In the market for a Tele: What should I go for?

[JakeK]

I've been saving up my bills slowly and have been wanting a Tele since about November. I've owned two Teles in the past that I did not like. They are both no longer with me. The first was a MIM Standard Tele in eggshell white, which did not get any of the tones I desired and looked cheap next to my other guitars I owned at the time. The other was a Highway 1 Tele in wine red, which looked cool, but was a modern guitar with a somewhat beefy neck, nothing that moved me. I did like the three-saddle bridge, but the pickups didn't have that sweet vintage twang.

So, now I'm in the market for a Tele, but I want something vintage reissue-style that will not only look cool, but get me the sounds I want.

I'm really wanting one of these:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0106200806
or possibly one of these:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0100202850

But my budget says differently...I couldn't afford either of those, so it brings me down the MIM line or the CIJ line.

I test drove one of these at Fuller's in Houston:
http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/fender/200 ... b_bigs.htm
And I really liked it, especially the Bigsby. It also had a Mike Campbell/Tom Petty vibe, which is always nice to go for, for me.

My eye is set on this, however:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0131600305
Right on the point, and everything I'm wanting.

I'd like to experiment with one of these and put a neck pickup in it:
http://fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0131502301

And wire it like a Tele, but I don't want to blow my wad on something I may end up hating.

Someone help me out!

[sloop_john_b]

Jake, I don't think you'll be happy with anything but a Vintage Reissue.

My favorite Teles that have come out lately are the Road Worn 50's and the new American Standard Special.

I'm surprised that you didn't find the sound you were looking for from a Highway 1. Heck, one of my favorite Teles being made right now is the Squier Classic Vibe and even that has some serious punch and twang to it, no pickup swap required.

I've had much experience with the CIJ '62 Tele with the Bigsby. I find the bridge design really finnicky and difficult to get set up. I also think it's a bit of a tone-sucker, especially compared with something that has the more traditional-style Tele bridge.

What would be the point of putting a neck pickup in an Esquire? Why not just buy a Tele that already has one?

[JakeK]

Jake, I don't think you'll be happy with anything but a Vintage Reissue.

You know me so well and we haven't even met in person!

My favorite Teles that have come out lately are the Road Worn 50's and the new American Standard Special.

I actually tried a Road Worn '50s at a Mandeville Fender dealer. It had a great, broken in feel to it, but it's like the relics, I don't like it because it looks like it's been through hell(o).

I've had much experience with the CIJ '62 Tele with the Bigsby. I find the bridge design really finnicky and difficult to get set up. I also think it's a bit of a tone-sucker, especially compared with something that has the more traditional-style Tele bridge.

What do you mean by tone-sucker? Isn't the bridge a little like a Jaguar/Jazzmaster?

What would be the point of putting a neck pickup in an Esquire? Why not just buy a Tele that already has one?

To be like Bruce Springsteen (someone I'm not that keen on).

[sloop_john_b]

I've had much experience with the CIJ '62 Tele with the Bigsby. I find the bridge design really finnicky and difficult to get set up. I also think it's a bit of a tone-sucker, especially compared with something that has the more traditional-style Tele bridge.

What do you mean by tone-sucker? Isn't the bridge a little like a Jaguar/Jazzmaster?

It is like those bridges, and I think it gives that sort of tonal quality to that particular Tele, which is a negative IMO. The best Tele sound comes from the old 3-saddle bridge, YMMV.

What would be the point of putting a neck pickup in an Esquire? Why not just buy a Tele that already has one?

To be like Bruce Springsteen (someone I'm not that keen on).[/quote]

Well then that doesn't make a lick of sense, now does it?

[scott_s]

I like the '52RI a lot, myself. IMO, if you're going to own one Tele, you should have the definitive one.

- Scott

[winston]

I have John's old CIJ 62 RI Tele in Sunburst (sorry for reminding you John ). You could not ask for a better Tele IMO. I love that guitar. So Jake you cannot go wrong with a RI. The three saddle bridges are the best IMO.

[tonewoods]

If you can operate a rattlecan of spray paint and cut a nut (or know someone who can cut a nut), I would build the exact guitar of your dreams...

Parts are extremely standardized these days, and if I can do it, you can do it...

Figure 600 bucks for high-end parts all the way around...

Here's a '55 Esquire copy I put together:

http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22 ... re%20Copy/

A '56 Tele:

http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee22 ... =slideshow

Just figure out exactly what you want in terms of body woods, pickups, etc. etc., order up the parts, and put it together...

[wmthor]

I had a CIJ '62 Custom RI and I recently sold it in order to fund a Collings 290. However, two days after I sold the it, I wound up replacing it with a Custom Shop '62 NOS (still have the Collings on order).

out with the old

and in with the new

Like John said, I don't think you would be satisfied with anything less than a AV '62 RI.

[analogpackrat]

Agree on the 3-saddle bridge. And don't forget thru-body stringing. The combination generates a lot of down force which, IMO, is key to getting the classic tele spank and sustain.

And here I'll differ with some of the others...play a bunch of guitars and find the one that sings. You'll know it when you find it. At that point you shouldn't care where it came from. My tele (copy) is Korean made Mako brand that I bought new in 1989 or so for $145. It rang out acoustically and I bought it. 2-piece all maple neck (slab board--no skunk stripe), basswood body (natural finish), kinda big frets, and a good copy of the old 3-saddle tele bridge assembly. Pickups and electronics were ****. I've since put SD pickups in it and a better harness (5-way switching) as well as a solid black guard and real chromed brass knobs.

After many years of being my primary beater guitar (never had a case--just leaned it against the amp) I finally wore grooves into the lower 7 frets to the point that it was unplayable. I was afraid to replace the neck--maybe that original neck is part of the magic. I didn't want to spend $200+ on a refret, either. So I did my own partial refret and also put compensated brass saddles on it last fall. I still love it. The SD STL-1b bridge pickup is great.

Everyone needs a tele! (can I say that on here?) They are very versatile guitars--every control matters as does the way you play it. They are also brutally honest--if you play sloppily, you'll hear it! Ask me how I know!

[kiramdear]

Still waiting to meet the tele that won't let me live without it. They just never feel right to me, which is a pity because I want to like them. The closest I came to a good feeling with one was testing out a Joe Strummer model. Oh well, one of these days ...

[wmthor]

They are also brutally honest--if you play sloppily, you'll hear it! Ask me how I know!

No need for me to ask you how. I know how.

BTW, I had swapped the pups in my CIJ '62 RI for Fender CS Nocasters. I may be do the same with the CS NOS '62.

[jimk]

Still waiting to meet the tele that won't let me live without it. They just never feel right to me, which is a pity because I want to like them. The closest I came to a good feeling with one was testing out a Joe Strummer model. Oh well, one of these days ...

I'm rather feeling the same about my Chinese tele. Every time I pick it up, ....well it just ain't my 360/12. And that realization has me jonesin' for a 330.

No, I'm not sorry I bought the Chinese guitar. It has decent pickups and all. And it's a decent enough axe to keep over at the Academy for teaching purposes. So I'll keep it.
JimK

[analogpackrat]

Another thing about teles is that if you need to get the soundman's attention just switch to the bridge PUP, crank the tone up, and whack a sour chord. He won't be able to ignore you. Similarly, you can clear out some space in front of your side of the stage by cranking the treble. And if a troublesome fan does make it to the stage, well, Keith Richards will show you the proper technique:



And of course it stays in tune!

Seriously, my tele is the most amenable to neck bends of all my guitars. Built like a tank. I only do mild stuff on my 650C and nothing at all on the semi-hollow. The comfort cuts on a strat work against you when you try, but a tele just begs for it.

Kira--I'm curious about what doesn't feel right? Too heavy?

[kiramdear]

Yes, the weight is always important for me, which is maybe why I never owned a Les Paul either. I do know they make chambered models of both tele and LP, but still I find the tele necks don't seem to fit my hand. They are typically just too big and wide for comfort. Now when I find a slim v-neck model that's lightweight with maybe a comfort carve for my ribs they'll have me onboard.

I've tried the slimline with the binding and f-hole; don't care for the looks of those.

[lennon211]

Jake, I'll say that I have two: the '52 AVRI and the '62 Custom AVRI. Between the two, there are the obvious cosmetic differences, but I would say that I prefer the '52. The feel of the neck is very comfortable. Tone-wise...it's a Tele...there isn't a bad sound to be had. Perhaps the one thing that you could do if you wanted to straddle the vintage-modern gap is to install the kit to upgrade the neck pickup to modern spec. I haven't, but it does give you some extra sonic punch.