Fender Blacktop Telecaster HH... nice guitar!

Steve Z · #1 12-05-2011, 10:15 AM

I was bouncing around a couple stores the other day and decided to try some lower end guitars to see what was available and the Fender Blacktop Telecaster HH and Stratocaster HH guitars caught my eye. I wasn't expecting much for a guitar just under $500, but playing it really put a smile on my face. Besides a really comfortable neck, the guitar also has the back body contour (belly cut) that I prefer. Lastly, having the humbucker route already means the guitar is ready to swap for your favorite humbucker, though the stock pickup sounded pretty good. For the price of having a luthier route my ASAT for a humbucker, etc. nearly half of the Telecaster HH would be paid for... hmmmm.

Definitely to be considered if looking for a nice affordable tele.

Fender Blacktop Telecaster HH -- GuitarCenter

Or for a little more the Special Edition Custom Telecaster® FMT HH looks great as well... Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH Electric Guitar: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician's Friend

YouTube Video

Special Edition Custom Telecaster® FMT HH

Jazzman301 · #2 12-05-2011, 10:49 AM

Great souding guitars. You really can't go wrong with a Tele. These black tops are great instruments. The Tele snobs will argue its a MIM not MIA tele...but it plays and sound good and for $500...I have heard many good things about the Squier Vintage series as well. Cheap way to try out a tele.

'Mike

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #3 12-05-2011, 11:07 AM

The argument that against Made in Mexico Fenders is long in the tooth. If folks want to complain, it will be about the "Modern Player" series, which are the first Made In China guitars to say "Fender", and not just Squier on them.

I've tried the FMT HH Teles (which were first made in Korea, and now Indonesia, if you're keeping track!). Too skinny a neck for me. They really didn't feel like a Tele.

jmstritt · #4 12-05-2011, 12:04 PM

Nothing wrong with a MIM Tele. Let's be real folks these are assembly line products, not handcarved archtops. You take a body and neck made by a CNC and bolt them together, then you add whatever hardware and electronics you like. Does it really matter where the process took place geographically? I mean really the Mexican and American Fender factories are what four or five hours away from each other?

If you dig the guitar, it doesn't matter where it was made! ;-)

Steve Z · #5 12-05-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmstritt

Nothing wrong with a MIM Tele. Let's be real folks these are assembly line products, not handcarved archtops. You take a body and neck made by a CNC and bolt them together, then you add whatever hardware and electronics you like. Does it really matter where the process took place geographically? I mean really the Mexican and American Fender factories are what four or five hours away from each other?

If you dig the guitar, it doesn't matter where it was made! ;-)

+1

Jazzman301 · #6 12-05-2011, 05:17 PM

I feel like if a guitar feels good and sounds good who cares. Its like mom says...don't eat with your eyes. Don't buy with the label. It seems that companies like Gibson and Fender are realying HEAVILY on there reputation from yester year more than the quality of what they are producing now.
I think a great example is how under rated Guilds are. They are every bit the guitar that their contemporary Gibsons and Epiphones are. But they don't have that "brand name" recognition. Those in the square of knowing know better and scoop these little gems up whenever possible.

'Mike

Flat · #7 12-05-2011, 09:13 PM

I agree that some of these economically priced Telecasters are really pretty decent. It's amazing -- the guitars that can be had for a few hundred dollars these days.

This is a bit out of left field, but here's a modified Tele style that caught my eye recently: a Haar Thinline Custom, TV Jones pickups. Never seen one in person, but this sounds to me like an intriguing twist on the HH Tele concept. I suspect it's several times the price of the Fender Blacktop though...don't know...

YouTube Video

Atticus · #8 12-06-2011, 10:59 PM

I've been using a Blacktop Strat for a while now. For what I paid for it (which was significantly cheaper than expected), it's nice, and the option for split coils is useful, but as far as humbucking Fenders go, I prefer a Tele Deluxe.

tonedeaf · #9 12-07-2011, 09:43 PM

Special Edition Custom Telecaster® FMT HH

Nice. I was just today looking at my '72 thinline and thinking about what it might look like with all black hardware!