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Post subject: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:47 am
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I am looking into buying a tele. I play country, blues, and some 80's rock from time to time. I prefer a thinner neck. Not sure which tele would be best. I want a fixed bridge. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also should I consider the thinline. Thanks for looking.


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:59 pm
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What's your budget?


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 5:24 pm
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I would suggest a cabronita tele


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:27 pm
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All teles in the current lineup are fixed bridge.

So, for country you'll want that rear position tele twang, generally done with a single coil but you can definitely get a twangbanger sound out of a hotrails or something similar.

On the front pickup for blues sounds, most single coils will give you a decent bluesy tone slightly overdriven. Whether the pickup is voiced more like a strat or not, doesn't really matter.

As for 80s rock, you'll probably want a humbucker in the bridge. So that goes back to your rear pickup being a hotrails or similar.

So, what options have you got?

James Burton Tele
Country vibe for sure, blade style pickups so will definitely have a clear midrange punch your standard bobbins style singlecoil doesn't have, which helps with the rock, maybe not enough for your 80s rock.

American Standard
Broadcaster in the bridge: classic country tele twang, Twisted Tele in the neck: Stratier Voiced tele pickup great for those blues tones. Whack an overdrive pedal infront of this guy and you'll rock out no probs, not the highest outputting pickups but will get the job done. Theres a reason they call this a standard, and the new pickup config for 2012 really make this a versitle guitar. Also, heaps of finish options :) Guitars need to look good too for you to play em. Not exactly a thin neck on this guy though, middle of the road.

Special Custom Edition FMT HH
Blacktop
I put these together because.... 80s ROOOOCK baby. Look either the FMT HH or the Blacktop will cover your rock n roll needs for days. FMT HH has a Pearly Gates and a PAF 59 pickup installed. CLASSIC combination for a Les Paul but in a tele. Both are classic humbucker, medium output pickups. You're gonna get a great sounding rock tone, more vintagey out of the box though. Blacktop has Alnico V pickups in it, much higher output. Both do a great job at rock, both can give you that freddy king bluesy sorta tone. The FMT HH might give you more of a Gary Moore, Bonamassa type vibe with its mahogany set neck for blues. The Blacktop is more an all out rocker. Blacktop has a thin neck on it.

Modern Player Plus
What a ripper of a guitar at a cheap price point. Has a HSS pickup config so able to cover a different range of styles quite well. Whilst built solidly in asia, the pickups are a little cheap on this one. They do a great job covering what they need to and definitely look at this guy if you're on a tight budget. HAVING SAID THAT, my recommendation for you is

Richie Kotzen
Theres a tone of tone built into these things, apparently the tone knob on this guy is a "inphase out of phase" blender (not sure how that works), but yeah great pickup config on this one, Twang King in the neck for country style neck pickup, roll that tone down to get a bluesy woman tone. Chopper T in the bridge (high output, single coil spacey). Perfect for 80s rock, turn down the volume a bit on the guitar to get that tele twang in the bridge. Having said that, it has a vintage U shaped neck, which is leaning towards "big". It definitely isn't THIN.

LOTS of options there, best thing to do, find a shop near you that has a couple and get down there an PLAY them. Take your own amplifier (unless you plan on buying a new amp) and sit down for a good hour. Have a couple of songs or licks lined up, ones that you like playing. And play them all on the different guitars, a/b-ing between them. Its amazing how many people don't do this. Go until you have found the one you want and if you CAN'T find a guitar that does what you want, don't purchase one! Walk away, come back another day.

Goodluck in that ENDLESS SEARCH FOR TONE!

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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 5:06 am
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Impulse7 wrote:
All teles in the current lineup are fixed bridge.

So, for country you'll want that rear position tele twang, generally done with a single coil but you can definitely get a twangbanger sound out of a hotrails or something similar.

On the front pickup for blues sounds, most single coils will give you a decent bluesy tone slightly overdriven. Whether the pickup is voiced more like a strat or not, doesn't really matter.

As for 80s rock, you'll probably want a humbucker in the bridge. So that goes back to your rear pickup being a hotrails or similar.

So, what options have you got?

James Burton Tele
Country vibe for sure, blade style pickups so will definitely have a clear midrange punch your standard bobbins style singlecoil doesn't have, which helps with the rock, maybe not enough for your 80s rock.

American Standard
Broadcaster in the bridge: classic country tele twang, Twisted Tele in the neck: Stratier Voiced tele pickup great for those blues tones. Whack an overdrive pedal infront of this guy and you'll rock out no probs, not the highest outputting pickups but will get the job done. Theres a reason they call this a standard, and the new pickup config for 2012 really make this a versitle guitar. Also, heaps of finish options :) Guitars need to look good too for you to play em. Not exactly a thin neck on this guy though, middle of the road.

Special Custom Edition FMT HH
Blacktop
I put these together because.... 80s ROOOOCK baby. Look either the FMT HH or the Blacktop will cover your rock n roll needs for days. FMT HH has a Pearly Gates and a PAF 59 pickup installed. CLASSIC combination for a Les Paul but in a tele. Both are classic humbucker, medium output pickups. You're gonna get a great sounding rock tone, more vintagey out of the box though. Blacktop has Alnico V pickups in it, much higher output. Both do a great job at rock, both can give you that freddy king bluesy sorta tone. The FMT HH might give you more of a Gary Moore, Bonamassa type vibe with its mahogany set neck for blues. The Blacktop is more an all out rocker. Blacktop has a thin neck on it.

Modern Player Plus
What a ripper of a guitar at a cheap price point. Has a HSS pickup config so able to cover a different range of styles quite well. Whilst built solidly in asia, the pickups are a little cheap on this one. They do a great job covering what they need to and definitely look at this guy if you're on a tight budget. HAVING SAID THAT, my recommendation for you is

Richie Kotzen
Theres a tone of tone built into these things, apparently the tone knob on this guy is a "inphase out of phase" blender (not sure how that works), but yeah great pickup config on this one, Twang King in the neck for country style neck pickup, roll that tone down to get a bluesy woman tone. Chopper T in the bridge (high output, single coil spacey). Perfect for 80s rock, turn down the volume a bit on the guitar to get that tele twang in the bridge. Having said that, it has a vintage U shaped neck, which is leaning towards "big". It definitely isn't THIN.

LOTS of options there, best thing to do, find a shop near you that has a couple and get down there an PLAY them. Take your own amplifier (unless you plan on buying a new amp) and sit down for a good hour. Have a couple of songs or licks lined up, ones that you like playing. And play them all on the different guitars, a/b-ing between them. Its amazing how many people don't do this. Go until you have found the one you want and if you CAN'T find a guitar that does what you want, don't purchase one! Walk away, come back another day.

Goodluck in that ENDLESS SEARCH FOR TONE!h

Thanks for th info. I will take your advice. I plan on trying different ones out. It will have to feel and sound right before I buy it.


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:03 pm
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great advice, go try 'em all & i'd add Squier Classic Vibe Tele to that list, another great guitar for the money

happy shopping :)

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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:02 pm
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Whilst i think those Squire Classic Vibe series guitars are great value for money, I wasn't sure about two vintage voices single coils for 80s rock. Blues 100%! but being able to cover both aspects, I wasn't sure. Still, check it out though, could surprise you.

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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:56 am
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I bought an Am. Std. Tele in February, and it's become my favorite (also own a Gibson Les Paul Std, and an Am. Std. Strat)

I find the Telecaster is so versatile. The Am. Std. comes with a 3 way switch, and that middle tone is fantastic--sounds a bit like the 2nd and 4th switch on the Stratocaster, but with a harder edge.

If it's in your budget, I highly recommend the Am. Std. Mine's a 2011, but they're making the 2012's well too.

Good luck with your decision.


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:31 am
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Buy the best one you can afford in the style and color you like.
Otherwise you'll always 2nd guess yourself.

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"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield


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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:21 pm
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Post pics when you get it. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Which Telecaster should I buy.
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:02 pm
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DippyDikeson wrote:
I would suggest a cabronita tele

I love my cab but the OP wants a thin neck. My cab has a baseball bat style neck. But those Fidelitrons are super versatile. I can even play metal on that thing.

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