Found a design fault in the Telecaster!!

Rocker

I have a Telecaster and I enjoy playing it but it has one design fault - you cannot use a right angled jack plug to connect it to the amp.  One of my 'better' guitar leads has a right angled jack plug, this allows a neat grip the cable with the strap when used with a Les Paul, an Anderson and a Gibson Melody Maker.  The output jack socket on the guitar is recessed whereas on all of my other guitars, apart from the Strat, the output jack is flush or slightly proud of the body.

RaymondLin

Ha, yes!

ICBM

You only just noticed? People have been moaning about that for about 60 years!



Use a Neutrik right-angle plug, they fit fine.

Teyeplayer

That’s a design fault in the jack plug you might want to send it back; telecasters are a flawless masterpiece of functionality.

prowla

Guess what - I've found a design fault with the Stratocaster!

fretfinder

prowla said:

Guess what - I've found a design fault with the Stratocaster!

Only one?!   

Rocker

ICBM said:

You only just noticed? People have been moaning about that for about 60 years!



Use a Neutrik right-angle plug, they fit fine.

Mostly I play at home and unplugged.  I have a Neutrik right angled silent plug on a lead but lately it has become a bit unpredictable.  Some times it works, at other times it remains silent    I usually play the Les Paul or the Anderson plugged in and I happened to have that cable to hand........

ICBM

Those silent plugs are a pain. Just get a decent normal plug and put the amp on standby/turn volume down/pull the amp end of the cable halfway out before you unplug at the guitar end.

Bucket

The big flaw for me is that the control plate is too cramped - changing pickups on the fly is hard and I sometimes end up grabbing the tone control instead of the volume.

FelineGuitars

Needs a tummy cat and an arm chamfer, and better top fret access too

Bucket

Strangely, I actually don't miss the tummy cut on a Tele - I certainly would on a Strat but I'm used to Teles being slabs

Not that that guitar isn't a thing of wonder, Jon. I remember it well.

ICBM

I prefer them without any body shaping - I actually find them more comfortable without, and they feel more like an acoustic.

The big flaw for me is what Bucket said - the position of the switch and volume control makes it nearly impossible to move the switch from the bridge to either of the other positions quickly and without knocking the volume. I also tend to hit the switch accidentally a lot - but reversing the plate is worse, it doesn’t solve the first problem (in fact it’s worse since it’s now going *to* the bridge quickly which is hard) and it puts the volume control right in the way.

So my favourite Tele is an Esquire with the switch removed. But then I miss the neck pickup...

hyperben

Actually you can use a right angled plug on some of them. It depends how far out the jack socket is adjusted. It's got two nuts on it so you can wind it out a little further and still use a right angled jack.

crunchman

The bigger design flaw is the control plate layout.  The pickup selector switch is too close to the volume knob.

Babones

I use a right angle jack with my Tele.

WezV

crunchman said:

The bigger design flaw is the control plate layout.  The pickup selector switch is too close to the volume knob.

easily solved though

https://ruttersguitars.com/38-over-control-plate
https://ruttersguitars.com/angled-selector-switch-control-plate

Nunogilberto

It's only an issue with the Fender Tele - most other T types don't have a recessed jack socket, like my Vintage V52.

p90fool

My Teles have Les Paul jack plates, and I just bung in a 5-way switch wired neck/both/bridge/bridge/bridge, so I don't have to flick it all the way over to the volume pot but it doesn't matter if I accidentally overshoot. 

crunchman

WezV said:

crunchman said:

The bigger design flaw is the control plate layout.  The pickup selector switch is too close to the volume knob.

easily solved though

https://ruttersguitars.com/38-over-control-plate
https://ruttersguitars.com/angled-selector-switch-control-plate

I've seen things like that.  Personally I'd prefer the volume knob a bit closer to hand as well.

This is a better control layout on the Peavey Steve Cropper signature:

Just put in a traditional Tele bridge, and bridge pickup, and lose the switch at the back, and it's a Tele with the problems fixed.

Kittyfrisk

FelineGuitars said:

Needs a tummy cat and an arm chamfer, and better top fret access too

We all need a tummy cat 

prowla

ICBM said:

Those silent plugs are a pain. Just get a decent normal plug and put the amp on standby/turn volume down/pull the amp end of the cable halfway out before you unplug at the guitar end.

My tuner pedal goes silent when you switch to tune...