Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I took my Teisco Del Ray to my local guitar store for a setup and they told me not to waste my money as it needed a refret and a new nut.I didn't want to bother selling it on ebay because I didn't think I would get much if I was honest so I traded it in to Guitar Center and they gave me $75 off this brand new Squire Affinity Telecaster.Wow! What a great guitar for $95.I like it better than the American Deluxe Ash Tele I used to have because it is 3 pounds lighter and the pickups have more crunch than the noiseless ones on the DLX.Also I like the toploader bridge because it seems a little easier to play.Check it out:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Squire%20Tele/DSCF0025_edited.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Squire%20Tele/DSCF0021_edited.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Squire%20Tele/DSCF0022_edited.jpg

Mmmmm, butterscotch. Nice wood grain also.

Go back in tomorrow and the Del Ray will be on the wall with a $199 price!

Mitch, I agree the Affinity Tele is a GREAT guitar for the money. In some ways I wish I still had mine. But the neck is a little narrower than a "regulation sized" guitar so I upgraded to a Fender Standard Tele. On the other hand, as you say, the Fender weighs a ton. But that's the reason Roy Buchanan played one. *
[In the RB bio, he said he chose Telecasters because he began playing in rowdy bars and the Tele was the strongest, heaviest guitar he could find to use as a weapon.]

Oh, one other thing. It's interesting that your Affinity has a black pickguard. That is the color on Squier's website. However, all of the ones at my local GC have white pickguards. Odd. I think Teles look much better with black pickguards.

[Also odd: My Standard is in natural wood, which is not a color listed on Fender's web site. But I'm very happy w/ that color. Wine would have been my second choice.]

I'll post a pic when I get a chance.

Thanks for the post Mark!I would love to see a picture of you Tele.I too have never seen a Standard in natural.You are right that GC usually only has the Affinity teles with the white guard.When I went there I asked if they had the one with a black guard and the said no only white.The salesman and I looked at all the unopended boxes but they all said "white pickguard" on the front.I was a little disappointed but I asked him to open one anyway so that I could try it.When he opened it,to both our surprise" the tele inside had a black guard!I tried that one but the nut was cut badly so we opened another one and that one played really well so I bought it.Now its my favorite,even though it is not as good a guitar as my others I like it best.In the future I want to get Rick 325C64 and I may sell some of my other guitars to get it but not this tele.It's a keeper.

I have one of those. You're right. Good little guitar. I put a set of Fender NoCaster pickups in it, and it sounds awesome!

Here's a couple of pics of my 62RI Tele. I love it. Congrats on the purchase Mitch, they are great guitars. It's not any heavier than my 62RI Strat. My Epi Les Paul is the heaviest guitar that I own.

Gorgeous guitar Brian. I bet it sounds sweet too.
Oh yeah, Les Pauls have to be the heaviest guitars in the world. I borrowed one once and even while only sitting down it was too heavy for me (resting on my leg).

Thanks Mark,

It pretty much has a typical 60's Tele sound... but then again they all sound sweet don't they?

Beautiful guitar Brian.It looks like my friends 61 tele:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/fuzztone65/Telecaster-1.jpg

I took this polaroid around 1983.Actually I am not sure if it is a 61 or 63.His dad gave it to him around 1963.His dad gave him a strat too.I know that one is a 61. His dad also gave him 340 12-String in 1966.

That is a real beauty Mitch. Complete with gold hardware I notice. That Tele is worth a pretty penny these days.

Your friend is a lucky person. Fully intact and near mint guitars from that era are quite rare now.

I'm right there with you! I picked the same guitar up following a suggestion on another forum for a travel guitar--a guy posted "A Telecaster without a case." I thought this was brilliant...buy i was way too protective of my '52RI, so I went for the Affinity BSB.

What an outstanding buy!!! Lots of folks have mod'ed these, but I like mine just fine bone stock.

A bit thinner than a regular Tele, top-load vs. string-through, but a rocking little guitar--

You stole it dude!! Congrats!

Bill

Thanks for the posts guys.By the way,what strings do you use for your Teles?

Mitch,

I use Vinci Class 1 Nickel #677 Light Specials. .010 - .046

I bought 24 sets of them on a whim a while back (too many guitars syndrome - don't ask) and I love them.

There is a bit of history attached to this brand of strings. Apparently Amelio Vinci invented the first automatic string winding machine back in 1953. Most manufacturers apparently still use his process today.

Aitch heard them when he was over here. He liked them as well.

Thanks Brian!I'll have to try those.