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Post subject: What One To Get?
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 4:31 pm
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O.K. I currently own two Strats and want to get into a Tele. I've been looking around now for about 6 months. I've narrowed it down to an American Standard last 3 years of production, a 2011 Telebration model an Empress or Mahogany, a 2012 Select model or a Vintage 64 Reissue...played that one last night and loved the tone and feel....but then again I liked the feel and sound of all the above...++++s or minuses for any of these you may now own or why I should lean towards a different model.


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:31 pm
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StratoChuckster wrote:
O.K. I currently own two Strats and want to get into a Tele. I've been looking around now for about 6 months. I've narrowed it down to an American Standard last 3 years of production, a 2011 Telebration model an Empress or Mahogany, a 2012 Select model or a Vintage 64 Reissue...played that one last night and loved the tone and feel....but then again I liked the feel and sound of all the above...++++s or minuses for any of these you may now own or why I should lean towards a different model.


If you want the pure Tele tone, go for either the American Standard or the AV '64. I have owned the 2012 Select, a 2013 American Standard, and an AV '64, and like you I've been primarily a Strat player over the years.

The AV '64 is of course the pure Tele tone out of that bunch. The American Standards are reasonably close to the pure Tele tones, but sit somewhere between "vintage Tele" and "Strat". The Select was frankly to "polite"; it didn't have that woody, twangy tone you associate with a Tele. That being said the Select, with the chambered body, maple top, and the specific pickups could do better jangle than a vintage Tele, getting you closer to Ric territory. I wound up letting the Select go because it just wasn't "Tele" enough for my taste. For me I preferred the particular American Standard I had over the AV '64 from a playability standpoint - the modern neck works a bit better for me than the vintage neck.

It's up to you - you don't say what kind of Strats you play (modern or vintage style); I find it easier to play the modern necks but you may find the vintage style works better for you.


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:24 pm
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StratoChuckster wrote:
O.K. I currently own two Strats and want to get into a Tele. I've been looking around now for about 6 months. I've narrowed it down to an American Standard last 3 years of production, a 2011 Telebration model an Empress or Mahogany, a 2012 Select model or a Vintage 64 Reissue...played that one last night and loved the tone and feel....but then again I liked the feel and sound of all the above...++++s or minuses for any of these you may now own or why I should lean towards a different model.

That's an awful wild variety of different guitars with very different features.
It really comes down to what you like best.
If you are trying to compare the sound of these guitars, it will be very difficult to do so if they are not in the same store where you can put them through the same amp and test them sides by side.

The American Standard Telecaster
It has a 9.5" radius neck with 22 medium jumbos frets and a urethane finished, belly cut, alder body.
The current American Standard Tele has a "Custom Shop Vintage-Style Tele Neck Pickup" and a Custom Shop "Twisted Tele" bridge pickup Tele.
If the American Standard is a used guitar, it may have pickups that were formerly designated as "American Standard Pickups," which I personally never liked, but many people do.
I have not tried these latest Fender pickups on the New American Standard Telecaster but I assume that they are improved.

The Telebration Empress Telecaster
It has a light weight, gloss urethane finished Empress wood body, without belly cut, with a 22 fret Maple, modern C Shaped, 9.5" radius neck and Maple Fingerboard.
It has Highway One bridge and neck Alnico 3 Single-Coil Pickups, "Hot Vintage" pickups, with a "Grease Bucket" tone system.

The Telebration Mahogany Telecaster
It has a mahogany hand-oiled body with belly cut, and mahogany 9.5" radius neck with a Lamboo fretboard and medium jumbo frets.
It has split coil stacked Humbucker neck pickup and Enforcer Humbucker bridge pickup.

The 2012 Select Telecaster
It has a Medium C-shaped birdseye maple compound radius neck (9.5"-14") and fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, with a flame maple top, lacquer finished, and chambered, belly-cut, alder body.
It has two single-coils designed especially for the Select series, and a no-load tone control.

The American Vintage '64 Telecaster
It has a Fender Flash Coat Lacquer Ash body, without belly cut, with a slimmer mid-'60s "C" shaped 7.25" radius neck and 21 vintage sized frets.
It has American Vintage '64 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Telecaster neck and bridge pickups.

Of these five Telecasters, one Tele has a 7.25" radius neck with vintage frets, three Teles have 9.5" radius necks, and one Tele has a compound radius neck, with all of these four Teles having medium jumbo frets.
The Telebration Mahogany telecaster is different from the other four Teles as it has humbucker pickups.

Due to the huge variation in these guitars, I am not going to try to further describe what might be the functional differences between these guitars, or how they might compare.
But if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
It basically comes down to what features and which guitar you like best.

ADDENDUM

While I was composing this, John C posted and I basically defer to his opinions, as he has obviously tried more of these guitars than I have.
I personally like both the 7.25" radius and 9.5 " radius necks equally, and I am in total agreement that the AV '64 Tele sounds great.
While I personally prefer the small Vintage Frets and find no unfavorable attributes with playing a 7.25" radius neck, not everyone agrees with that.
I will say that Vintage Frets will wear faster.
Hope this helps.


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:35 am
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MickJagger wrote:
StratoChuckster wrote:
O.K. I currently own two Strats and want to get into a Tele. I've been looking around now for about 6 months. I've narrowed it down to an American Standard last 3 years of production, a 2011 Telebration model an Empress or Mahogany, a 2012 Select model or a Vintage 64 Reissue...played that one last night and loved the tone and feel....but then again I liked the feel and sound of all the above...++++s or minuses for any of these you may now own or why I should lean towards a different model.

That's an awful wild variety of different guitars with very different features.
It really comes down to what you like best.
If you are trying to compare the sound of these guitars, it will be very difficult to do so if they are not in the same store where you can put them through the same amp and test them sides by side.

The American Standard Telecaster
It has a 9.5" radius neck with 22 medium jumbos frets and a urethane finished, belly cut, alder body.
The current American Standard Tele has a "Custom Shop Vintage-Style Tele Neck Pickup" and a Custom Shop "Twisted Tele" bridge pickup Tele.
If the American Standard is a used guitar, it may have pickups that were formerly designated as "American Standard Pickups," which I personally never liked, but many people do.
I have not tried these latest Fender pickups on the New American Standard Telecaster but I assume that they are improved.

The Telebration Empress Telecaster
It has a light weight, gloss urethane finished Empress wood body, without belly cut, with a 22 fret Maple, modern C Shaped, 9.5" radius neck and Maple Fingerboard.
It has Highway One bridge and neck Alnico 3 Single-Coil Pickups, "Hot Vintage" pickups, with a "Grease Bucket" tone system.

The Telebration Mahogany Telecaster
It has a mahogany hand-oiled body with belly cut, and mahogany 9.5" radius neck with a Lamboo fretboard and medium jumbo frets.
It has split coil stacked Humbucker neck pickup and Enforcer Humbucker bridge pickup.

The 2012 Select Telecaster
It has a Medium C-shaped birdseye maple compound radius neck (9.5"-14") and fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, with a flame maple top, lacquer finished, and chambered, belly-cut, alder body.
It has two single-coils designed especially for the Select series, and a no-load tone control.

The American Vintage '64 Telecaster
It has a Fender Flash Coat Lacquer Ash body, without belly cut, with a slimmer mid-'60s "C" shaped 7.25" radius neck and 21 vintage sized frets.
It has American Vintage '64 Gray-Bottom Single-Coil Telecaster neck and bridge pickups.

Of these five Telecasters, one Tele has a 7.25" radius neck with vintage frets, three Teles have 9.5" radius necks, and one Tele has a compound radius neck, with all of these four Teles having medium jumbo frets.
The Telebration Mahogany telecaster is different from the other four Teles as it has humbucker pickups.

Due to the huge variation in these guitars, I am not going to try to further describe what might be the functional differences between these guitars, or how they might compare.
But if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
It basically comes down to what features and which guitar you like best.

ADDENDUM

While I was composing this, John C posted and I basically defer to his opinions, as he has obviously tried more of these guitars than I have.
I personally like both the 7.25" radius and 9.5 " radius necks equally, and I am in total agreement that the AV '64 Tele sounds great.
While I personally prefer the small Vintage Frets and find no unfavorable attributes with playing a 7.25" radius neck, not everyone agrees with that.
I will say that Vintage Frets will wear faster.
Hope this helps.


Nice rundown - and thanks for the kind words.

I neglected to point out that the particular 2013 American Standard I used to own was a very, very good example of that model, with a really big, full sound that was closer than a lot of them to the big, full Tele sound you get from the AV models, which made my decision between it and the AV '64 a bit easier. I wound up selling almost all my guitars (kept a cheap acoustic) 6 months ago when I had to basically quit playing due to a hand injury and "life getting in the way"; that particular Tele has moved to my "regret selling" list. :(


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:39 pm
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Really appreciate the Replys...gotta say that 64 is really stuck in my mind, loved the sound and a feel I just can't put into words....right would best sum it up. Plan is to go to the local store this weekend and test drive them one more time...will let you know what I bring home. I know it was a wide range...but you helped me narrow it down to two The American Standard and the 64. Thanks again for the insights, info and IMO's.

Chuck


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:27 pm
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Bought The 64 Reissue...played it against the American Standard...the feel, the tone and playability was far beyond the American Standard.....The sound is just awesome same settings...same amp two totally different sounds during the comparison. Will try to post some pictures soon. Thanks for the inputs and suggestions, but it is best said "What feels good to you and sounds good to you...buy that...that's what I bought.
Chuck :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:01 am
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StratoChuckster wrote:
Bought The 64 Reissue...played it against the American Standard...the feel, the tone and playability was far beyond the American Standard.....The sound is just awesome same settings...same amp two totally different sounds during the comparison. Will try to post some pictures soon. Thanks for the inputs and suggestions, but it is best said "What feels good to you and sounds good to you...buy that...that's what I bought.
Chuck :mrgreen:


Good deal! As I said the American Standard I had was really a stellar one that could hang with the AV models. Almost every American Standard is a good guitar, but occasionally you turn up one like I had that is really exceptional - and I had one and kept it over the AV '64 because the neck was easier to play. I have yet to play another American Standard that was as good as the one I had - and have only played one that was even close. The others wind up sounding too much like a Strat.


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:18 pm
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i must admit the newer American teles are slightly on the "CHIMEY" side! (they are very nice indeed).
you may have to do what i did, and pick a axe that you are comfortable with and install some custom shop pickups.
just a thought!


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 8:03 am
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Get one of each. :D

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Don't leave home without it!


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Post subject: Re: What One To Get?
Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 7:17 pm
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I haven't played an Empress I haven't loved. Sold 3 of them out of my shop when they were in production.


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