Please Talk Me Out of a Tele!

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Sat Aug 11, 2001 3:40 am

OK, here's the deal. I have some cash burning a hole in my pocket and can afford a MIM Tele. I don't have a specific one in mind, but I really have an itch for a new guitar. I've been saving for a 360, but it looks like it would be at least next year or a bit later before I could get one in my hands. I am not a Strat fan at all, but my boss has a couple of tele's and I like the sound. Please give me reasons not to do this!!

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Sat Aug 11, 2001 3:57 am

Mexican Tele's are made up of Korean parts,metric jacks ,and the necks are made of new growth maple .
Some of the new growth maple was less than 12" wide when cut down .This should NEVER have been used to make a neck! The growth rate of a new tree is quick ,in general and the annual rings are far apart .
This does not make for the strongest of necks ...think wind storm and saplings need stacking to keep them upright.

I have worked on too many wobble necks from Mexico.
The 'Ping' tuners are also cheesey....these are NOT Pro guitars ,rather an introductory guitar for some one that is just starting ...a price point guitar .
Think of Mexican Fenders as a Stella or Kay or Harmony .

If you have plenty of playing time/chops ,and want a good guitar ,don't buy a beginner guitar ....wait and get a pro tool .I don't care what brand you get ,but stay away from these look alike wannabe guitars .....unless you want to START on one .

axel · Post by **axel** » Sat Aug 11, 2001 5:01 am

Don't do what plenty of us have probably done : don't buy a (pseudo)instrument that gets you nowhere in the end and which will always be too expansive for the little it will bring you.
Had I bought the instrument I badly coveted some 15 years ago, I wouldn't have bought any other since. I went through some 20+ guitars and lost so much in the buy/resell shtick that I'd probably own 5 or 6 Ricks by now, had I avoided that mess.
Wait and go get *your* instrument, you'll probably keep it for the rest of your life.

russmanuel · Post by **russmanuel** » Sat Aug 11, 2001 5:52 am

There are some nice Carl Wilson's out there that seem like real deals compared to other signature models and would offer the sound plus a good chance at value increasing. At least that's what I'd do.

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Sat Aug 11, 2001 8:22 am

Thanks guys...that's enough ammo for me to stay away from that price range and an MIM tele. You know what happens when you get the "fever" to do something irrational. To look at reviews and other boards, the MIM teles sound like a great deal/great sounding guitar. Interestingly, those reviews are lacking in good technical info/descriptions, which this board is full of. I suppose if I want a tele I'd have to go American, but in that price range a new or used Rick gets the priority!

360dave660 · Post by **360dave660** » Sun Aug 12, 2001 9:24 pm

I own two rics and a MIM tele '72 custom. Neck issues aside, to get a tele sound out of my tele, a year in, I redid all the electronics with a local luthier who put in di marzios. It sounds a lot better and is sort of my travel guitar. However, with a ric, you never ask those questions. around the net, a new rick 650 or 620 can be purchased under $1000. have the power to wait for what you really want.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Mon Aug 13, 2001 3:12 pm

So to Americanize you MIM Tele ,plus the cost of the MIM Tele ..what did it cost?

Did you really save money?

Or was it just easier to do it that way and less of a strain on the budget?

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Mon Aug 13, 2001 3:23 pm

David, that's a good example and good reason to wait. My local Mars actually has a brand new FG 360 for $999. It plays great. I no longer permit myself in the store. A barely used one (turquoise blue?) just went for $800. Does color make a difference in price? Are Jetglows pricier?

360dave660 · Post by **360dave660** » Thu Aug 30, 2001 4:58 am

mark,
I only saved money if you look at it this way :
Buying a new US tele in europe is about $1200 ; Selling the MIM would get me not that much back of what I paid. I was able to put in excellent pickups and get a solid electronics work done (a neat push/pull) that lets you get the humbucker or single coil neck. I should have bought US in the beginning, but, I did not, and I was not ready to shell out a ton more to get one, if I could "live with" a revamped MIM Tele. I love teles, like I love my rics and my gretsch. If I had to let one go, the tele would be the looser, but, I think that I can keep em all. All this being said, if I had to choose one guitar, I would go for the RIC for its lutherie : you get a wonderful handmade instrument for a reasonable price. If you really want a Telecaster ; go try out a G&L ASAT ...

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Thu Aug 30, 2001 7:45 am

Right on about the G&L guitars ...they are kicking Fender in the butt!

I think they are a better guitar ,as far as a tool goes ....I know there is a snobbery to the Fender name but they seem to be doing what Kramer did in the 1980's .I hope they don't shoot themselves in the foot.

johnhall · Post by **johnhall** » Thu Aug 30, 2001 6:28 pm

I'm not going to comment on this last post except to say that someone obviously isn't in the industry gossip loop!