when is a fender telecaster NOT a telecaster ???

Keira-WitherKay

i post this cos i had an interesting conversation last week on the topic and keen to see the response...

and there's no correct answers this is all "opinion" so feel free to say what you think

the topic was... has the Fender telecaster , originally a no nonsense , easily /cheaply mass produced modular design guitar ...which is basically a slab body (no contours) a bolt on neck so any damage to neck or body meant undoing 4 screws and you replaced the part giving trouble /damaged ... 2 pickups...... and a simple ashtray bridge... with 3 barrels..... the ultimate modular design ........ which ironically seems to work in just about any genre of music except heavy rock/shred .... even jazz players like ed bricket used a tele as a jazz instrument ................... basically the vw beetle of guitars ...... and affordable to most musicians

so has this strayed from the original design to be a more boutique instrument ...some custom shop models of a no caster ...i saw online selling with a retail price of an amazing $5400 and thats for the 'replica/reissue" of the original design ,..... also has the telecaster which is available now with piezo bridge/humbuckers/set necks/chambered bodies with les paul type caps on the body ........ just trading on the telecaster name but strayed into the boutique category ...

and in the discussion we had NO ISSUE with all the designs mods ect .....but we debated should it be called something else and NOT a telecaster ? since i gues we were discussing what constitutes a telecaster ...is it more than just the shape of the headstock ..... or does it need to have single coils??? or a fat metal bridgeplate ???

so what do you think ??? when is a telecaster NOT a telecaster or frankly doesn't it matter one bit ......

remember there's no right or wrong answer just personal opinion..........

Chocklit_Thunda

The moment a non Tele pickup is added.
Out of all the most popular guitars, the Tele has the most "iconic" sound, being that it is unique only to the Tele. For me that comes from the two Tele pickups... When you add a P90 or a bucker or even a strat pickup you lose a bit of that... And it also becomes a hybrid

Opinion over.

studmissile

Isn't the 52 reissue the pinnacle or the first to be coined a "telecaster". Initially named a "broadcaster" but changed as there where drums of the same name? I like to regard them as thoroughbreds and the further you move away from that basic setup the less it is a true "telecaster". That being said I do love the fancy binding of a 62 custom and proud to call that a Tele too. I just love the simplicity and design, it's a very comfortable guitar. Truth is I like that Tele shape far too much to discriminate.

AlanRatcliffe

Does it really matter?

Strictly speaking, what makes a Tele a Tele is Fender saying it's a Tele. If you must have a physical definition, the body outline is the one consistent feature between models.

studmissile

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Does it really matter?

Strictly speaking, what makes a Tele a Tele is Fender saying it's a Tele. If you must have a physical definition, the body outline is the one consistent feature between models.

Not really, but it is fun to talk about Tele's ?

nick

A tele isnt a tele when it has a 6 saddle bridge and isnt blonde in colour with a maple neck ?

giggsy

Good topic... I have one of these:

Two Seymour Duncan P90s, semi-hollow body, mahogany set neck, tune-o-matic bridge... is it a "Telecaster"? Well, it says Fender Telecaster on the headstock and when I play it, it makes me smile. That's all that really matters to me.

peterleroux

For me, the bridge pickup is the biggest part of the Tele sound, and many great variants of the Tele have this in common. ( Esquire, Micawber, standard Tele ). But a cabronita or a custom are still Teles to me.

Where I start losing the Tele feel is whe Fender does things like put a flame maple top on, or gold plated hardware, dressing it up. a think of a Tele a s a street fighter, not a gentleman, so simple, honest materials and finishes do it for me

And a three saddle bridge ?

Tokai-SA

Giggsy wrote: Good topic... I have one of these:

Two Seymour Duncan P90s, semi-hollow body, mahogany set neck, tune-o-matic bridge... is it a "Telecaster"? Well, it says Fender Telecaster on the headstock and when I play it, it makes me smile. That's all that really matters to me.

Well, it might put a smile on your face, and it's a very cool guitar, but, it will not sound like or play like a Tele. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Tokai SA wrote: Well, it might put a smile on your face, and it's a very cool guitar, but, it will not sound like or play like a Tele. ?

Of course it does. It is a Tele - it says so right there on the Headstock. ? It may not sound or play like a Traditional Tele, but it's still a Tele, just like a HM Strat is Still a Strat and an Alex Lifeson Les Paul is still a Les Paul.

Highway-Chile

There are all sorts of pickup combinations on Fender Telecasters. If it Says Fender or Squier on the headstock or any name licensed by Fender.........it is a Tele. If not it is technically not a Tele. But yet it is. I mean what else is it if it has a "Tele" neck, body, P/U config etc etc. Technically the better term would be a Tele style guitar. But Fender holds the trademark on the name.....end of story.

nick wrote: A tele isnt a tele when it has a 6 saddle bridge and isnt blonde in colour with a maple neck ?

KMA!!!! ?

Old pic. 80's MIJ Fender Squier Telecaster. Gotoh Modern Bridge (killer intonation) Di Marzio Virtual Vintage Noiseless Tele pup's....it has the old style heavy, squared edges nickel knobs on now. RS GuitarWorks Vintage Upgrade wiring kit.

Fender Nashville B-Bender Tele.

I love old Tele's....60's and earlier. But they are hard to find and hellish expensive. The new ones are just not the same.

Shibbibilybob

If the people who make it wanna call it a telecaster and the people who own the telecaster name trademark dont disagree, then I'm happy to call it a telecaster.

DDR4LYF

When I hear someone say they have a telecaster copy, the only associations I make are the body shape and a high chance of single coil pickups. But if someone says that they have a telecaster, I assume a Fender instrument with the body shape and headstock shape. That is all that a telecaster is to me.

Reinhard

When it doesn't have the traditional bridge pickup and string through body bridge setup.

chris77

Not so easy....

This is my go to guitar atm: A Fender special run std tele.

But the pups aren't tele pups. They're tele sized P90's from http://harmonicdesign.net/allpages/teles.html

So you guys are certain she isn't a tele because she doesn't have traditional Pups? I'm not...

I also have one of these, but transparent black with a couple of aftermarket mods.
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Custom-Telecaster%C2%AE-FMT-Transparent/dp/B003FIPGNU

Now that I will concede isn't a tele, despite it saying so on the headstock. Despite the aftermarket mods, she comes standard with :Set Neck, two buckers, bound maple cap, toggle switch.... great guitar, beautiful as well, but certainly not a tele.

StefStoep

Giggsy wrote: Good topic... I have one of these:

Two Seymour Duncan P90s, semi-hollow body, mahogany set neck, tune-o-matic bridge... is it a "Telecaster"? Well, it says Fender Telecaster on the headstock and when I play it, it makes me smile. That's all that really matters to me.

Giggsy really like your Tele or is it a Tele? ?
I'm not a fan of Tele's but I would like one like that! Maybe it is something like this that will convert me to become a "traditional Tele" fan......

singemonkey

Normally people are looking at the body shape as the definition. But if you want the "Tele sound," you need at least an ashtray bridge with a single-coil in it, and a bolt on neck, I reckon.

coynegfsa

We should be asking: Is a Stratocaster still a Stratocaster when it's a Keiracaster? ?

Reinhard

I have been pondering this all morning. I think the moment you stop playing country on a tele, it stops being a telecaster.

I was playing a little AC/DC on the tele I had and Brad Paisley came to my place and gave me quite the tongue lashing. So I sold it ☹

giggsy

StefStoep wrote: Giggsy really like your Tele or is it a Tele? ?
I'm not a fan of Tele's but I would like one like that! Maybe it is something like this that will convert me to become a "traditional Tele" fan......

Thanks StefStoep - yeah, it may not be a traditional tele, but it does what I need it to do 8)