Telecaster musings

HAL9000

I already own a Tele, a 2005 American Std, which is a great instrument. However, the more I play it I realise it isn't really what I expect a Tele to be. 

I don't know if this makes any sense but thinking about it I suspect part of the problem is that it's too 'refined'. I guess I'd expect the Devil's Canoe Paddle to be more raw and earthy, for the slab body to not have gently radiused edges, and the intonation to be less than perfect. I don't know but I suspect that over the years Fender have refined and evolved their guitars to appeal to younger players and in the process have created something that's a bit generic. Either that, or I have created some romanticised (but wrong) idea in my head of what a Tele should be.

Anyway, just when I was starting to believe that my GAS days were over, I now find myself hankering for a Tele that is somewhat primitive compared to what I already have. Mad or what? 

olafgarten

So you want your guitar to be worse...   

I get what you mean though, you should try a more Vintage Spec tele, something like an American Special, an AV52, an AV58, an AV64 or something from the Mex Classic series. 

RandallFlagg

get an American Vintage or a Custom Shop relic

stimpsonslostson

Sounds like time to build a partscaster! 

Get the parts you want & build something special! I love mine (especially with its recently added Alligator 90 pickup). 

noisepolluter

I'm in a similar boat I suppose - I have a mid-noughties US tele which can seem a bit anodyne compared to the Baja Classic Player that Estheroid has. If I was buying again I'd certainly go Baja for the chunkier neck and general character - though I've got a Whapping Wharf/Honky Tonk Angel pickup set on the way from Oil City which will certainly liven up the sound. However, I got the US tele new for an extremely good price and I've had it long enough now that I'm completely used to the feel of it, so thoughts of something else are only passing fancies. 

...oh, and this week I finally got round to fitting a suitably coloured scratchplate (black 3 ply) - white scratchplate with natural ash and maple, Fender...? Seriously? That's only acceptable on Albert Collins's guitar...

DulcetJones

Maybe a Squier would have the desired effect.  I have one that is slightly less than perfect in that the frets were not dressed completely and stick out up and down both sides of the neck but I love this guitar.  I use it when I go to bars that are hosting open jams, it stays in tune and sounds great(so they tell me) and I don't have to worry about it getting knocked around or even lost or stolen.  I wouldn't want any of those things to happen to it but if anything did I'm not out much money and would just have to go shopping. 

HAL9000

olafgarten said:

So you want your guitar to be worse...   

No, I want it to be different.

tony99

a mid 90's MIM tele is probably what you require, possibly a string through bridge

wine red with white scratchplate and a maple board, the classic look

they're cheap enough but so reliable, you could hammer nails in with them all day and still have no problems

I'm selling one buy the way

rossi

Drive a truck over it a few times, that will sort out those smooth edges .

richardhomer

HAL9000 said:

olafgarten said:

So you want your guitar to be worse...   

No, I want it to be different.

This is kind of the boutique brand/Fender Custom Shop dichotomy.

Nicely put together as Suhrs and Andersons are, some the 'essence' of the original designs seems to get diluted for me. So you perhaps could argue that I prefer 'worse'.

For me, the modernised iterations of the Tele are probably better than 'traditional' Teles - but somehow less Tele-like. 

The 'classic' Tele in my mind is a fat, one-piece maple neck, ash body, three (brass) bridge saddles, pressed bridge plate (with ashtray) and a neck pick up which isn't suspended off the scratch plate. I'm not bothered if it has bigger frets and a flatter fingerboard radius - but the other specs need to be as listed.

I'm what's commonly known as a Luddite....

gordiji

I think 2005 is 'american series tele'. The pups are bland. I improved mine (also 2005) no end by adding a set of fender broadcaster Alnico 3 pups. I've no desire for an ashtray bridge or 3 saddles and like the contours. 
It sounds good enough to extinguish any desire for spending 4x as much on a C.S.

Winny_Pooh

Agreed, change the pickups. 

Strat54

Change the pickups and pots to something more vintage flavoured and the bridge to something like the one Rutters make...

http://ruttersguitars.com/uploads/Rutters_Modern_Bridge_1.jpg

ICBM

richardhomer said:

The 'classic' Tele in my mind is a fat, one-piece maple neck, ash body, three (steel) bridge saddles, pressed bridge plate (with ashtray) and a neck pick up which isn't suspended off the scratch plate. I'm not bothered if it has bigger frets and a flatter fingerboard radius - but the other specs need to be as listed.

Nearly right .

'58-'59 style, preferably white blonde with a single-ply white guard. Other colours are available…

The current Mexican Classic 50s Tele is exactly this http://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-guitars/telecaster/classic-series-50s-telecaster/0131202301.html

Better than anything they've made since the 1960s below the Custom Shop, in my opinion.

Sassafras

No, no, no.
It has to be an ashtray bridge. Somewhere to rest your hand.

HAL9000

noisepolluter said:

...oh, and this week I finally got round to fitting a suitably coloured scratchplate (black 3 ply) - white scratchplate with natural ash and maple, Fender...? Seriously? That's only acceptable on Albert Collins's guitar...

Interestingly, my US Tele is also natural ash, maple board, and white scratchplate. Over the years the ash has gone from a fairly pale colour to a rich golden hue. Like you, I've also been tempted to replace the scratchplate with something darker.

chrisj1602

The MIM Classic series are worth a try, they are  great vintage spec guitars for the money. I've had 4, all brilliant.

darthed1981

HAL9000 said:

Anyway, just when I was starting to believe that my GAS days were over, I now find myself hankering for a Tele that is somewhat primitive compared to what I already have. Mad or what? 

You tried a Squier classic vibe?

Might scratch that itch for you, I've got one and I love it.

HAL9000

darthed1981 said:

HAL9000 said:

Anyway, just when I was starting to believe that my GAS days were over, I now find myself hankering for a Tele that is somewhat primitive compared to what I already have. Mad or what? 

You tried a Squier classic vibe?

Might scratch that itch for you, I've got one and I love it.

Not yet, but it does look like exactly the kind of thing I'm after. What are pickups like?

I know I need to try a few different Teles. Squires are definitely on the list as I suspect I'd prefer modern radius and frets. Another possible option is to mod an MIM Std with some vintage style pickups and a three-saddle bridge.

noisepolluter

HAL9000 said:

noisepolluter said:

...oh, and this week I finally got round to fitting a suitably coloured scratchplate (black 3 ply) - white scratchplate with natural ash and maple, Fender...? Seriously? That's only acceptable on Albert Collins's guitar...

Interestingly, my US Tele is also natural ash, maple board, and white scratchplate. Over the years the ash has gone from a fairly pale colour to a rich golden hue. Like you, I've also been tempted to replace the scratchplate with something darker.

Might have to put before/after pics up. 

darthed1981

HAL9000 said:

darthed1981 said:

HAL9000 said:

Anyway, just when I was starting to believe that my GAS days were over, I now find myself hankering for a Tele that is somewhat primitive compared to what I already have. Mad or what? 

You tried a Squier classic vibe?

Might scratch that itch for you, I've got one and I love it.

Not yet, but it does look like exactly the kind of thing I'm after. What are pickups like?

I know I need to try a few different Teles. Squires are definitely on the list as I suspect I'd prefer modern radius and frets. Another possible option is to mod an MIM Std with some vintage style pickups and a three-saddle bridge.

The pickups are quite low output and at times a bit bright, but they are nice enough, easily swapped as well.

I tested it against a mexican tele and if anything the bridge pickup on the mex tele was better (well, smoother), but I far preferred the neck and the general look and feel of the Squier.  Just felt, ironically, more like the idea in my head of what a Telecaster should be like!