Inexpensive Tele options

[chrispick]

I'm thinking about adding a Telecaster to my project studio guitar collection. I'll be the only one playing it, and it'll serve as an auxiliary guitar to double tracks and add some timbre variation. So, I want to spend as little as necessary to do this (less than $500 hopefully)

Any suggestions? Mex Teles? Squiers? Other clone brands?

[theGeek]

If you're looking to save $$$ there's a few ways. Personally I HATE all things squire.

The Mexi-teles aren't that bad. I personally like how they play. You will need to swap out the pups though. But you can get a great set of Kent Armstrong pups for a good price. You could probably do that for around $500.

If you went down the Squire road you'll be getting a crappy body (Agathis is a fancy word for plywood) and they are really hard to get playing and sounding nice.

[CassidyGT]

With a little tweaking, standard mexi-teles are fine sounding guitars - if a little cosmetically rough. I would buy another in a minute. As with all guitars, just play lots until you find a good one.

[theGeek]

Originally Posted by CassidyGT

With a little tweaking, standard mexi-teles are fine sounding guitars - if a little cosmetically rough. I would buy another in a minute. As with all guitars, just play lots until you find a good one.

Agreed. I also put together a Tele a couple years ago with mighty mite parts. they are fender authorized and I love that tele. I've been wanting to put another on together for a while but I don't have the extra cash or time.

[chrispick]

Originally Posted by theGeek

Personally I HATE all things squire.

If you went down the Squire road you'll be getting a crappy body (Agathis is a fancy word for plywood) and they are really hard to get playing and sounding nice.

Yeah, I test-drove one a few years ago and really disliked it too. Just wondered if anything had changed for the better (happens sometimes).

FWIW, my inclination is to pick up an Ash body Mex Tele. But, I'm trying to find out if other viable options may exist.

Any other input?

[bitman]

I got my American Tele for 650.00 at a music store. If you look around you might find one for slightly less.

[TQP]

+1 for the mexican tele's...if you hunt around you can get a good one.

[preben]

My Mexican Tele is my favourite ever guitar ... you, I know it sounds mad, but it's true.

I haven't done ANYTHING to it other than cleaning and restringing it. I've had it for about 4-5 years now and it still puts a smile on my face every time I pick it up.

I have no doubt that there are better guitars and also better pickups for this guitar out there but I am totally happy with mine - and if you can't get a decent sound out of it stock something is wrong somewhere else.

[theGeek]

I helped a friend who was starting to play guitar pick out a Mexican Tele and its a kick a** guitar. I think if you take the time to shop around for one that you like you'll be very happy. Especially after throwing some better pups in it.

[Lenno]

I would go for Baja Tele. They are really smooth to play and cost something around $600. Highly recommended.

-L

[Matt Grabe]

Get a Mexican Tele off of Craigslist. Put Lindy Fralin or Lollar pickups in it. Learn how to properly setup and intonate a guitar. That'll serve your purpose just fine!

[Jonboy79]

Originally Posted by theGeek

If you went down the Squire road you'll be getting a crappy body (Agathis is a fancy word for plywood) and they are really hard to get playing and sounding nice.

Well I know for a fact the Butterscotch Squire Tele is NOT an "Agathis?" body, in fact several of the Squire models aren't(many are pine or alder). It's an Alder body with a Maple neck and when you change out the PUPs it's not a bad sounding guitar at all. I'm not saying it's the greatest but IMHO it sounds fine as a backup/rhythm guitar on a recording.

[Alexi]

i recently went to a guitar store in my area to check out some affordable teles.

I played the mexican Standart, the classic player baja, the mexican made 60´s reissue model and the 50´s reissue model.

you should really check out the baja and the 50´s teles. both are made in mexico, but they were really great souding guitars. I did not compare them to an american standart tele, but the guy at the store told me that the baja blows away an american standart.

so now i have to decide if i buy the 50´s tele or the baja.
i guess i´ll try to buy a used baja for it offers more pickup positions to choose from.



cheers


alex

[doorknocker]

A Fender Japan 50ies Tele has been my main guitar for about 5 years now, I don't know what they go for these days but mine set me back about $ 400 on e-bay.

The pickups are mediocre so I put Seymour Duncan Antiquities in it and also the Antiquity brass saddles.

The Fender Japan guitars were really good and IMO vastly superior to any recent American made stock Fenders.

[JRush]

I just got an SX p-bass copy from rondo music. I'm guessing from what i've seen from that the tele's would be of similar quality.

I really dig the p-bass, especially once I adjusted the action and intonation (which you have to do with just about every guitar anyways). The neck plays real nice, has a good feel. It stays in tune pretty well, I don't think that I will need to upgrade those in the near future, if ever. The pickup is ok, sounds a little thin, but its nothing that an upgrade can't fix. The bridge could probably also use an upgrade, but I'm not in a huge rush to do anything to it.

so with about a 100 dollars more into it, it will play like a much more expensive bass.

but for the 109 price, you really can't complain. body and finish are great as well

[subspace]

I took a client to the two largest Fender dealers in town to find a tele for overdubs, and we tried out vintage, USA, and mexican versions. The winner? A chinese Squier Tele - for $189. After tracking, he left me the guitar rather than lugging it along for the flight home. It's been the most used studio axe here ever since.

[sysexguy]

Find a Pro Tone Squier and swap a few parts if you want. These are a mid nineties made in Korea series that were pulled 'cause they were better than the guitars with a Fender decal. Still got mine and it stays put.

here's an example: FENDER PRO-TONE TELECASTER W/HSC - eBay (item 330258307369 end time Aug-08-08 13:35:55 PDT)

(not affiliated)

Andy

[bencahill]

Hi
Check out a Tokai Breezysound (pre-'84 models are better, their new stuff is not that good at all).

I have an '83 Tokai Silver Star Strat, easily the best Strat I have played in 17 years of plank-spanking. Great sound (esp. out-of-phase) and fantastic playability although I had to work a bit with the set-up and intonation. Picked it up for about $700 US incl. shipping so a little over your budget but definately worth it. I've heard that the Breezysound Teles are on par with most of their other early '80's models so you should try to audition one if you can. The advantage is also getting an axe that has been played in and has something of a history. I've seen them on ebay for around $500 and up.


On the hand, every Squire I've picked up has felt "cheap" with poor finishing and unremarkable electronics although, to be fair, I've only tried four or five Squires.
A Squire with SD pickups is still going to be a poor instrument, it might sound better than a stock Squire but it will still play like crap so it really depends on what you want. Electronics can always be upgraded later but a new neck and body = a new guitar.

Ben.

[cpband]

I bought a Korean made Tele a couple years back...love it...Sey Dunc pickups, great feel and tone. Think it was around $500...I forget.

My main guitar is an '87 Jap Strat that's been completely overhauled...Hot Tex pickups, refret, bone nut, locking bridge w 5 spring...great guitar. Cost me $150 back in '91.

There are high quality foreign made Fenders out there that constantly get overlooked...

[nickolo]

+1 for squiers..You just need to hunt and find one that sounds good,then adjust and change bits here and there..In fact i know of a guitarist [session man] who has USA strats,les pauls etc..and his favourite and most used is a lightly modified squire tele!!
Same with the precisions,some of them are great!!

[squarewave]

Fender Lite Ash Tele

you can find these used for around 400 bucks

sounds great

looks great

is light

has great sounding duncan alnico IIs stock

[nightscope]

G&L Telecaster Tribute Series

http://www.proguitarshop.com/index.php?CategoryID=514

All semi-hollow on that page. They do full bodied one's as well.

A little more expensive than your planned budget. Well worth it tho. This range is good. I got one a few years ago and put some lockers on it. They have the same pups that the top of the range G&L Teles have. Made in Korea or somewhere and returned to US for finishing and setup.

ns

[BudgetMC]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

A Fender Japan 50ies Tele has been my main guitar for about 5 years now, I don't know what they go for these days but mine set me back about $ 400 on e-bay.

The pickups are mediocre so I put Seymour Duncan Antiquities in it and also the Antiquity brass saddles.

The Fender Japan guitars were really good and IMO vastly superior to any recent American made stock Fenders.

+1 on this. I had an 80's Japacaster Tele, and it was first rate guitar. One of the best necks I ever played. Pickups were a bit harsh, though.

And, I'll add a voice in defence of Squires, especially the earlier ones. I've got an '83 Squire strat, and it's still my traveling guitar.

[big country]

Originally Posted by nightscope

G&L Telecaster Tribute Series

G&L Tribute

All semi-hollow on that page. They do full bodied one's as well.

A little more expensive than your planned budget. Well worth it tho. This range is good. I got one a few years ago and put some lockers on it. They have the same pups that the top of the range G&L Teles have. Made in Korea or somewhere and returned to US for finishing and setup.

ns

closest thing you will get to a real Tele
or a modern Tele ,

made in Fullerton by the fender family's care.

[Jax]

Originally Posted by nightscope

G&L Telecaster Tribute Series

G&L Tribute

All semi-hollow on that page. They do full bodied one's as well.

A little more expensive than your planned budget. Well worth it tho. This range is good. I got one a few years ago and put some lockers on it. They have the same pups that the top of the range G&L Teles have. Made in Korea or somewhere and returned to US for finishing and setup.

ns

+1. I have a solid body Ash Tribute Tele and it's a great guitar. The bridge sucks, but since Tributes are cheap on craigslist, it can be upgraded. I paid $330 for my G&L in brand spanking new condition. I've let people use it in the studio and they are blown away by its clarity and sweetness when clean, and by how much it barks and punches when distorted. The tuners are very good - stays in tune and doesn't care how much you bend.

[nightscope]

Originally Posted by Jax

$330

Bargain City.

ns

[terminal3]

I'm personally looking into one of these for a cheap tele solution (actually thinking about converting into a period-accurate Esquire due to the fact that it's made from pine):

Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Telecaster 50's Electric Guitar and more Solid Body Electric Guitars at GuitarCenter.com.

Cheap, and some serious buzz from early adopters... words like 'as good or better than the Baja, or any Mex tele for that matter' and 'best Squier tele ever.'

[theGeek]

does squire even make a guitar out of solid hardwood anymore? this bad boy is made out of pine. I'm sure it sounds ok but how is its longevity? I'd rather have a $600+ guitar that I can play for the rest of my life than a $300 guitar that I will have to replace every 4 years.

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by theGeek

does squire even make a guitar out of solid hardwood anymore? this bad boy is made out of pine. I'm sure it sounds ok but how is its longevity? I'd rather have a $600+ guitar that I can play for the rest of my life than a $300 guitar that I will have to replace every 4 years.

I have a squire tele that has upgraded hardware and the nut, I got it with a fender custom shop neck pickup, and I put a fralin in the bridge and shielded it. That was 5 years ago, still great, although I'd like to replace it with an ash tele in a natural finish
with a maple neck, purely for cosmetics.

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by squarewave

Fender Lite Ash Tele

you can find these used for around 400 bucks

sounds great

looks great

is light

has great sounding duncan alnico IIs stock

I like the ash lites alot, I have an ash lite strat, but I have to disagree with you about the pickups they are terrible, put some fralins in and you won't be sorry