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Which Epi Sounds Most Like a Telecaster?


Chas63

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I've got several electric Epi guitars: SG 400 1966 Reissue, Wilshire Pro, and the Sheraton II. But None of them sound like the Telecasters I hear on CD's, radio, etc.

 

Is there any way to make them sound more like a Telecaster? The Wilshire Pro has the splittable coil and, when on the single coil bridge pickup, sounds a little like the Telecaster, but is there another one that sounds more like a Telecaster?

 

Thanks

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I believe this would be the answer to your question.

 

http://www.epiphonew...?title=T-Series

 

That was my first thought too.

 

Unfortunately, the T-Series has been out of production for over a decade. There is nothing else in Epiphone's lineup that sounds like a Telecaster, or even a Strat for that matter. I think that the Nighthawk is about as close as you can get with current Epiphones.

 

http://www.epiphonewiki.com/index.php?title=Nighthawk

 

650px-Nighthawk-c.jpg

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To be honest I don't think you'll ever get a 'real' Telecaster sound because of the unique design of the Telecaster bridge pickup. If you're looking for that particular sound then I'd recommend buying a Squire Tele which will give you a fantastic bang for the bucks guitar.

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:-k

A squire american tele is pretty inexpensive and as I have one for 6 years now n it's as good if not better then an expensive tele, with the same tone n pups. Look at my profile pic and see its on the right.

A Squier American Tele? :-k

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This one, cheaper than most Epis too...........

 

CSV Tele

 

My-CV-Tele-1.jpg

 

 

 

Yup......I have one of those......I turned it into a five string "Keef" Tele.......I even have a Tele with 2 P-90s..........

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Just to be clear, I have NOT played an Epi Nighthawk.

 

In my humble opinion, what makes a Tele sound like a Tele is 1) the bridge, and 2) light weight. These are the important elements that lead to that Tele "twang" that sets a Tele apart.

 

The bridge makes a bigger difference than one might think. The trem block on Strats changes the sound compared to a hardtail quite a bit, and it doesn't matter if it is "blocked" against the body. Regardless of what guitar it is, a light wieght bridge contributes a great deal to that twangy thing.

 

As far as the weight is concerned, In my experience with Fenders, different wood types do sound different, but not as much as different wieghts. That is to say that there is much more difference in tone between a 7 lb guitar and a 9 lb guitar than there is, say, an Alder body or an Ash or basswood body. This also contributes to that brightness associated with Tele "twang".

 

I said all that to say that if your goal is that "twangy" thing Teles are known for, there are a lot of Tele types out there that are heavy with thick bridges that don't have much of that twang at all, and one could get more of it following a different recipee that ends up being closer to the origonal spec they became known for in the first place- the result of the lightwieght bridge and lightwieght body.

 

The other thing about a Tele: the bridge pup. Most think (and most copies put in the cheaper versions) the Tele bridge pup is a bright thin pup like a Strat type. It ain't A REAL Tele pup is high output and very snarly and fat sounding. They were wound to be that way in the beginning, and they don't sound anything like a Strat pup. They don't have the mids of a P-90 or the smoothness of a humbucker, but they are problably closer to a humbucker in sound than a Strat type, but with more focus. A lot of early Tele/Braodcaster/Esquire players clipped the cap so the origonal hot pups sounded louder and brighter, but then again a "modern" Tele has a tone control that takes the edge off what would ne a thinner sounding pup. Depending on what YOU associate with a Tele sound you might go either way.

 

Just sayin', depending on what a guy is hearing when he thinks of Tele tone, it could be different for each dude. I see more twng looking at a little-bodied Nighthawk with that little flat bridge than what I see from a 9 lb Squire. I'd play them first to decide, but from what I have played of a lot of the imports, they don't sound too Tele-like according to MY version of a Tele sound.

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Seems like you never played a Nighthawk....

 

[flapper]

 

yes I have, a band mate had a gibson nighthawk, and I farted around with it on occasion - twas not a bad axe, but sound like a tele? I just never got that out of it.

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Seems like you never played a Nighthawk....

 

The ones who are able to read really do have some advantage....

 

Which Epi Sounds Most Like a Telecaster ?

 

keywords are underlined

 

He probably already knows that a Tele sounds like a Tele

 

[flapper]

 

I'm perfectly capable of reading thank you very much.

 

I also inferred from his question that he was thinking of buying an Epiphone guitar and wants one which would give a Tele sound. Because of the particular nature of the Telecaster sound which is in no small part due to the bridge and the unique bridge pickup a reasonable response is to advise that he would be better buying a Tele of some description.

 

If someone asked which Tele sounds most like a LP would you not suggest that they would be better served by buying a LP?

 

Same thing.

 

 

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Don't underestimate the importance of the 25 1/2" scale, either, in getting that distinctive Tele tone. I've often described the tone of my Wildkat as "like a Telecaster on steroids," but that is a critical difference between the Wildkat's beefed-up punch and the shimmerybright metallic tone of the original.

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Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll have to try a Nighthawk somewhere to see if they sound like, or can be made to sound like, a Tele. Anyone have a link to a Nighthawk audio/video clip that might give me some idea of the sound?

 

BTW, I really would rather have an Epi that sounded like a Tele than have a Tele for two or three reasons.

 

First, I prefer the 24.75" scale of the Epi.

 

Second, I prefer the flatter fingerboard (12") of the Epi.

 

Third, I don't like those darn tiny individually adjusted string height bridges on the Tele. I much prefer just turning one large screw (on each side) to adjust the bridge height. It's just so much easier than messing with those little screws and wrenches.

 

 

Thanks.

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I believe the Epi Nighthawk Custom reissue has a 25-1/2" scale--the '90's Gibson Nighthawks did. I've been wanting to try the Epi Nighthawk but nobody has any--I almost bought one of the Gibsons years ago. I'm not looking for it to replace my Tele, but I like the idea of getting Tele-like (doesn't have to be identical as long as it's reasonably close) tones as well as Strat-like and Gibson-like tones. I remember being very impressed with the Gibson Nighthawk back in the day.

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Pete,

 

Thanks for the link. It looks and sounds like the Nighthawk is a very versatile guitar, but I didn't hear enough difference between it and my Wilshire Pro or my 1966 G-400 Reissue to convince me to buy the Nighthawk. Actually, I'm quite happy with both of those guitars (and the Sheraton II also), but just wondered if there was something with the Epi name that sounded even more like the Tele. I don't guess there is.

 

So, it looks like if I want the true Tele sound, I'll just have to buy a Tele...... or perhaps a Tele knockoff. Which raises a different question. Has anyone here tried out the Xaviere XV-820? Perhaps I should start a new thread on this.

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I can get some fairly convincing tele tones from my casino. Not 100% but close enough that your average drunk listener won't know the difference.

 

But that stamped steel bridge, angled single coil, maple neck and long scale are a unique combination. Only a tele is a tele.

 

And just because, here's mine.

 

8626d55d.jpg

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