhr guitars...

[BillBob]

Play as many Tele style guitars as you can. If you want to go a bit up market, try a Valley Arts T series. They are just amazing.