fretplay Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I was thinking of buying a Tele, well I have one at present a 1974 Custom with the Seff Lover bridge pickup. It is fine but doesn't have the Tele twang. The 'new' market is a minefield but I thought the American Deluxe with the noiseless single coils sounds interesting however when you get to the that kind of money perhaps I might do better going for an older model, better investment value. Any members comments would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvar Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I think you might get a better answer on the Fender Telecaster forum... just sayin'- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 You should buy one of these if you're looking for twang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I was thinking of buying a Tele, well I have one at present a 1974 Custom with the Seff Lover bridge pickup. It is fine but doesn't have the Tele twang. The 'new' market is a minefield but I thought the American Deluxe with the noiseless single coils sounds interesting however when you get to the that kind of money perhaps I might do better going for an older model, better investment value. Any members comments would be appreciated. Among the five Fender Telecasters of mine, the only one with the traditional SS pickup configuration - noiseless in this case - and maple neck is my American Deluxe Ash. It simply is a fantastic instrument. The only guitar of mine that can compete with this Tele in consistency of tone and sustain over all the strings and the entire fretboard is my Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2013. I checked out several American Deluxe Teles with alder bodies, ash bodies, and either with rosewood necks and maple necks. In the end it was a shootout between rosewood and maple neck ash bodied ones, but they all were fine. I demand six adjustable bridges since Telecasters with only three intonate poorly, and noiseless pickups are important for me, too. The only thing I changed was the single-ply pickguard due to being rattling when playing. The three-plies laminated one is quiet. I didn't even tune down the strings for swapping them... By the way, I retrofitted one of my Nashville Power Telecasters and one of my MIM Fender Floyd Rose Stratocasters with Fender N3 Noiseless pickups, too. They are very great, although on Strats the Fender SCN Stratocaster pickups are my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I demand six adjustable bridges since Telecasters with only three intonate poorly, They intonate just fine, it just isn't as easy as turning an allen wrench. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 They intonate just fine, it just isn't as easy as turning an allen wrench. rct Being guitar tech for bandmates for two years before I started playing myself, I had to deal with three-bridge Teles of both the guitarists. They tried different string brands but couldn't find some providing proper intonation for E6/A5, D4/G3 and B2/E1 pairs set to same length. One of my pals changed to a Gibson SG, the other one to an Ibanez Musician - it was an MC-330 I believe. Intonation problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick_s Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Tele twang? 52 reissue baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Being guitar tech for bandmates for two years before I started playing myself, I had to deal with three-bridge Teles of both the guitarists. They tried different string brands but couldn't find some providing proper intonation for E6/A5, D4/G3 and B2/E1 pairs set to same length. One of my pals changed to a Gibson SG, the other one to an Ibanez Musician - it was an MC-330 I believe. Intonation problem solved. Three barrel saddles are soft. Two pairs of light needle nose and five minutes and you are intonated. For a guy like me that has used the same brand and gauge for 35 years they are no problem. Leo never envisioned a day when we would all have a tuner in our house, let alone in our cases. He figured the shop would set it up for a player and they'd never really change string gauges all that much. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I was thinking of buying a Tele, well I have one at present a 1974 Custom with the Seff Lover bridge pickup. It is fine but doesn't have the Tele twang. The 'new' market is a minefield but I thought the American Deluxe with the noiseless single coils sounds interesting however when you get to the that kind of money perhaps I might do better going for an older model, better investment value. Any members comments would be appreciated. I have not had any time in my life, anywhere I have lived, that I haven't had at least one tele in the house since 1972. Your custom happens to be one of the ones I'd like back, my 72 went a lot of places with me and I dearly miss it, but oh well. I think you mean the neck pickup, the Seth Lover Wide Range Humbucker thingy. So I'm not an expert, have owned tonnes of them, my #1 guitar is a 97 California Fat Telecaster, made in America, painted in Mexico while they were fixing up the Cali paint shop. It's the last in a long line of teles, and if I could I'd be buried with that thing. My advice is to go to the store and play some new ones, and pick the one that has the most suitable neck. The more you spend the better the guitar, for the most part. A tele sounds like a tele, it should sound just like it did 60 years ago, and for the most part, they all do. It isn't hard to make one and it isn't hard to make one sound like one. "investment" is a word that should never have been applied to telecasters or any other guitar. You are getting nothing but vaporware when you "invest" in mojo. It's just an old guitar. If you love it, that's the reason to buy it and no other. Good luck with it! I remember having 6 teles in the house at one time and not knowing which one to take out with me! They are the most fun you can have with guitar I think. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Buy a MIM Standard and up grade the electronics. I did this to my mine, slapped some Vintage Noiseless pups and this thing is one of my best players. Nice and twangy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Three barrel saddles are soft. Two pairs of light needle nose and five minutes and you are intonated. For a guy like me that has used the same brand and gauge for 35 years they are no problem. Leo never envisioned a day when we would all have a tuner in our house, let alone in our cases. He figured the shop would set it up for a player and they'd never really change string gauges all that much. rct It may have been due to the CBS management then, but around 1980 you never got the same when buying Fender Rock'n'Roll brand strings of the same gauge. They seemed to change vendors without notice or changing package design. There were rumours some were made in Europe, in particular UK and Germany, although the bags said Made in USA. It was not a problem of quality on principal, just a bit of a sound and a bit of a compensation problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 +1 on a MIM. New, they're less than $500, and used you can find them for $300-$350. I love mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Nice Tele, Twiz! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted November 7, 2013 Author Share Posted November 7, 2013 I have not had any time in my life, anywhere I have lived, that I haven't had at least one tele in the house since 1972. Your custom happens to be one of the ones I'd like back, my 72 went a lot of places with me and I dearly miss it, but oh well. I think you mean the neck pickup, the Seth Lover Wide Range Humbucker thingy. So I'm not an expert, have owned tonnes of them, my #1 guitar is a 97 California Fat Telecaster, made in America, painted in Mexico while they were fixing up the Cali paint shop. It's the last in a long line of teles, and if I could I'd be buried with that thing. My advice is to go to the store and play some new ones, and pick the one that has the most suitable neck. The more you spend the better the guitar, for the most part. A tele sounds like a tele, it should sound just like it did 60 years ago, and for the most part, they all do. It isn't hard to make one and it isn't hard to make one sound like one. "investment" is a word that should never have been applied to telecasters or any other guitar. You are getting nothing but vaporware when you "invest" in mojo. It's just an old guitar. If you love it, that's the reason to buy it and no other. Good luck with it! I remember having 6 teles in the house at one time and not knowing which one to take out with me! They are the most fun you can have with guitar I think. rct Sorry RCT it's a neck pickup,nice guitar too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 You should buy one of these if you're looking for twang. +1 -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 They intonate just fine, it just isn't as easy as turning an allen wrench. rct Yes, and if you have a traditional brass saddle set-up, taking a file to the underside of one of the barrels will get you set up and intonated correctly. As far as getting a Telecaster, they come in so many different configurations and such. Mine are two completely different animals. The AV '62 Tele Custom is a statement piece in my collection and is total twang. The bridge pick up is staggard 60s style. The only problem I have with it is that it's not shielded and therefore produces a lot of 60 cycle hum. I still love it. The Diamond Anniversary Tele has a hot bridge pickup in it and really has some bite and snarl. Pick your poison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I thinline one.. OR check out the Baja.. Both great guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 +1 on a MIM. New, they're less than $500, and used you can find them for $300-$350. I love mine. Yeah Twiz, that's a nice looking twangster. It's kind of funny but a lot of the MIM that I find on the local craigslist are black. You don't see the sunbursts too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Telecasters are sublimely simple "Workhorse" guitars! I have an American made (Texas Telecaster), and a MIM '60's Telecaster. BOTH are outstanding. Both needed a little Tweaking...what guitar doesn't? But, they both (always) sounded like a "Telecaster," and nothing else. It's why you buy a Telecaster, in the first place, isn't it? Consquently, personally, I've never seen the need to spend any more, than an American Standard would cost, at most. Other's here, will differ, with that...but, as long as they sound and play the way you want, why spend a bunch more, on supposed "mojo?" IF you are so inclined, then I'd go ALL the way, and have a hand built, to your specific spec's, by the Fender Custom Shop, and a specific luthier, within. And, of course, be prepared to PAY for that. IMHO, as always... CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilbosmeggins Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I'm surprised that nobody has suggested a Squier Classic Vibe. Nothing but amazing reviews and great feedback for them. Great sound, great feel. Just need to look beyond the Squier badge. Check out the legendary Anderton's "blindfold test" where four Tele's get examined - A Squier, a Mexican, an American Standard, and a Custom Shop. The little underdog causes quite some confusion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCEdT2d43jU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I guess the thinline '72 with humbuckers are out of the question? I'd go for an MIM as SHREK suggested. It will keep its value more than a Squire (not that its an investment, but you never know if you're gonna sell) and they're decently priced. Teles are so classic...have you checked the CL ads? You may find a nice one if you look for a couple weeks and talk down to a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manse Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Get to the shops and try as many as you can, till you find one that you love - then buy it. Easy! I once spent an afternoon trying out guitars - I was looking for an all-out shred machine, to add to my collection of pretty mainstream instruments. Just out of curiosity, and because it was so pretty, I tried a USA '62 custom tele - 3 colour sunburst, double bound. From the first ringing chord, I knew that was the guitar I would be buying. That became my "go to" guitar that day and it still is, years later. Frankly, it is embarassing that I have so many instruments that I never really loved that much and rarely play, one year to the next. (Still like them enough not to sell them on though…) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 I have an '06 Fender Americian Series Tele with a maple fretboard (same thing as an American Standard, just what they called it back then, and then they changed back to Am. Std.) I put Rio Grande Muy Grande's in it an it sounds sweet. I have the same, but from 2008. I really like it. It doesn't feel as buttery as my SG but it has a great sound. The middle pickup selection brings the twang Best of all (to me) it is crazy durable. It fell off a table at a gig once and didn't even leave a mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Yes, and if you have a traditional brass saddle set-up, taking a file to the underside of one of the barrels will get you set up and intonated correctly. As far as getting a Telecaster, they come in so many different configurations and such. Mine are two completely different animals. The AV '62 Tele Custom is a statement piece in my collection and is total twang. The bridge pick up is staggard 60s style. The only problem I have with it is that it's not shielded and therefore produces a lot of 60 cycle hum. I still love it. The Diamond Anniversary Tele has a hot bridge pickup in it and really has some bite and snarl. Pick your poison. What a beautiful pair of Telecasters! The ash body of the Diamond Anniversary model makes me drool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 What a beautiful pair of Telecasters! The ash body of the Diamond Anniversary model makes me drool... Thanks and you're welcome. I do appreciate it when a Gibson Community member posts something that makes me drool. Just trying to do my part. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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