I DO like the sound of my Fender Telecaster

jfrog

uber-nerd
Disclaimer: I was inspired to start this thread because of the thread where someone didn't like the sound of their Tele. Like it matters to me.

About a month ago I was heading to my local guitar store to buy a brand spankin' new Deluxe Nashville Tele, provided that they had it in the finish I wanted (brown sunburst.) The DN Tele is the one w/ 3 pickups instead of 2, and Strat switching configuration. A great sounding guitar, which goes for around +/- $550.

But...

at the last minute I turned left instead of right...to check out a used gear store I'd seen the week before.

In the used store I found the Nashville Power Tele (basically the same as the DNT, except with a Fishman power bridge pickup). It was in like new shape, brown sunburst finish....and slightly less than the new DNT.

So I bought it.

(wife: "So are you going to sell one of your other guitars?")

(me: (and probably anyone reading this post) : Yeah, right!)

Anyway, it's really a great sounding and versatile guitar. Has more high end character than my PRS and sustains better than my Strat.

I would highly recommend it (or the aforementioned DNT) to anyone looking for a versatile one-stop-shopping guitar.
 
Interesting... I've never heard a Tele that I would call "versatile!"

But, they do have a really cool sound to them, with the right amp. These things scream for a nice low-gain tube amp. My studio has a tele that is BEAUTIFUL through the Mesa Boogie MK I.
The high-end is very unique and definitely doesn't fit for every song. Or even most songs. But it sounds cool!
 
I forget what my original stock bridge pickup sounded like, but I put a Texas Special in my bridge position ('52RI) a long time ago and that thing just growls through my BiValve with an old Sylvania 6K6GT and 12ax7's. It can make you wanna kick something while striking a power chord.
 
bleyrad said:
Interesting... I've never heard a Tele that I would call "versatile!"

But, they do have a really cool sound to them, with the right amp. These things scream for a nice low-gain tube amp. My studio has a tele that is BEAUTIFUL through the Mesa Boogie MK I.
The high-end is very unique and definitely doesn't fit for every song. Or even most songs. But it sounds cool!


You do know, don't you, that all the early Led Zep stuff was recorded with a Tele into a very HIGH gain amp, right?

I'd say that is about as far as you'll get from Steve Cropper or James Burton as you're gonna get, so I think versitile is a pretty good word for the Tele. Maybe you just need to try it in some different situations?


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
well sure telecasters work through high gain amps, but you still never reallly get rid of the twang, whether you like it or not, it has a distinct sound.
 
ibanezrocks said:
but you still never reallly get rid of the twang

that, my friend, depends largely on the pickups you put in it and the amp you play it through.

hell, even *some* of that early zep stuff was recorded directly into a line-in on the board......with a tele (or broadcaster, splitting hairs).

i'd find it difficult to say that the overwhelming sound of the first few zep albums is "tele twang"...... :D


cheers,
wade (who loves the sound of his tele too)
 
I find that not matter how much distortion I have, there is always a distinct 'honk'.

...but then I have something most modern Teles don't. -Brass saddles.
 
zep stuff still has noticeable twang. sure he used light strings which helped that out, but you'd be crazy to think that it doesnt sound twangy.










twangy is a word that will never be used as much as in this thread. :p
 
(wife: "So are you going to sell one of your other guitars?")

Your wife and mine must have had the same lessons in wife school. I think it's lesson number one.
 
Outlaws said:
I find that not matter how much distortion I have, there is always a distinct 'honk'.

...but then I have something most modern Teles don't. -Brass saddles.

I don't know if my Nashville Power Tele sounds just like other teles, but it does have the classic tele honk or whatever with the bridge pickup. The other 4 positions sort of - and only sort of - sound like a strat but "punchier"...I think the notes just sustain more than a strat. It's actually a great rhythm guitar because you can play it clean and still get the sustain.
 
Ive got a G&L Asat with soapbars and its beautiful. I love it! The twang is a wondeful thang.

AND

I just got a '72 tele deluxe (reissue)

WOW! and Holy Shit that sounds nice (playing through my ampeg reverbrocket with a mesa vtwin pedal)!! Not much twang though. This is not your fathers Telecaster. I dont think it classifies as a true Tele at all. If Telecasters are Salmon - the 72 tele deluxe is a 72oz buffalo steak.
I like steak.

Todd
 
ibanezrocks said:
well sure telecasters work through high gain amps, but you still never reallly get rid of the twang, whether you like it or not, it has a distinct sound.
dude, there are threads on a different board where they ask how to get more twang out of a tele, and for me personally i don't want to lose my twang...teles rule :D
 
quick question about teles:

how do you keep the plastic cap on the pickup switch from falling off? i went to the guitar center and virtually all of their teles were missing the cap.
 
my2cents said:
quick question about teles:

how do you keep the plastic cap on the pickup switch from falling off? i went to the guitar center and virtually all of their teles were missing the cap.

they probably did it to prevent theft, i never have had a problem with mine falling off ....
 
my2cents said:
quick question about teles:

how do you keep the plastic cap on the pickup switch from falling off? i went to the guitar center and virtually all of their teles were missing the cap.


A guy at a repair shiop taught me a trick...take a wire cutter and notch the metal at the ends length wise, the put the cap back on.

ex: - if that dash is the metal, do the left and right by clamping it with the wirecutter and just notching it a little.
 
thanks guys. i'm getting a tele soon (of course, i say that BEFORE winter heating bills kick in). i'll try the trick to keep it on if it ever falls off.
 
bleyrad said:
Interesting... I've never heard a Tele that I would call "versatile!"

with the power bridge on the Nashville Power Tele you can get a passable acoustic sound. "passable" meaning in a live context, not recording....it adds that acoustic vibe...although it doesn't as good as the same pickup on an acoustic. But...since the power bridge has a separate volume from the mag pickups, you can blend the two sources to add some punch to rhythm playing.

Or, you can run a stereo cord out of the guitar, which separates the 2 sources, and run the power bridge p/u to one amp and the mag p/u's to another. A benefit to doing it this way is that you can EQ the acoustic sound separately (It tends to be bright)
 
I am currently in Italy playing so shows (I Live in LA) and I have borrowed a Tele over hear to save on luggage and I am hooked. Looks like I will be guitar shopping when I get back home.
 
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