Why do acoustic players like Telecasters

[Sage Runner]

The main Elements/Difference’s of a Telecaster vs Strat which came along few years later in fenders Standard production guitars . # 1 the no frills Tele has non contoured body and a shorter scale than Strat. #2 Telecasters pick-ups and arrangements-Only 2 pick-ups and the Bridge pick-up placement -far back gives the Tele it’s distinct Bright tone. The Telecaster because of its unique tone is favored and made famous by Hot Rod players like Danny Gatton,James Burton,RoyBuchanan , Vince Gill,Paisley and a host of other Nashville greats. Many Blues players favored the tele as well-and most know blues players that did. Most don’t know that -all of ‘Jimmy Pages’ Early Zeppelin’ Recording’s he played a Telecaster. That being said. Acoustic players that grow up playing Country and a little Rockin blues tend to gravitate to the guitar that fits and the tele just does. The Standard Telecaster is and has become The Nashville Standard. Muddy’ played the Tele because he liked the way it sounded playing that whining blues slide stuff. Glen Campbell’ favored the Strat because -as a session man he could swing the Surf,Pop,Rock And just about any genre he needed -the Strat fit the bill! Junior Brown’ the Rockabilly/honkey tonk Lap Steel player -there’s a reason his Custom ‘double neck Lap Steel/six string guitar’ is of Telecaster Design—-he can sound like Speedy west’ and a buckaroo and Danny Gatton all in one package. I’m almost entirely an Acoustic player, but my electric’s- Fender American Telecaster with Lindy Fralin’ Custom PU’s. a Gibson ES 175 with P-90’s And Custom long scale Lap Steel I made.

[GoneTroppo]

Originally Posted by noledog

I had a George Harrison rosewood Tele that was awesome....I did replace the neck pickup that squealed with a nice jazzy warm Duncan.

Oh man that is a dream guitar! But by all accounts very heavy...

[GoneTroppo]

Even with all the well considered answers here, it remains something of a mystery why the Telecaster is so close to Acoustic players Electric hearts...

For myself, once I played a Tele next to a Strat it was a no brainer, but it took me a few years to get to play a Tele for the 1st time.

I've just got a 1997 B Bender Tele in a trade that is an absolute beaut...

[s2y]

I have one. I like the tone, but the ergonomics of a Strat/Super Strat are much better for a short guy like me.

[LeftyKev]

Originally Posted by backdoc

It's simple. Telecasters are awesome!

Yup, they certainly are. It's all I play, acoustics and Teles.

[JGinNJ]

For most of the 45+ years I've played guitar, I didn't even own a solidbody guitar, aside from a couple of junkers as a teenager. Eventually I bought an Ibanez Strat copy for ridiculously cheap, though I sold it before a move a few years ago. Pickups were too hot, and the strings were too low to the body for my picking.

It was only last year I bought an "Austin" Tele copy, and it's a pretty good, no fuss guitar. I was just playing it at a big band rehearsal last night, because I was lugging some extra stuff and could just throw a gig bag over my shoulder instead of toting my archtop. It wouldn't be my desert island guitar, but for $125 bucks it's pretty handy to have.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Idaho Guitars

The main Elements/Difference’s of a Telecaster vs Strat which came along few years later in fenders Standard production guitars . # 1 the no frills Tele has non contoured body and a shorter scale than Strat. #2 Telecasters pick-ups and arrangements-Only 2 pick-ups and the Bridge pick-up placement -far back gives the Tele it’s distinct Bright tone. The Telecaster because of its unique tone is favored and made famous by Hot Rod players like Danny Gatton,James Burton,RoyBuchanan , Vince Gill,Paisley and a host of other Nashville greats. Many Blues players favored the tele as well-and most know blues players that did. Most don’t know that -all of ‘Jimmy Pages’ Early Zeppelin’ Recording’s he played a Telecaster. That being said. Acoustic players that grow up playing Country and a little Rockin blues tend to gravitate to the guitar that fits and the tele just does. The Standard Telecaster is and has become The Nashville Standard. Muddy’ played the Tele because he liked the way it sounded playing that whining blues slide stuff. Glen Campbell’ favored the Strat because -as a session man he could swing the Surf,Pop,Rock And just about any genre he needed -the Strat fit the bill! Junior Brown’ the Rockabilly/honkey tonk Lap Steel player -there’s a reason his Custom ‘double neck Lap Steel/six string guitar’ is of Telecaster Design—-he can sound like Speedy west’ and a buckaroo and Danny Gatton all in one package. I’m almost entirely an Acoustic player, but my electric’s- Fender American Telecaster with Lindy Fralin’ Custom PU’s. a Gibson ES 175 with P-90’s And Custom long scale Lap Steel I made.

The Fender 25.5” standard scale does apply to both the Telecaster and Stratocaster.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by eastcoast Chris

I was wondering why most of the primarily acoustic players I know seem to have a Tele somewhere around the house.Mine is a Japanese Jerry Donahue model.

I like Telecasters because they are a better physical fit for me than other shapes.

[Pinetreebob]

For what it is, the Telecaster is a perfect solid body guitar and can be used in just about any genre of music. It works for country, alternative rock, rock, hard rock, Jimmy Page played it on Led Zep's first album and brought it out for Stairway to heaven.It also works for jazz improvisation, I saw Bill Frisell play one in concert. Sure some refered to it as a canoe paddle but what a boat paddle. I have a Highway One and love it.

[Sage Runner]

Originally Posted by Jaden

The Fender 25.5” standard scale does apply to both the Telecaster and Stratocaster.

You be right my friend. I owned a mid 60s mustang and duo sonic years ago that I think were a bit shorter in scale. Tele in my hands always felt shorter than the Strat I owned years back.

[Birchtop]

Originally Posted by Humbuster

Teles still.... are:

Nice Custom SG

I prefer the SG over the Tele’ myself.