The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I always wanted to get a Tele. And I am really close to getting one now.

    There are quite a lot of used Tele around for sale as I live in a big metropolis area but this is also a problem to try them all as the distances are long and alsoithis pandemics situation does not help it.

    So just your opinions.

    recently I saw Squire Affinity for quite a good price...
    Also there are other guitars for sale within my price range

    Then the next level is almost 40% more expensive

    Bills Brothers, Japan ( i saw Bill Frisell trying those in some shop in Japan, they seem to be rare and cool guitars)
    Squier Classic Vibe
    FGN Teles (Japan, bu not sure about production country)
    (Local used guitar market is overfilled with used Japanese guitar that are brought to Russia through Eastern border I guess, being bought cheap and then restored and out for sale in big cities by private dealers)

    Next is about 20% more expensive
    MIM Teles from various years

    This where my budget is over. I would deffinitely prefer to pay less and go for Affinity but if it is worth money I would go for higher end instruments in teh list too.

    What would be the main difference? And What is your opinion?

    thank you

    PS
    When I began typing that post I felt suddely say.. I did not get why immidiately and then I realized. Whenever there was a Tele talk Cosmis Gumbo would have been there for sure(((
    He is here... I hope.

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  3. #2

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    Well, the squire affinity is basic. Actually quite ok but you’d be better at the 20% more. The classic vibe is very good. If you have time though you might examine buying the affinity and upgrading the hardware - bridge pickups, pots and nut. And getting a fret job done. This of course may push you into the price of one or Teo higher but if you’re short of cash you could see it as a two or three stage project.


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  4. #3

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    Squier Classic Vibe are excellent guitars - especially at their price point.

  5. #4

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    Calculate your budget, take cash and go to the shop. Preferably, take your kid along. On your way, get some fast food, sweets, drinks, buy lottery ... With remaining cash, at the shop, note couple of the most expensive you can afford, then let your kid decide among them.
    If you go alone, just buy the most expensive one .

    My Band camp

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Vladan
    Calculate your budget, take cash and go to the shop. Preferably, take your kid along. On your way, get some fast food, sweets, drinks, buy lottery ... With remaining cash, at the shop, note couple of the most expensive you can afford, then let your kid decide among them.
    If you go alone, just buy the most expensive one .

    My Band camp
    Nice)
    But today buying guitar from the shop having plenty of used ones around - at least here - is not the best option reallly)))

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    Nice)
    But today buying guitar from the shop having plenty of used ones around - at least here - is not the best option reallly)))
    There is always something better and cheaper. I try to not get bothered.
    Anyway, you can apply my advice to second hand market, too

    My Band camp

  8. #7

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    I have both USA, Mexico and Japan Fender Telecasters, but I do also enjoy my Harley Benton Telecasters, they are great guitars for the budget aware guitar player.

    Here I play my Harley Benton te-20

    .
    .

    And here my Te-52


  9. #8

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    There was a thread here about the differences between models recently. Might search for it.

    My opinion is that Affinity uses cheapest components, so OK for beginners but might need some upgrading. The Classic Vibe is more of a basic Tele with vintage specs. I’d go for that, or a used MIM if I could find one I liked.

    The bottom line is get the one that gets the sound you want at the price you can afford.

    I have played some US Teles that just didn’t cut it for me soundwise. I was all set to get a Classic Vibe Thinline, when a MIM with several upgrades came up on Craigslist. MIM body and hardware, Warmouth neck, SD pickups. At $150 it was probably the best guitar bargain I ever got. I actually replaced the body with a GFS paulownia body—nicer finish, less weight—and added a GFS tremolo, and now I have completed the FrankenTele transformation. A guitar for all purposes...

    Tele question again-23d09035-142a-4116-be21-394a4f27af46-jpeg

  10. #9

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    My first Tele was a Squier Affinity in butterscotch as an inexpensive way to dip my toe in the waters. I've had it for over 10 years now. It has been a good sounding, reliable instrument which I gigged with many times. The Telecaster faithful won't like it because of the heavy steel bridge plate instead ofmthe thin stamped ashtray, heavy 6 saddle bridge, lack of string-through the body, heavy poly finish, etc. The neck on mine was very narrow so for a while I had a Warmoth neck on it (which cost substantially more than the whole guitar). That neck is now on my other Telecaster and the original is back on the Squire; now I don't know what my complaint was, I adjust within a few seconds to that neck and don't give it another thought. It has needed no fret work at all; the nut was easy to adjust for proper playability; the pickups are maybe not quite the best but they're good enough (the design is more like a P90 with a bar magnet). Once other people are playing with you, the nuances of tone are pretty much lost and no one can tell anyway.

    If you go this route, my advice would be to scrutinize the guitar very carefully before buying. I looked at about a dozen of these at Guitar Center when I was shopping for it and most of those had significant neck problems. I ended up not buying it from them and instead buying it at Best Buy (when they briefly had a music instrument section); they had done a bit of a set up on it so it played pretty well when I brought it home and only needed some tweaking.

  11. #10

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    Okay, I guess I get to be the first to suggest that you build your own Tele the way you like it and enjoy the journey. I’ll never forget the first time I plugged mine in and played the first chord... wow! You can do it.

  12. #11
    Yesterday I tried that Affinity (the guy turned out to be just walking distance from me) - i am still hezitating: the guitar is in perfect condition, built well, plays smooth... but when I played it I did not really have that reall tele feel and sound I remember from trying good Teles)))

    First the neck is too thin and narrow - I think Fenders are a bit more brutal? I can't remember for sure.
    Second - the tone sounds more like it imitates a Tele...

    I decided I would check a couple of MIM first.. .I am not novice- I deserve a good instrument! (I will say it to my wife)))

  13. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by vernon
    Okay, I guess I get to be the first to suggest that you build your own Tele the way you like it and enjoy the journey. I’ll never forget the first time I plugged mine in and played the first chord... wow! You can do it.

    It is really great!
    I had this idea some years ago... my wife's father is a good carpenter and has all the tools and machines and I thought i would use his help.. but eventually I gave it up.

  14. #13
    I came across a good offer for this one

    but cannot try it so far



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  15. #14

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    A few years ago they brought out a Mexican so proud of its country of origin they named it after it. I think it was Baja and it got outstanding reviews as in super value for money


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  16. #15

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    I still have difficulty buying Chinese made....
    Last edited by Eck; 11-30-2020 at 07:28 AM. Reason: Misread

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eck
    I still have difficulty buying Chinese made....
    Why?

  18. #17

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    I absolutely love my CV Tele. Had a butterscotch Affinity for a short time and it was ok but the CV is in a different league, for a very reasonable price. Mine has the A3 pups and I didn’t feel the need to change a thing.

  19. #18
    You see in Russia dealers monopolize the prices... and currency exchange rate instability does not help to improve it.
    And when rouble drops the prices of imported goods grow, but when rouble grows the prices stay the same!

    If you re-calculate the price of that CV thinine back in dollast it will make almost 750 dollars!

    That makes the used market prices high too.

    Before it was profitable to buy directly from EU or US online because exporters deduct the VAT and even with delivery and customes it was cheaper than from local dealer.

    But today I cannot bu Fender guitars directly from US or EU shop to Russia, I guess Fender protects the dealers.

    I got an offer for that CV new of 450 dollars - i'll go and see if it is ok it is a great deal for local market.
    i can sell it used at a higher price even

  20. #19

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    I've never played an Affinity, but these are considered bottom-of-the-(Fender)-barrell. The other Squiers (Vintage Modified, etc) are better.

    The Classic vibes are good guitars, a step up from the above models.

    The MIMs are fantastic guitars- every bit as good as the American ones (I own both)

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    You see in Russia dealers monopolize the prices... and currency exchange rate instability does not help to improve it.
    And when rouble drops the prices of imported goods grow, but when rouble grows the prices stay the same!

    If you re-calculate the price of that CV thinine back in dollast it will make almost 750 dollars!


    I got an offer for that CV new of 450 dollars - i'll go and see if it is ok it is a great deal for local market.
    i can sell it used at a higher price even

    CV Thinline natural, new at shop, here is listed at about USD 600/ EUR 500, which is MSRP at Sweetwater, where they sell it for USD 450.
    USD 750, that is really too much, although, I do not know how it looks in proportion to local average income?

    There is no such model offered second hand here. Only one Master Series for EUR 300 (set neck, 24.75 scale, in red paint).

    BTW, Squier Bullet series is lower class than Affinity.

  22. #21
    I went to the shop and tried that CV. It is a nice and well-built guitar with very pleasant tone ...

    But I tried MIM standard (in that shop it is cheaper too than from the official dealer by the way).. and it is definitely another level.
    And it was about 750usd ( the price of CV from the dealer store)

    I tried also Korean one and it was great but very different more "biting" tone even at the neck pu.

    Anyway I put aside the idea of getting a Squire.

    I will try to hunt a good MIM

  23. #22
    By the way.. do I understand it correctly that Player series substituted Standard series or?

    It seems I find guitars with the same price and specs under both names

  24. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    You see in Russia dealers monopolize the prices... and currency exchange rate instability does not help to improve it.
    And when rouble drops the prices of imported goods grow, but when rouble grows the prices stay the same!

    If you re-calculate the price of that CV thinine back in dollast it will make almost 750 dollars!

    That makes the used market prices high too.

    Before it was profitable to buy directly from EU or US online because exporters deduct the VAT and even with delivery and customes it was cheaper than from local dealer.

    But today I cannot bu Fender guitars directly from US or EU shop to Russia, I guess Fender protects the dealers.

    I got an offer for that CV new of 450 dollars - i'll go and see if it is ok it is a great deal for local market.
    i can sell it used at a higher price even
    Local music store business is very strange.
    A few big networks occupy huge luxury showrooms in the downtown of the extremely expensive cities for rent (quite comparable to Paris prices)... the guitars hang there for years.. without care, overpriced.. Martin's and Gibsons with frets off because of bad humidity control.. indifferent and incompetent sellers.
    They are biggest deslers too.
    I offer think that these stores are 'cover business'


    And there are a few small shops with real attitude.. workshop, interest in customer, professional competence.
    But they mostly depend on dealers price wise for major brands.

    Those guys I mentioned. I think they just deliver those Fenders unofficially as private persons and thus they keep the price lower.
    Though they are official dealers for Takamine, Breedlove and Roland.


    Most serious players here buy used guitars lo ally ir ftom EI/US

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jonah
    By the way.. do I understand it correctly that Player series substituted Standard series or?

    It seems I find guitars with the same price and specs under both names

    Yeah ... That's correct the mim standard is now the mim player series

  26. #25
    I forgot to mention.. I also tried there a Squier with P90s.. it sounded surprisingly well especially I like the bridge pick up and mix... it was crispy but warm.

    And it was inexpensive really... I guess around 400 usd (considering local prices in teh US it would be around usd250-300)
    but the PUs were more noisy than singles.

    I just was not after such a guitar but I tries to keep it in mine for the future... it seemed it was in the shop for quite long time, Tele with P90s is not in much demand so probably i'ii catch it up later