Telecasters - what's the appeal?

[tkirgiss]

The telecaster was the first (mass produced) solid body electric guitar.... (Well, originally it was called the broadcaster, then the esquire, then the telecaster two years later). It is the oldest "Rock and Roll" guitar around, and really paved way for the music we know today.

Leo Fender was not even a guitar player... In fact he had his own radio repair service, and ended up doing so many fixes for peoples arch-top pickups, he decided he could build a better guitar for amplification.... wulah, the telecaster.

The design has not changed since it was introduced. It was good when he first designed it, and it is good today. He did design the stratocaster a few years later in collaboration with two other gentleman that had a few refinements (3 pickups vs. 2, a contoured body for comfort, double cutaway, synchronized tremolo....) but the telecaster has remained a guitar leader.

In short... It has history. And people dig it!

[TonewoodSupply]

Telecaster was the FIRST electric guitar in the world and still be the leader until now. Thanks Fender !

[SausageCreature]

I'm still pretty new to playing guitar, and while guitars of higher quality and sophistication have a way of "talking down to me" (so to speak), Telecasters have an uncanny ability to flatter the few things I can do well, while remaining honest enough to rebuke the things I can't.

On the other topic in this thread: I once read an article where KR was referred to as Kieth "Ancient Egyptian Rites Keep Me Alive" Richards

[Kh1967]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Well, he did outlast the twinkie.

Hilarious. Any takers if he will make it longer than SPAM?

[Scriptor]

Originally Posted by stratokatsu

Telecasters are sort of a culture in of themselves.

The thing is, purists would tell you a Strat HAS TO HAVE 3 single coil pickups and a Telecaster HAS TO HAVE 2 single coil pickups.

Variations like humbuckers or P90s in a Strat or Tele are abominations punishable by prison terms in many countries, if the decision were left to the purists. That said, my Strats both have 3 single coils and my Teles both have 2 single coils. That doesn't mean I'm not open to the idea of modifying one or the other.

I like (and have owned) standard/purist Tele's/Strat's ... however, my current Tele has 3 single coil pickups and 5 way switch with push/pull tone pot to invoke the neck pup in any switch position ... this guitar still has all the classic Tele tones but with the 3 pups and 5-way switch, it can venture into a little Strat Territory for some really nice variation ... most satisfying Fender I have owned to date ...

[Long813]

I don't get purist views at all. A guitar is a tool to use, so make it work for you.

That said, to me a tele is seen as
1) Country twang guitar
2) Cool looking butterscotch guitar

If I were to get one it would be for the neck and the butterscotch look

[muscmp]

Originally Posted by Long813

If I were to get one it would be for the neck and the butterscotch look

add an ash body and black guard and i'll take it!!
i played a new one with the compound radius neck and loved the neck. didn't like the new pickups tho.

play music!

[Long813]

Originally Posted by muscmp

add an ash body and black guard and i'll take it!!
i played a new one with the compound radius neck and loved the neck. didn't like the new pickups tho.

play music!

And throw it down a few flights of stairs to ding it up.

[trpullen]

I have two T-style guitars. One is a K-Line and the other is a Fender Custom Shop. The Fender CS has Abby Handwounds and the K-Line has Lollar Vintage. While the CS is vibey and cool, the K-Line is everything an old beat up Tele should be...in spades.

[Long813]

Originally Posted by trpullen

I have two T-style guitars. One is a K-Line and the other is a Fender Custom Shop. The Fender CS has Abby Handwounds and the K-Line has Lollar Vintage. While the CS is vibey and cool, the K-Line is everything an old beat up Tele should be...in spades.

I hear that about a lot of S/T guitars made by other companies. Larrivee as well prides then selves on a T-style that sounds like the 50's T did.

Apparently Fender has gone far far away from the old. It's not a nostalgic tone either, it's just 'good'. A lot they have been making has been lackluster IMO.

[David Eastwood]

I am so tempted to drop $80 on one of these, and have some fun tweaking it....

http://www.rondomusic.com/furrianhmnbk.html

A little bridge saddle upgrade, a GFS pickup or two - spank-o-rama.

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

I am so tempted to drop $80 on one of these, and have some fun tweaking it....

http://www.rondomusic.com/furrianhmnbk.html

A little bridge saddle upgrade, a GFS pickup or two - spank-o-rama.

I'm also looking into buying a "Furrian" T guitar:

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4292.html

[Pvee]

My current Tele has a mini humbucker in the neck position and a four way switch so it is a very versatile guitar for Jazz, country rock and oldies.

I can have the two pickups in series or parallel plus the original tele sounds.

Tele for jazz or old standards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecnhx85IQi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg9Y8wssqlg

[beyond6]

For what it's worth, T-style guitars are punchier than double cut shapes. Not convinced? John Suhr's blurb on it is out there somewhere, at least since they changed the site. I turn to my single Muy Grande equipped squire with its 56' big V neck when a strat just won't punch. Your amp will make or break an otherwise killer tele tone. In which case I opt for a 5e3 and its variants. If I need loud and cutting, my Cornford Mk50 H delivers every time.

[mtdmind]

Originally Posted by zabdart

What makes Telecasters unique is the poetic economy of the design.

Well said. I like that!