Why Fender Telecaster as a Jazz Instrument?

[oldane]

Doesn't a Strat do everything a Tele does plus more?

Why a Tele over a Strat?

Well, a tele does have more of a 'cool' factor, at least to me. But for me, I'd take a strat over a tele.

I have a Strat on which I blocked the trem immediately - never used it. I tried some PU swapping. It sounded great. But I didn't use all three PUs for jazz. So I ended up assembling a Strat shaped guitar from Warmoth parts with just one Vintage Vibe HCC neck pickup, which also allowed me to order custum neck dimensions (1,75" wide at nut, 12" radius). Of course it has a hard tail and no trem. It's now my favorite electric - and amazingly versatile for jazz and everything else despite the single PU (picking position takes me a long way, it can even quack like a strat with two PUs enganged when picked in the right place).

Why Strat shape? Well, with its "contoured body" I find a strat more comfortable to hold than a Tele.

[Dark Star]

Here's my new Telecaster clone:

The control plate is flipped to allow easier access to the volume knob for swells & such. The tone control is out of use & instead the potentiometer is wired to act as a fader between the two pickups. At this time there is no tone control, but I'm still experimenting w/it. The switch is not wired in & does nothing but fill the space to give it some cosmetic "legitimacy", lol.
I'd like to buy a blank plate & drill three holes. I'd get rid of the switch altogether, & just have three knobs: vol, tone, & the fader. Lots of cool sounds in this wiring scheme!

[SamBooka]

sitting down nothing compares to a jazzmaster for comfort. Standing is a different story.
A strat is far more comfortable than a Tele (yes.. this is all subjective but 9 out of 10 dentists agree..)
What is funny is that I have a US strat (recent) on my bench. I havent really played strats in years but I was CERTAIN there was nothing they could not do. But.. I just cant get an inspiring tone out of it when playing jazz. I DO have an old Fender Lead I that I put a tele pickup in the neck. THAT I can get something out of.. I think a Strat is just in the middle of my antijazz sweetspot.

[Retroman1969]

I have a nice Strat, and love it, but it gets very little play time these days. It's a beauty, comfortable, well made, and I used to like it for jazz, but the Telecaster has ruined me.
The Tele just gets that clean, warm, open, lively, organic sound that comes the closest to an acoustic or archtop that I've ever gotten out of any electric guitar, especially solid-bodies. Even my archtop gets less and less play time because my Tele sounds and responds almost exactly like it, but more durable and comfortable.
By the way, comfort can be a relative thing. The Strat is not more comfortable than a Tele to me. The contours are great, the balance fantastic, but the middle pup gets in the way when finger-stylin', the location of the switch also gets in the way, and without the ashtray bridge, there's no place to rest the heel of my hand (at the ready for dampening). All of that in my eyes makes the Tele a more ergonomic design, even without contours.

[kelmad2006]

For those of you who don't know Magneto they are T-Style guitar but by no means a telecaster. They are by far much more versatile and much better made.

check out this

and let me know what you guys think.

[Geert]

This is my '76 Tele.
it has been my one and only electric guitar for more than 20 years.
It served me well during my 'Rock n roll' days. Since I started to play jazz I've been looking for an archtop but I haven't been able to find one (in my price category) that I like. I decided to stick with the telecaster and concentrate on the playing instead of searching for 'the tone' .
I can get a nice jazz like tone from the guitar. I found that the neck pickup seems to have lost some of it's output (due to it's age?) which makes the tone even more mellow allthough it has a nice punch aswell.

[Retroman1969]

Great looking Tele with "real" aging.
Good point, too. You like the guitar, it does the job, so hey... Time to concentrate on the music.
Personally I think there's something really cool about having one guitar for many years and just using and enjoying it instead of constantly searching for "something else" out there somewhere. That axe becomes a part of you and your music historically and psychologically.

[freddy j]

Really Nice Guitar, I Hope I Can Keep On With Mine For 20 Years. You Have A Great Point In Playing, And Letting The Tone Monkey Off Your Back. Good Advice. If It Goes Through, I Thought I Would Share My Favorite Ax. I Do Like Your Taste In Instruments............

[Frod43]

I'm about ... to hit the order button on a 335 ...but after reading this thread...I will buy a 58 reissure..All the 335's I hear online seem a bit muddy compared to the tele tones ...like someone said ...the bassy jazz tones have become somewhat boring and expected nowadays ...
Ya, will stick to a tele ....

[Jazz Classic]

Nice Jazz Box:
I was thinking about a Epi Dot for an inexpensive jazz guitar. However, I liked the smaller size of the Ebanez AS-93-AYS that I bought new from the factory (took a chance) for under $500. It turned out to be a beautiful sounding and looking instrument. I don't see how they can make these for this cost, even though the Art Core line is made in China.
Jazz Classic, Roseville, Ca. USA

[Ric Lee]

My highly modified Squier Classic Vibe, when they were first coming out with these they were using really pretty grain for the neck and the bodies on many cases. Hit and miss from there though.