Which Epi Sounds Most Like a Telecaster?

[bonzoboy]

Nothing but a Tele is going to sound like a Tele.I have an MIM Tele that my wife bought me for Christmas a few years ago and it's a phenomenal guitar. It was very slightly used for a couple of weeks and still had the plastic on the pickguard but she only paid $300 for it.You can buy Squier Teles for less than $200 and they are of amazing quality considering such a low price.I have 6 Epiphones and neither one can come close to a Tele,even my Traditional Pro with its coil tap that enables it to go to a single coil mode.In single coil mode the Trad Pro sounds more like a cross between a Fender Jaguar and Mustang.Every guitarist should have at least one Tele in their quiver anyway-a Strat is also essential.

[milod]

I dunno...

 

I can feature buying a Squier tele to get toward the Tele sound, but every time I get close, I start thinking about the neck and I back off.

 

It ain't the money right now, it's ... well, in spite of thinking it'd be fun to go after some Ray Buchanan vibe, I just can't go for the neck. In fact, since I started thinking about getting a tele... instead, I got over a year's time two Epi and another brand AEs...

 

OTOH, I can't even imagine gassing for a Strat.

 

m

[funcle B]

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

 

Had a Nighthawk on my watchlist for some time now, judging by youtube videos I've heard, they're very versatile tone-wise. It's just the bridge shape that has stopped me thus far

[funcle B]

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.

 

Beautifull. How are you liking the SD Mini? Do you find it cuts through for lead work or is it mainly for the chords?

[bloozeguy]

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.

 

This is a beaut! What's the body wood?

AND, just to throw another fly in this ointment, what are y'all's thoughts about the '66 Worn Wilshire, the one with the mini-buckers. Just thinking they might approximate the single-coils' sound, and with his other reasons for wanting something LIKE the Tele--shorter scale, flatter neck--it might work for him.

[stein]

I dunno...

 

I can feature buying a Squier tele to get toward the Tele sound, but every time I get close, I start thinking about the neck and I back off.

 

It ain't the money right now, it's ... well, in spite of thinking it'd be fun to go after some Ray Buchanan vibe, I just can't go for the neck. In fact, since I started thinking about getting a tele... instead, I got over a year's time two Epi and another brand AEs...

 

OTOH, I can't even imagine gassing for a Strat.

 

m

I been meaning to say for a while:

 

Fender has made at least in the recent past some necks that are closer to the Gibson spec than the old Fender spec- flatter raduis and more of a "Gibson" style shape to the backs.

 

Personally, I like both. To me what feels like a good neck could be anything and depends more on refinement than a particular spec. But I DO get the differences of the typical Fender type feel and the Gibson type feel.

 

Said all that to say that one of my favorite Fenders has a 9.5 radius neck that feels much more like my '61 Gibson than a Fender feel. I think it is more than just the radius that makes it feel that way.

 

I realize you don't live near a shop, but if and when you find a Tele you can get your hands on, you might find one that has it for you. But, they don't have the neck angle of a typical Gibson, which also makes a difference (to me it does).

[milod]

Yeah... MF has a very inexpensive Squier, under $200. But I just can't talk myself into it.

 

I dunno. Maybe I should, but I just don't want a $200 chunk of wood sitting cased in the corner.

 

m

[adam411booking]

Honestly, I own a Squier Tele and it's really not that bad. I agree with Milod that the neck isn't that great, but for the price I couldn't resist...and I'd do it again.

 

I don't think any Epiphone guitar will give you that designated Tele sound simply because it's not a Tele.

 

I recommend you try out either a Squier Affinity Series Tele or a Squier 60's Vibe Tele. Personally, I love my little Squier. It's not a bad guitar at all. Sure it's not a Fender, but it's tones are awesome.

 

And in my honest opinion, in some cases I prefer Squier over Fender (I'm sure Leo Fender is rolling in his grave right now because I said that). But again, that's MY opinion. I do recommend you hit up your local music store and try one out though. Only you can be the judge of whether or not it's worth the investment or not.

[clarkuss]

The closest I ever had to an Epi Tele was my 70s MIJ ET-278 so i would have recommended the Wilshire Reissue straight away... But like many have said, you can get a good Tele for less than most Epis cost brand new:

 

[adam411booking]

The closest I ever had to an Epi Tele was my 70s MIJ ET-278 so i would have recommended the Wilshire Reissue straight away... But like many have said, you can get a good Tele for less than most Epis cost brand new:

 

I've never played a Wilshire (please don't stone me), but I've always been kind of curious about them.