What's more versatile: Telecaster or Jazzmaster?

Lebarque

Interested in your views.

mikeyrob73

 Have both and would say my Mascis Jazzmaster is more versatile BUT if I was only allowed to keep one I would keep my Tele. 

Philtre

Hmmm...I like both for their unique qualities. JM has a nice whammy bar and neck length, while the Tele has a great chunka-chunka thing going on. As for being "versatile", well...that's hard to say.

Teyeplayer

Love both but it’d have to be the tele, just has more bite when pushed.

Philtre

After more consideration if I could only keep one, it would have to be the Tele. However....if it was between a Jaguar and the Tele I would keep the Jag.

impmann

Hard call.

The Tele will be more versatile for classic rock, country, pop and reggae/ska sounds - and is more likely to be closer to those classic sounds we all know. 

However, the Jazzmaster will do these too - albeit a slightly brighter underlying character. Where the Jazzmaster falls down is choppy stuff - the ring/overtones from behind the bridge make it difficult to use in modern ska/punk/high gain settings without some kind of damping.I found my JM hopeless for this. 

However the Jazzmaster’s neck pickup sound is from the gods - it’s like a massive grand piano...

Philtre

impmann said:

However the Jazzmaster’s neck pickup sound is from the gods - it’s like a massive grand piano...

That's the only pickup I use on my JM 65 re-issue.

ICBM

Jazzmaster.

Because it has a trem.

So there are things you can play on a Jazzmaster that you can’t (convincingly) play on Tele, but not vice versa.

JerkMoans

I always find Tele’s a bit of a one-trick Pony. JM’s all the way for a sonic palette like a soup of over similed metaphors  

chris78

A tele can do jazz, blues, rock, funk, heavy metal, the lot. If anyone can find me a style of electric guitar that a tele can’t be used for, I’ll be impressed

JerkMoans

chris78 said:

A tele can do jazz, blues, rock, funk, heavy metal, the lot. If anyone can find me a style of electric guitar that a tele can’t be used for, I’ll be impressed

Does it Djent?  

Philly_Q

Never having owned a Jazzmaster (or Jaguar) - so forgive me - I've always been under the impression that they sound a bit plinky, with little sustain.

If that's true, can they do heavier rock styles?  I know J Mascis gets some pretty big rock sounds.

Corvus

My lad uses one I built for his punky stonery doomy band downtuned, but does near clean mellow stuff too. Has Mojo J90s though so got the P90 thing going.

DrCornelius

Tele all the way, Les Zep through to smooth Jazz no problem. I’d say the JM has more character though imho , as others have mentioned the neck pu especially sounds like a warmer plinkier Strat to me - gorgeous.

JerkMoans

DrCornelius said:

Tele all the way, Les Zep through to smooth Jazz no problem. I’d say the JM has more character though imho , as others have mentioned the neck pu especially sounds like a warmer plinkier Strat to me - gorgeous.

You still lovin’ my ex?

That was your ex. Ewww...

meltedbuzzbox

chris78 said:

A tele can do jazz, blues, rock, funk, heavy metal, the lot. If anyone can find me a style of electric guitar that a tele can’t be used for, I’ll be impressed

Any guitar will do those styles of music because the notes that are played dictate the style of music not the lump of wood.

Grunfeld

Philly_Q said:

Never having owned a Jazzmaster (or Jaguar) - so forgive me - I've always been under the impression that they sound a bit plinky, with little sustain.

If that's true, can they do heavier rock styles?  I know J Mascis gets some pretty big rock sounds.

They can do all the classic rock sounds I've had to find for a typical rock covers set -- but you need pedals.

For example, I use a compressor at full tilt + a fuzz/distortion to get the sustain I'd normally have from humbuckers.

But on that neck pickup it sounds wonderful. 

guitars4you

If I had to only have 1 guitar it would be a Tele - No one guitar does it all but a Tele can do more than most IMO

TheMarlin

Tele. Perfectly designed guitar. Shame I always want to bolt a Bigsby one every one I play. 

CasperCaster

Esquire

uncledick

Tele can get you out of most holes in a band situation.