New Fender: Strat vs Tele

[Hack Guitarist]

I sincerely thank everyone for your replies. Don't stop, I'm still learning a lot. I have to say I have been really disappointed in the lack of Tele's to try in my local stores. Especially since we are now just a few weeks before Christmas. I thought this would be a good time to try out different models. I went a completely different direction for now and just ordered a Classic Vibe 50's Tele from Sweetwater. They get such good reviews, it's hard to find someone saying anything bad about them. I figure for that price point I can muck around with it a bit and not worry about destroying it. Do they end up calling Tele's partscasters? Don't get me wrong, my go-to local mom & pop store had a beautiful Fender American Pro Tele in butterscotch blonde that I dearly fell in love with. It was even marked down to $1249.00 for Christmas. But sadly that is still a bit out of my budget. Dang it was a sweet guitar. It's okay though. The Squier will give me a chance to take things apart and put them back together, replace things, maybe mess up some soldering, and if I screw it up too bad it's not like screwing up a $1500.00 guitar. Thanks everyone. I have already learned a lot from these comments and I'm sure I will learn more.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Hack Guitarist

I sincerely thank everyone for your replies. Don't stop, I'm still learning a lot. I have to say I have been really disappointed in the lack of Tele's to try in my local stores. Especially since we are now just a few weeks before Christmas. I thought this would be a good time to try out different models. I went a completely different direction for now and just ordered a Classic Vibe 50's Tele from Sweetwater. They get such good reviews, it's hard to find someone saying anything bad about them. I figure for that price point I can muck around with it a bit and not worry about destroying it. Do they end up calling Tele's partscasters? Don't get me wrong, my go-to local mom & pop store had a beautiful Fender American Pro Tele in butterscotch blonde that I dearly fell in love with. It was even marked down to $1249.00 for Christmas. But sadly that is still a bit out of my budget. Dang it was a sweet guitar. It's okay though. The Squier will give me a chance to take things apart and put them back together, replace things, maybe mess up some soldering, and if I screw it up too bad it's not like screwing up a $1500.00 guitar. Thanks everyone. I have already learned a lot from these comments and I'm sure I will learn more.

I will be interested in any further progress report/ impressions once you have that new tele in your hands for a while - and if it’s one of the new Indonesian manufactured ones. The MIC only required an upgrade to the output jack - the pickups spec wise are high performance (see comparison tested specs on site devoted to the tele) and wiring on those included full size pots/ pickups only changed out on personal preference -

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Hack Guitarist

I sincerely thank everyone for your replies. Don't stop, I'm still learning a lot. I have to say I have been really disappointed in the lack of Tele's to try in my local stores. Especially since we are now just a few weeks before Christmas. I thought this would be a good time to try out different models. I went a completely different direction for now and just ordered a Classic Vibe 50's Tele from Sweetwater. They get such good reviews, it's hard to find someone saying anything bad about them. I figure for that price point I can muck around with it a bit and not worry about destroying it. Do they end up calling Tele's partscasters? Don't get me wrong, my go-to local mom & pop store had a beautiful Fender American Pro Tele in butterscotch blonde that I dearly fell in love with. It was even marked down to $1249.00 for Christmas. But sadly that is still a bit out of my budget. Dang it was a sweet guitar. It's okay though. The Squier will give me a chance to take things apart and put them back together, replace things, maybe mess up some soldering, and if I screw it up too bad it's not like screwing up a $1500.00 guitar. Thanks everyone. I have already learned a lot from these comments and I'm sure I will learn more.

The Classic Vine teles are really nice guitars and a SICK value. The only downside is that they just come in two configurations that are nearly the same. I’d say if you’re OK with a relatively skinny modern neck, you may never want for anything else! I had one for a while that I really liked - I just like (love, adore, am head over heels for) the neck on a Mexican Roadworn tele even more, Or I’d probably still have the CV. I’ve also heard the CV Strats are similarly fine guitars and great values, but I don’t have any first hand experience with those. But given the low initial cost and the good resale value, these should be a really good way of trying both a tele and a strat and find out if YOU actually prefer one to the other. Or love em both. Or don’t like either and go looking for a Les Paul...

[Texsunburst59]

Originally Posted by Hack Guitarist

I sincerely thank everyone for your replies. Don't stop, I'm still learning a lot. I have to say I have been really disappointed in the lack of Tele's to try in my local stores. Especially since we are now just a few weeks before Christmas. I thought this would be a good time to try out different models. I went a completely different direction for now and just ordered a Classic Vibe 50's Tele from Sweetwater. They get such good reviews, it's hard to find someone saying anything bad about them. I figure for that price point I can muck around with it a bit and not worry about destroying it. Do they end up calling Tele's partscasters? Don't get me wrong, my go-to local mom & pop store had a beautiful Fender American Pro Tele in butterscotch blonde that I dearly fell in love with. It was even marked down to $1249.00 for Christmas. But sadly that is still a bit out of my budget. Dang it was a sweet guitar. It's okay though. The Squier will give me a chance to take things apart and put them back together, replace things, maybe mess up some soldering, and if I screw it up too bad it's not like screwing up a $1500.00 guitar. Thanks everyone. I have already learned a lot from these comments and I'm sure I will learn more.

Probably good call going for a Squier CV Tele.

For value, those are REALLY hard to beat price wise.

If you really want to get the most for your $$$, you could buy a CV Tele used.

I frequent pawnshops on daily basis 5 days a week every year.

I've found AMAZING deals on quality USA guitars many times.

A friend of mine found a CV Tele just like the one you're going to buy for $20 in pawnshop about a month ago.

I've never seen a CV Tele in a pawnshop for $20, but I've seen plenty of them between $100-$150 around my area.


I don't know where you live, but I'd really consider hitting all the pawnshops in your area.

You might find a killer price on a Squier CV guitar.

[stevecuss]

Congrats! The CV series are legendary value for money!

And yep, the Butterscotch Pro you reference below is my dream Tele. What a beast.

Originally Posted by Hack Guitarist

I sincerely thank everyone for your replies. Don't stop, I'm still learning a lot. I have to say I have been really disappointed in the lack of Tele's to try in my local stores. Especially since we are now just a few weeks before Christmas. I thought this would be a good time to try out different models. I went a completely different direction for now and just ordered a Classic Vibe 50's Tele from Sweetwater. They get such good reviews, it's hard to find someone saying anything bad about them. I figure for that price point I can muck around with it a bit and not worry about destroying it. Do they end up calling Tele's partscasters? Don't get me wrong, my go-to local mom & pop store had a beautiful Fender American Pro Tele in butterscotch blonde that I dearly fell in love with. It was even marked down to $1249.00 for Christmas. But sadly that is still a bit out of my budget. Dang it was a sweet guitar. It's okay though. The Squier will give me a chance to take things apart and put them back together, replace things, maybe mess up some soldering, and if I screw it up too bad it's not like screwing up a $1500.00 guitar. Thanks everyone. I have already learned a lot from these comments and I'm sure I will learn more.

[FrankHudson]

OP picked a great place to start. I've never owned an exact Classic Vibe but I do have a couple of 21st century Squier Teles: a 2008 Chinese made three pickup model with a nice Firebird-like mini humbucker in the neck position and a somewhat newer Squier Bigsby Tele with conventional pickups.

Yup, I like beefier necks, but many don't, and the sounds are valid.

Partscasters are one of the great unintended consequences of Leo Fender's genius and success.