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Post subject: Asking advice on purchasing a Telecaster
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:27 pm
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I know this has been asked dozens of times but here goes. I want a new Telecaster but am torn between three. I really like the 52 Reissue, the American Standard and the 72 Thinline. They all sound different but I think they all sound good. I sit down in Guitar Center and play all three over and over through a Deluxe Reverb (my home amp,) and each time I play one, I think "this is the one" no matter which one it is.
Here's the thing. I'm a miserable guitar player. I'm older than dirt so I'm not going to get much better but I love guitars I won't say cost is not a factor but it's not the major one.
I know if you own one of these, you'll think it's great but is there any logical way to look at this. I know it's all in the ear and the hand but surely there is someone out there who has GAS (guitar aquisition syndrome) as bad as me and has faced the same delima. I play mostly Country but I really like Blues and I would like both sounds in one guitar. Possible? HELP!

A dozen guitars and half a dozen amps' and none of them will play themselves


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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:46 pm
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I tried the dual humbucker tele and after a while it left we wanting.

if you want a Tele get a Tele, if you want a humbucker guitar, well then I dont have advice for you as I like to stick to Fender products on this forum.

Honestly I really tried to like the HH Tele's, they just can't get the sounds I was looking for.

As you can see from my other thread I am working on restoring a 52 reissue MIJ to a conventional Tele by replacing some emg active pickups the former owner had installed, to a U.S.A. set of alnico Tele pups.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:11 am
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Hey if the $$$ isn't a big deal why not pick up a vintage?
Maybe a broken in Tele with some good lovin' in it and mojo might be what you need.
I find if I can't decide between a few options, it might be the one I haven't tried yet. :D


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 10:43 am
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I'd go with the American Standard or the 52 reissue. Mostly because they will both SOUND like a Telecaster is supposed to sound. In my opinion once you start humbuckering around it isn't really a Tele anymore. If you rest your hand on the bridge alot when playing, the vintage bridge on the 52 won't be as comfortable. Either way I think you will be happy. OR . . . you could buy both (or even all 3, but that might be pushing it a little). Don't knock your chops brother, not everyone is a "guitar god" as long as you play it and enjoy it you are a guitarist and that is all that matters.


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Post subject: FROM ONE OLD DIRT TO ANOTHER
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:40 am
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Location: chicago il.
I have in my guitar bank of 14, 3 fenders a red american fender pluss deluxe with gold lace sensor pick ups, artic white mex tele standard & a mex blond 72 reissue tele thine line with the 2 humbuckers & now i have my eye on the J5 tripple deluxe tele, what i'm trying to say is they all have their own sound & feel they're just like women all the same but different, have you tried the J5 yet, old dirt face the fact you're a guitar junky, so pick your poison there's much to choose from.

sparky


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:53 am
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first off, i agree with the guy that said don't put down yer chops ... if you love to play, that is ALL that counts (rock on!) ...

i have a '69 reissue tele thinline that i love and have messed with the sound some, which the purists are going to have a heyday with ... at the end of the day, setup is key -- but that is true of all guitars (IMHO) .. if you're serious about it, having a good tech do a bench "tune up" with the specific strings you like to play should just be built into the cost of buying one ...

i had a SEYMOUR DUNCAN double stack humbucker installed in the neck position of my tele with a push/pull pot to allow me greater tone flexibility (extended sustain/warmth and hotter output when needed, but able to "dial back" to single coil cleanness too) ... that is a very EASY upgrade ... for MAXIMUM tonal flexibility, the other option would be to get the '72 tele CUSTOM (the keith richards-inspired guitar -- but it is somewhat like the bastard son of an LP/tele marriage and very different from a "normal" tele with the separate tone/volume controls for each pickup, but the key aspects of both guitars are there -- i.e., the LP-like neck humbucker and the biting tele bridge single coil) ...

there may be some difference in sound between thinlines and standard models, but it is not noticeable in a live setting (especially when playing thru pedals and live amps/cabs) -- it's more tangible in a studio ... the REAL advantage of a thinline over a standard tele is WEIGHT, and in a live playing situation you are going to notice a BIG difference there ... thinlines are not only lighter and easier to play for longer periods on stage, but also they feel a lot more balanced as a result (i.e., the thick tele bodies are flat-out HEAVY!) ... bottom line, i love my hot-rodded thinline, and that signature tele "twang" is still there to cut thru the mix ..


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:54 pm
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I'm a Tele collector and have more different kinds of Teles than you probably can imagine. :roll:

The 52 RI is a "purists" Tele. You may like it or you may not. It will probably need rewiring as it will have the old Tele wiring.

The Thinline (and in this case you are probably trying the MIM version) will be "nice", but to be honest, I'd wait around and buy a Crafted in Japan Thinline over the MIM version.

Get the American Standard! :wink:

They are really great teles and a good starting point for your Tele collection. I have bought two, one to display and one to play.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 3:49 pm
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I have the '72 thinline (natural finish), and I love it. I love the double humbuckers and the deep tone that it can put out.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:58 pm
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The '52 is a slick git, but as a #1 I'd get the Am. Standard. You can't go wrong. Period. Versatile as heck and the straight up sound pushed a little into a tube amp, man that's the s%$t. That is the american electric guitar sound. And dude we ain't all Hendrix, it's the love of playing that gets a lot of us by. Peace. J.J.B.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:38 pm
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:34 pm
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Location: Indiana
A Delux tele will do it all.
My 2006 Tele suprises my every day.
I purchased it to fill a void. I've bought many strats
in my 21 years of playing guitar and never thought
a "tele" would be good for anything but country.
The Tele is a workhorse. The SCN pickups with s-1
switching are awesome. Clean? no problem, beautiful
and crisp! Overdrive? Awesome sustain, searing leads.
Full on distortion? Holds its own admirably with an
appealing 70's rock quality. The metal guys might
need more aggressive pickups but this baby has wonderful
tone and you won't want to put it down. no lie.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:57 pm
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I have the 72 Thinline and while not THE classic Tele sound (I have a Highway 1 that comes closer there), I like it for blues and the little country I do. I also use it for "light" rock but curiously, the Hwy 1 (to me) sounds better when I'm in a jazz mood.

The amps it matches well with are my ancient Champ 12 (my normal practice rig) and my Super 210. I don't care for it on most of the settings available on my Line6 DuoVerb -- just my opinion, but the Thinline is a bit "thin" in tone for the all solid state amp.

I noticed that someone mentioned the CIJ Thinline and I've read several others elsewhere mentioning both higher quality and a better sound. I'd love to try one myself and if you have some time and a source, that might well be worth waiting for.


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