Teles. That's it.

[WB1984]

I am starting to believe that I will never play another type of electric guitar. I used to think I needed my Les Paul, too. Now I'm thinking....no.

Anyone else feel this way?

Here's my custom T-Style, built by Ron Kirn (Thanks Ron):

[KnukleHead]

Options are always good when recording...though more often than not I end up using my Strat...been wanting to get a Tele for a while now

[WB1984]

Originally Posted by KnukleHead

Options are always good when recording...though more often than not I end up using my Strat...been wanting to get a Tele for a while now

Oh, agreed. But for me and my music, that's how I feel for now.

I'm a fan of Strats. I own one--Tobacco Sun Burst. It's just been in the case a lot since I picked up that old piece of barn wood.

[Melgueil]

Funny thread. Been playing 36 years now. I've had more guitars than I can count - all kinds. Always "sort of" wanted but never had a tele. You know - friends had them and such. Well - I just bought a Fender "Road Worn" Tele as a sort of knock around the house while watching TV guitar. Guess what ? It's...where you been all these years ? I am in love with this thing - I am a long time lover of strats - love this Tele. I am a bassist by trade - only have a strat and tele - and - in keeping with the thread - I may sell the Strat. Indeed this damn Tele may just be all I need ! Long time hold out and Telecaster convert here.
Cdlt

[Melgueil]

BTW - the answer to your question - is yes (especially if the axe sound as good as it looks). Wow - beautiful instrument you have there.
cdlt

[WB1984]

Originally Posted by Melgueil

Funny thread. Been playing 36 years now. I've had more guitars than I can count - all kinds. Always "sort of" wanted but never had a tele. You know - friends had them and such. Well - I just bought a Fender "Road Worn" Tele as a sort of knock around the house while watching TV guitar. Guess what ? It's...where you been all these years ? I am in love with this thing - I am a long time lover of strats - love this Tele. I am a bassist by trade - only have a strat and tele - and - in keeping with the thread - I may sell the Strat. Indeed this damn Tele may just be all I need ! Long time hold out and Telecaster convert here.
Cdlt

Congrats on the new purchase. I was a hold out as well. I always preferred the look of a Strat, and always thought of a Tele as a shit-kicking country guitar. But the look grew on me--and I've become a big Keith Richards and Bruce Springsteen fan over the years--so the conversion was inevitable, and necessary.

I don't think I'll look back, but the weird part is, now I want to buy more Teles??

[WB1984]

Originally Posted by Melgueil

BTW - the answer to your question - is yes (especially if the axe sound as good as it looks). Wow - beautiful instrument you have there.
cdlt

Thank you very much, Melgueil.

Ron Kirn, a Floridian luthier, made it (out of a disassembled barn). I found him on the *****.com Tele forums, as he has a big fan base there.

Ron Kirn Signature

He does beautiful work, and the guitars sound as good as they look. But don't go to that page unless you want to be tempted to open the wallet. (I want ANOTHER one)

[Melgueil]

More fun...you know I discovered the same thing. Tele is far, far more than a chicken-pickin guitar - there is huge variety (look even jazz guitarist Mike Stern has always used one). So LOTS of sounds - and something about the neck - I cannot believe it but it feels better than the strats ?

As mentioned I am a bassist - my main instrument is a 5 string Modulus Graphite Fretless. I've had it 17 years. Once you have a truly fine instrument - (as it looks like you do) make it a part of you. Clapton played "Blackie" for how many years ? Rory Gallagher and that beat up strat for so long ? Your ship has come in.
Cdlt

[Musiclab]

While I'd say your tele looks great, I still think you need more than that

[BLUElightCory]

I feel that way too. We should start a club for unapologetic Tele-lovers.

Don't get me wrong, I do love tons of guitars, and the Tele isn't the king of everything. But if I only had one guitar, it'd be my Tele.

[AndyFromDenver]

Originally Posted by Melgueil

Funny thread. Been playing 36 years now. I've had more guitars than I can count - all kinds. Always "sort of" wanted but never had a tele. You know - friends had them and such. Well - I just bought a Fender "Road Worn" Tele as a sort of knock around the house while watching TV guitar. Guess what ? It's...where you been all these years ? I am in love with this thing - I am a long time lover of strats - love this Tele. I am a bassist by trade - only have a strat and tele - and - in keeping with the thread - I may sell the Strat. Indeed this damn Tele may just be all I need ! Long time hold out and Telecaster convert here.
Cdlt

See my thread from a couple months back; they're sweet huh!

To the OP. Nice looking tele, but I'll go one further and say Fender made for me!

My current favorite guit is a 94 Am. Tele, buttery yellow color (not butterscotch, been meaning to post my guits in that other guys thread).

I share your enthusiasm. Shaking the necks; you have a sweet amount of play, the sustain is better than a strat (on a solid, string thru body) the spike-y twang allows for lots of dynamics, the neck and body design are iconic, and the artists that can play the s#!t out of them make you want to keep improving.

Strangely, I kind of think it is a mature guitar but not in a PRS or ********ly ornate Les Paul way. I can see young players not thinking they are cool until they have been at it for years.

I have a feeling by 2012-13 I'll have a fiesta red tele, I'm squirreling away money in my craigslist fund for just such an item

*oops apparently re-tard-ed is a banned word! I should get a pass for working with the disabled for about 5 years....*

[thepilgrimsdream]

I've always been a gibson guy, had a les paul, have a custom shop firebird right now. But I sold my Heritage hollowbody cause i needed money and wasnt in love with it, but i picked up a used thinline 72 reissue tele with humbuckers and love it to death.

I think its interesting that Jimmy Page apparently had the tele as his go to studio guitar....although Gibson purists deny it. haha

[blueflamingo]

must say I am currently GAS'ing really hard for a Baja tele after playing around with one recently. Always been a strat guy myself.

[Silas Holmes]

I bought a 57 Hardtail Stratocaster recently. Best of both worlds for me.

[_Ludovico]

Well, I kind of experienced the same feeling a little while back...

I stumbled upon a used mexican Esquire reissue which had this nice heavy body and sweet fat neck, so sweet in fact that I bought it just to have it even though I had really no use for it at this moment, and also partly because I was into Syd Barrett - Early Pink Floyd stuff at the time...



If you've never seen one, it's got a big round neck with 7,25" radius and vintage tint gloss finish which feels incredible for chording. So it just stayed there for a couple of years until I noticed it was routed to have a neck pickup as well. So I bought a set of 51 custom shop nocaster pickups and had them installed in there. Man this thing turned into a real beast. It litteraly came alive. It made me discover what the fuss about teles was all about...

Although I wouldn't part with my other guitars, I would surely not part with my Esquire on steroids. It expanded my playing with a whole new palette of sound you can't fake with other instruments...

So yeah, I too share the love of teles

[doorknocker]

Telecasters are amazingly versatile guitars. Of course we all know about the great country tones and the screaming harmonics à la Roy Buchanan but there are so many other sounds that the Tele can produce in the right hands.

Teles can also produce amazing clean jazz tones and were the choice for players like Ted Greene and Ed Bickert who did some of the most amazing chordal stuff ever.

I guess it's also no coincidence that some of the best studio players of the past have often used Teles - Tommy Tedesco and James Burton would be good examples of that.

A Tele is just so ultra-solid and fundamental and I guess the simplicity of the design has a lot to do with it. It's certainly no coincidence that some of the best ever rhythm players like Steve Cropper, Keith Richards, Wilko Johnson or Bill Carter (Screaming Blue Messiahs) have used Teles.

And then there's Clarence White, Albert Lee, Roy Nichols, Albert Collins, Don Rich, Prince, Jeff Buckley, Syd Barrett, Andy Summers, Vince Gill, Pops Staples, Robbie Robertson, Jimmy Page, I could go on for a long time.....

[bexarametric]

I just built an All Parts telecaster. My other guitars are getting jealous. I had a 72 Thinline reissue. I got rid of it. But this new All Parts rules. My second go around on the telecaster has been a good one.

[Whitecat]

doorknocker pretty much nailed it, but I'll just chime in from personal experience... I've owned and/or still own Teles, Strats, Les Pauls, hollowbodies (335-style, although never a genuine 335), archtops, P90-equipped some of the above, P90 equipped none-of-the-above, and more.

If I had to choose just one it would in fact be a Tele (or "T-style" if not Fender, LOL) - for whatever reason, maybe almost an over-simplicity, they just do so much. They've got a ridiculously wide palette of available tones on top of whatever your fingers can do, and spec-wise there are so many great variations for all types of player. Just a great guitar.

[AndyFromDenver]

Originally Posted by _Ludovico

Well, I kind of experienced the same feeling a little while back...

I stumbled upon a used mexican Esquire reissue which had this nice heavy body and sweet fat neck, so sweet in fact that I bought it just to have it even though I had really no use for it at this moment, and also partly because I was into Syd Barrett - Early Pink Floyd stuff at the time...



If you've never seen one, it's got a big round neck with 7,25" radius and vintage tint gloss finish which feels incredible for chording. So it just stayed there for a couple of years until I noticed it was routed to have a neck pickup as well. So I bought a set of 51 custom shop nocaster pickups and had them installed in there. Man this thing turned into a real beast. It litteraly came alive. It made me discover what the fuss about teles was all about...

Although I wouldn't part with my other guitars, I would surely not part with my Esquire on steroids. It expanded my playing with a whole new palette of sound you can't fake with other instruments...

So yeah, I too share the love of teles

But, but then it's not an Esquire anymore...sigh... That's interesting that it was routed for another pickup. Were even the originals like that?

I've gotta say the Esquires with the ashtray bridge cover look pretty damn classy, maybe totally impractical, but classy.

[_Ludovico]

Originally Posted by AndyFromDenver

But, but then it's not an Esquire anymore...sigh... That's interesting that it was routed for another pickup. Were even the originals like that?

I've gotta say the Esquires with the ashtray bridge cover look pretty damn classy, maybe totally impractical, but classy.

You're right, it's not an esquire anymore (though I've kept all the parts, of course) But I had no use for an esquire, and apart from having another pickup, it's no different really... The neck, the body density and tone made me keep it.

I did try an ashtray bridge cover, but my playing involves alot of palm muting, so apart from looking better, it was totally useless and to be honest mostly a nuisance anyway.

Concerning Esquire routings, i'm really not sure...I'm guessing Fender Mexico just took regular Telecaster bodies and made them into Esquires with a non routed pickguard. Remember I said it's a mexican...

it's still being sold : fender 50's esquire | Sweetwater.com and here's what I put in there http://static.eprofeel.com/salons/c/...s-p28243_1.jpg

All this with a classy black 3 ply pickguard

..And really I suggest anybody looking for a great instrument to try one of these and consider swapping the pups for custom shops as I did, you will end up with an awsome instrument and it won't be that expensive. That is, if you like big necks with vintage rounded 7,25 radius. There are always some used on ebay or around the net.

However, the new USA made American Standard telecasters are awsome as well and not really expensive considering what you get. I like the American Standard instruments alot. Strats and Basses included... The new necks are super duper.

Here's a pic, just for fun. It's dirty but I can't take another one right now

Looking at it, it reminds me I also changed the bridge because the 6 saddle bridges are easier to intonate than the vintage style 3 saddle ones. The tuners are awsome though! Precise and tight.

[jacktadoussac]

I'm about a week away from getting my final parts delivery for a Parts-caster. I have a one-piece ash body from USACustomGuitars, hardware from Marc Rutter, and pickups from BareKnuckle. Also it has a "to die for" one piece quarter sawn neck shaped very close to an Eric Johnson Strat neck.


I'm hoping it smokes my existing Tele-style guitar from George and Leo, but if it's contender that's okay too.

I tell you it's not cheap building a Parts-caster Tele.

[_Ludovico]

Originally Posted by jacktadoussac

I tell you it's not cheap building a Parts-caster Tele.

You bet. I built a parts-caster Strat and had to buy everything twice except the body. Literally.. I learned the hard way...

Even now, i'm not a 100% satisfied... I ordered a body from Warmoth which is awsome and the neck from Musikraft which is equally impressive, however they don't fit 100% together.

What I mean is that either the neck pocket isn't deep enough or the neck heel is a little too thick, so the setup at the bridge is really high. The pups are also set to the highest possible... I'm not really sure on how to fix this. It does intonate properly and play wonderfully though, it's just that the saddles are at near max height.

My initial idea was to buy another body (thus confirming the fact that I will have bought EVERYTHING twice ) from musikraft and have it painted in nitro like I initially wanted..But they don't do paintjobs themselves anymore. I don't want to order another neck cause mine is perfect. So...i'm a bit puzzled.

Anyway, for fun again, here's a pic...

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by _Ludovico

You bet. I built a parts-caster Strat and had to buy everything twice except the body. Literally.. I learned the hard way...

Even now, i'm not a 100% satisfied... I ordered a body from Warmoth which is awsome and the neck from Musikraft which is equally impressive, however they don't fit 100% together.

What I mean is that either the neck pocket isn't deep enough or the neck heel is a little too thick, so the setup at the bridge is really high. The pups are also set to the highest possible... I'm not really sure on how to fix this. It does intonate properly and play wonderfully though, it's just that the saddles are at near max height.

My initial idea was to buy another body (thus confirming the fact that I will have bought EVERYTHING twice ) from musikraft and have it painted in nitro like I initially wanted..But they don't do paintjobs themselves anymore. I don't want to order another neck cause mine is perfect. So...i'm a bit puzzled.

Anyway, for fun again, here's a pic...

take you guitar to a real luthier and have him straighten that out for you. If it's a little big it's easier to get it to fit than it the neck was too small.

[AndyFromDenver]

Couldn't resist sharing

[JonMiller]

I love my tele's, but my 73 Les Paul deluxe plays a lot like a tele.


for me, I need both, a Les Paul and a Tele..and I just have obsession with Jazz Masters.

[David Watts]

I'll take your Tele, and raise you a Jazzmaster.

[David Watts]

haha, great minds think alike, JonMiller.

[chrisp2u]

I purchased a used Ash Tele Deluxe off of eBay a few years ago and modded it up. Duncan Antiquity at the neck with a Vintage rails for Strat in the middle and Vintage Rails for Tele at the bridge, all wired into a 3-knob controls plate which allows me to blend in the middle strat pickup as desired.

Can get loads of tones out of it beyond the typical Tele sounding thing. Great guitar.
---
c

[AndyFromDenver]

Originally Posted by chrisp2u

I purchased a used Ash Tele Deluxe off of eBay a few years ago and modded it up. Duncan Antiquity at the neck with a Vintage rails for Strat in the middle and Vintage Rails for Tele at the bridge, all wired into a 3-knob controls plate which allows me to blend in the middle strat pickup as desired.

Can get loads of tones out of it beyond the typical Tele sounding thing. Great guitar.
---
c

Sweet

[Musiclab]

Originally Posted by chrisp2u

I purchased a used Ash Tele Deluxe off of eBay a few years ago and modded it up. Duncan Antiquity at the neck with a Vintage rails for Strat in the middle and Vintage Rails for Tele at the bridge, all wired into a 3-knob controls plate which allows me to blend in the middle strat pickup as desired.

Can get loads of tones out of it beyond the typical Tele sounding thing. Great guitar.
---
c

don't take this the wrong way, it's not to say that you can't get a good sound, but what I'd venture to say is that you can't get a real Tele sound from that guitar