Which tele?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ColdAsh
  • Start date Start date

Which left handed tele

  • Vintage Reissue ‘52 Telecaster

    Votes: 14 28.6%

  • American Telecaster

    Votes: 16 32.7%

  • Standard Telecaster

    Votes: 8 16.3%

  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 11 22.4%
  • Total voters
    49
C

ColdAsh

New member
Im a left hander looking to buy a new telecaster at the end of the year. I had been thinking about a '52 reissue, mainly because I like the look of it. Being left handed there arent that many/any oportunities for me to try guitars out. I'll also probably be getting it from OS. According to Musician's friend the only left handed teles are Standard Tele ($390), American Tele ($870) or '52 Reissue ($1260)
Now I can afford a 52 Reissue but if there's not much difference in quality i might go an American Tele, or possibly a Standard (but only if you think they can match the quality of the others becuase i want something i can be proud of and that sounds good)
So tell me what you think I should get.
Cheers
 
Nothing against the fender models, but I would suggest that you at least consider the highend G&L tele types (ASAT and ASAT Classic)

I recently saw a few go for under $500. I have seen a fair number of lefties go over the last year on ebay.

I got a totally tricked out one for $700. Best guitar I have ever owned.

Here is another place to check for postings:

http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/MARKET/market.php3

hope this helps.

Jim
 
my buddy just bought a 72 re-issue thin line and let me tell you, it is EMACULATE. the entire thing is finished; not just the body (note i'm used to cheap ibanez ;) ) so it gives you a real nice feel. it has a very clean look, and since it is a semi-hollowbody it has a nice jazzy tone. just my 2 cents :)
 
I have a Tele Plus which with it's additional switching for the neck/bridge or all three p/up combinations is very versatile. Of course they can only be bought second hand these days.

Unfortunately I let this Custom Shop beauty slip away on Ebay a while back........................

:cool:
 

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Remember, must be left handed. And as far as i can tell these are the only three left handed tele's you can buy.
 
The thing I would recommend is to go out and try them all. I know that is difficult with your being left handed and all. The thing I would do is take a friend you who plays, and get their opinions, and listen to the sounds of the guitars in question.

The thing of it is, there is just no way anyone else's opinion is going to be of any use to you. The only thing that will really help you make up your mind is some direct contact with the guitars.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I bought an old '50s reissue (Japanese version of the 52) and it is by far, the best Fender guitar i've ever played! It came from canada and and someone replaced the pickups with Duncans and it rocks! It has the "V" shaped maple neck and it is so comfortable to play. Between that and my Les Paul, it's a toss up.
 
ahh, an issue dear to my heart, and one that I can speak expertly on!

It's my opinion that I would not purchase anything from the regular production line at all; fender has a nasty habit of coating their guitars in thick polyurathane (sp?) that just totally chokes the guitar's natural resonance. It makes them heavy and they don't breathe at all. Sound like shite.

The re-issues are the way to go-even the cheaper Jap re-issues (particularly early to late 80's Jap's). They're nitro finished, they're much lighter coats, which make for much more resonant guitars-not to mention that they're lighter, usually as well-making them more comfortable to play.

I'm in need of a another tele in a bad way, but if someone were to GIVE me an american standard, I'd sell it. Then I'd hunt down an old jap re-issue. My main guitar is a '72 telecaster, by the way, with Fralin pickups, and I love it.

Good luck, and trust me on this.

Chris
 
Chris Meck said:
ahh, an issue dear to my heart, and one that I can speak expertly on!

It's my opinion that I would not purchase anything from the regular production line at all; fender has a nasty habit of coating their guitars in thick polyurathane (sp?) that just totally chokes the guitar's natural resonance. It makes them heavy and they don't breathe at all. Sound like shite.

The re-issues are the way to go-even the cheaper Jap re-issues (particularly early to late 80's Jap's). They're nitro finished, they're much lighter coats, which make for much more resonant guitars-not to mention that they're lighter, usually as well-making them more comfortable to play.

I'm in need of a another tele in a bad way, but if someone were to GIVE me an american standard, I'd sell it. Then I'd hunt down an old jap re-issue. My main guitar is a '72 telecaster, by the way, with Fralin pickups, and I love it.

Good luck, and trust me on this.

Chris
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I agree with you on the older Jap re-issues. They are made in Mexico now (just like everything else) to cut costs and they've also cut the quality standards. I had a Jap 60s reissue strat that was made in '91 and it was a great guitar, for a strat! I wish i still had it. They don't offer Sonic Blue anymore unless it's a Custom Shop order.
I believe there's no comparrison between a Tele and a Strat. I'm a Telecaster man all the way when it comes to Fenders and a Les Paul man when it comes to Gibsons.
 
The '52 reissues are REALLY nice. The thinlines are also great, especially at their price, but as you stated they may not make a left-handed model. I think with Fender right now you can't really go wrong, and mind you I'm usually a "you get what you pay for" kind of guy. I might get whacked for saying this, but I've honestly heard some Squiers that didn't sound bad. Play the '52 reissue and the American Standard, maybe through your setup they won't sound that different. It really depends on the type of music and what you're running through.
 
I own an American Tele. I love it! It is solid as a fucking rock to me. NEVER out of tune and always perfect. really. I have played standards and can notice a major difference in feel and slightly less in tone. Have not played the reissue you talk about. my 2cents. Either way, you are getting a sweet guitar!!!
 
EleKtriKaz said:
Play the '52 reissue and the American Standard, maybe through your setup they won't sound that different. It really depends on the type of music and what you're running through.
Click to expand...


They should sound different. Mine does. The '52 has a different pickup configuration than all the other Telecasters today. The toggle switch on modern guitars, including Telecasters, is - bridge / bridge & neck / neck

The '52 is - bridge / neck / neck with high frequency roll off

You can mod the 52 to the modern configuration, but thats another story...

So when all is said and done, you are "missing" the neck/bridge combination.

I happen to like the sound of the roll off, but that is just somehthing you have to play to understand. It is a deeper roll off than just backing off the tone knob.
 
For name's sake alone, I bought an American Standard and took it back. It did nothing for me. I've bought a Mexican (my mexicaster) swapped out the pups for Rio Grande Vintage Tallboys,

http://www.riograndepickups.com/3.html

and have never looked back. The beautiful, full, true twang of the tallboys made all the difference in the world, and is my #1 suggestion for anybody that loves Tele's. The Muy Grande's are hotter than hell, but a nice choice also. At the end of the day, i've got an amazing guitar that has cost me $350 + $85 = $435.00

I'll stack it against any other guitar i've played. It's never let me down, it's always held tune and intonation, it's been subjected to extreme heat, cold, and the road. Most of all, almost everyone that has played it, has bought one and a new set of the Rio Grande's. (I've got about 12 people who have bought this setup from playing mine. Two went with the Muy Grande's.) I mention the pickups so much, because it's really a package deal. The guitars just another well built guitar without them. They are what sets it apart.

Guitars are like kids. Everybody is going to think that theirs is the fastest, nicest, best, and the only thing to strive for. Including myself. So, you'll have to make your own judgements.
 
Never should have sold my natural finish '72......dumb, dumb, dumb
 
philboyd studge said:
Never should have sold my natural finish '72......dumb, dumb, dumb
Click to expand...

I still have mine. Except I cracked the body and had to replace it. Now it's white. 72 Custom that is.
 
Depending on what kind of music you like...

Depending on what kind of music you like you might consider forgeting a Tele all together. My first guitar was a Fender Stratocaster back in 1984. After that I bought another Strat with a humbucker in it. And then a few years later, I got an American Telecaster. I had also had a Mustang, and a Jaguar. Basically I was Fender crazy for the entire first 15 years of me playing guitar. Which was odd, because all of my guitar heros played Gibson's and other "chunkier" guitar. So one day. I just became obsessed with the look of a Gibson ES-335 (like Marty McFly played on Johnny B Good). I spent over a year casing music stores, and saving money. I'd play them in music stores all across the world actually. (I was living in Munich Germany at the time). And I knew that I LOVED the feel of the guitar, but you can't really get the tone of a guitar in a music store. You sadly enough, pretty much just have to buy it and take it home and play it through YOUR amp, in YOUR space, to get the real feeling. So, one day I just did that. And I have never looked back. I have a Les Paul, and my favourite guitar on Earth is my Gibson ES-137.

So, if you ask me... your best bet (if you are already in the $1,200 price range) would be to just check out and ES-137 or a Les Paul.

Fender Guitars, are great guitars. Do not get me wrong. I am not hateing on Fender. But they are just not very warm at all. They have ULTRA-crips highs, and very pronounced mid's. But there is basically almost NO low end to round out your sound. They are very crisp and planky, which makes for excellent fast picking in a soing like REM's: "Driver 8" or "This One Goes Out to the One I Love". (even though I think that might be a Rickenbocker). And Eric Clapton uses nothing but Fender Electrics, because he solos most of the time, and wants that high end cutting power to stand him out in front of the band, as "THE BAD ASS WITH THE GUITAR SKILLS!" (Which is arguably is...)

Fenders can be good for jazz. I like semi-hollow body arch tops, like the Gibson ES-137/ES-335, or a good Benedetto.

I don't know... Anyway, you will ultimately get what you want. But I was just worried by you talking about wanting a '52 re-issue because you "like the look of it". I just hope that you are checking out all of yoru options tone-wise. I just wish I have the THOUSANDS of dollars that I spent collecting Fenders so that I could have bought a few from other companies.

Anyway that is just my .00002 cents worth.
 
absolutely nothing wrong with the stock (standard - MIM) tele so long as you are willing to change out the pickups - SAVE SOME MONEY!
 
I second the lite ash model

I have played the lite ash strat and tele models, great buy for the money...

Ash body, birds eye maple neck, abalone inlays, Duncan PU's all for around $500 - please.....

Has anyone seen the new custom shop Flat Head models??? Sick!!!
 
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