Telecaster Love Thread, No Archtops Allowed

**Cunamara** · 05-16-2021, 12:52 AM

"Cryo tuned?"

Dunno about that specific guitar, but nice amp collection!

**Filmosound 621** · 05-16-2021, 01:57 AM

cryo tuning, done by George Forester ... they cool down the entire guitar to -190° Celsius.

I bought the guitar with the treatment done, it is not all cheap at ~400 Euros ...

the sweetest Amp is out of sight to the left ...

**Hammertone** · 05-18-2021, 04:01 AM

Here's a tele built from scratch by Erik Hansen of Hansen Kustoms. I now have two of these and will be selling one soon enough. The total weight is 5 3/4 pounds, due to the Paulownia body.

I'll probably hold onto the Sea Foam Green one - it has the whopper neck. Surf's Up!

**Hammertone** · 05-18-2021, 04:14 AM

Just finished this one for a customer. Not the lightest thing in the world with all that hardware on it, but it's a really nice guitar nonetheless. Hooray for Fiesta Red!

**El Jazzbo Lobo** · 05-28-2021, 07:40 AM

Nice. What bridge is that in post 377?

**El Jazzbo Lobo** · 05-28-2021, 07:44 AM

Don't know if they're all that way, but the one in the foreground looks to have a thicker-than-standard body thickness...maybe 2"+. What brand are they? Do you know if they were solid or chambered?

**Hammertone** · 05-29-2021, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by El Jazzbo Lobo

Nice. What bridge is that?

Originally Posted by El Jazzbo Lobo

Don't know if they're all that way, but the one in the foreground looks to have a thicker-than-standard body thickness...maybe 2"+. What brand are they? Do you know if they were solid or chambered?

Regarding which guitar in which post#?

**El Jazzbo Lobo** · 05-30-2021, 02:12 AM

oh, dang. I'm used to TDPRI where it links the source post when you reply directly to it. I'll have to look back and see if I can find them.

**Marcel_A** · 05-30-2021, 04:28 AM

Question:

I see very different configurations passing by in this thread. SC's, HB-ers, different brands, different hardware.
Fender has strats and tele's. Different shape, both SC's. Why does a strat sound different form a tele?

What makes a tele a tele?

I don't mean this filosofically. When people refer to the sound of a tele, what is it that makes this sound? Is it the typical lipstick SC? Is it the typical bridge?

**gitman** · 05-30-2021, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Marcel_A

Question:

I see very different configurations passing by in this thread. SC's, HB-ers, different brands, different hardware.
Fender has strats and tele's. Different shape, both SC's. Why does a strat sound different form a tele?

What makes a tele a tele?

I don't mean this filosofically. When people refer to the sound of a tele, what is it that makes this sound? Is it the typical lipstick SC? Is it the typical bridge?

The Tele was Leo's first production model and was unique in every way. His bridge design with that rather large piece of thin metal and the single coil pickup mounted directly onto it
makes for THAT twangy + trebly Tele tone. The neck pickup is also a single coil albeit with a metal cover which colors/softens the tone in a specific way.
The first version of the Tele (very early 50's) had a bridge pickup that was wound a little hotter and these original "Blackguard" Teles (some are called "Nocaster" for the omission of the model name on the headstock) and are the most sought after models - along with the early Esquire and Broadcaster (single pickup) models. If you're after the screaming Roy Buchanan type of Tele tone then a Blackguard would be your holy grail - for the Ted Greene/Ed Bickert CLEAN tone you'd be using the neck pickup exclusively and that tone can be achieved with pretty much all of the later versions without much difficulties. Since any pickup can only pick up the vibrations of the string the construction of the whole guitar and the resulting vibration-characteristics is just as important : without this specific bridge design the Tele will sound quite different.

The Strat otoh has 3 identical pickups mounted onto a plastic pickguard and the bridge is a new and different design also. No metal covers on the pickups. The shape of the body has no real influence on the tone of the guitar but the choice of wood definitely has. Playing in a seated position the Tele is more comfortable for many players

The tonal differences are quite apparent, you hear this at once even when you play each model unplugged.

**citizenk74** · 05-30-2021, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by El Jazzbo Lobo

oh, dang. I'm used to TDPRI where it links the source post when you reply directly to it. I'll have to look back and see if I can find them.

**citizenk74** · 05-30-2021, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by gitman

The Tele was Leo's first production model and was unique in every way. His bridge design with that rather large piece of thin metal and the single coil pickup mounted directly onto it
makes for THAT twangy + trebly Tele tone. The neck pickup is also a single coil albeit with a metal cover which colors/softens the tone in a specific way.
The first version of the Tele (very early 50's) had a bridge pickup that was wound a little hotter and these original "Blackguard" Teles (some are called "Nocaster" for the omission of the model name on the headstock) and are the most sought after models - along with the early Esquire and Broadcaster (single pickup) models. If you're after the screaming Roy Buchanan type of Tele tone then a Blackguard would be your holy grail - for the Ted Greene/Ed Bickert CLEAN tone you'd be using the neck pickup exclusively and that tone can be achieved with pretty much all of the later versions without much difficulties. Since any pickup can only pick up the vibrations of the string the construction of the whole guitar and the resulting vibration-characteristics is just as important : without this specific bridge design the Tele will sound quite different.

The Strat otoh has 3 identical pickups mounted onto a plastic pickguard and the bridge is a new and different design also. No metal covers on the pickups. The shape of the body has no real influence on the tone of the guitar but the choice of wood definitely has. Playing in a seated position the Tele is more comfortable for many players

The tonal differences are quite apparent, you hear this at once even when you play each model unplugged.

Admirably stated - detailed and yet concise. Kudos!

**Hammertone** · 05-30-2021, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Marcel_A

...What makes a tele a tele?

Originally Posted by gitman

Since any pickup can only pick up the vibrations of the string the construction of the whole guitar and the resulting vibration-characteristics is just as important : without this specific bridge design the Tele will sound quite different.

Hooray for physics! I agree - traditional tele bridge w/tele bridge pickup is the main item.
Without that, guitars can look like telecasters, but do not sound like telecasters.
Teles with shorter-scale or conversion necks sound less like teles but can still sound reasonably tele-like if they use the traditional tele bridge/pickup design.
But no one actually cares about any of this except for a bunch of nerdlingers. Out in the real world, if it resembles the overall shape of a tele, it's called a tele.

**Fat Fingers** · 06-02-2021, 03:22 PM

You tele lovers ever played around with the Fender Mod Shop tool? I'm curious what features and specifications you all would choose if asked to build the best Jazz telecaster you could from the site?

Telecaster | Mod Shop

**Cunamara** · 06-02-2021, 10:59 PM

Nerdlingers?

The shape of the body would possibly also have an effect on the tone of the guitar in a couple of different ways. One of them is going to be mass; the Telecaster body has more mass than the Stratocaster body when made from the same kind of wood with the same specific gravity. That's going to affect tone.

Another way in which tone might be affected is the transmission of vibrations through the wood. A Telecaster has two large parallel surfaces- the front and back- which conceivably could allow vibrations to pass through the wood and reflect off the back and back up to the top (and vice versa). Rick Turner talks about this regarding the body shape of the Model One, which was in turn inspired by a much earlier guitar from the 1800s. The Stratocaster, with its much more irregular shape, is going to have less of that. But I'm not a physicist so that could well be wrong. I am thinking back to high school physics class with wave tanks.

**citizenk74** · 06-03-2021, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Cunamara

Nerdlingers?

The shape of the body would possibly also have an effect on the tone of the guitar in a couple of different ways. One of them is going to be mass; the Telecaster body has more mass than the Stratocaster body when made from the same kind of wood with the same specific gravity. That's going to affect tone.

Another way in which tone might be affected is the transmission of vibrations through the wood. A Telecaster has two large parallel surfaces- the front and back- which conceivably could allow vibrations to pass through the wood and reflect off the back and back up to the top (and vice versa). Rick Turner talks about this regarding the body shape of the Model One, which was in turn inspired by a much earlier guitar from the 1800s. The Stratocaster, with its much more irregular shape, is going to have less of that. But I'm not a physicist so that could well be wrong. I am thinking back to high school physics class with wave tanks.

This. I see the Fender-type instrument as having one basic node (the neck bolt area) and innumerable sub-nodes. The neck itself will have its own basic resonance (complicated a bit if laminated with rosewood) and the lighter per cubic inch body will have its own series of peaks and valleys which will, depending on their phase, reinforce or lessen the effect of the combination. Add vibrato, and you get a comb-filter effect. In the Strat this is enhanced by the built-in reverb tank with its multiple springs and adjustable tension. Magic, indeed!

**jim777** · 06-09-2021, 08:14 AM

I tell you what, I would LOVE to try one of Ron Kirn's Barncasters made out of that 150 year old pine. But for those looking for a 50's style tele without paying 50's money the MIM Baja line was superb. Designed by the Custom Shop as a cheaper '52, and they are great sounding and playing totally stock.

**Marcel_A** · 06-12-2021, 05:45 AM

I can try a G&L Tele thinline (bluesboy hollowbody).
Is anyone familiar with this model? Is it any good? What would
be a realistic price secondhand in Europe?

**docsteve** · 06-12-2021, 07:44 AM

I have a G&L solidbody Asat Tribute and I like it a lot (meaning that I don’t play anything else). Do try the Bluesboy out. I had a hard time deciding between the two. In the end I preferred the single coil in the neck position.

400€ should be acceptable, if it is in good shape.

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**zcostilla** · 06-12-2021, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Marcel_A

I can try a G&L Tele thinline (bluesboy hollowbody).
Is anyone familiar with this model? Is it any good? What would
be a realistic price secondhand in Europe?

I have a Tribute Bluesboy (not a thinline) and the neck pickup is rather dark. It will work for jazz but it didn’t suit me. I replaced it with a Vintage Vibes P-90 (humbucker sized) and reversed the control plate. The neck is great on it! It was still heavy to me, especially with a basswood body. But I drilled out and chiseled away under the pickguard to lighten it up. You can’t tell while the pickguard is on.

I’d spend up to $400 American for a used thinline.

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**Gitfiddler** · 06-12-2021, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Marcel_A

I can try a G&L Tele thinline (bluesboy hollowbody).
Is anyone familiar with this model? Is it any good? What would
be a realistic price secondhand in Europe?

I'm not familiar with a full hollowbody Bluesboy, however, I owned a semi-hollow model back when they first came out. Loved the tones, but it was a bit neck-heavy due to the lightness of its body. The neck pickup was good, but not great. Sold it. Then I missed it.

About 9 years ago I bought a solid body Korina Bluesboy with a Seth Lover in the neck. It sounded great, but I could never get the neck and bridge pickup balanced properly. The Seth was replaced with a Phat Cat, and it's still in there to this day. Great jazz tones and it balanced well with the G&L bridge pickup. A photo of the guitar is somewhere in this monster thread.

**Filmosound 621** · 06-12-2021, 03:33 PM

my new Telecaster, a Rick Kelly Drophorn.

**Marcel_A** · 06-13-2021, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by Gitfiddler

I'm not familiar with a full hollowbody Bluesboy, however, I owned a semi-hollow model back when they first came out. Loved the tones, but it was a bit neck-heavy due to the lightness of its body. The neck pickup was good, but not great. Sold it. Then I missed it.

Oh, are there two versions? A semi and full hollowbody? I assumened they were all sort of semi hollowbody?