Why Fender Telecaster as a Jazz Instrument?

**wizard3739** · 08-06-2010, 12:40 PM

I have only two guitars, a Sadowsky "Jim Hall" and a "Frankenstein" Telecaster. I love them both, the Sadowsky is my primary gigging guitar and the Tele is my backup but both are easy to play and provide all the fun I need.

wiz

**cutnstuf** · 08-06-2010, 06:28 PM

I had a Tele back in my rock and roll days, late '60's, but it's one of many things that got lost along the way. Been reading this thread and am getting GAS! (guitar acquisition syndrome) I was looking at some Tele's and found a "Modified Thinline Semi-Hollow" with Duncan PU's, 22 medium jumbo frets, a rosewood fingerboard, and a 24 3/4" scale. Anybody played one like this?

Cut

**Dad3353** · 08-07-2010, 10:06 AM

Good afternoon...
(First posting for me, so patience, please...)
The original question: why telecasters? All guitars are different, some are more versatile than others. I have several, all with their own character (Hofner Committee, Samick copy 335, even a Daisy Rock Retro-H 12-string and more...), but could never afford a tele. I was particularly interested in the Thinline; I finally plumped for a (nearly new...) Xaviere F-hole. I've hardly put it down since. Great neck, great tone, great 'feel'. I wouldn't really describe myself as a 'jazz' guitarist (I'm really a drummer..!), but I started out 45 years ago with the Mickey Baker method book, and am still on page 4.
The tele feel allows playing just about anything, depending on mood. Switch pick-ups, roll up or down the tone or volume pots, adjust amp. gain, with or without effects, it's (almost...) all there.
I agree with the reply on strats; I have never been able to be inspired to use a tremolo (whammy...) myself, and have never found one that stays in tune (bigsby...). Those that use them, great, but I wouldn't want one myself (perhaps the 'Clapton' signature model, but far too expensive for my domestic budget...).
Anyway, that's my 2 cents. For a quite inexpensive thinline-type tele, I'm very satisfied with my Xaviere (even the colour, bright yellow..!).
Have a nice day
Douglas

**bob32069** · 08-13-2010, 12:51 AM

As the proud papa of this thread, I am pleasantly surprised to see that she is still alive and well more than two years after she was born.

I must indeed confess that about 1 year ago, I did fall prey to a GAS attack and purchased a 72 Thinline Reissue. I fell in love with the neck and how easy it was to play, as well as (compared to the jazzboxes) its lightness.

I am currently on a road trip vacation with my family (wife and 3 kids in a minivan) and since I never go anywhere without a guitar, I brought along the 72 Thinline in a gig bag and my Phil Jones Cub amp. Talk about portability! And a great tone combo as well. Don't get me wrong, I still play and enjoy my x-170 and sf-iv (and my Loar - hence the avatar), but the Tele and the Cub can't be beat for portable jazz guitar heaven.

Cheers to everyone whose insights/advice etc helped me to enter the world of the Telecaster.

**digger** · 08-20-2010, 03:56 PM

Only last night I borrowed a 75 Tele with the intention of using it on a forthcoming rock'n'roll gig. How awesome was this guitar - not the easiest to play, although I put that down to rusty strings and a dirty and sticky fretboard - but the sound! Each position was beautiful. Great mellow sounds, great country sounds, and a superb rock'n'roll growl. I was playing through a Laney valve amp, straight in, no effects. Just amazing.

My normal squeeze is a Yamaha Pacifica 311 ms (or whatever the number is for the tele) backed up by a Tokai Paisely Tele from the early 80s. I recently used the latter on JBGI submission and really enjoyed playing jazz on it.

Great guitars.

Del.

**jakriz11** · 08-20-2010, 06:26 PM

I just got a affinity squire tele for $70 midnight blue. plugged it in and the tone is just amazing. something about those tele's....

**swingbilly** · 08-20-2010, 08:13 PM

why a tele? one word. = tone.

**matewsbrasil** · 11-20-2010, 03:03 PM

I'm fat and i have short arms. When i play a jazz box, i feel like the guitar is mocking me. Tele's are where it's at. If you think it's too bright and chimey, HELLO... the tone knob!!! it's there for a reason. tele's are also great if you like to play other things besides jazz. Jazz, blues, funk, rock, country... it's all there... and it looks good with my leather jacket. Why not a telecaster?

**jazzguyfromnc** · 01-26-2011, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by matewsbrasil

I'm fat and i have short arms. When i play a jazz box, i feel like the guitar is mocking me.

Me too!

Ever since joining this board I've been fascinated by everyone's reaction to the tele in a jazz setting. I'm a big Bickert fan, so I had to experiment...

We carry Nash tele's at my job, where I'm in charge of archtop sales. So I plugged a Nash into a Henriksen 112RE. I rolled the tone and volume back... and wasn't happy. Then I rolled the volume back UP, and turned the master up on the amp... and voila! I got a great tone! It's definitely not the same as a big fully-hollow archtop with a floating pickup. But the creamy, dark tone you get is still gorgeous.

I'm a little guy, so the prospect of a little solid body guitar after playing a 16" archtop for years is very, VERY tempting.

Will I make the switch? I dunno. But when my current ax start to wear out, a tele will definitely be high on my wish list....

**bohemian46** · 01-26-2011, 02:27 PM

Though not "fat'... one soulution to the problem of a too large hollow body was to get an Epiphone Elitist Byrdland.. with a very shallow body and a
23 1/2 inch scale.

As much as I like that guitar, I still play my Am. Stad. Tele more. Strung with 11's and a wound 3rd. I play this through a small 5 watt tube amp with a little reverb.. or through my Lab Series L-5. Tone to be had on either amp.

I believe I will always have a Tele, as the beauty in the Tele is its simplicity, durability and flexibility.

Early Ed Bickert recordings ansd videos show his tele with a stock pickup. Later recordings and videos show a humbucker in the neck position. I can not tell the difference in the sound. This attests to Bickert's skill and to the versatility and character of the Tele.

**kenbennett** · 01-26-2011, 02:48 PM

I have only ever owned one Fender guitar. It was a Telecaster.

Of all the Strats I've ever played, only 2 really felt and sounded good to me.

I understand the argument that a Strat is more versatile than a Tele. It does get more different sounds. The problem is they are mostly sounds that I don't want.

I don't care for the in-between sounds on the 5-way switch. A lot of money has been made with those sounds, but I like a more full tone.

With both pickups on the Tele sounds great, somewhat like an acoustic guitar. A Strat doesn't give you the choice of just the neck and bridge pickups together.

If I had a Strat, it would definitely have a fixed bridge, and I would rewire it to get the sounds I like the most.

**pingu** · 01-26-2011, 04:39 PM

Everyone has their own preferences, but I think one of the big pluses to the standard Tele design is the bolt-on neck.

thanks BDLH
is that for the sound or other reasons ?

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 01-26-2011, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by pingu

thanks BDLH
is that for the sound or other reasons ?

So that you can swap it! One more thing to tinker with.

Sound? Too many variables. One endless debate is bolt-on versus set neck, which sustains more? I don't think you need endless sustain for jazz, anyway.

**MarkRhodes** · 01-26-2011, 07:47 PM

I had a Tele for awhile. They are versatile and have lots of great sounds. Also, I'd had a Strat before and liked single coil pickups. But I found the Tele to be the most *uncomfortable* guitar I ever played. Maybe I'd been playing a Strat a long time and didn't spend long enough getting used to it, but damn, I hated holding that guitar. In retrospect, that sounds like a silly reason, but at the time it was all the reason I needed to let it go.
I actually like the feel of a big ol' jazz box and wish mine were bigger!

**Vlad** · 01-28-2011, 10:51 AM

There is something about tele that makes it better for jazz than other solidbodies. Probably a mix of thick wood, huge bridgeplate and string through body. Plus, they can take a beating like no other guitar can.
I think I read that Ed Bickert switched to a Tele when he wen't on a U.S. tour and he didn't want to risk damaging his archtop.

The new Squier Classic Vibes are the best bang for the buck and they also have a humbucker route for the neck (except the thinline)

The only problem I experienced when switching back and forth from a Tele to an Archtop is the width between the frets, especially for complex chords on the upper part.

**life_with_a_song** · 01-29-2011, 12:58 PM

The first good electric guitar I had was a 1982 '52-reissue Tele back around 1984. I was already heavily into The Police and just loved Andy Summers' axe with humbucker at the neck and all. Turns out a guy my dad worked with ("Johnny") who played local clubs was giving up the Tele for a Music Man--wanted something "a little brighter" as I recall. Well, my dad payed him something like 200.00, and when he got the thing home and we opened the case--lo-and-behold Johnny had modded that sucker with a Dimarzio 'bucker at the neck. Sweet! I thought that I was Andy Summers at thirteen, but actually went on to dicover Ed Bickert through that Guitar Player Soundpage recording Beyond Borders. I had never heard anything like that played on a guitar (Ed's solo), so I set about trying to get that sound. Years later, I now play a partscaster Tele with a mini-humbucker at the neck that competes with my Heritage H575 (which is wonderful) for jazz play time.

A Tele really is a wonderful thing--and especially a one with a humbucker at the neck!

**monk** · 03-06-2011, 06:31 PM

More Western Swing than Jazz but Dave Biller, who plays with Wayne Hancock in Austin TX, does a fine job of TeleJazzin'.

Enjoy,
monk

**amhabz** · 03-13-2011, 03:06 PM

I'm sorry so late, but just found this forum. I also love my tele for jazz. And I thought I was the only one. Bought mine as a custom from Logan Customs in Wi. He can make you anything you want. Mines just plain with stock al2 pickups (it had ceramics on it but he changed them because of the music I play). I also use a jazzmaster and a Aria Mosrite Copy. Once I setup the neck and changed strings to 11's, it's sounding good. Obviously I also play lead Ventures type music. Great forum.

**heavyblues** · 03-19-2011, 12:28 AM

+1 Tele, or +10, whatever. I have no other comments I don't think ;-)

but I'm thinking G&L, personally.

**Dark Star** · 03-19-2011, 04:29 AM

I'm just putting the final touches on a Telecaster-clone. Maple neck, alder body. I love the straight ahead-ness of a Tele. The maple neck gives it some snap, but it is still very warm if you want it to be.

**Greg Brouelette** · 04-15-2011, 09:11 PM

This is a Tele clone I finished last year sitting in it's case with the inspiration for building it.

I love this guitar. I've played almost nothing else since I finished it. It has a great jazz tone with lots of warmth with what Ted Greene called the "chime" of a Telecaster. The pickups in this one are Fender Original Vintage so they're wound a bit quieter than modern pickups but that give them more warmth as well.

This is one of my current projects.

And here it is with just the color coat on it.

This one will have noiseless pickups from Wilde Pickups by Bill and Becky Lawrence. I expect it will sound wonderful.

Yes, Telecasters make wonderful jazz guitars.

**heavyblues** · 04-16-2011, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by Davidh

Nice. I prefer the neck in the second pic, but I'm wondering what the hammer is for

.

Seriously Greg, it looks great and I'm sure it will sound wonderful. I just finished my first build, a strat-a-like, and I'm really very suprised at how good it turned out.

Originally Posted by Greg Brouelette

This is a Tele clone I finished last year sitting in it's case with the inspiration for building it.

I love this guitar. I've played almost nothing else since I finished it. It has a great jazz tone with lots of warmth with what Ted Greene called the "chime" of a Telecaster. The pickups in this one are Fender Original Vintage so they're wound a bit quieter than modern pickups but that give them more warmth as well.

This is amazing. I love the first picture as a kind of art too: the guitar+case+worn Ted Greene books. Excellent. I got my first tele-type recently. G&L with humbucker in the neck.

I love seeing peoples' photos of anything music or gear related...always has that personal touch to it

**Greg Brouelette** · 04-16-2011, 11:55 AM

Thank you guys for you kind comments. I had a fortuitous accident when I leveled the frets. I needed another coat of oil on the neck (it's an oil finish neck rather than nitro finish) I wasn't thinking and I didn't tape off the neck. I started leveling the frets and the metal filings started to react with the oil. I now have a slightly gray fretboard which is really aging quickly as I play it.

The fretboard already looks like it's been played to death for 20 years. I didn't mean to build a relic'd Tele, put it's sure turning out to be one. And it looks great.

**Greg Brouelette** · 04-16-2011, 01:18 PM

I actually like how it looks. I like having a guitar that looks like a '59 Tele.

As a buddy of mine said: "That fretboard is going to age in dog years."