Which tele?

[mgchicago]

I was looking to buy a new guitar last summer and was set on an Epiphone Casino. I am also left handed. The LH Casinos were back ordered forever, so I started looking at Teles. I'd had a Strat for about 10 years, and never considered a Tele.

I read alot about them, American (which I couldn't really afford and didn't want to spend that much anyways) vs. Standards made in Mexico.

Honestly, a majority of reviews I read, primarily on Harmony Central, said it was worth it to by the Mexican made Standard for $350 over the American for over $800. Many people have said that it was just more worth it for the price.

That's what I went with, and I love it. In fact, at band practice the other day I took my Strat in for the first time, and I now realize how much I prefer the Tele sound over a Strat.

You would not at all be dissapointed with a Standard Tele. Think of all the other things you can get if your budget is enough to get an American and you pay less for the Mexican. Hell, if you play live and need a backup, buy two. I'm hoping to get another one before December.

I look on ebay all the time, and bought a Danelectro 56 U2 reissue last month that is fantastic.

 

[my2cents]

glad to hear positive words about the mexi-teles. i'm (literally) saving my nickels and hope to get one by the end of the year. hopefully i can find one in arctic white that plays well/feels good. i'm not sure why i love that color so much...usually white and off-white guitars aren't my thing. does guitar center put these things on sale after christmas? what's the best strategy for haggling with them over the price?

 

[freshmattyp]

I just bought a MIM 50's Esquire, and it's prety much my main guitar right now. I'd highly recommend one.

 

[Outlaws]

glad to hear positive words about the mexi-teles. i'm (literally) saving my nickels and hope to get one by the end of the year. hopefully i can find one in arctic white that plays well/feels good. i'm not sure why i love that color so much...usually white and off-white guitars aren't my thing. does guitar center put these things on sale after christmas? what's the best strategy for haggling with them over the price?

They put things on sale every day. Infact, stuff is on sale so much that I really think we need a class action lawsuit to make guitar center advertise stuff as 'regular price' and stop jerking around noobs and their parents into thinking they are saving money when nothing price-wise has changed in the last year or so.

 

[jkokura]

'72 thinline...nuff said

 

[Middleman]

They put things on sale every day. Infact, stuff is on sale so much that I really think we need a class action lawsuit to make guitar center advertise stuff as 'regular price' and stop jerking around noobs and their parents into thinking they are saving money when nothing price-wise has changed in the last year or so.

How about a monopoly suit? Other than Sam Ash, where can you walk in and buy a guitar these days. They are worse than Microsoft in this respect.

 

[my2cents]

How about a monopoly suit? Other than Sam Ash, where can you walk in and buy a guitar these days. They are worse than Microsoft in this respect.

every town worth living in has non-chain guitar/music stores where you can walk in and buy a guitar. people should try to make as many of their purchases as possible from these types of stores.

 

[G-String]

The Mexican Teles and Strats are actually made in the U.S.A. They are just assembled in Mexico. They are made on the same assembly line. They are made with the same woods, and the exact same specifications. The only difference is the electronics on Teles, and the electronics and the bridge assembly on Strats. I went to buy an American Tele, and left the store with A Mexican made model-I could'nt tell the difference in quality one over the other. But beware, they are all different tonally. You should (if you can) play several different ones to find the one that fits you.

 

[Clive Hugh]

I tried out a MIM tele a few weeks back and I was surprised, I'd never played one before and was expecting something poor but it was well made and a nice action to boot.

 

[nkjanssen]

American Ash Tele. It's kind-of like a '52 reissue, but with a few more modern accoutrements: satin neck finish, modern saddles, modern pickup switching, etc.

 

[my2cents]

another MIM question:

i just realized the made in mexico telecasters don't have strings that pass through the body. is this the case for all telecasters made in mexico? do all american teles have string through body design? is this a cost cutting measure? and finally, how does the sound differ from a tele with strings through body?

thanks.

 

[bongolation]

Straight "American" series. Best value of those mentioned in the original question, with the MIM in distant second.

Nearly everyone I've known who bought a '52RI hated it after six months or sooner. It's vastly overpriced for what it actually is and the small frets wear out in a hurry. The vintage neck radius is also not for everyone.

I'm not a big fan of MIM and MIA Fenders due to their frequently awful workmanship. No way I'd get one sight-unseen mail order at regular price. The odds are against a really good one arriving.

For the "other" choice, I'd see about a Fender Japan lefty (if such a thing exists) from Ishibashi.