Tele GAS

Josh-Hayes · 2013-10-16T16:22:50+00:00

So I guess you would say I am going through a bit of GAS at the moment. Although I can justify it, my main guitar is a bit sub-par to my current needs. ? excuses excuses ? Over the past few days I have been transfixed with the idea of buying a Telecaster (probably Fender MIM). I have been drawn to the simplicity of design, heritage, and of course the tone of this legendary guitar. I want a workhorse instrument that would do whatever I ask of it whenever I ask it. A guitar that I could do anything with; musically, that is. What can you guys tell me about you experiences with Teles? (Fender MIM or other.) Is there anything I should watch out for? Any other recommendations as to what I should do/look for? I will probably look for second-hand first or maybe new (if I can swing the cash together :-\ ). Thanks guys, happy GASing.

Psean

Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Psean wrote
Chocklit_Thunda wrote Doesn't work for me... I'm running a solid state amp BTW, so the drive level is constant for the most part.
Well there's your problem mate ?
Haha I knew this was coming :roflmao: I must admit though... I don't like valve amps all that much (Shock, horror! Gasp!) there's effort involved in making them sound good and I'm far too lazy ?
(And having 10 different tone options at the press of a button doesn't hurt either)

Hehe. Of course... Whatever works for you ? Nothing wrong with that.
I must say though, (before we get back to Teles - sorry Josh) that when I went from SS to valve, it was far less effort to get it to sound good.

Josh-Hayes

Psean wrote
Chocklit_Thunda wrote
Psean wrote
Chocklit_Thunda wrote Doesn't work for me... I'm running a solid state amp BTW, so the drive level is constant for the most part.
Well there's your problem mate ?
Haha I knew this was coming :roflmao: I must admit though... I don't like valve amps all that much (Shock, horror! Gasp!) there's effort involved in making them sound good and I'm far too lazy ?
(And having 10 different tone options at the press of a button doesn't hurt either)
Hehe. Of course... Whatever works for you ? Nothing wrong with that.
I must say though, (before we get back to Teles - sorry Josh) that when I went from SS to valve, it was far less effort to get it to sound good.

No worries. My next question was going to be about amps. ?
But none of that for me now, I need to focus on the guitar.

chris77

Hey Josh. I have an MiM that's now my go-to. Had to mod her some to get her there though. What I've found to make the biggest improvements were:

New pickups
3 saddle bridge with brass saddles
4 way switch

The rest of the mods were mostly cosmetic, like the pickguard and string retainer.

Plus points for my Tele are:

Easy to dial in tones I like.
Really resonant acoustic tone
Easy to mod
designed to last a lifetime

Things that still bug me a bit are:

Fret-ends a bit on the sharp side
Not so easy to intonate the three saddle bridge properly or set the action really low.
I'll sometimes hit the volume when I flip the pickup selector switch

AlanRatcliffe

chris77 wrote Not so easy to intonate the three saddle bridge properly

Compensated saddles.

or set the action really low.

Tilt the neck a little.

I'll sometimes hit the volume when I flip the pickup selector switch

That is annoying. I've long wished Chris Kinman would sell his angled plate separately:

.
Flipping the plate helps a bit, but then you are more likely to knock the tone.

Psean

Alan Ratcliffe wrote

I'll sometimes hit the volume when I flip the pickup selector switch
That is annoying. I've long wished Chris Kinman would sell his angled plate separately:
.

That is bloody clever!

rikus

Alan Ratcliffe wrote That is annoying. I've long wished Chris Kinman would sell his angled plate separately:

et voila

Marc Rutters sells an angled plate

http://www.ruttersguitars.com/Hot_Rod_Parts.html

selbydoodl

[/quote}check out keith richards) even the guitar solo on stairway to heavan if i have my facts straight was played on a tele .... anyway all i'm saying is a tele can do most things except shred /black metal or so i think.... but a lot depends on how you set it up with strings/pups /amps /settings....

[/quote]
Kiera, I always though that Page played the whole of the song on a double neck SG.

Please let others put me right.

studmissile

selbydoodl wrote even the guitar solo on stairway to heaven

Fact! (album recording)

AlanRatcliffe

selbydoodl wrote
check out keith richards) even the guitar solo on stairway to heavan if i have my facts straight was played on a tele .... anyway all i'm saying is a tele can do most things except shred /black metal or so i think.... but a lot depends on how you set it up with strings/pups /amps /settings....
Kiera, I always though that Page played the whole of the song on a double neck SG.

Please let others put me right.

Live he used the double. Studio it was acoustic 6-string (a Harmony IIRC), electric 12 (Fender XII) and solo was Tele. Similarly JPJ played real recorders in studio, but used a Mellotron live.

Josh-Hayes

Psean wrote
Alan Ratcliffe wrote

I'll sometimes hit the volume when I flip the pickup selector switch
That is annoying. I've long wished Chris Kinman would sell his angled plate separately:
.
That is bloody clever!

That is clever, I'm pretty sure I could fabricate that. ? (#randomcomment)

AlanRatcliffe

Rikus wrote et voila

Marc Rutters sells an angled plate

http://www.ruttersguitars.com/Hot_Rod_Parts.html

Interesting. Kinman patented his, so I didn't expect to see someone else making them.

Psean

Josh Hayes wrote
That is clever, I'm pretty sure I could fabricate that. ? (#randomcomment)

No no no. Not random comment. Idea for mod.

Josh-Hayes

Psean wrote
Josh Hayes wrote
That is clever, I'm pretty sure I could fabricate that. ? (#randomcomment)

No no no. Not random comment. Idea for mod.

True that! An hour or so with a Dremel, a drill-press, and some nice steel would come very close to that.

Psean

You can get blank plates too:

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Custom-Made-ChromeTelecaster-Control-Plate-NO-HOLES-for-you-modders_p_197.html

AlanRatcliffe

Psean wrote You can get blank plates too:

Yeah, but chromed has an annoying habit of flaking off the base metal if you cut holes after it has been chromed instead of before. If you can find a blank stainless plate, that'll work better.

Psean

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Psean wrote You can get blank plates too:
Yeah, but chromed has an annoying habit of flaking off the base metal if you cut holes after it has been chromed instead of before. If you can find a blank stainless plate, that'll work better.

Ah, okay. Good tip ?

Stoner-Riff

I have a MIM Tele and i kinda liked the stock pick ups.
Well, i liked it enough to keep it for more than 18 months in there.
I replaced the stock 3-piece saddles with Graphtech units, and then, soon after, graced the Tele with a set of BK Flat 50's.
The last thing i did was to replace the original mint green scratch plate with a matt black unit.

IMHO, my Tele is pretty much perfect now - for me !

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=teles&sub=vintage&pickup=flat50&series=blackguard - Flat 50's

I would not mind a 2nd Tele though 8)

Stoner-Riff

Keira WitherKay wrote
Josh Hayes wrote Thanks guys. ?
Now I just gotta get meself to a guitar shop, play some different models, and get a better idea of what I actually want.
exactly the right thing to do........

i'm a HUGE tele fan .... and it's one of the guitars out there with the most number of models.... with various features but all still tele's

the 1st question is ... do you want a traditional tele or a modern 'modded" one once you decide that , you half the way there ........

tele's are way versatile and can be used as in my case for jazz with a P90 in the neck position and thick flatwound strings..... or used for twangy country, biting indie tone.... or cool classic rock (check out keith richards) even the guitar solo on stairway to heavan if i have my facts straight was played on a tele .... anyway all i'm saying is a tele can do most things except shred /black metal or so i think.... but a lot depends on how you set it up with strings/pups /amps /settings....

in fact i'm currently also in the market for another traditional style tele .... they simply iconic.... leo sure got it right with the telecaster .........

lastly buy what suits your taste /playing style and genre of music you play .... don't buy based on opinions from other people...... ?

Not really Metal, but not your cozy Hard Rock either.

Tele (with 100% stock single coil p/u's) into a Mesa Dual Rec 8)

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Stoner-Riff

Just for the fun of it . . . more heavier Tele tones through single coils :

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https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/pickups.php?cat=teles&sub=vintage_hot&pickup=piledriver

Stoner-Riff

And now for a stomp box that i feel is taking that great Tele tone, and amplify it in all the right areas, and do not disguise it as something else but a Tele tone.

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