Telecaster Love Thread, No Archtops Allowed

[QAman]

This post (currently) has 35 pages of tele examples and comments, many of them from "non-Fender" makers who will make whatever you ask them to make, and for reasonable prices. There's also the easy option of buying an inexpensive Squier, and then a Warmoth replacement neck with a 1 3/4" nut. The only problem here is there are too many options!

Well said. The choices are endless. When I get a chance I’ll visit Music Zoo and play a bunch. From a design standpoint - this is a very simple interchangeable build and thus the numerous offerings and options.

The key for me will be a lighter guitar with a nitro finish which has a lively resonant vibe - - nothing too heavy. Since I’m an acoustic Archtop guy - the unplugged vibe will be my deciding factor.

I know this is a Tele post - but I remember reading an article with Dicky Bett’s and he said the best way to pick out a Les Paul ( or for me a Tele) was in a quiet room unplugged. The better ones just ring like a bell with clarity and sustain.

[marcwhy]

Well said. The choices are endless. When I get a chance I’ll visit Music Zoo and play a bunch. From a design standpoint - this is a very simple interchangeable build and thus the numerous offerings and options.

The key for me will be a lighter guitar with a nitro finish which has a lively resonant vibe - - nothing too heavy. Since I’m an acoustic Archtop guy - the unplugged vibe will be my deciding factor.

I know this is a Tele post - but I remember reading an article with Dicky Bett’s and he said the best way to pick out a Les Paul ( or for me a Tele) was in a quiet room unplugged. The better ones just ring like a bell with clarity and sustain.

[and don't forget budget: the teles in this post range from $300 - 3,000 (and more!) USD!]

[citizenk74]

I know this is a Tele post - but I remember reading an article with Dicky Bett’s and he said the best way to pick out a Les Paul ( or for me a Tele) was in a quiet room unplugged. The better ones just ring like a bell with clarity and sustain.

Paul Reed Smith expressed the same sentiment to me. He's absolutely right.

[jazzbow]

Yup, no matter what guitar you are playing if you can feel the notes vibrating through you know you are onto a winner.

[lammie200]

Yup, no matter what guitar you are playing if you can feel the notes vibrating through you know you are onto a winner.

I don’t think that there could be a more obvious point to reinforce. Funny though. On one of the Fender-type solid body forums there was a fairly recent thread started about how the unplugged sound of a guitar had no bearing on the plugged sound. A lot of people were buying it.

[citizenk74]

I don’t think that there could be a more obvious point to reinforce. Funny though. On one of the Fender-type solid body forums there was a fairly recent thread started about how the unplugged sound of a guitar had no bearing on the plugged sound. A lot of people were buying it.

And yet the attack/decay envelope is there, amplified or not.

[Michael Neverisky]

This turned up at the local emporium last week. A Joe Strummer signature telecaster, seriously relic'd at the factory and then repainted and re-relic'd by a previous owner. Complete with original, factory installed rust on the tuner casings and a replacement - yet still tarnished - Joe Barden bridge and saddle.

I pulled it off the rack because of the beautifully dark rosewood fretboard. I'm not a widely experienced tele expert, but I must say that the neck on this guitar feel soft in the hand and with what I guess are "vintage style" frets, plays effortlessly! Quite a different feel from the 50's neck on my beloved old Gibson, but a delight all the same.

[mr. beaumont]

This turned up at the local emporium this weekend. Joe Strummer signature telecaster, seriously relic'd at the factory and then repainted and re-relic'd by a previous owner. Complete with original, factory installed rust on the tuner casings and a replacement - yet still tarnished - Joe Barden bridge and saddle.

I pulled it off the rack because of the beautifully dark rosewood fretboard. I'm not a widely experienced tele expert, but I must say that the neck on this guitar feel soft in the hand and with what I guess are "vintage style" frets, plays effortlessly! Quite a different feel from the 50's neck on my beloved old Gibson, but a delight all the same.

One of the more believable relic jobs I've seen too. I like this one a lot.

[Greentone]

I'm with Jeff. That Tele is super.

[jaymen]

We have long maintained that with electric solid body guitars wood is just as important to tone as it is with acoustic guitars.

My friends and I make a habit of checking out all the cheap MIK/MIC "Squire" series of Teles and Strats at GC and playing them un-plugged. We buy the one that sounds the best un-plugged, take it home, take it apart, and replace all the electronics with USA components, and shield it. Then after tuning up the frets it gets re-assembled, re-strung and the action and intonation dialed in...voila! You have a guitar that sonically rivals some of the best custom shop jobs, but at a fraction of the price. As long as you are not OCD about the headstock decal, you are good to go.

As far as these relic guitars go, I just don't get it. Same goes for these supposed "Vintage" finishes. Why pay more for something that will happen eventually anyway? Besides, a good aged instrument that has been taken care of but has "patina" is worth far more than one that has phony aging. No matter how old a guitar looks, and how much it has been played, the virtuosity of the previous owners do not transfer to the new owner. For me showing up with a brand new "reliced" or VOS guitar is a vanity issue that would make me feel like a poser; trying to be more than what I am, as if that really matters anyway. Of course, for the Hipsters, since posing is what they are all about, I guess they are perfect.

[Stefan Eff]

My favourite guitar is still my custom build Thinline, all handmade. Surrender to the twang:


...and a wonderful jazz tone!

[radiofm74]

Uh oh, I did it again…

American Vintage 64 Tele



Kinda reminds me of Ed’s and Robben's tele… not that the player is up to THAT standard

[Stefan Eff]

The more I learn about dynamic playing and with a reduced equipment (just my vintage Fender Princeton Reverb and a Sweet Honey Overdrive) the more I love the Telecaster: the most challenging yet honest guitar.
She absolutely doesn‘t forgive any mistake, but therefore she absolutely sounds like me.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

The more I learn about dynamic playing and with a reduced equipment (just my vintage Fender Princeton Reverb and a Sweet Honey Overdrive) the more I love the Telecaster: the most challenging yet honest guitar.
She absolutely doesn‘t forgive any mistake, but therefore she absolutely sounds like me.

Treat her right and she'll be your lady. Slap her around and she'll be your dirty girl.

[mmuller]

Odd, my pics come out sideways? My 68 in 75 and now. I guess just turn your monitor on it's side......

[greveost]

Odd, my pics come out sideways? My 68 in 75 and now. I guess just turn your monitor on it's side......

Very cool, is it all original?

I got one that looks just like that, but it is a MiM from 95, but it is one of my favorite teles.

[mmuller]

Very cool, is it all original?

I got one that looks just like that, but it is a MiM from 95, but it is one of my favorite teles.

I'm 8 years older and it has more original parts than I do. Play's wonderfully. But wait, I also have a very nice 1998. And oddly, it's sideways too! Maybe it's a Jersey thing.

[pcjazz]

The tele may be sideways but the vox is upside down.

[citizenk74]

The tele may be sideways but the vox is upside down.

Back in the day my SuperBeatle only worked up-side down. I thought I was just lucky.

[QAman]

I played several Telecasters today at TMZ including the new Rarity series. I was searching for one to play some chord melody. None were were very inspiring until I picked up the Britt Daniel thinline Telecaster.
It’s a beautiful Amarillo gold color - and it’s a Nitro finish.

When I think of Jazz chord melody playing on a Telecaster - the Britt Daniel checked all boxes for my preferences.

It was light weight and resonant and had a nice unplugged vibe. The neck was a deep C with a 1.685 nut which is necessary for me. Its an ash body which houses two Custom shop hand ( over) wound pickups with the S1 switch - which supports parallel and series options. The tone was clean and articulate but had a fatness / richness not found on many of the others - most of which were very heavy. It also had a nice wide polished fret with smooth playability and beautiful fit and finish.

I’m not a Telecaster player, and know very little about these guitars..... or anything about Britt Daniel - but I really liked this guitar and wanted to share this experience.

This is a recent model - and the demos on You Tube do not showcase the true capability of this guitar for jazz chord melody.

I’m wondering if any of the Telecaster experts on this post have had a chance to play this model. If so , what are your thoughts.

Here is a link to Fender website

Britt Daniel Tele(R) Thinline | Electric Guitars

[neatomic]

qm- have not played...but maple neck and texas special neck pup would not be my first thought for jazzer tele..but sometimes things just click...sounds like you like neck feel and resonance..and that's important..caveat is, with fenders no 2 are exactly alike..gotta act fast when you find the right one..the next one may not do it

thinlines are always nice..and series/parallel switching is nice extra

cheers

[QAman]

qm- have not played...but maple neck and texas special neck pup would not be my first thought for jazzer tele..but sometimes things just click...sounds like you like neck feel and resonance..and that's important..caveat is, with fenders no 2 are exactly alike..gotta act fast when you find the right one..the next one may not do it

thinlines are always nice..and series/parallel switching is nice extra

cheers

Neatomic,
Thanks for the feedback. I would have thought a rosewood board and other pu's would be more suitable, but nothing really spoke to me. But your comment about no two are alike is very true. I played several Teles of the same model and all were very different.

If you have any suggestions for me that would be helpful.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

[greveost]

I'm 8 years older and it has more original parts than I do. Play's wonderfully. But wait, I also have a very nice 1998. And oddly, it's sideways too! Maybe it's a Jersey thing.

That one looks very nice as well! Is that abalone inlays?

[citizenk74]

qm- have not played...but maple neck and texas special neck pup would not be my first thought for jazzer tele..but sometimes things just click...sounds like you like neck feel and resonance..and that's important..caveat is, with fenders no 2 are exactly alike..gotta act fast when you find the right one..the next one may not do it

thinlines are always nice..and series/parallel switching is nice extra

cheers

I strongly agree. A solidbody electric is literally two or three pieces of wood, each with particular resonant frequencies. An archtop has many separate pieces under dynamic tension, with their resonances (hopefully) balanced to create a harmonious whole. Solid-body tonal characteristics in an industrial environment are mostly serendipitous. A lengthy search may be needed, but the results may also be worth the effort. Fortunately tastes differ, so one man's cup of tea may be another's espresso.

[neatomic]

Neatomic,
Thanks for the feedback. I would have thought a rosewood board and other pu's would be more suitable, but nothing really spoke to me. But your comment about no two are alike is very true. I played several Teles of the same model and all were very different.

If you have any suggestions for me that would be helpful.

id suggest alder body..rosewood neck..

this has deep c and 1.685 width you desire....v mod pickups place alnico II magnets under just b&e string of neck -pup...for more warmth...rest have typical alnico v

looks good on paper...if you encounter give it a go

Fender American Professional Telecaster - 3-Color Sunburst with Rosewood Fingerboard



Access to this page has been denied.

(link seems to work despite ^)

cheers