used usa telecaster or new american special

[AJ Ray]

Should i buy a used usa telecaster for around 700 pound mark or the american special new for slightly less? At this point i do not know much about the condition of the used ones i have spotted

[trpullen]

They should both be decent instruments. It all depends on what you like.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by trpullen

They should both be decent instruments. It all depends on what you like.

Yes, typical differences are fret size, neck radius, saddles, wood including fingerboard.

I've had the extremes and ones between (52 style, Hwy 1 w/huge frets). They were all great.

I will point out this video when people think of the old specs because the 1950s radius and small frets aren't stopping Carl from playing all of chords, single notes and bends. Also point it out because I can't explain why my favorites of the ones I've had have been vintage style specs. I did wire my 52 style as "modern" for neck pickup tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZp-3_71Vs

To the OP and newbies: Working on a Telecaster is not unlike DIY bicycle mechanic and home repair where the the basics are all easy with much info on the topic. Thus, you can change saddles, pickups, necks etc..

[muscmp]

hey i'm looking at teles too!
i'm trying to decide whether to get a used american deluxe or a new one!
even tho some people have done upgrades to their used ones, i'm a little leery of it depending upon who did the upgrade! so, i'm stuck on a fence and don't know which way to go.

you may want to check the tele forum here, both for information and tele sales, new and used:

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


here is a link to a 12% discount coupon only good to the end of the year at guitar center.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/announcement.php?a=86

play music!

[AJ Ray]

the 700 pound mark does not seem too bad for a used good condition tele from usa.
What should we look for in used telecasters? Any issues we should be aware of Such as body cracks etc, pick ups, tunning machines

[trpullen]

They really are not prone to too much damage that you wouldn't find on any other guitar. Check for a nice straight neck, tight neck pocket, tuners holding pitch, scratchy pots, etc. They are pretty simple machines that are pretty hard to break.

[AJ Ray]

what do you mean by scratchy pots? are electronics components and controls replacable?

[trpullen]

Electronics are replaceable. Scratchy pots are noise when you turn them. It can be a sign of misuse or cheap parts if fairly new.

[AJ Ray]

thank you for clearing that up for me

[EBA]

I have an American Special which I really dig. I preferred the neck and bridge/saddles on the special over the standard. I also liked the Texas Special picklups. They're not the same as custom shop TS's but still nice, added a different sound than the usual teles.

However, I've since swapped the pups and modified the guitar a bit. I replaced the black pickguard with a tortoise shell. I had previously played a strat and loved the sound of the neck pups, and ala Clarence White decided to go replace my tele neck pup with a strat neck pup. I replaced the bridge pup with a muy grande as well. The new pup combo has worked wonders imo. Pretty much every gig I play someone compliments the tone from the telecaster (going through a deluxe reverb). I've also installed a b-bender on it.

Thats one thing I love about teles, you can upgrade and modify things very easily.

[AJ Ray]

I have just ordered a used usa model from 2007 with the natural body made of ash with the maple fretboard.