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Post subject: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:44 pm
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I live overseas and will be visiting the US next month. Am planning on buying a new MIA Tele to take home with me (will save significantly on VAT and import tariffs) and am somewhat confused by all the options. Please provide your thoughts and suggestions for how to go about selecting and acquiring said Tele

In particular thoughts on where to buy? I.e. eBay, Amazon, national music chain or local music store? Other options?

Pros and cons of the different models? I.e. American Standard vs. American Special vs. American Deluxe vs. Limited Edition American Standard.

I'm leaning towards the American Deluxe version but am also quite tempted by the Limited Edition American Standard Telecaster. I could go as high as $1,500-$1,800 for the "right" guitar (but would obviously prefer to spend somewhere in the $1,000-$1,200 range) and the only thing I've definitely decided at this point is that I prefer a rosewood fretboard to maple

NOTE: I´ve only been playing/learning to play since the beginning of this year. While I would like to get the best guitar I possibly can, I still wonder if there really is any noticeable difference in playability and sound between these models for someone like me who has such limited playing experience.

Advance thanks for your help and suggestions. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Cheers,
v281


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 2:00 am
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Location: Province de Québec, Canada
IMO I'll buy American Standard beacause it is the ........standard .

Well know model and know good resale value and good tone .

Where to buy ? If you don't know guitar very well , buy it new . Try many Telecaster .

Stores ? Which citys do you go ?

Guitar Center , Sam Ash to name the well know , could be a good choice IMO

Check with your Airline company how you can bring with you . Some may charge money for a second luggage.


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:39 am
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Any Telecaster in that $1000 to $1800 price range will not limit you from playing anything you want :wink:

(In other words: it all boils down to which of the multiple versions you prefer - looks, sound, playability.)

BTW, test only guitars that are set up. Support any local mom&pop store that has the ability (and has bothered) to do a setup for their display guitars.


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:48 am
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jmattis wrote:
Support any local mom&pop store that has the ability (and has bothered) to do a setup for their display guitars.



+1 , not easy to know where they are when your are coming from other country


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 8:39 am
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Thanks for taking the time to reply stratele52 and jmattis.
Didn't think to include where I´ll be staying.
The itinerary calls for a couple of days in New York, a couple of days in South Florida followed by a week in Orlando. Will not have too much time to visit stores before Orlando.

Cheers,
v281


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:09 am
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I went for the American Special, for no other reason than the fact I wanted a Tele without the "Gut cut", and that was my best option price wise at the time

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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:48 am
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OK, so now it's time for forum members from the Orlando area to chip in and recommend those really good mom&pop stores in da hood. :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 8:18 am
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Looked at the authorized Fender dealer's in the Orlando area.
Looks like there are at least a couple Sam Ash and Guitar Center stores as well as Discount Music and two locations for what looks like a small regional chain, George's Music (with 4 stores in Pennsylvania and 5 in Florida)

Does anyone have experience with these stores or suggestions for choosing among them? Unfortunately I won't have time to visit them all :-(

I would also really appreciate hearing your thoughts on pros and cons of the different models.

Advance thanks,
v281


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:42 pm
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I have never been to the Manhattan stores however, I read Guitar Center just opened a suposidly huge store in Manhattan. Sam Ash is also based out of NYC.

I am not sure if they are the same all over but I like Sam Ash better. I hope someone local can help you out though.


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 3:48 am
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I my opinion your best with the USA Standard for sure. The USA Special is a tempting choice though as it does have some unique features that in some ways are actually better than the Standard. The pluses with the Standard are the Custom Shop pick ups and you also get a good quality hard case (which by itself kind of cancels out any savings you'd make by buying the Special which only comes with a soft gig bag). But, there are some really good features about the Special too such as the more traditionally preferred 3-way brass saddles in the bridge (said to be responsible for that vintage tele twang), as well as the un-gutted traditional shape body (the new Standards have been "contoured" which some say has had an effect on the over-all balance). The Special also features Custom Shop Texas Special pickups (which are basically "hotter" than normal as they've been over-wound) and from reviews I've read they sound great and give you a bit of extra power which some critics often say the tele lacks. I own one of the MIA Special Strats with Texas Specials and I love them! For me, I play a lot of blues/rock, I find these pickups to be pretty much just as they are described to be -still the traditional Fender sound but with a bit more power injected. On the Strat the middle pickup is reversed so that when you switch it into positions 2 or 4 you get a humbucker like effect out of those two pickups.
So, in the end your choice will really come down to whether you want to have a more traditional tele (then go for the Special and set aside extra to buy a hard case) or a modern tele -then obviously, go for the new MIA Standard (which comes in a SKB moulded hard case), which will probably work out roughly to be the same price as a Special + a hard case.
Hope that was some sort of help! You really can't go wrong either way in my opinion. They both have their advantages, it just depends on your personal preferences. Good luck!!
:mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 9:08 am
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Thanks Dan999 and everyone else for taking the time to provide thoughtful suggestions and insights. I really appreciate all your input and help.
Getting excited now that the travel date is drawing near! :)

Have been monitoring what's available on eBay and Amazon as well as visiting a lot of guitar store websites (incl. Sam Ash, Guitar Center, Willcutt Guitars, etc.etc.) and came across a great looking Tele which seems to just about have it all (incl. 3-way saddles in the bridge and no gut cut :-) ):

60th Anniversary Lite Rosewood Telebration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOGke164HhQ

All the specs are listed here:
http://musicstorelive.com/fender-lite-r ... aster.html

Not quite as traditional as a butterscotch finish, perhaps, but really like the looks of it.
Do you have any experience with this model, thoughts or input ?

Pros and/or cons of getting this particular model as well as pointers on what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

Really tempted and working up to pulling the trigger on it!

Cheers,
v281


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 9:20 am
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Close to Georges Harrison rosewood telecaster .

I hope you can find one in store


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 5:40 pm
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That tele looks nice.
Seeming your preference is to not have the contoured body and to get the 3 way brass saddled bridge instead of a 6 way I would definately consider the American Special Tele if your first choice isn't available. Then try to set aside some extra cash for a hard case. You will get a "deluxe" gig bag (looks pretty normal though if you ask me!) and a polishing cloth plus an allen key for your truss road, manual, production tags and a Fender bumper sticker!
The only other thing you don't get with the Special is a Fender strap but that's no real big deal. IMHO as the actual guitar price works out to be nearly the same as an American Standard (when you consider the hard case cost), and so to me they are virtually equal in quality, just a few different parts.
One other great Tele around the $1000 mark is the Mexican made Baja Telecaster. I know it's Mexican but it is probably easily one of the best Teles the Mexicans make. Worth considering but a MIA will hold its re-sale value better in the future.
:mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:03 pm
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Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions Dan999

Chickened out on the Lite rosewood Tele (couldn't find one to try out in a store and wasn't prepared to fork over $1.600 for a guitar on eBay that I'd never even tried!). I'm sure it's a great guitar, but not willing to take a chance on it.

Have been to several guitar stores (even managed 3 in NYC :-) and am in the process of deciding between:

a) Telecaster FSR Standard Ash (MIM, special run made for Guitar Center apparently) in Butterscotch blond - can be had for $425
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-FSR- ... 1858007.gc

Specs:
Body: Ash
Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Modern "C" Shape, (Tinted Satin Urethane Finish)
Fingerboard: Maple,
Fingerboard radius: 9.5" Radius (241mm)
No. of Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo
Pickups: 2 Hot Standard Tele Single-Coil Pickups (Neck & Bridge)
Bridge: Standard 3-Barrel String-Thru-Body Bridge
Machine Heads: Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Hardware: Chrome
Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment
Scale Length: 25.5" (648mm)
Width at Nut: 1.650" (42mm)
Strings: Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel, Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042), p/n 073-0250-003
Finish: Polyester

b) American Special Telecaster in vintage blonde
http://www.samash.com/fender-american-s ... f580230xxx
Can be had for $800 on extended Columbus day sale.
Specs:
Features include an Alder Body with gloss urethane finish,
9.5” radius maple neck, jumbo frets,
Texas Special™ pickups,
Vintage Style 3- Brass Saddle and a
Strings-Thru-Body Tele Bridge.
Also includes a deluxe gig bag.

The American Special has jumbo frets vs. medium jumbos for the FSR

Since the FSR MIM tele was made specifically for Guitar Center it isn't available at Sam Ash and Guitar Center doesn't seem to carry the American Special Tele in their stores (at least I haven't found it in any of the 4 I´ve been to) even if they have it on their website. As a result I haven´t been able to do a true side-by-side comparison.

Must admit that I´m not sure I can tell much of a difference between them (except that I prefer the satin finish on the American Special [don´t know why description for FSR MIM says satin finish, it is actually a gloss finish], while I prefer the color of he FSR MIM). As a relative beginner I don´t seem to find much of a difference between the medium jumbo and jumbo frets.

Do you have experience with either model that you could share with me? Or other thoughts and suggestions that might help make the decision easier?

Advance thanks,
v281


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Post subject: Re: Help! Need input on selecting and purchasing a new Tele
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:07 pm
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Finally, after weeks of browsing guitar store websites, eBay and Amazon, I am now the proud owner of a vintage blonde American Special Telecaster w/maple neck :D
(actually have preference for rosewood fingerboard, but couldn't find any with the specs I like, so went with maple). Thanks all for your thoughts and suggestions
- Great call on the American Special Dan999 :-)
[got the black tolex Fender hard case and a Fender strap as well - out the door in under $1,000 on the extendend Columbus day sale at Sam Ash!]

Cheers,
v281


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