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Hi
I am thinking now about buying a Tele
I am not in the States so I am searching local market of used guitars first but I could order from teh States too...
The thing is I am not so experienced about Teles and there's a lot of different models on the market: Japan and USA (probably Mexiacan too but I did not see it - maybe they will let you know when you come to buy)), from very different years, design and all... and the price range is quite big too
I like classic clean sound and classic design (preferably natural but the sound goes first for me)
Just for comparison what I came across recentl
TL 71 (Japan 1987)
AVRI 64 (USA 2012)
American Delux 60's (USA 2011)
American Vintage '58 (USA 2004)
Fender Telecaster (USA1971) - but this one is by far more expensive than the others in the list
This list is just a sample, not that I have to choose something from it specifically
Any ideas or opinions will be appreciated.
I am even ok to go with some other brand in case it will have the same sound
thanks in advance
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01-30-2017 04:36 AM
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You can even consider the Modern Player-line. They are made in China and relatively inexpensive, but the price-quality is outstanding IMHO. I love mine, I have the thinline Deluxe P90, but with the P90s and thinline design that strays just a little further from the classic Tele-design (but it's more jazzy to me):
[img]http://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Zo...frt_001_rr.jpg[/img]
If you stumble upon an older London City Tele: don't hesitate and buy it, I think that's the best tele a couple of hundred bucks can buy! (At least the ones I've seen and played were outstanding for that little money.)
[img]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/llvcloQo140/maxresdefault.jpg[/img]
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Take care about neck radius. It can be anywhere from 7.5" to 14".
IME, newish "classic vibe" and "vintage modified" Squiers are as good as Fender Modern Player in build quality and even as American Standard.
However, that does not mean I liked them. On the contrary. I did not like playability.
American Standard was quite a disappointment at the price.
I liked one Fender "Pawn Shop", but that was one from the bunch.
Disclaimer: I don't care about the natural sound of guitar, for once they go through FX box and amp (simulator) they all can sound like each other.
After the price, I only care about the feel of the neck and perceived build quality.
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Thank you
Usually this is my approach on hollow or semi-hollow bodies... I check confortability, playability, construction quality (acoustic resonance sometimes)... the pickups can be changedI don't care about the natural sound of guitar, for once they go through FX box and amp (simulator) they all can sound like each other.
After the price, I only care about the feel of the neck and perceived build quality.
but with Teles it always seems to me that there's something special about them.. I mean all the components ( I am not sure I am right)...
Besides I am more 'plug in and play' guy...
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01-30-2017, 10:48 AM #5joaopaz Guest
Check G&L.
Personally, and this it's just my opinion, I'd disregard anything from Fender... My experience has not been good and I ended up selling all of mine.
BUT I would buy anything from the Classic Vibe Squier series (but not from the Vintage Modified line).
G&L is where Leo Fender worked until he died - not at Fender. Their models are fantastic, and the Asian built ones surpass by far anything of Fender I tried... My American Special included.
Their MFD pickups sound gorgeous, too!
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It's just really hard to go wrong with ANY Tele and the pickups can be changed. It sort of boils down to playability - personally, I have no problem with different neck sizes but some folks think they have to have a certain radius or thickness or they just can' t play. Try to play different ones and see what you think-and, remember, necks can also be changed very easily - that's why Leo made 'em that way. Good luck with your search!!
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For me there a three major questions you need to address :
1) neck radius and degree of "V" profile varies massively across models. Be sure that it suits you
2) pickups - there is an enormous range so same point
3) Some people hate the brass double saddle Tele bridges for reasons of intonation - others swear that this is what drives the "twang".
My own answer was to purchase a Peavey Omniac Jerry Donahue edition which has a tight radius with a sharp V near the nut that progesssively straightens out as you go up the neck. The custom pickups give a great range from pure Tele to Strat. I swapped out the traditional double saddle and replaced it with an ABM 3456c which allows me to adjust for height and intonation on each string
Key message - try as many variations as you can before spending :-)
Last edited by Ray175; 02-20-2017 at 03:49 PM.
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We had a pretty long thread along these lines recently:
What telecaster to get?
I ended up building a tele:
Building a Partscaster tele
which was a lot of fun and I am very pleased with the final result.
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I went to a shop and tried out all the telecasters they had and then I bought the one that I liked that I could also afford (the Suhr was too expensive.)
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I would agree with the idea of finding one with a great neck that meets your preferences as the most important thing when going tele.
Not only can everything else be changed, it's not even that hard to do!
The other idea would be to have a neck made for you and buy a loaded body on fleabay.
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And don't assume you have to go expensive.
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That said my missus bought a American Deluxe last year just as the line was discontinued - rosewood neck, silver paint finish, faux-toirtoise shell scratchplate.
Bought sight unseen off Thomann, which I often advise against.
In fact, I love it - it's a great modern electric guitar. Might still find some Deluxes being sold for knock down prices... I would recommend. Took it into the studio in fact, and it sounds mighty through my Princeton.
My other Tele is also a Deluxe (2005) - not purist Tele's, but great super versatile guitars, and consistent if my experience is worth going by.
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Go over to the telecaster forum (tdpri.com).
Don't fall for the traditional 3-barrel bridge mojo...unless you enjoy persistent intonation problems. There are aftermarket designs (Callaham (sp?) which are improvements, even with the 3-barrel thing. I've done a couple of builds with both string thrus and traditional, and don't see much difference.
Tele Twang,I doubt you're looking for that. Most guys into that use maple necks. I think ash-bodied teles have that boomy ringing bass that you hear on a lot of early 50's rock n' roll, and also more pronounced highs. I think alder bodies are more even-toned, as are the rosewood necked ones. (The rosewood slab neck was introduced for cosmetic reasons....the older maple necks get ugly-looking, but to a lot of tele twangsters those wear marks, are a sign of honor....you have to earn them.)
G & L's are funny. Leo Fender said he didn't think the Strat and the Tele were the best he could do...and so G & L's are not exact copies of either. The MFD pu's on the ASATs are hotter and more mid-rangy. (G & L relented and started bringing out more "vintage" versions of both Strats and Teles, but even they, to a lot of people, don't quite catch the original vibe. It's a little like Heritage and Gibson archtops....close but not quite the same.)
I have Vintage Vibe pu's in one of my partcasters...more even-toned and powerful, and less ice-pick in the ear. I have Curtis Novak pu's in another....little twangier, but still not over the top trebly....there are so many good pu's out there, you have a ton of choices.
There are also 3 pu teles (the Jerry Donahue model), that are really versatile. Steve Morse also played one that covers a LOT of ground, tone-wise. Still, simple is key....the basic design is a winner. Occasionally you see ones without the back-slant bridge pu....I think this is part of what makes a tele, a tele....you wouldn't put strat single coils on a Les Paul, would you?
I'm not even sure the f-hole shaped teles are an improvement. I think some of them just end up sounding "thud-dy". I do think neck size makes a difference with big necks being more resonant, but I have big hands...these are easily available after-market...you'll have to decide what suits your hand.Last edited by goldenwave77; 01-30-2017 at 01:06 PM.
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Well, the basic advice is play as many as you can, preferably through your amp, and see which ones you like. Teles have a surprising amount of variety to them even in the classic configuration.
My preference for jazz: alder body, rosewood fingerboard, 6 saddle bridge, .012 TI BB112 roundwounds or .012 Pyramid flatwounds. I think alder has less twang and more mids than ash. I've also got a semi-hollow made from mahogany with a maple top, like a Les Paul, which sounds wonderful for jazz.
I have liked the regular Tele pickups, really liked the Dimarzio Area T noiseless pickups, and love a Charle Christian style pickup in the neck position. But that's getting pretty far away from the Tele sound.
The MIM Teles are good bang for the buck- as Leo Fender is alleged to have said, "you can buy a Tele made in Mexico by Mexicans or you can buy a Tele made in California by Mexicans." Same parts, same skill set, different country of assembly is the main difference. I recently spent an evening playing a friend's MIM Tele and it was a fantastic guitar. Other than the serial number having an M in it, there was no difference that I noticed. The fit and finish were excellent.
I have a made-in-China Squier Affinity and it too is a good-sounding, nice playing guitar. But it is a smidge smaller in the body, is a little neck-heavy on a strap, and most USA/MIM parts mostly don't fit directly (the necks do). But for under $200 it was a great entry into Teles. I did have to look at about 8 of them to find one without neck problems, though. I leave it at my band's rehearsal location.
Enjoy the adventure!
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Thank you very much, guys...
By the way yesterday I tried FGN tele... it felt very nice, much like Japanese guitars in average (like Ibanez or Yamaha)..
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I love my Fender 50's Baja Tele. Strung with TI flatwound 0.11's.
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I have the 64 one. It's my first, and probably the last one, unless i need to replace it. I dunno much about teles, but I know I like the narrow necks with smaller than 12' radius, and it got it. The big plus it's very light, under 7 pounds, it's important for me. I had to change the pickups, even though they sounded really good. In NYC single coils are nightmare in some venues, the buzz is too much. Area T noisless- and the priblem solved.
Originally Posted by Jonah
I would def. recommend this tele, pretty versatile, and light
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The two I would vote for are:
G&L. As has been said already, G&L makes some great T-style models. The second would be the John Page Classic AJ. Wonderful playability, and I can get classic Tele bridge tones and the neck is a P90. Best of both worlds!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Best wishes - whatever you choose, Jonah. Great decision. Originally Posted by Jonah
If anyone had told me years ago that I should at least try a Tele, I'd probably have listened - just to be polite. But there's no way I'd have acted on that advice.
However, having only had my vintage modified 72 thinline Squier for about a month, I thoughly recommend a Tele to anyone - regardless of style.
I only wanted one to experiment and noodle, getting back into Ted Greene late at night at home... but it was easier than expected to set the action and intonation (with TI low-tension flatwounds) - and I've been having so much fun with it - that I'm going to using it every week. Brand new toys, guitar and pedal board:
<br>
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This one can be had at Sale times for around 350 new if you keep an eye out:
Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Thinline Electric Guitar Natural | Musician's Friend
if you are into jazz this is a great way to get a chambered mahogany body and everyone thinks it's as good as the Mexican teles and a great deal. You can always change things out on it but mine was just fine as is and I only changed the pickguard.
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Nice, Mike. I own its sunburst sister. Did you pick this up about a year ago? Got mine dec of 15... Originally Posted by destinytot
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Got it earlier this month! Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher
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Teles as much, and maybe more, than other guitars, are about the specs and the individual guitar.
Try and find out the specs-neck, bridge, pu's, etc. that you like, and play some. Cheaper ones like squier and MIM can be just fine.
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Yamaha makes a Tele as part of the Pacifica line, but I've never seen one.
Anybody have an impression?
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Actually my evolution (if I can call it this way) was very interesting... as a kid I played only acoustics and mostly nylons... about 20 I wanted to get in to jazz more and live gigs and I got electric just to get used to it... I did not anything about electrics (not much interenet those days too), I knew a pro young guitarist who also worked in a big guitar store and asked him for advice... he asked which player I liked... at the moment I listend a lot of Mike Stern.. and I said: Mike Stern... (I also liked Keith Richards clean sound too)
It was quite strange because I liked more music like traditional jazz,Trane, Miles...
He advised cheap Pacifica tele with 2 humbuckers... (about usd200)... I believe it was only body shape that it had in common with Mike Stern's guitar...))))
To be honest I think this guy did not really care about my choice - today I would never recommend this guitar to the one who likes Mike Stern's sound
I think if those days I would have got even cheapest archtop it would have been much more inspiring...
I did not like the guitar - tried a bit moved back to acoustics.. later I sold it...
then I had a break without intensive playing jazz guitar...
When I got back to it I wanted acoustic archtop (I was sure I would never play electrics, wanted to play just some standards in vintage style arrangements) - I could not afford expensive one, so I played Godin then The Loar, then something else...
then I got unexpextedly deeper and deeper in it... and again I wanted electirc.. so I installed pickup, then bought an archtop with pickups... after a year or so I tried semi-hollow and enjoyed it (though I always said I liked big body guitars!!))... now I played mostly ES-335 style guitars... I liked the openess of the fretboard - almost like you play piano... at the moment I was all in the modern stuff...
Then I had a chance to try tele and simultaneously I heard Bill Frisell on tele with clean sound...
so I got back to teles)) - it was by the way a year or so ago.. so took some time)))
I think i will try some Squiers anf if they feel ok for me I'lll get one... if not I'll gor for FGN - they are more expensive but not that much...
PS
My wife already saw a couple of times an Internet page with a new guitar... but when she looked closer she said: oh... just 200 dollars... ok...
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