Tele = Versatility

[Tone2TheBone]

Last night I played the Tele for 2 hours straight. Played everything I knew how to play from Country, Blues, Rock and Metal. I don't know any Jazz but I'm sure it can be done. :) Anywho I think you can pretty much nail about any tone you want using a Tele. Country, Blues and Rock are kinda a moot point but Metal and Jazz? Well for metal I simply put the Bad Monkey in front of the already overdriven channel on my amp and add the maximum amount of low tone and rolled back the tone knob on the guitar about halfway, eliminating the bright highs off the bridge pup and guess what...instant 'humbucker' tones. Ballsy and ready to slay. A good 'humbucker' simulation once the tone knob is rolled back halfway. Even though I don't play much metal like I used to in the '80s I was easily convinced of some tasty metal tones the Tele was producing with the way I had it set up on the pedal and amp. If I wanted to go back to Blues or Country all I had to do was turn the pedal off and there I was. Just turned the tone knob back up and adjusted the guitar volume again. And I believe that the Tele produces very round warm yet airy Jazz like tones off the neck with the tone knob rolled off completely.

Since this is my first ever Telecaster I felt compelled to write about this experience. I'm sure many of you already know how versatile a Tele really is. I've come to the light!

[TS808]

Last night I played the Tele for 2 hours straight. Played everything I knew how to play from Country, Blues, Rock and Metal. I don't know any Jazz but I'm sure it can be done. :) Anywho I think you can pretty much nail about any tone you want using a Tele. Country, Blues and Rock are kinda a moot point but Metal and Jazz? Well for metal I simply put the Bad Monkey in front of the already overdriven channel on my amp and add the maximum amount of low tone and rolled back the tone knob on the guitar about halfway, eliminating the bright highs off the bridge pup and guess what...instant 'humbucker' tones. Ballsy and ready to slay. A good 'humbucker' simulation once the tone knob is rolled back halfway. Even though I don't play much metal like I used to in the '80s I was easily convinced of some tasty metal tones the Tele was producing with the way I had it set up on the pedal and amp. If I wanted to go back to Blues or Country all I had to do was turn the pedal off and there I was. Just turned the tone knob back up and adjusted the guitar volume again. And I believe that the Tele produces very round warm yet airy Jazz like tones off the neck with the tone knob rolled off completely.

Since this is my first ever Telecaster I felt compelled to write about this experience. I'm sure many of you already know how versatile a Tele really is. I've come to the light!

I had a Fender FMT tele that had two humbuckers with a coil tap. Great guitar. I'm so stuck on strats though I hardly played it though and gave it to my brother. Very versatile and could deliver on everything from great cleans to high gain leads.

[warren0728]

i go to my tele more than any of my other guitars....it is definately versatile and plays like butter!!

ww

[Tim]

My Tele is my main ax. I practice with it everyday and play it out on Wensday nights. I love the two humbuckers. With the bridge one higher than the neck pup, I can get close to the tele sound, just a little deeper than the single coil Tele. It's just missing that ash tray twang.

[Jimi75]

Fender's Deluxe Tele is still one my favourite guitar of all time, but also the vintage '52 is a heavenly instrument!

If your Tele is set up correctly, you won't miss anything.

[Tone2TheBone]

Good responses guys. Some of you have humbucker equiped Teles which is great. I initially meant stock pickup configuration for versatility...obviously with a humbuckered Tele you've got a different animal. Nevertheless I think everyone should have at least one Telecaster in their collection. If they don't they're missing out. :) Seriously.

[warren0728]

I initially meant stock pickup configuration for versatility...obviously with a humbuckered Tele you've got a different animal.
true....when i think tele i think single-coil...but humbucker options are interesting...

ww

[SuperSwede]

The question is, is a dual humbucker tele still a tele? I have tried one of the Squier telecasters with dual humbuckers but I dont think it has that trademark tele tone anymore. Still very good guitars though.

[warren0728]

i don't think humbuckers produce that classic tele tone...nice tones maybe but not tele tones....

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

I agree. I think that any guitar shaped like a Tele but with a humbucker would/should not be considered a Telecaster simply because the original model had/has single coil pickups of specific intention and design. When I say go get an original Tele and all your dreams will come true I truly mean this! But with single coils please! :)

[Rabies]

I had a Fender FMT tele that had two humbuckers with a coil tap. Great guitar. I'm so stuck on strats though I hardly played it though and gave it to my brother. Very versatile and could deliver on everything from great cleans to high gain leads.

I have this beast...LOVE IT. And with it being all mahogany (with maple top), set neck, and the two humbuckers, I really have a hard time getting true tele tone. With the coil tap engaged I can get pretty close though when I use the bridge pickup or the bridge and neck. I can almost get sort of straty when I use the neck. And when the humbuckers are used, nice crunch. Very versatile guitar. Sort of like the perfect blend between a les paul and a tele. And the fretboard is awesome. Like a 16 inch radius or something. Almost flat it seems, if you're into that sort of thing. It's hard for me to put this guitar down. I strongly advise everyone to go get one. :D

[Tone2TheBone]

I have this beast...LOVE IT. And with it being all mahogany (with maple top), set neck, and the two humbuckers, I really have a hard time getting true tele tone. With the coil tap engaged I can get pretty close though when I use the bridge pickup or the bridge and neck.


Rabies I'm glad you mentioned this cause I was expecting it to come up. I think that a humbucker on a Tele with the ability to split the coil still would not sound exactly like an original Tele. As you said...the "true Tele tone". Still as you also mentioned it does have it's own versatility.

[Rabies]

Absolutely. Close but no cigar.

[Tim]

Ok, I said close. That is why I have the bridge pup raised close to the strings. I produces the trebly tone, but not the twang.

Jimi75 - I never had the Tele Deluxe set up by a pro. Maybe I should. Something is not right. When the notes begin to fade away, they take on a sour tone to them. Then they completely fade away. I try to mute the strings before this happens to advoid it from be heard.

[Rabies]

Ok, I said close. That is why I have the bridge pup raised close to the strings. I produces the trebly tone, but not the twang.

Jimi75 - I never had the Tele Deluxe set up by a pro. Maybe I should. Something is not right. When the notes begin to fade away, they take on a sour tone to them. Then they completely fade away. I try to mute the strings before this happens to advoid it from be heard.

Maybe the pup is TOO close to the strings...causing arrest.

[Tim]

Its my neck pup and it is sitting a the recommended 4/64 inch. I am wondering it the higher capacitor that I installed is having an effect. One would think not. But I do not remembering the pup doing this before I installed new pots and caps. Hmmm????

[kerc]

My MIM Tele has a GFS Fat Alnico on the neck and a GFS Hot TC Alnico on the bridge. I was looking for hotter output while still keeping the Tele sound. Let me tell you that I hit jackpot!

With my Tele I get the classic twang with...spheres... ;), getting overdrive easier, but if I wanna keep it clean I just roll back the volume. The neck pickup is very deep, round, quite different from the bridge, and with this one I can get easily into humbucker territory. Both pups on land me into Strat territory, not sounding exactly like one, but close enough...

Yeah, Teles are very versatile. :D

[Leonidas]

Hey tone, glad to see you came to light with the tele.

I love my squier custom tele. Here (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=1287) is my thread on the mods I did to it, including coil splitting. I bought the guitar with versatility in mind all along. It gets a great variety of sounds with the coil splits. After having played some standard teles I must say that mine with the coils split does not sound quite like a tele, although it does come close. It gets some great blues tones throughout, and some nice rock sounds with humbuckers.

Kerc, I also used GFS pups in my tele, and they are great. the FAT PAF's are very fat, and I think that may cause the pups to sound a bit fuller and rounder, leading them away from the twang. But the versatility and uniquness are what I was going for, and I couldn't be more satisfied.

[Brian Krashpad]

Good responses guys. Some of you have humbucker equiped Teles which is great. I initially meant stock pickup configuration for versatility...obviously with a humbuckered Tele you've got a different animal. Nevertheless I think everyone should have at least one Telecaster in their collection. If they don't they're missing out. :) Seriously.

All the Teles I've had, whatever the configuration, have been versatile. Of those, though, this one is the most versatile:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/BrianKrashpad/TexMesSmaller.jpg

It's got coil-splitting on the neckbucker and 5-way switching on the pup selector.

[LagrangeCalvert]

Now I guess im alone in a crowd here...cause I fell in love with a tele that blew me off (I didn't have the money for it ;) ) and sent me home cryin the blues.

It was the SET NECK areodyne tele with an F hole, a P90 in the neck and a regular humbucker with Coil Tap in the bridge.....super jumbo frets and strat style saddles.....not much of a tele I know but damn did it have tone oozing out of the binding....it was all black with creme binding. IMO it was a great ROCK guitar and could pull of the country twang so-so cause of the coil spit I played some brad paisley stuff through a fender champ and it was pretty good sounding. Then I went to a Peavey XXX and blew the doors off the Sam Ash I am always at.

Tele's are loved and respected by most guitarist that have been playing for a while. Though they do have to "grow on you". I didn't want a tele when I started playing 19 years ago....I wanted a warlock so I could be cool and play metallica :rolleyes: and impress my brother....but then again I was also 6 years old.

[elavd]

Lately I play more and more with my teles (recently I got a second one), leaving my other beloved guitars on their stands...

Tele fever!!! :D

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/elavd/50s%20tele/16_car_blonde.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/elavd/50s%20tele/17_car_blonde.jpg

[ted s]

Nice Elavd, I really like that second picture, very professional looking !

[Tim]

Good photos Elavd. Those puppies looked like they are lock in a love embrace. I imagine they are inseperatble, but which one do you like the best?

[Brian Krashpad]

That's a great pic!

I only posted my Tex-Mex with the neck bucker before, here's my other two, a '52 AVRI and a cheapo beater Frankentele I got for a Benjamin, with a Seymour Duncan mini-humbucker in the neck:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/BrianKrashpad/52RIsmaller.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/BrianKrashpad/violet.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice guys! That '52 style sure seems popular. I have seen a lot these days. There is a Sunburst Maple neck MIM from around the 02 or 03 at a local pawn shop with one chip near the bottom that he wants $275 for. Sure gets to be tempting! I played it and did not fall in love right away with this one though.

[WackyT]

That '52 is a beautiful looking guitar, Brian.

[Iago]

One more tele owner here. Surely a versatile instrument. The neck pickup can easily cover the humbucker territory, but with more definition than the average. Like other fretters pointed out, it has a round tone, slightly compressed and great sustain; more output than a regular strat pickup. The bridge is trebly, great for clean, shimmering 60's stuff, can be a bit harsh sometimes (I noticed that from the first time I played it, through my Valve Jr.), output also higher than the average strat pickup, great when overdriven, for those stinging leads, think about Mike Bloomfield and Jimmy Page on the first Zeppelin album, though I'm gonna change it for a Duncan Broadcaster pickup I bought soon, just to smooth the things out a bit.

[elavd]

Good photos Elavd. Those puppies looked like they are lock in a love embrace. I imagine they are inseperatble, but which one do you like the best?

The white blonde one is my new love... I got it last weekend...

The Candy Apple Red one is older and beloved...

The one is my wife and the one is my ... girlfriend

Take a look at 3 more photos:

CANDY APPLE RED:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/elavd/P1010063.jpg

WHITE BLONDE:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f283/elavd/50s%20tele/02_top.jpg

[guitartist]

I've got a Squier tele with a neck humbucker...I wanted the neck humbucker so I could approximate the "Keef" sound (on a budget)...I also wanted the single coil bridge pup to get that tele spank. (I love chicken picken' with the tele twang!)

I am not 100% happy with the way this guitar plays though....its not bad, just doesn't seem to have the warm feel of my MIM strat or even my Squier 51. I have been a bit undecided whether to upgrade its parts (pups, nut, etc) or save up and get a MIM tele...if I go for a bonafide fender though, getting one with a neck humbucker is going to get kind of expensive...so I will probably just keep the Squier and fix it up some. I'm thinking maybe a new bridge might help to0

Reading this thread makes me want to coil-split the neck pup...that seems like a good idea which I hadn't thought about much. A lot of my favorite players are/were tele devotees, they definitely are very versatlie guitars!

[guitaro]

What do you guys think about this one?
Fender Standard Telecaster Guitar
http://topguitars.info/images/stories/electric-guitars/fender/telecaster/electric_guitar_fender_TELECASTER_Standard.jpg
- Vintage Styling,
- 2 Classic Single-coil Pickups,
- 6-Saddle String-Thru-Body Bridge.

[sunvalleylaw]

I agree. I think that any guitar shaped like a Tele but with a humbucker would/should not be considered a Telecaster simply because the original model had/has single coil pickups of specific intention and design. When I say go get an original Tele and all your dreams will come true I truly mean this! But with single coils please! :)

What about a p-9?0 The G&L's have a p-90 like pup in the neck, don't they? Just wonderin' what you afficianados think.

[ShortBuSX]

Hmmm...Ive already got a really nice strat, maybe I should get a Tele instead? I hear theyre really versatile....hmmmm?

I think a P-90 Tele is great if youve already got a Tele, mod it...but a lipstick covered neck is purdy damn nice too.

[markb]

A local blues player has a partscaster with a P90 at the neck. Sounds fantastic but then he does play through a transitional Fender Super (blackface but with brownface innards, 2x10). Although, come to think of it, it still sounds great when he plays through a Classic 30.
Personally I like the tele's stock front pickup. The two drastically different sounding pickups account for a large part of that versatility thing that started this thread and the mix position chimes like nothing else.

[thearabianmage]

I saw a tele at a bar I was working tonight - it had one of those Fender humbuckers in the neck with 3 screws on the top left coil and three on the bottom right.

Anyone ever tried that? I'm interested to know what they are like.

Teles aren't my thing, but if people are saying that they are nice and versatile, I wanna check 'em out a bit more (only played 2 ever. . .)

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

[TS808]

I saw a tele at a bar I was working tonight - it had one of those Fender humbuckers in the neck with 3 screws on the top left coil and three on the bottom right.

Anyone ever tried that? I'm interested to know what they are like.

Teles aren't my thing, but if people are saying that they are nice and versatile, I wanna check 'em out a bit more (only played 2 ever. . .)

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?
Sounds like it may be one of the '72 reissues. I've been kicking around the idea of getting either the '72 Thinline RI or the '72 Tele Deluxe RI. I saw the Thinline at GC last weekend, and it's a gorgeous guitar with the f-hole in it.

The one with one humbucker at the neck and one single coil is the '72 Tele Custom I believe. Reviews on all of those are pretty good. Some folks swap out the pots for 500k instead of the stock 250k saying that the humbuckers are a little too "dark" sounding.

[markb]

I saw a tele at a bar I was working tonight - it had one of those Fender humbuckers in the neck with 3 screws on the top left coil and three on the bottom right.

Anyone ever tried that? I'm interested to know what they are like.

Teles aren't my thing, but if people are saying that they are nice and versatile, I wanna check 'em out a bit more (only played 2 ever. . .)

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

A friend has a Tele Custom ('75ish, not a reissue) that I've played a few times. It's a nice guitar and the Lester style control layout helps with balance between the pickups. The Fender buckers were designed by Seth Lover who also designed the original Gibson humbucker. They're a bit brighter than PAFs but still quite meaty so with the Custom you can go from a twangy tele bridge tone to a thick neck 'bucker with a flick of the switch with individual volume controls. Nice.

[Tone2TheBone]

Beautiful Telecasters you guys. I've been gassing for an American Deluxe Tele lately. I love bound Tele bodies. Anyone have one?

[t_ross33]

What about a p-9?0 The G&L's have a p-90 like pup in the neck, don't they? Just wonderin' what you afficianados think.
just gotta brag :bravo:

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/12548c20289bfba3.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

That is a hot looking rocker T-Ross. I wondered if you would weigh in. :-)

[Spudman]

just gotta brag :bravo:


And you very well should. That's a beauty. Very tasteful.

[sunvalleylaw]

So since I am looking, how did you arrive at this pickup combo? How do you best like to use the pups? Like what selector settings and such?

[wingsdad]

What about a p-9?0 The G&L's have a p-90 like pup in the neck, don't they? Just wonderin' what you afficianados think.

Steve,
G&L ASAT's come in various pickup configs.

The 'basic' ASAT has a pair of 'MFD' single coils, adjustable soft iron polepiece ceramic mag pups.

My ASAT Classic Bluesboy has one of those in the bridge position, and a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover SH55-N Humbucker in the neck spot:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT%20Classic%20Bluesboy%20SH/IMG_5930.jpg

My ASAT Semi-Hollow has a pair of the 'Soapbar' or Large MFD single coils that look like P-90's. They act like P-90's on Steroids:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT/2591c1.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

There was a G&L Bluesboy Classic Semihollow (Or it may it have been an ASAT Classic Custom Semihollow) in kind of a orange/amber color with an f hole and a standard MFD tele bridge pup and the newer extra fat MFD neck pup that I understood acts more like a p-90 designed by Leo, again as I understand. The owner of the store grabbed that guitar off the closeout sale rack and took that one home with him. I cannot afford that guitar, but if I were to get a Squire CV tele, it could be a mod to consider in the future. I do not like the Squire Vintage Modified thinline tele, because it has the wrong scale. I know Xaviere makes one, but I want the 9.5 radius neck. So right now, I am leaning CV tele.

[ted s]

Beauti pieces Wings !

[mrmudcat]

Tele's rule!!!:bravo:

[wingsdad]

There was a G&L Bluesboy Classic Semihollow (Or it may it have been an ASAT Classic Custom Semihollow) .... .... I know Xaviere makes one, but I want the 9.5 radius neck. So right now, I am leaning CV tele.
The G&L Tribute ASATs all have 9" radius, 25.5" sclae necks (my USA's are 7.5", like Leo's 50's Teles) and they make the Bluesboy Classic Semihollow...with the same USA MFD bridge pup but a G&L-USA Alnico mag humbucker instead of the Duncan Lover at the neck.

New, they're quite a bit more than Xavieres or Squier CV's -- they're about on a par with some MIM Fenders in list price -- but if you can find one used, they're in the $300-ish range.


Beauti pieces Wings !

Thanks...Muddy lusts for :poke: the one he calls 'Black Betty', but her name is 'Sugar'. I recently got a break on a new G&L pickguard my dealer had hanging around, so I dressed her in a Tux. Here's a couple of shots to compare:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT/GLASATfrontc.jpghttp://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b81/wingsdad/ASAT/6357Sugarwhitepg.jpg

[sunvalleylaw]

Now a used Tribute ASAT could be a real possibility. A guy can find a used thinline Bluesboy for 300ish if I guy takes his time? That could be a possiblity!

[Martinguy]

I dont have any trouble getting whatever tone I want out of my tele.

I played out this weekend and wanted a smoother more "humbuckerish" sound.

Tweaked down the treble on the amp tone control...then when I started playing I tweaked it a little more with the guitar controls, and...bingo!

Smooth as silk! :AOK

[deeaa]

That's funny that way round. I never really found any use for a bucker on neck. All you can use it for is a 'violin' like lead, or dark jazz sounds, right? I don't really like that so it's been pretty useless for me. Conversely I always thought a single at the bridge is like an icepick---I've had a couple of normal strats but I could never find a pickup setting I really liked on strats except mid+neck both on is real nice for cleans....with bucker on bridge strats work well though IMO.

That's what I had for a dozen years on bucker-guitars like my LP...I had the neck pup wired as two singles instead of humbucking---like strat 2nd pos.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Got me a Squier Classic Vibe due to be delivered tomorrow.

It cost me 2 bills with holiday promos & Christmas gift certificates.

[MAXIFUNK]

Got me a Squier Classic Vibe due to be delivered tomorrow.

It cost me 2 bills with holiday promos & Christmas gift certificates.


That is such a cool addition to your collection.

The music store where I take lessons and bought most of my gear from has had all 4 CV's sonic, tele 50's&60'S strat for at least 5 months. Man if i only had the money i would grab the tele and both the 50's & 60's strats for sure.

Congrats on very cool axe at an outstanding price. :applause

[tot_Ou_tard]

That is such a cool addition to your collection.

The music store where I take lessons and bought most of my gear from has had all 4 CV's sonic, tele 50's&60'S strat for at least 5 months. Man if i only had the money i would grab the tele and both the 50's & 60's strats for sure.

Congrats on very cool axe at an outstanding price. :applause
Thanks MAXIFUNK!

[sunvalleylaw]

Got me a Squier Classic Vibe due to be delivered tomorrow.

It cost me 2 bills with holiday promos & Christmas gift certificates.

Nice! Congrats! :happy

[tot_Ou_tard]

Nice! Congrats! :happy
Well not yet.

The ax came in. it looked great & the fit & finish were excellent.

Too bad that the pups didn't work. :thwap

It's on the Big Brown Truck back to MF in exchange for another one.

Hopefully, this one will make some sound.

[Unknown Fan]

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/12548c20289bfba3.jpg


All these T's are very nice sirs....

I have to say that this one stopped me in my tracks and made me do a double-take.

Very nice indeed, wow....

That pic is wallpaper material...

[t_ross33]

All these T's are very nice sirs....

I have to say that this one stopped me in my tracks and made me do a double-take.

Very nice indeed, wow....

That pic is wallpaper material...

Thank you sir :thankyou It was a fun project that turned out really well... it's been my go-to for a while now (see my sig for the details).

EDIT: Here she is in action:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/t_ross33/DSCF0626.jpg

[Spudman]

This is what I have
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/Guitars/Generation3single.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w149/srspud/Guitars/CheryleBdaycaveand4thofJuly003.jpg

[Jipes]

To me Telecaster are the Real Deal, don't really know why but the sound and the attack always attract me more than any other guitars. I had a 335 in the past and have currently a reissue 57 strat but nothing sound as good and polyvalent as my Japan Esquire.

I would love to buy an old Thinline custom Telecaster this gonna be my next purchase, I'm wondering where could I find a great one

The great thing is that my Tele can be play in the soul band and still cut trough the mix even with a keyboard player and a full horn section (5 people) and sound also terrific as a slide guitar (mainly with my blues trio)

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/33164a7a981fdf625.jpg