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  • Tele vs Strat - your thoughts...

Ok, the Blacktop discussion going on aside, I just wanted to get some input on general opinions around whole the Tele/Strat thing. I have a Highway One Strat, which I enjoy. I originally bought it because I went looking for an amp, and it just happened to be the guitar I was trying the amp out with. Schoolboy error, but there you go.

I have an HH guitar in my PRS, and I have a nice fat single coil sound (which I can tailor as I need) in my Goldtop. So, I'm thinking, maybe a better option than the Strat is to round out the options with the dinkum twang of a Tele. I've seen some Tokai Teles at Andy's, and they really look the part, so I think I'm going to start looking around and playing - I'm not worried about the name on the headstock, I only care about how the thing plays and what comes outta the cabinet.

But before I do go adventuring, I thought I'd get some input as to whether I should even bother, or just stick with the mix as it is. I have three (electric) guitars I enjoy playing, I'm hoping to get into a bit of a thing with some mates soon, and who knows, we might just end up playing some braais in a few years. So no grand ambitions. If and when I record, it's generally with the PRS or the acoustic. Worth it/Not worth it - thoughts.

Because the other option is to offload the Strat and ship in some new gear - pedals and other fun GAS-related gadgets.

Thanks
dh
    Being a guitarist is hell... I wonder if I'm the only one who saw the word tailor and thought, "that should be spelled Taylor."

    To answer your question... "answer you will find yourself within." (amidoinitright?)
      Well it's very hard to judge without knowing how you play - and what sounds you want. If you're recording, I think you need both. But then you can lend one. If you're just playing at home or gigging, get the one you most prefer, and that means play loads of guitars.
      IMO the Tokai Teles are not as nice as their Les Paul copies - but maybe I just haven't had a nice one.
        nicovlogg wrote: Well it's very hard to judge without knowing how you play - and what sounds you want. If you're recording, I think you need both. But then you can lend one. If you're just playing at home or gigging, get the one you most prefer, and that means play loads of guitars.
        IMO the Tokai Teles are not as nice as their Les Paul copies - but maybe I just haven't had a nice one.
        Les Paul Teles....?? ???
        Sorry dude, mistook you, apologies.
          nicovlogg wrote: Well it's very hard to judge without knowing how you play - and what sounds you want. If you're recording, I think you need both. But then you can lend one. If you're just playing at home or gigging, get the one you most prefer, and that means play loads of guitars.
          IMO the Tokai Teles are not as nice as their Les Paul copies - but maybe I just haven't had a nice one.
          I tend to agree. Learn the sound, find out which you prefer. Both cool guitars, both unique tones. And I tend to agree with the Tender Fokai copies. They've all seemed mediocre to me.
            Hammeron wrote:
            nicovlogg wrote: Well it's very hard to judge without knowing how you play - and what sounds you want. If you're recording, I think you need both. But then you can lend one. If you're just playing at home or gigging, get the one you most prefer, and that means play loads of guitars.
            IMO the Tokai Teles are not as nice as their Les Paul copies - but maybe I just haven't had a nice one.
            Les Paul Teles....?? ???
            i think whats nicovlog saying is tokai make better les paul copies (as we know everyone seem to rave about them) than telecaster copies..........i have no opinion on that i have tried the tokai les pauls but still to try a telecaster copy,


            but yes i too am actively seeking a good telecaster , but only a fender tho , and even amongst the fender tele's out there in stores i been playing a lot and not liking very many, ( but i am chasing a particular tele sound and look.... maple fretboard and preferably vintage white ) and the few i do like belong to people who won't sell ......

            but i agree with what everyone said about use your ears and find a tele that sounds great to you.........

            just today i went to a shop in zambezi rd pretoria (oosthavens music , just in case you interested in the guitar ?)
            to check out a mint 2nd hand japanese Fender '62 custom reissue that they have on their wall in the amp room , i was told by another muso that this guitar is great and sounds awesome , and yes the build and feel were top class , but i plugged it in and i didn't like the tone... it was good but not that tone i was looking for ......... so i walked away from it ....... i was all ready to buy if i liked it despite it being the wrong colour red and with a rosewood neck

            so sadly i'm still seeking a tele ,so that story is a great example how someone else loved the tone but i didn't yet it's still a great guitar , no debate on that , and will be a gem for someone
              Keira WitherKay wrote:
              Hammeron wrote:
              nicovlogg wrote: Well it's very hard to judge without knowing how you play - and what sounds you want. If you're recording, I think you need both. But then you can lend one. If you're just playing at home or gigging, get the one you most prefer, and that means play loads of guitars.
              IMO the Tokai Teles are not as nice as their Les Paul copies - but maybe I just haven't had a nice one.
              Les Paul Teles....?? ???
              i think whats nicovlog saying is tokai make better les paul copies (as we know everyone seem to rave about them) than telecaster copies..........i have no opinion on that i have tried the tokai les pauls but still to try a telecaster copy,


              but yes i too am actively seeking a good telecaster , but only a fender tho , and even amongst the fender tele's out there in stores i been playing a lot and not liking very many, ( but i am chasing a particular tele sound and look.... maple fretboard and preferably vintage white ) and the few i do like belong to people who won't sell ......

              but i agree with what everyone said about use your ears and find a tele that sounds great to you.........

              just today i went to a shop in zambezi rd pretoria (oosthavens music , just in case you interested in the guitar ?)
              to check out a mint 2nd hand japanese Fender '62 custom reissue that they have on their wall in the amp room , i was told by another muso that this guitar is great and sounds awesome , and yes the build and feel were top class , but i plugged it in and i didn't like the tone... it was good but not that tone i was looking for ......... so i walked away from it ....... i was all ready to buy if i liked it despite it being the wrong colour red and with a rosewood neck

              so sadly i'm still seeking a tele ,so that story is a great example how someone else loved the tone but i didn't yet it's still a great guitar , no debate on that , and will be a gem for someone
              My bad nicco, sorrry.
                There is just something about a tele, that simplistic timeless 50's shape. I love them. But I still choose strats over teles in terms of live performance. Maybe my humbucker strat gives me options and possibly a more rock sound, which is what music I play.

                Maybe one day I will chuck everything away and just keep my tele, and my little Fender champion 5w amp and I will hit the road with some old pensioner in search of that 'lost' Robert Johnson song....

                Here she is:

                  Tokai made most Japanese Fender Telecasters from about '92 til about 2009. People don't have much bad to say about 'em.
                    Dingwall wrote: There is just something about a tele, that simplistic timeless 50's shape. I love them. But I still choose strats over teles in terms of live performance. Maybe my humbucker strat gives me options and possibly a more rock sound, which is what music I play.

                    Maybe one day I will chuck everything away and just keep my tele, and my little Fender champion 5w amp and I will hit the road with some old pensioner in search of that 'lost' Robert Johnson song....

                    Here she is:

                    You better be prepared to dual Steve Vai then! ?
                      Dingwall wrote: There is just something about a tele, that simplistic timeless 50's shape. I love them. But I still choose strats over teles in terms of live performance. Maybe my humbucker strat gives me options and possibly a more rock sound, which is what music I play.

                      Maybe one day I will chuck everything away and just keep my tele, and my little Fender champion 5w amp and I will hit the road with some old pensioner in search of that 'lost' Robert Johnson song....

                      Here she is:

                      Good looking Tele, are you still going to get a rosweood Tele? Tonal differences between maple and rosewood?

                      Why is that Variax just sitting there doing nothing?
                        Maple and Rosewood are almost completely opposite ends of the scale, Maple being rather bright and Rosewood being rather dark...
                          Paul E wrote:
                          You better be prepared to dual Steve Vai then! ?
                          Only the original Karate Kid would be so bold as to even attempt that. Especially on a Tele. Beware Chuck....
                            Personally what I would do, hopefully one day, is to cover all the tonal bases by having at least one LP, Strat, Tele etc.
                            If you can afford to have a Tele and a Strat I'd say go for it - you play and compare them for a few months and you will probably find out what you prefer.

                            I don't really think one is better than the other because you get different sounds out of both for different applications.
                            A maple Tele for a nice twang and bright overdrive is what I would get as opposed to the slightly darker Strat.

                            Also if the Tokai Tele's are the same as the ones on the UK site then I'd try them out - gorgeous guitars imo.
                            My 2 cents.

                              This man says, go do both at the same time:

                                Hahaha! Unfortunately, that man said a lot of things that I'll probably never be able to say, and all of it without ever opening his mouth...

                                That said, oddly enough it's the Tele headstock that really appeals to me visually over the oversize headstock on my Strat. Not that it makes one iota of difference to tone or playability... Unless I'm much mistaken, the Tele neck is also a little more bend-friendly than a stock Strat? (Obviously different models will have different neck radii which will have an impact, as will individual playing style and finger strength and any number of factors, but I'm talking in general from what I've heard.)

                                Well guys and gals, I really appreciate the input. I think, as usual, I'm going to hold off on making the decision to trade one for the other, and go on the Tele treasure hunt anyway. (Kiera, maybe we'll bump into each other somewhere!) I'm in no real hurry to buy anything, as I can get a really wide variety of tones out of my existing collection - via the amps or even direct into the teeny Line 6 box. But the idea of a Tele does something interesting in my gut.

                                Thanks again, and I'll keep you posted. For those interested, I still haven't found a classical/nylon string to satisfy me, and I've been looking hard.
                                dh
                                  dee wrote: This man says, go do both at the same time:

                                  So jimi's jammin' a Strat with a Tele neck?
                                  I never noticed this before, how often does one see this sort of hybridisation?
                                    XRB - you will be pleased to know that the carpet has gone. The wife finally had enough a few weeks ago and ordered me to take it to the tip!

                                    Squonk - yes I have always wanted a rosewood tele and would happily trade my maple tele for the right one. I find that the natural twang of a tele combined with a maple neck is a little too bright for my personal style and ear. The Variax is basically just hanging in the background with the Brook and my strats, making small talk! Fantastic gadget guitar though and at around £400 a good investment, particularly for teaching and home recordings. Every guitarist should have one!

                                    Paul E - Yes I think you are right re Vai, I think I choose the wrong legend. Maybe I will change this and rather seek out the lost recordings of someone like David Kramer instead!

                                      Hammeron wrote: So jimi's jammin' a Strat with a Tele neck?
                                      I never noticed this before, how often does one see this sort of hybridisation?
                                      You'll see it a lot more, now with the Fender Pawn Shop Series guitars having been released ?