Tele - Ugly or Beautiful?

[just strum]

Since there were enough comments about the looks of the Tele, I thought the topic deserved it's own thread. The title BUG stirred a little opinion, so I figure let's discuss our view.

Initially I didn't like the Tele, saw no attraction to it, not the looks or the sound. When started to find an interest in it, I still didn't think it was a pleasant looking guitar, but the more I read the threads and the more I saw pictures of it, my interest grew. CB went and bought hers and Wingsdad got that lovely G&L - the combination of the two took me over the top.

They have a beauty in it's simplicity and I think because of the simplicity they tend not to be eye catching unless you start to learn the history of guitars and where the Tele fits in.

If there is a study or was to be a study, I think you would find that the Tele style is ranks low as far as the style of someones first guitar. Chances are, althiugh there are a lot of Tele owners, the purchase was most likely at least the second guitar they purchased.

So, tell us what you think about Tele's (from any manufacturer) and if you have one, post a pic with your comments.

Not the best pic, but

[marnold***]

It's probably neither. I like the Tele bridge sound and the middle sound, which are hard to reproduce on a Strat without some surgery. I don't mind the body look in general. My Charvel Model 7 (Tele-style) had a tummy cut which was very nice. When I play a Fender Tele I feel like I'm playing a big ol' plank o' wood.

[just strum]

When I play a Fender Tele I feel like I'm playing a big ol' plank o' wood.

that was another one of my initial turn offs about the Tele. It needs to incorporated some of the Strat cuts, however I've grown use to the slab and I guess that's part of its character.

[sunvalleylaw]

It is handsome in an eclectic way. Teles are not female to me. They strike me as a solid, not flashy, dependable friend.

[Ro3b]

Is a hammer ugly or beautiful?

[sunvalleylaw]

Plumb 21 oz. sandpaper faced hammer; beautiful. A hammer is an example of the human mind creating a tool that with skill, exponentially expands the capabilities of the human form. Learn to swing it right, and you can drive a deck or framing nail in one hit, and not damage the wood. Beautiful.

P.S. It usually takes me 2 to 4 hits. ;-)

[Rabies]

Tele = beautiful IMO.

Someone mentioned above about Warlocks and Bichs...I think those are the most ridiculous looking things. That's just my opinion, of course...but WTF? Why, B.C. Rich, why?

Oh, wait...here's one:

[just strum]

Is a hammer ugly or beautiful?

That's a great way of looking at it. A hammer, is a hammer, but in the hands of someone that appreciates the tool and knows how different hammers provide different results, they can become a beautiful tool.

If my statement about Tele's seldom being the first guitar is accurate, that may be the reason. You have to develop an understanding of the use of tone or at least recognize the difference.

Ro3b, I hope you don't mind me using that in my sig.

[Ro3b]

A hammer is an example of the human mind creating a tool that with skill, exponentially expands the capabilities of the human form.

See, there you go. Change "hammer" to "tele" and that's about all that needs to be said.

Strum, I'm honored.

[aeolian]

I have a limited edition G&L which is tele-shaped but with strat type pickup arrangement including a toggle switch to combine neck and bridge, or even neck, middle, and bridge.

[wingsdad]

Took you a while to come around, Strummy :

"Beauty's Only Skin Deep (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)"
- The Temptations

"You can't judge a book by its cover."

I suppose one can either hate it or love it. Whatever floats one's boat.

Plank of wood, indeed.

When I ordered this ASAT Classic Bluesboy, I considered going for it as a solid body with back & front edge bindings or WITH an optional back body belly contour, like a Strat, to be less of slab, and thus with no back binding. But I ended up going for the chambered semi-hollow swamp ash body without an f-hole (to let the ash's grain show & go undisturbed, both for looks and for tonal quality) as much for lighter weight as for some acoustic resonance. Body contour and back binding is n/a on semi-hollows, although the body 'bindings' are actually just the top's wood left unstained along the edges.

I went for the 'Classic' string-thru-body integrated bridge & slanted pickup assembly with brass barrel saddles, because THAT was Leo's design concept that produces that undeniably Tele clean, biting, snappy metallic twang with a ringing sustain, the slanted pup gathering some bottom end picking up the low strings vibes away from the bridge. Unlike the original Fender set polepieces, the G&L Magnetic Field Design bridge pup has adjustable polepieces (Leo's innovation to improve on his original design).

I also opted for a glossed maple fretboard on a 7 1/2" radius to be true to the original Leo design to ease chording and multi-string bends (A 'true' Start has a flatter 12" radius, one reason why it works so well as a slide guitar), the slick surface easing sliding (slippery) chords and multi-step string bending, another factor in the 'Tele' sound, a guitar originally designed by George Fullerton & Leo (duh...G&L) to be a country-western lead guitar player's portable, standup answer to a steel guitar.

I went for the Bluesboy to get a G&L Alnico V humbucker at the neck -- fairly bright because of that grade of Alnico, not prone to muddiness, like the 'typical' Tele lipstick single coil neck pup, and not as 'warm & fuzzy' as the optional Duncan 55N Seth Lover. (BTW: until Leo sold to CBS, that neck pup has/had a preset bassy tone, non-variable. CBS starting screwing around with the circuitry things around 1967).

I was estimated it would take 14 weeks to build. It only took 5. All I hoped for was a Really Nice Piece Of Ash and a well-done Cherryburst finish over it.

I got it. I don't think it's ugly. At all.

[just strum]

Wingsdad, a couple of you guys own some very nice Tele's and the G&L's can make converts out of the people that are not Tele fans (I for one have fallen victim). After playing a couple of Fender and admiring your latest G&L, I wouldn't be surprised if the day will come when I will purchase a higher end Tele.

The guitars I see posted here lead me to purchasing an inexpensive Tele. I like it and with a little more "tweaking" I think I will find myself playing it often.

[tjcurtin1]

Au contraire, Strum! The Tele was the guitar I always desired from the time I was a kid - when, many years later, I bought my first electric, it was a Squire Tele. However, as I mentioned somewhere else, I couldn't make it 'sing' (probably because it was my first electric!) and I no longer have it But I still love the looks!

[just strum]

Au contraire, Strum! The Tele was the guitar I always desired from the time I was a kid - when, many years later, I bought my first electric, it was a Squire Tele. However, as I mentioned somewhere else, I couldn't make it 'sing' (probably because it was my first electric!) and I no longer have it But I still love the looks!

Did you ever buy another one? I'm not saying no one buys a Tele as their first guitar, but I think they tend to be an acquired taste after some playing on other guitars. IMHO I think of them more as a specialty guitar that really isn't suited for all types of music. Again, just my opinion.

[t_ross33]

However, as I mentioned somewhere else, I couldn't make it 'sing' (probably because it was my first electric!) and I no longer have it But I still love the looks!

I think Tele's are very unforgiving and a bit tougher to wrangle out the tones you hear in your head, or from masters like Brent Mason or even Marty Stuart or Vince Gill. That distinct "Tele Twang", in my experience, is all in the hands. (I'm not implying that I am anywhere CLOSE to mastering this beautiful little slab of wood - far from it. But, like everything else, it's a work in progress )

It's tone can be biting to the point of "ice-pick" and doesn't immediately lend itself to smooth tones you get from an LP, or even a Strat.

Maybe that's why it's not a popular "first guitar" choice. That being said, I grew up on a steady diet of Buck and Don, Merle, Waylon etc. I think Tele's are beautiful to look at and beautiful to play or hear.

Here's mine:


KEEP ON TWANGIN AND BANGIN IN THE FREE WORLD :

Trev

[warren0728]

i love my tele...i think it's been said a tele is the hardest guitar to play....not physically but it so raw that it exposes your every mistake (and i make a lot of them!)

my tele gets equal playing time with my gibson lp special.

here's mine....a mim 2005 agave blue standard (click for larger pics)

ww

[Tone E]

My 2 cents...

Teles are beautiful guitars. Like others have said: simplicity is the source of this beauty.
I have to say though, I dont like variations on the original design. Different pickup configurations, different bridges and rosewood fretboards all take something away it IMO.

Also, like I have said in the other thread, ugly for me is those disgusting, big, angular things like B.C. Rich, Washburn Dimebags, Gibson Explorers and the like.

[tjcurtin1]

I think Tele's are very unforgiving and a bit tougher to wrangle out the tones you hear in your head, or from masters like Brent Mason or even Marty Stuart or Vince Gill. That distinct "Tele Twang", in my experience, is all in the hands.
Trev

You're absolutely right - two experienced guitar playing friends played my tele and immediately made it sound ways I couldn't get it to... and I could tell it was 'in the hands' - very frustrating, but at least it proved it wasn't the guitar. One of those buddies ended up taking it off my hands... Maybe someday I'll try again.

As for ugly - that term doesn't fit the classic look of the telecaster. I agree with Tone E about the guitars I'd class as UGLY -

[player***]

younger brother plays a MIA tele and loves it.although he is straight up country whereas I am at the other end of the spectrum with embedded Rock roots.I tried to teach him rock style guitar but hey he plays.seems more comfy with acoustic and country or bluegrass but that's cool he makes music nevertheless