Easiest way to convert a tele for jazz

[hthiew]

I owned an archtop stringed with 12s flatwound for traditional jazz. Now I'm considering to convert my good old telecaster for a more modern/fusion jazz setup.

Currently the tele is with roundwound 11s. And I'm about to get a set of Chrome 12s flatwound for it but I just need a confirmation if I should.

Should I stay with 11s instead? Or should I get roundwounds but other type of strings? Any comment is appreciated.

[disco~juice]

I love the combination of tele and flats. I used 12 flats (d'addario)in a tele, no problem. Maybe a little setup needed in intonation and truss rod but no big deal.

[kris]

.....for a more modern/fusion jazz setup stay with with roundwound 11s.
Best

[hthiew]

.....for a more modern/fusion jazz setup stay with with roundwound 11s.
Best

No conversion needed! ... Haha never thought of that.

Actually what I find is the issue is that being so used to jazz with flatwound, I kinda prefer the feel of flatwound. Also want to tame the highs a bit without changing pickups because I have a set of Dimarzio Twang Kings is still in there and right now, its more hillbilly country than jazz.

[kris]

use tone control and cut trebble on tele...
ofcourse you can experiment with flatwound and you loose sustain...I think.
what amp do you use?

[jorgemg1984]

Play it

[GodinFan]

I use 10 gauge flats on my tele. Feels a little easier on the fingers, and reduces finger noise.

[Tom Karol]

I too think that round wound 11's are a good all-purpose string set for a T-type guitar.

[hthiew]

Kris, I'm playing through a Peavey Bandit 112 with Celestion GT12. Not a bad amp for jazz.

Anyway I just went to buy a set of Chrome 12s and put it on my Tele. Took a while to set it up and intonate and wow, I have to say its great for jazz. My earlier fear that I end up with 2 guitars of the same sound is unfounded. Flatwound 12s on a Tele is so different from the same set on an Archtop.

I have to say I'm impressed with the Tele's versatility more after this. Been a tele boy for the longest time until I got into jazz and moved to an archtop. Now I can still be a Tele boy!

[kris]

Tele has characteristic sound because of construction and it will never sound like arch-top.
I think also it is not so easy to play jazz on it.

[fws6]

Flatwounds work fine on a Tele and definately change the sound a bit towards the jazzy spectrum (agreed, it is what you play, rather than what you play it on, etc,.... but still this is a GEAR talk forum right ?)

On a side note; just what is a 'good old tele' ? As from the topic title, I was assuming the "conversion" meant you were installing a neck humbucker

You might want to look into that anyways ? Many of the Telecasters since the 1990's , like the American and Mexican Standard Tele's, already have the body routed for a humbucker underneath the guard. Even though the guitar itself has a single coil into the neck. The quickest way to a really jazzy sounding Tele

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Switch to the neck pickup -- and you are done! Heh.

Single coil or humbucker? I know you instantly get darker tone with a HB, but part of the charm of a Tele is having a clear single coil sound.

I'm an old-school flatwound guy, and if they have less sustain that's not so bad on a Tele because it has most sustain than a typical archtop.

[kenbennett]

Flip the pickup switch to the neck position!

EDIT: I see someone else thought of that.

[jads57]

Other than what's been covered already here, experiment w/ different neck p/ups. If you don't mind routing your body, try a mini humbucker, humbucker, even a Charlie Christian type of neck p/up. Peter Biltoft(Vintage Vibe Pickups) offers interchangeable magnets on many of his p/ups. Here are some I've tried and liked

1.)Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini Hum Bridge version for increased bass response
2.)Seymour Duncan Seth Lover
3.)Vintage Vibe CC Rider neck using ceramic magnet.

[Suttykins]

I prefer the sound and feel of rounds on solid-body guitars. 11s are as high as I would go on a Telecaster because of the longer scale length.

One thing that I find useful for getting a jazz sound out of the standard single coil neck pickup is to take the volume down about a third and roll a lot of the tone off. It seems obvious but it really replicates the darker acoustic qualities of a hollow body whilst keeping the clarity and flatter frequency response of a single coil. Then you can nudge the volume up for a more contemporary Tele sound (à la Frisell).

I've gone back and forth on the idea of putting a humbucker in my Telecaster but in the end, I think the single coil is much more versatile.

[kris]

You can instal humbucer at neck position and put new push-pull pot....You can get humbucker and single sound this way-just using pot.
...but first try to play dark sound on singlecoile neck pick up/ use tone control on Tele and EQ on the Peavey amp/.

[guitarmikey]

I use my Affinity Tele with GFS Cool Vintage XL (rail humbuckers), also added push-pull tone control, for getting back to single coil if needed. I'm OK with sounds, but sure sounds different than my Sheraton II, all stock.

[SamBooka]

Pro plecs

[Sean65]

Pro plecs

Good point.

A pick that's at least 1.5mm thick. Turn the pick around and play with the fat end.

Pure Nickel 11's are a bit warmer.

I recently raised my action on my tele and it feels like a new guitar. Now it really sings. Try a 1/4 turn of each of the saddle screws.

[larry graves]

The best way to convert a Tele ( convert from what? ) for jazz is to play jazz on it!....