Ted Greenes Tele

**JohnW400** · 03-02-2011, 01:50 PM

Just saw this at Lark Street. It's listed at $44,000.

Ted Greenes Tele-ted-greene-telecaster-jpg

**Stackabones** · 03-02-2011, 01:58 PM

Wow!

**JohnW400** · 03-02-2011, 02:15 PM

Even if it wasn't Ted's I think real 1952 Telecasters sell for around there. Actually 44k may be a bargain. I'll have to check

**Jabberwocky** · 03-02-2011, 02:17 PM

Too bad Ted's magic does not come with the guitar. His knowledge can be for about $40.00 a set though. So, take a stack of Ted's books, read, practise, read some more, practise till you bleed and feel good about it, couple it with a bog-standard Tele, maybe, just maybe, one could get close for far fewer than $44K.

**Stackabones** · 03-02-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Too bad Ted's magic does not come with the guitar. His knowledge can be for about $40.00 a set though. So, take a stack of Ted's books, read, practise, read some more, practise till you bleed and feel good about it, couple it with a bog-standard Tele, maybe, just maybe, one could get close for far fewer than $44K.

So the price is now $44,040.

**docbop** · 03-02-2011, 02:22 PM

Ted had a lot of guitars including a lot of telecasters.

The last time I saw Ted I was in town for a vacation and called to take a lesson for old times sake. I was a bit early so he said wait in the music room and play whatever I liked. I couldn't believe it was a like guitar museum of old archtops and assorted other guitars.

I wonder what happened to Ted's record and CD collection it was huge. I knew of Ted back to his blues and rock days so when I go for lessens he enjoyed it wasn't all Jazz this and that, so he'd start playing me Blues and early Rock stuff he liked. When you look at the CD covers he had notes and comments written all over and each one. The guys just lived music and all styles Jazz, Blues, Rock, Classical everything.

**Jabberwocky** · 03-02-2011, 02:29 PM

I was being churlish. The $44K may go towards Ted's estate or charitable causes so it may yet do some good other than for sheer profiteering.

**heavyblues** · 03-03-2011, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by Stackabones

So the price is now $44,040.

hehe :-P

btw, if you look closely at the neck...you can tell 'what keys he played'

dirty fretboard anybody? ;-)

**M-ster** · 03-03-2011, 09:19 AM

Did Ted play with a "plain" G-string? I thought he used a heavier set with a wound 3rd?

**Meggy** · 03-03-2011, 01:19 PM

I think he did use to use pretty heavy guage, but still with a plain 3rd - I have heard something like a 26 plain at one point (don't know if you can still get those!). Although I also think he used lighter guages later on - there is a clip from a lesson on the Ted Greene website where he talks about using 11's as a good option on a tele (again with a plain 3rd). But I could be wrong, I'm sure there are people out there who know these things with more authority than me!

**rschwa9966** · 03-03-2011, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

The last time I saw Ted I was in town for a vacation and called to take a lesson for old times sake. I was a bit early so he said wait in the music room and play whatever I liked. I couldn't believe it was a like guitar museum of old archtops and assorted other guitars.

So what guitars did he have beyond the teles?

**docbop** · 03-04-2011, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by rschwa9966

So what guitars did he have beyond the teles?

Boy its been a long time all sorts of arch tops and acoustics, 335's. The first time I got to check out one of Ted's guitars was years before I met him. I got a called to play bass for a Country gig. When I showed up the guitarist had this 335 that I instantly recognized from seeing it on the cover of Ted's Chord Chemistry. Ends up the guitarist was Dale Zdenek the publisher of Ted's books. He got the 335 from Ted.

**monk** · 03-04-2011, 01:42 AM

Here's is the memorial website set up by Ted's long time companion, Barbara Franklin. Lots of great information,video, audio and more.
TedGreene.com - The Legacy Of Ted Greene Lives On

**Flat** · 03-04-2011, 02:05 AM

Schoenberg Guitars had about six or eight of Ted's guitars for a while. I almost went for one of two Fender Jazzmasters, but dawdled too long.

It looks like they only have a Tennessean and a Supro Electric left. And at pretty fair prices too. Not bad items to have around. They must know something. ;-)

1963 Gretsch Tennessian, Walnut, From the Ted Greene estate, replaced humbuckers, otherwise original, including hard shell case. Excellent condition, painted ƒ holes, Bigsby. Serial number is 58399. $1750

??1964 Supro Electric, From the Ted Greene collection, by Valco, an outgrowth of National Guitars in Chicago, the black reso-Glass semi-solid body has a white center lamination, reverse gumby headstock with intact Supro logo.* This is a single pickup model with 1 volume control but with a 3 way switch and 2 separate tone controls; the scale is 25". Condition is excellent all original, with Ted's usual excellent setup and in excellent working order. $1095

**Bill C** · 03-04-2011, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by rschwa9966

So what guitars did he have beyond the teles?

a lot of Guilds iirc - there's a list in the back of "My Life With The Chord Chemist"

**SamBooka** · 03-04-2011, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by monk

Here's is the memorial website set up by Ted's long time companion, Barbara Franklin. Lots of great information,video, audio and more.
TedGreene.com - The Legacy Of Ted Greene Lives On

There goes my afternoon

**Meggy** · 03-04-2011, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by docbop

Boy its been a long time all sorts of arch tops and acoustics, 335's. The first time I got to check out one of Ted's guitars was years before I met him. I got a called to play bass for a Country gig. When I showed up the guitarist had this 335 that I instantly recognized from seeing it on the cover of Ted's Chord Chemistry. Ends up the guitarist was Dale Zdenek the publisher of Ted's books. He got the 335 from Ted.

I have always found the guitars in the Chord Chemistry pictures fascinating - it has led me to having a bit of a thing about guitars with lots of switches!

There is one 335 (or maybe a 345/355?) on there which has been fitted with a middle humbucker, plus additional single coil at the end of the fingerboard (necessitating the removal of the 22nd fret by the look of it) which is just covered with switches/pots. Some of the others are pretty heavily modified too. Docbop, do you have any knowledge of what all the switches did on these guitars? I can guess at a few things, but I'd love to know!

**docbop** · 03-04-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Meggy

I have always found the guitars in the Chord Chemistry pictures fascinating - it has led me to having a bit of a thing about guitars with lots of switches!

There is one 335 (or maybe a 345/355?) on there which has been fitted with a middle humbucker, plus additional single coil at the end of the fingerboard (necessitating the removal of the 22nd fret by the look of it) which is just covered with switches/pots. Some of the others are pretty heavily modified too. Docbop, do you have any knowledge of what all the switches did on these guitars? I can guess at a few things, but I'd love to know!

That was a long time ago that was back in the 70's I did that gig. I think they were some sort of filter switches, but don't hold me to it.

**frogeye** · 03-04-2011, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by monk

Here's is the memorial website set up by Ted's long time companion, Barbara Franklin. Lots of great information,video, audio and more.
TedGreene.com - The Legacy Of Ted Greene Lives On

In particular these recently discovered trio recordings from 1977:

TedGreene.com - Audio - Ted Greene "Special Recording Session" - circa 1977

a must hear.....

**SamBooka** · 03-04-2011, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by frogeye

In particular these recently discovered trio recordings from 1977:

TedGreene.com - Audio - Ted Greene "Special Recording Session" - circa 1977

a must hear.....

for 7$ I think I can handle it

**Meggy** · 03-08-2011, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by docbop

That was a long time ago that was back in the 70's I did that gig. I think they were some sort of filter switches, but don't hold me to it.

Thanks for that docbop.

I guess we may never know for sure, and maybe an enigma is not such a bad thing in the end. Someone out there must have these guitars somewhere though, I wonder who/where? I have the impression in later years Ted preferred to keep his guitar electronics somewhat simpler, judging by the guitars he is seen playing. Maybe I should learn something from that!