Telecasters - which one? - GuitarTalk Community

Telecasters - which one?

Ray

You know what grates me? Just a bit mind you and probably not enough to post but hell, I got the time. I am itching some for a Telecaster. The guitars I have are HB and I want to play some like Doc Feelgood tunes. So I jump inot the Fender site and go to telecaster. Yissis ou, do you know how many telecasters you get? You even get them with two and THREE humbuckers. Is that still a Telecaster? And all I want is a tele with two single coils and an ashtray.

Bob-Dubery

Telecasters with a humbucker in the front are permissible. Telecasters with multiple humbuckers are abominations, unnatural, fly in the face of the natural order of things and should be incinerated on sight.

Except, of course, for the guitar that Jeff Beck used for the original version of "'Cos We Ended As Lovers".

AlanRatcliffe

Ray wrote: Yissis ou, do you know how many telecasters you get?

37. ?

And all I want is a tele with two single coils and an ashtray.

If you want a vintage style Tele, it boils down to three AFAIC - American Vintage ’52, American Vintage ‘62 or the Classic Player Baja (Mexican). All great examples.

The Baja is a more modern guitar in a few small ways (modern radius board with medium jumbo frets, 4-way switch and a phase setting for a total of six sounds), but otherwise looks and sounds authentic. You need to pick a lighter one though as they are a bit inconsistent.

The '52 is the classic ash/maple Tele in every respect and the '62 is the classic alder/rosewood Tele. Both great and very consistent.

'52: http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0100202850
'62: http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0106200806
Baja: http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0141502389

MikeM

Fender have announced more new teles for namm btw..

singemonkey

Japanese Teles run down the whole historic line. I particularly like this '62:

And here's the '52:

Ray

For cost the Baja looks just about right for what's available now. As far as the American Specials are concerned, I saw the announcement on facebook but dunno when they will be here and at what price. All the squiers appear to be rosewood fretboards and I want maple. OK, so where would I source one of those MIJ teles? The one at the bottom is just about as lovely as can get.

WantzChas

I'll give a kidney for a real '52. They're beautiful.

X-rated Bob wrote: Telecasters with multiple humbuckers are abominations, unnatural, fly in the face of the natural order of things and should be incinerated on sight.

Bob I assume you particularly like this one then?
http://www.auboncoin.biz/image/jim-root-telecaster-fender.jpg

nick

Ray wrote: All the squiers appear to be rosewood fretboards and I want maple.

Downsides are no string through body, no skunk stripe on the back of the neck and obviously the Squier parts.

Bob-Dubery

WantzChas wrote: I'll give a kidney for a real '52. They're beautiful.

X-rated Bob wrote: Telecasters with multiple humbuckers are abominations, unnatural, fly in the face of the natural order of things and should be incinerated on sight.
Bob I assume you particularly like this one then?
http://www.auboncoin.biz/image/jim-root-telecaster-fender.jpg

I'll tell you after I've raised the lynch mob.

MikeM

WantzChas wrote: Bob I assume you particularly like this one then?
http://www.auboncoin.biz/image/jim-root-telecaster-fender.jpg

That's a strat in the more or less shape of a tele. I don't see anything else tele about it ?

singemonkey

MikeM wrote:
That's a strat in the more or less shape of a tele. I don't see anything else tele about it ?

I think you're being unnecessarily mean about Strats.

MikeM

Lol. Well vintage trem, hss, guessing a 5 way switch. But yea my bad :'(

Jack-Flash-Jr

Watch the saddles, 6 = more tweakability but I've found higher strings the saddles buzz even after pro set up, 3 = intonation problems sometimes...

p.s. a friend once described teles as the UZI's of the guitar world, and as a happy tele owner I have to agree ?

MikeM

The vintage 3 saddle has an adverse effect on the tone as well, so it's a compromise that only you can decide on ? You can get compensated saddles, you can have accurate intonation and if set up correctly (We all know how good these "pros" are nowadays) you should have no issues whatsoever.

Jack-Flash-Jr

I'd like to add some weight to the why tele argument (not that you need convincing obviously), as I've noted before and as pretty much everyone knows... one of the greatest solos tone wise (and other wise), Stairway was not recorded on an LP but on a tele...

singemonkey

Jack Flash Jr wrote: I'd like to add some weight to the why tele argument (not that you need convincing obviously), as I've noted before and as pretty much everyone knows... one of the greatest solos tone wise (and other wise), Stairway was not recorded on an LP but on a tele...

Astonishingly versatile tone-wise. And for no obvious reason that I can think of. That whole first Zeppelin album is done on the Tele afaik.

AlanRatcliffe

MikeM wrote: The vintage 3 saddle has an adverse effect on the tone as well

??? I prefer the tone of the three saddle bridge. Or did you mean advantageous rather than adverse? ?