DennisMiller Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Well, maybe a little for the MIM Fender Tele. It's strange, but it seems like the great majority of guitar players I know, when you ask them about a guitar they wish they had back, would tell you it was a Telecaster, or a Tele variant like a G&L ASAT. I've met very few who would tell you about the Strat they sold off or the 335 they shouldn't have sold... except me... I wish I had back 3 guitars I once had. They were better in their area than anything I have now and if I had had the sense to keep them, I probably wouldn't have some of the guitars I have now and I wouldn't have bothered to try many of the guitars I did, leading to a ton of money in the bank instead of having turned over one guitar to afford another on a cycle. I had a midnight blue MIM Tele with a maple fretboard. I put Bill Lawrence pickups in it and it was the envy of every player around here. They all thought I was nuts to sell that guitar. Now, I wish I had it back because nothing I've built or bought since then has been as good handling a guitar with such a sweet sound. In the back of my mind, I know I will duplicate that guitar someday and I can only hope it turns out nicely. I had a Deluxe American Strat in teal blue transparent on an ash body. It had a parchment pickguard and knobs and a maple neck. I didn't like the Noiseless pickups in it and I was naive enough at the time not to realize how easy it would have been to stick different pickups in it. I just figured I was happy enough with my parts Strat with Delta Tones, which I still have, that I wouldn't need another Strat. I hadn't learned one is never enough. Visually and in terms of feel, it was the most comfortable guitar I ever had. Again, all my friends thought I was nuts. I had paid under $700 for that guitar brand new. Then there was the red Gibson 335 satin finish I bought. I got it as a blem from MF for $1200 when they were selling for about $1600. It sounded wonderful, exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately, it had terrible fret sprout and if you stuck your fingers in the F-hole, there were splinters where the inside hadn't been sanded. I didn't think clearly and instead of making them have it fixed by a Gibson tech, I returned it to MF. Because they didn't have any other blems in stock to offer me, all they could do was offer me a small discount on a new one, but I held out figuring I would get a better deal. I never did and now, the new ones are about $2200 and the blems are the price I could have paid for new. I envy people who are so positive about what they want and are RIGHT in their feelings about it. I've tried an embarrassing number of guitars over the years. It's so high a number I can't even figure it out myself, but I would say it's between 100 and 150 guitars. I might have 12 at any given time... 15 right now, not including things like a mandolin and keyboard. At no point in time did it ever cross my mind that I was comparing these guitars, wondering if Fender or Gibson was better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If they made a double bound Mexican Tele, I'd be all over it Just can't do the Squier thing again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisMiller Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I have one of the Squier butterscotch blonde Telecasters from their Affinity line. I bought it just for the look. I put a Warmoth neck on it with a 1-3/4" nut width and chunky profile. I got a set of Fralin pickups for it, then replaced the pots and switch with CTS goodies. It's light, good looking and SCREAMS better than I know how to play it. It still doesn't have the same vibe for me as the MIM with the Bill Lawrence pickups though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69 Son Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I had a 2010 American Standard Strat. THe QC was abysmal, let me leave it at that. And there's something in the water were you can't get a discount off of the $999 price (I tried five stores)... The pickups were really bad sounding, really fizzy with no thickness. If I had kept the guitar I would have put Fat '50's in it. To me Gibson's are a much better value, niro vs. poly, set neck vs. bolt on, binding vs. none, headstock veneer vs. plain, etc. Take a 2010 SG Classic--binding, P-90s, nitro, translucent finish, inlaid logo, Lighter than the average Strat and $50 cheaper. Hey, Les Paul Studios are even a better value vs. the US Strat. Fender is just way to commercialized, too many models, unfortunately I think Gibson is trying the same model. I have had some nice Teles but I would roll my own Tele from Warmoth for the best quality. It's been said that bolt-on necks are more expensive to make, how is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluewaterpig Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I saw nowhere in your post where you said, that any of these statements were your opinion, leading me to believe you were stating these opinions as fact. I think it's pretty clear that these are all opinions. We're basically discussing wether we like blue or green better. There's no way of proving that one of these guitars is factually superior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I don't know why, but I have found that my Fender made instruments stay in tune much better than and Gibson made ones I have owned. And that goes for my 2007 Squier SSH Vintage Modified Telecaster as well. Great Guitar! So is my Fender Black MIM Strat. Even with the tremolo, the Strat stays in tune better than any guitar I have ever owned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I don't know why, but I have found that my Fender made instruments stay in tune much better than and Gibson made ones I have owned. Most likely a result of the neck angle. Gibsons do require some regular nut attention due to the angle of the headstock. On the plus side, that angle does increase sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 It's strange, but it seems like the great majority of guitar players I know, when you ask them about a guitar they wish they had back, would tell you it was a Telecaster, or a Tele variant like a G&L ASAT. I've met very few who would tell you about the Strat they sold off or the 335 they shouldn't have sold... except me... Hahahaa...I don't feel quite as bad. I really want another like the one I had. It was white white maple. Super classy look. I am giving myself major GAS right now. I'd buy a used MIM Fender Tele in a second if I came across one. It would have to be like the one I let go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Boomer Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 as far as i am concerned, i never managed to play a fender more than 15 minutes without getting bored, everything in a fender is just "average", even 1950 models are not fitting me (or vice versa) i think it is ridiculous to make such statement A is better than B .. it's all about anyone feeling and i can understand some people like to play fender (actually not, i cant, but at least i respect it) for me, Gibson are the only great guitars made in the US, and more than that, like luxury brand, i love the history and the image of the brand, that makes me "travel" to play a gibson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisMiller Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 As far as i am concerned, i never managed to play a fender more than 15 minutes without getting bored, everything in a fender is just "average", even 1950 models are not fitting me (or vice versa) Hank - There are quite a few people in the Fender Forum who would agree with you. Among them are a lot of purists who feel the original Strat or original Tele were simply the best Fenders ever built and any variation from them is guitar treason. Most would tell you the only worthwhile improvements to a Strat would be the 5 way switch and some sculpturing to the body and neck profiles, (plus I like the rolled fretboard edges), and that nothing else done in terms of pickup variations and fretboard radius have been worth a damn. The one exception a lot of the people who own American Strats seem to enjoy is the more modern MIM Strat with the new ceramic pickups. The hotter signal isn't quite a P90 tone, but it's different enough from the classic alnico tone that they find it useful for certain things. I personally agree. I have my #1, a parts Strat I put together from all American parts, with some questionable opinions about the body. (I bought it as American, but a very well versed friend says the finish almost has to be MIM) Much like Clapton put together Blackie from a variety of guitars, this one came together with a highway 1 neck, brown burst body, mint plastic parts, vintage trem bridge, Graphtech saddles and Delta Tone pickups and electronics. I can only speak for myself, but I think it suits me better than any particular production Strat I could buy and I'm rather convinced that THAT is the way to find happiness in a Strat, by taking advantage of the Tinker Toy parts assembly nature of it and putting parts together that eventually make you happy with the result. My other Strats are a homebuilt hardtail that might be as good as firewood someday... (it's awful), and a Fat Strat that is about to arrive tomorrow. In the case of the latter, it will have the modern ceramic pickups I mentioned before and I'll be splitting the coils in the bridge humbucker for the sake of some traditional bridge single coil tone. Do I like the Strats better than my one Gibson guitar? Yes, because I'm not all that happy with the Les Paul Studio Satin I bought. I think it's the Burstbuckers I don't like in it, because I enjoy the feel of the guitar otherwise. Being 61 and with primarily folk and country influences, I'm more attuned to single coils I guess. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the tone of my Epi Dot humbuckers over the Burstbuckers in the LP. Eventually, I'll either replace the Burstbuckers or sell the LP. I just don't know what to get to make me happy with it. Chocolate and vanilla... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 If they made a double bound Mexican Tele, I'd be all over it Just can't do the Squier thing again. I have an indonesian made squire tele custom. The original one before the added duncan p90's. For the price it's superb. The only thing about the tele I dont like is that they look tiny on me, but thats not fenders fault. That squire can also nail anything from jazz to metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hey Dennis, I think you should try some 57 classics in that LP before deciding to sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisMiller Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hey Dennis, I think you should try some 57 classics in that LP before deciding to sell it. I had 57 Classics in a satin 335 once. They were wonderful. I returned the guitar because when it arrived, the F-holes were still rough sawed with no finish on the edges, splinters everywwhere you stuck your fingers and the fret sprout was terrible. I had gotten the guitar as an open box with a nice discount, but when I returned it, there were no more to exchange it for, so i just took the credit on my account, thinking another one would come along. It didn't and now, they cost about $1000 more than I paid at the time. What are some pickups, Gibson or otherwise, that are maybe lower output, very smooth and creamy sounding, good to play at low volumes since I don't gig? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Jeese....I keep stumbling upon these kinds of post everywhere I'm a member of. "Macs are better than PCs", "PCs are better than Macs", "RPG games are better than FS games", "iPhone is better than Android phone".......etc....etc........ ENOUG ALREADY!!!! Play and choose the hell you want and respect other peoples choices regardless if they are the same as yours or not. What is next? "Brazilian waxing or Bushy Natural"? Hmmmmmmmmm.......... :wacko: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Semour Duncan Seth Lovers and Antiquities are both PAF replicas that should be smooth. A company called WCR also makes several different low output humbuckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 ... ENOUG ALREADY!!!! Play and choose the hell you want and respect other peoples choices regardless if they are the same as yours or not. What is next? "Brazilian waxing or Bushy Natural"? Hmmmmmmmmm.......... :wacko: Brazilian wax is better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Brazilian wax is better Bushy natural for me. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Semour Duncan Seth Lovers and Antiquities are both PAF replicas that should be smooth. A company called WB also makes several different low output humbuckers. WB is out of business...thank god Some other options are WCR, Sheptones,Wolftones, Trowbak, Bareknuckle., Stephens design, guitar force,... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Bushy natural for me. Just sayin' You must really like the 70s huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 He's old school. Nothing wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 WB is out of business...thank god Some other options are WCR, Sheptones,Wolftones, Trowbak, Bare knuckle., Stephens design, guitar force,... Try WCR, Wolfetones, Guitar Force, Skatterbranes, What happened to WB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 They're site is still up. Never had experience with their product, just naming options:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 What happened to WB? They were taking orders and not fulfilling them. Went on for a long time. His site is up, but I don't think he is taking orders. Sad thing, as the winder has a reputation of being among the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 They were taking orders and not fulfilling them. Went on for a long time. His site is up, but I don't think he is taking orders. Sad thing, as the winder has a reputation of being among the best. Thats so stupid, i remember some drama on MLP...but a whole business gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisMiller Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I produce my own wax for potting Here's the representative from the wax company now... He and way too many of his friends built a factory in one of the decorative wood columns on the front of my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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