American Special Telecaster for Jazz

**pez_espada** · 10-07-2013, 03:46 PM

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and I salute you all!
Well getting to the point.. I was thinking I wanted a backup for my nice Sadowsky archtop Jim Hall model and I have been fancy-ing a tele for some time now. I been reading here and there some posts on the issue of teles for jazz and found that some prefer them more vinatge-ish (7.25'' radius, small frets, chubby necks, narrower nuts) and some seem to prefer their teles more "modern" (flatter radii, medium frets, wider nuts, etc). I have been doing my research and it looks like the newer American Specials can be nice candidates for jazz since they have wider necks (nearly 43mm at the nut which is pretty much as my Sadowsky Jim Hall), they have overwound "Texas Special" single coils wich confer the guitar with a richer and darker tone (almost humbuckish tone, to my ears anyway). They also have this "greasebucket" circuit which seems to make a great job dialing a even darker tone without getting too muffled. Hell, these American Specials even seem to be already routed for a humbucker in case you want to drop a gibson 57 in the neck without having to carve the body yourself! and well, they're American after all --not that I have anything against MIMs, not at all.

The only issue I see are those JUMBO frets.. I have played one at my local store and certainly I can see how different those frets are from the ones on my Sadowsky. But the tone for jazz iwas easily the best among all the other teles in the shop (American Standards, MIJ and some Bajas). What I wonder is whether I would eventually would get used to the jumbos? I know that some guys here, like Jim Soloway, actually like big frets for playing jazz so I wonder if the intonation problems for eventually freeting to hard is not an issue for them.

Many thanks in advance and wanted to say you have a very nice forum there by the way!

Cheers,

Carlos

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-07-2013, 03:56 PM

Were you pulling notes sharp (especially in chords) because you were squeezing too hard?

**pez_espada** · 10-07-2013, 04:04 PM

well I did not notice going sharp for pressing to hard in that particular tele, and it had light strings -- I think that putting some big strings would make more difficult to sharpening notes. But I was trying it out for few minutes only. What I really notice were those big poles under my finger tips withe every slide..

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-07-2013, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by pez_espada

well I did not notice going sharp for pressing to hard in that particular tele, and it had light strings -- I think that putting some big strings would make more difficult to sharpening notes. But I was trying it out for few minutes only. What I really notice were those big poles under my finger tips withe every slide..

That's true. sliding is easier with smaller frets.

On the other hand, there are so many variables in a neck:

contour
fretboard wood
fret wire
nut width
radius
etc...

It might be impossible to find the perfect neck from Fender. In that case, there are always custom guitar builders like Warmoth and USACG. You could order one to your specification.

**Frank67** · 10-07-2013, 05:07 PM

... IMHO the answer to all of this is: build a Warmoth tele - will be exactly what you want and a fair price and awesome looks/quality.

**pez_espada** · 10-07-2013, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by FrankLearns

... IMHO the answer to all of this is: build a Warmoth tele - will be exactly what you want and a fair price and awesome looks/quality.

Yeah I guess this would be the cure -build yourself a tele to your own specifications. But consider that maybe putting guitars together is not for everybody, certainly not for the faint hearted. I have considered before the Warmoth path myself but maybe I'm too lazy now for playing luthier and prefer invest in playing music.... And well I was wondering about peoples thoughts and experiences on this particular Tele for jazz, since I have the real posibility to easily pick one at my local guitar shop (not the case for a Warmoth partcaster).

C.

**pingu** · 10-07-2013, 07:32 PM

I like jumbo frets generally but its just taste/feel really
They don't push sharp , thats more down to the tallness of the frets

**steves3972** · 10-08-2013, 06:30 AM

A sadowsky jim hall model is 1 3/4 nut width which is 44.45mm while modern fenders would have 1 11/16 (42.85mm). Quite a big difference I think, that's why I don't like guitars with a 1 3/4 nut. But if the nut width feels ok to you then that's fine. Putting together a warmoth guitar really isn't hard either.

**Frank67** · 10-08-2013, 06:36 AM

Yes, really, putting a Warmoth telecaster together is not difficult. I have next to no skills with my hands (or a soldering iron) and still were able to do it as a matter of perhaps 3 or 4 hours. If you know what you are doing I am sure you can do it in less than an hour.

**Al_F** · 10-08-2013, 09:22 AM

I have two electrics, one is vintage 7.25 radius small frets, the other flat with big ass frets. I like them both. It takes a little time to learn to lighten up your touch with big frets but its doable. For jazz, maybe smaller frets make sense since you don't bend as much which is where taller frets shine.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-08-2013, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by steves3972

A sadowsky jim hall model is 1 3/4 nut width which is 44.45mm while modern fenders would have 1 11/16 (42.85mm). Quite a big difference I think, that's why I don't like guitars with a 1 3/4 nut. But if the nut width feels ok to you then that's fine. Putting together a warmoth guitar really isn't hard either.

I went out my way to get a T-style guitar with a 1 3/4" nut. Very comfy for me.

**pez_espada** · 10-08-2013, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by FrankLearns

Yes, really, putting a Warmoth telecaster together is not difficult. I have next to no skills with my hands (or a soldering iron) and still were able to do it as a matter of perhaps 3 or 4 hours. If you know what you are doing I am sure you can do it in less than an hour.

Does one need special tools for putting a partcaster together, I mean any "domestic" tools set would be good enough? I would not like to spend money in specialized tools for guitar assembling that I would never use again. What about setting a fresh assambled guitar? I only have touched the trussrod of a old and cheap Ibanez archtop a couple of times and I was kind of nervous not too confident. I guess that setting up a Warmoth guitar that was never set before would be more scary, since there is no reference for a first approximation there..

C.

**artcore** · 10-08-2013, 11:21 AM

So how much is the american special?....compared to a custom ordered [email protected] wish G@L would make available their wide neck without a custom order, I would think a lot of people would prefer a wider neck...I do like skinny frets,just because thats what I'm use too....

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-08-2013, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by artcore

I wish G@L would make available their wide neck without a custom order, I would think a lot of people would prefer a wider neck...I do like skinny frets,just because thats what I'm use too....

As I understand it, the USA G&Ls are essentially custom-ordered. It's up to the music store to choose the neck profile.

I have two wishes:

1. That G&L changes their default profile from a 1 5/8" nut to one with a 1 11/16" nut. For some reason they think of 1 11/16" as "wide" and 1 5/8" as "normal".

2. That G&L offer more nut widths in their imported Tribute line. Right now they are all 1 5/8".

Yeah, I don't like 1 5/8".

**Timo** · 10-08-2013, 03:39 PM

I play jazz on my teles and find that bigger frets are very easy to play. I have one tele with fender 6105 frets (tall and narrow) and another with tall and fat frets- not sure of the number, but they sound like something close to the frets on the American Special tele. I find the bigger frets are very comfortable to play and I would recommend them.

**Sean65** · 10-10-2013, 03:36 PM

I play and American Special and the frets are fine. At first you might notice them but after a while they feel really normal.

Superb guitar. I dropped some Lollar Special T's in mine and string it with TI Bebop strings.

My local guitar tech fitted some Callaham saddles when he set up the guitar.

**pez_espada** · 10-11-2013, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by Sean65

I play and American Special and the frets are fine. At first you might notice them but after a while they feel really normal.

Superb guitar. I dropped some Lollar Special T's in mine and string it with TI Bebop strings.

My local guitar tech fitted some Callaham saddles when he set up the guitar.

Yeah I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the American Special Tele at my local store. Now the question would be blonde or sunsburst!

For you who own the American Special, how does the "greasebucket" tone circuit behave in real life?
Sean, although, I have played the guitar in the store like three times for some 20 minutes each approx. I though it was nice and fat for a tele, but the guitar had very thin roundwound strings (.09'' set), how do you like it with your TI Bebop on? I presume those are flat? The guy in the shop would set up the guitar for free with a new string set of my preference if I buy the guitar..

Thanks

**pez_espada** · 10-11-2013, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Bezoeker

Despite the asinine name (Greasebucket), this simple tone circuit works very well in practical use - really superbly for the typical sounds we associate with Tele/Jazz. The Fender description of the circuit's effect is unfortunately as idiotic as most Fender marketing descriptions.

In effect, this tuned circuit shapes the curve of the high end roll-off as you turn the pot via a bypass .1uf cap on the pot. It also has a limiter resistor that prevents you from going completely to "0".

It sounds great on the Tele. Very smooth high end rolloff without making a muffled mess of the mids. You also get a very useful range as opposed to a single sweet spot.

If you want to look at the circuit schematic, there are plenty of illustrations online. Do note that caps work differently than resistors in that two capacitors in series have a net LOWER value than each of the caps. So as you turn down the pot, the seemingly large .1uf cap is actually reducing the amount of mids that are lost. It's a modern miracle.

You can goof around with the .022uf cap value with predictable results, but I suggest leaving the .1uf alone unless you go to a cap above .047uf in the non-bypass position.

B. Zoeker

This is great info Bezoeker, many thanks!

**pez_espada** · 10-11-2013, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Bezoeker

I think that my wording here is slightly misleading:

"as you turn down the pot, the seemingly large .1uf cap is actually reducing the amount of mids that are lost"

The bypass cap does not work as simply as I described, but the net effect is better definition of the mids as you turn the tone control down.

Zoeker, B.

This is good to know since I like the midrange to be prominent (à la Metheny in some of his albums). In fact I was thinking that I would eventually put a SD '59 PAF in the neck for its famous midrange hump, but this may not be needed with that tone circuit in the American Special.

**Sean65** · 10-13-2013, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by pez_espada

For you who own the American Special, how does the "greasebucket" tone circuit behave in real life?
Sean, although, I have played the guitar in the store like three times for some 20 minutes each approx. I though it was nice and fat for a tele, but the guitar had very thin roundwound strings (.09'' set), how do you like it with your TI Bebop on? I presume those are flat? The guy in the shop would set up the guitar for free with a new string set of my preference if I buy the guitar..

Thanks

I'm not sure why Fender string them with .09's. I always use 10.5's or now 11 TI. The Bebop are round wound strings.

Get it set up with at least 10's. In fact get a good setup done with 10.5's D'Addario's and then you can drop down to 10's or go up to 11's without having to tweak the truss rod.

09's really don't show this guitar in its best light.

Of the finishes they're all nice but IMHO no one does the three tone sunburst quite as good as Fender. It's really nice.

Definitely one of the better value solid bodies on the market right now. You can't go wrong. As stock it's just fine but it also improves with upgrades.

**pez_espada** · 10-13-2013, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Sean65

I'm not sure why Fender string them with .09's. I always use 10.5's or now 11 TI. The Bebop are round wound strings.

Get it set up with at least 10's. In fact get a good setup done with 10.5's D'Addario's and then you can drop down to 10's or go up to 11's without having to tweak the truss rod.

09's really don't show this guitar in its best light.

Of the finishes they're all nice but IMHO no one does the three tone sunburst quite as good as Fender. It's really nice.

Definitely one of the better value solid bodies on the market right now. You can't go wrong. As stock it's just fine but it also improves with upgrades.

I'm thinking on having it set up with 12's Chromes (Flatwounds), and eventually go 13's (as I have in my 24.75'' scale archtop) and have it set up with a low action. I think I'm going tomorrow to the guitar shop and take that babe back home. I'm leaning toward the blonde one. Check it out here:
http://www.tubesound.es/index.php/gu...vintage-blonde

**artcore** · 10-14-2013, 04:03 PM

I don't think they make the american special with a rosewood neck.....didn't find any on Ebay....I wonder why??

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-14-2013, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by artcore

I don't think they make the american special with a rosewood neck.....didn't find any on Ebay....I wonder why??

Checks: http://www.fender.com/guitars/teleca...olor-sunburst/

Nope, the American Special comes in 3-colour 'burst, Oly white and Vintage Blonde, all with a maple fretboard. That's what annoys me about Fender. For that price, you should be able to pick any durn colour, the fretboard, the fret wire, the neck contour, the nut width etc... But you can't. Unless you get a G&L :wink:

**Soco** · 10-14-2013, 10:52 PM

My G&L ASAT deluxe has HUGE frets an a really thin neck. I wish it had a 1 11/16 nut width and a bigger neck.
A while back I was working out an endorsement deal with them and was going to order a legacy with a bigger neck, but I ended up pulling out of the deal. Since then I have gotten two nice fender custom shops, both with bigger necks and medium jumbo frets. Feels just right. Too big frets can be a deal breaker, as can to thin, and narrow neck as well as 7.25 radius....

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-15-2013, 12:25 AM

G&L gives the option of jumbo or vintage-sized frets (with regular or SS wire). It would be nice if they offered more of a medium jumbo, too. It can't be hard to offer more fret wire sizes.