Non-Fender tele brands?

**Phil59** · 05-16-2021, 07:00 PM

Yes and no. It depends what you want. I have a use MIM Tele with Vintage Vibe pickups. I like it a lot. One feel, one sound. I also have a Kirn Tele. I like it a lot too. Different sound, neck, etc. Definitely higher quality. Bought used, so I did not pay the much higher new-guitar price.

Originally Posted by Cunamara

I'd look for a used MIM Tele. Or a Squier. Heck, my first Tele was a Squier Affinity, made in China and retailing for under $200, and it was a fine guitar. The pickups weren't the greatest but they weren't horrible. I gigged with it many times. Low end guitars are so much better than they used to be, it is really amazing. I think they often give the higher end guitars a run for their money if you're willing to not be concerned about the name on the headstock.

I am always a little bemused by artisanal plank guitars. Maybe they've got something going on there that I just don't understand, but multiple thousands of dollars for a guitar routed out of a slab of wood and bolted together seems silly. But the people who buy them do seem to find value in them.

**steve burchfield** · 05-16-2021, 07:03 PM

Oh yea I almost forgot. My second tele developed a vol. pot scratch so I had to drive a ways to get it cleaned.Bill Nash refunded me 30$ and was pleasant to deal with. Most likely rust developed while waiting in Humbuckers warehouse . They also Fender Custom Shop,Suhr,and K Line and more I think.I bought a Moog Theramin from them once and a 2rock amp.

**Bach5G** · 05-16-2021, 09:35 PM

I had a famous maker Tele. After a few years, the neck had done whatever necks do that would max out what a truss rod is supposed to fix. Very heavy guitar, with a very scooped sound. All in all, a pretty disappointing experience.

Now I have a Fender MIM FSR Tele and a Vintera 50s Tele. Pretty happy with them.

**GNAPPI** · 05-17-2021, 12:29 AM

I have a Traditions Jerry Reid. Three pups, gr8 neck, and deluxe all the way. My fave "tele".

Non-Fender tele brands?-tradition_jerry_reid-jpg

**christianm77** · 05-17-2021, 04:56 AM

Depends what you want... vintage style or modernised with useful features?

I don’t think you can go wrong with a Suhr for the latter.

**christianm77** · 05-17-2021, 04:56 AM

I play a 15 year old. Fender USA Deluxe. It’s a good guitar IMO...

A student of mine brought in a squire affinity tele the other day, and quite honestly I was knocked out. Compared to what squier meant in the the 90s...

**christianm77** · 05-17-2021, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bach5G

I had a famous maker Tele. After a few years, the neck had done whatever necks do that would max out what a truss rod is supposed to fix. Very heavy guitar, with a very scooped sound. All in all, a pretty disappointing experience.

Now I have a Fender MIM FSR Tele and a Vintera 50s Tele. Pretty happy with them.

i love the vinteras! The only thing I don’t like is the poly finish

**alltunes** · 05-17-2021, 08:05 AM

My Danocaster. I string it with 11's. 6lbs 5oz. Very resonant and plays like a dream. Versatile too as I requested the pick-up configuration that way. Dan Strain does some of the most convincing distressing out there too.

**zcostilla** · 05-17-2021, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by alltunes

My Danocaster. I string it with 11's. 6lbs 5oz. Very resonant and plays like a dream. Versatile too as I requested the pick-up configuration that way. Dan Strain does some of the most convincing distressing out there too.

After watching all the Ask Zac videos (by Zac Childs) on YouTube, I’ve decided that if I ever get a high-end guitar, it will be a Danocaster.

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**Just Fred** · 05-17-2021, 08:34 AM

Add me to the G&L crowd. I have four Fender Teles, but the G&L ASAT Junior II I have actually fits me better; the selector switch and control knobs are right where I want them! Two custom-designed P90 pickups make this one sweet sounding guitar!

**BComp61** · 05-17-2021, 03:23 PM

Gotta go to the Suhr camp. Love his guitars. Here's my T-style...
Non-Fender tele brands?-suhr-custom-t-jpg

**zcostilla** · 05-17-2021, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Just Fred

Add me to the G&L crowd. I have four Fender Teles, but the G&L ASAT Junior II I have actually fits me better; the selector switch and control knobs are right where I want them! Two custom-designed P90 pickups make this one sweet sounding guitar!

I like G&L. Sitting here playing my ASAT Bluesboy Tribute that I tweaked a little bit. Added in a H-90 custom wound by Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe Guitars and reversed the control plate (as well as removed most of the wood under the pick guard to make it easier on my back).

Edited to add: I really wish this has a forearm and belly contour. But that’s why I’m in the middle of my ZacCaster build. Just need to design the pickguard and order the pickups from Mojotone.

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**Greentone** · 05-17-2021, 03:43 PM

Gnappi: the Traditions Jerry Reid looks like a great guitar.

alltunes: the Danocaster just screams vintage vibe.

One more "T-type" worth mentioning: Peavey used to make a Steve Cropper model. I've only played one, but for a non-vintage style 'caster, it was an excellent, well-crafted "Tele." AND, Steve Cropper played it.

**citizenk74** · 05-17-2021, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by christianm77

I play a 15 year old. Fender USA Deluxe. It’s a good guitar IMO...

A student of mine brought in a squire affinity tele the other day, and quite honestly I was knocked out. Compared to what squier meant in the the 90s...

I had a similar experience with a student and his Squire Strat. It was a very nice instrument!

Wish I was a better teacher.

**Lobomov** · 05-17-2021, 06:21 PM

I'm seriously considering one of these Ibanez AZS2009H's

Roasted neck, stainless steel frets and some fancy switching option, if you ever need that .. Tho I might grab the blue one.

Thinking of keeping this one as a proper tele with 9s and either getting flats or at least going up in gauge on my current fender.

**Phil59** · 05-17-2021, 07:07 PM

Looking at the prices of Danocasters and Suhrs, and I expect there are more, I must agree with this.

Originally Posted by Cunamara

I am always a little bemused by artisanal plank guitars. Maybe they've got something going on there that I just don't understand, but multiple thousands of dollars for a guitar routed out of a slab of wood and bolted together seems silly. But the people who buy them do seem to find value in them.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 05-17-2021, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Lobomov

I'm seriously considering one of these Ibanez AZS2009H's

Roasted neck, stainless steel frets and some fancy switching option, if you ever need that .. Tho I might grab the blue one.

Thinking of keeping this one as a proper tele with 9s and either getting flats or at least going up in gauge on my current fender.

I love the "banana" control panel.

**Little Jay** · 05-18-2021, 07:19 AM

Posting my DIY Cooper-tele for information sake: this is a (very) cheap built with MIC parts, except for the P90 at the neck, which is a Lollar. The body is mahogany and the top some cardboard-like MDF (!) with a thin mahogany veneer.

The things sounds exceptionally good for jazz imho, inspite of the very low budget parts and materials.... for some reason cheap and low budget works very well with the tele-design....

**alltunes** · 05-18-2021, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Phil59

Looking at the prices of Danocasters and Suhrs, and I expect there are more, I must agree with this.

I can see the merit in this opinion. But I will say after owning several other high end boutique electrics (Collings, Don Grosch) the Danocaster felt like an old friend the moment I took it out of the case. The Danocaster hand shaped necks and the overall fee of the guitar oozes that of a well worn broken in instrument that has stood the test of time. Even though it's brand new.

What about the new Josh Smith signature Tele from Ibanez. Some cool features.