Fender American Elite Telecaster with ebony fretboard

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 02:09 PM

I traded in my Peerless Leela for this Fender American Elite Telecaster with ebony fretboard. Now, when it comes to Teles, I've always been old school is best, early 50s, but this guitar is just so good I couldn't say no to it, and I got a great deal from Chris at GuitarGuitar in Edinburgh.

I'm moving away from guitars which hurt my LH fingers, which as some of you will know has osteoarthritis . The neck on this tele is beautiful, very easy to get around. I've never had locking tuners before - haven't a clue what to do with them. The bridge is new to me too. I was a little put off by all these new appointments, but as soon as I started to play, I knew it was for me. It doesn't have the "spank" of some teles, but I have my Squire for that. I want to set this one up for jazz, with slightly heavier strings, 11s or 12s.

Here's a video I did after getting it home - unprepared and not the best playing you'll ever hear from me, but hopefully it will give an idea of the quality of the instrument. It's going into a Yamaha THR 10C, the "Bass" setting. The amp was up full, with the guitar down to about three.

From the Fender website:

FEATURES

Single cutaway electric guitar
Two all-new fourth generation Noiseless single-coil Telecaster pickups
S-1™ switching switches between parallel and series pickup wiring
Compound profile neck; redesigned contoured neck heel
9.5”-14” compound radius fingerboard
Locking short-post tuning machines
Includes redesigned ABS Elite Molded Case with TSA locks

Lots more info at Fender American Elite Telecaster(R), Ebony Fingerboard, Mystic Black

**rlrhett** · 08-26-2018, 02:22 PM

Dag nabbit! These nineties tech like locking tuners! In my day tuners were old twigs we whittled down with a shiv cut from the leaf spring of my old F150! ;-)

Congratulations on a great new guitar! In your hands anything sounds good. So treat those hands well and play that thing until it cries out for mercy.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 04:41 PM

Will do! Thanks for the comment.

**neatomic** · 08-26-2018, 05:07 PM

hey congrats rob..real nice tele!..modern style!! but with the benefits that brings...better intonation, noiseless pickups, compound ebony board, and the series/parallel switch when you have both pups on...nice..& whats cooler than a bound top tele?

& soundin good on it already...roy buchanan (a fellow scot?hah) indeed

congrats and enjoy

cheers

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 06:22 PM

Thanks, neatomic, for informing me that I need both pickups on for the series switch to work! I definitely noticed it working when in the store - must have been on both pups. Yes, the binding is very nice. The whole thing looks very well thought out and executed. I'd say it is a high-quality instrument.

Well, we have the Buchannan Galleries in Glasgow, but I don't think there's a connection ;-)

Sadly, the only the guitar that really makes my fingers scream with pain is the Big Elf. I really can't bear letting that one go, so will hold on to it. Sold the theorbo today, though have still to ship it to Spain.

**citizenk74** · 08-26-2018, 07:04 PM

What a beautiful Tele - all updated with an ebony board, to boot! Really nice tones all the way around, and some killer blues - whoa! Congratulations, and play it in good health!

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 07:08 PM

Ha, thanks k. I'd never seen a Tele with an ebony board before, though had heard they existed. Liked it straight away.

To be honest, I haven't played so many choruses of a blues in a long while, and was running out of ideas by the end. Must get back into it.

**mr. beaumont** · 08-26-2018, 07:17 PM

Ah, that's a damn fine tele.

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 07:20 PM

Thanks, Jeff. I've a vague memory of you saying you have or have had an ebony-board tele. My imagination?

**helios** · 08-26-2018, 07:20 PM

Great video review complete with awesome accent! Leo would be proud!

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-26-2018, 07:23 PM

What accent? You're the one with the accent

**rolijen** · 08-26-2018, 07:46 PM

Beautiful Tele, Rob. And hearing you play is always a treat! So much soul in your blues phrasing. Thank you for sharing, brother.

Roli

**rabbit** · 08-26-2018, 08:03 PM

Congratulations, looks lovely, sounds lovely!

Keep an eye out for the Debbil, though.

**MikeTT** · 08-26-2018, 08:05 PM

hahaha, great playing. I think you really should put on elevens:

**neatomic** · 08-26-2018, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

Sadly, the only the guitar that really makes my fingers scream with pain is the Big Elf. I really can't bear letting that one go, so will hold on to it. Sold the theorbo today, though have still to ship it to Spain.

sorry rob didn't realize you were going through such an ordeal...that theorbo served you well...the vids will always attest to that...sorry to hear about the big elf...

i will say...billy gibbons of zz top...uses same guitars as he always did...les pauls and billy bo's...has hand troubles...now uses 07's!!!...still sounds like billy gibbons...finding a workable comfort level is more important than chasing a tone at a certain point in ones playing...if you are playing an electric guitar...let the pickups and amp work for you & keep a light touch

well wishes

cheers

**helios** · 08-26-2018, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop

What accent? You're the one with the accent

You're right-just not an awesome one!

**WillMbCdn5** · 08-26-2018, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by MikeTT

hahaha, great playing. I think you really should put on elevens:

Lol I grew up in Glasgow and left for Canada at 19 years old some 40 odd years ago. After a couple of glasses of wine apparantly my accent unfades .

Eleven!!!!

Will

Lovely tele and playing as usual Rob

**Larry M** · 08-26-2018, 09:20 PM

Sounds great, Rob. Loved hearing you play every instrument you have had in your arsenal.

Larry

**neatomic** · 08-26-2018, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by Larry M

Sounds great, Rob. Loved hearing you play every instrument you have had in your arsenal.

Larry

exactly!! anything with strings! the maestro!!

and great teacher!!!...i never passed his mickey baker vid lessons to anyone who didnt love them!!!

cheers

**viccortes285** · 08-26-2018, 10:24 PM

Well shown mate, you did a outstanding job in showing what she can do. Congrats on her.

Fender American Elite Telecaster with ebony fretboard

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-27-2018, 02:35 AM

Nice to read these comments before my daily intake of porridge oats. Only on a jazz guitar forum would no one mention I never moved out of the neck pickup position, or even touched the tone control

I'd like to also thank the THR10C amp, which gives a decent sound, considering its size and price point.

Yes, I'm struggling with playing at the moment. What you see on the video was pretty much all I could do yesterday, but the neck helped a lot. On the Elferink I went down from 14s to 11s, which helped a little bit, but might need to take it down further. But for an acoustic guitar the lower you go the less you drive the soundboard, so I'm really worried about that, as in many ways it has been by dream instrument. I'm contemplating asking Frans if he would shave off some of the back of the neck, creating a shallower depth. I think that would enable me to still use at least 11s. I'll discuss it with him.

So, cheers, lads, and thanks for the support.

**rabbit** · 08-27-2018, 03:09 AM

Receiving any professional treatment for that?

**Stringswinger** · 08-27-2018, 03:28 AM

Congrats. Sounds and looks great. Put some 12's on her and you will have a fine jazz box.

Query? Does it have a tummy cut on the back?

**LtKojak** · 08-27-2018, 03:52 AM

Rob, that's a magnificent sounding instrument, and I'm known to hate Teles with a passion.

May you enjoy it for many years to come in good health.

Yours very truly,

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-27-2018, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by rabbit

Receiving any professional treatment for that?

My doctor sent me for x-rays. She tells me there is nothing to do but pain management. I don't want to take paracetamol an hour before every session, so will be looking for some alternative therapies that work. I'm told a tincture of cannabis would help a lot, but that's illegal here. I have a very good herbalist in town who has helped me with asthma in the past, so I plan to see her soon.