Telecaster for rock - what is recommended to look at?

    Hi guys


    I've come to realize I really like the sound of telecasters for rock. At least I think so :)


    So for a while I've been playing with the thought of looking at some of them to see if I bond. Before I do so, however, I would like to ask in which direction I should go.


    I wouldn't spend too much, so Squiers and MIM are in scope, MIA is OUT of scope. But the quality needs to be there - I don't want to fight a guitar that is a bitch to setup, and I want the sound to be good if not great. If I go the used route, I would still not go for the MIA, I'd rather save the additional money.



    Having said that, there is a huge palette - hollowbody (thinlines), humbucker neck and/or bridge, single coils, TV Jones fideli'tron pickups, MP90 pickups (P90s?), different permutations of pickups, different body woods, different controls, etc etc... You get the picture.


    So I am wondering - for a good tele ROCK tone, is there anything I should avoid - either for playability or tone etc?


    Generalization is OK here :) I want to narrow the field right now to avoid option paralysis in the store. I can always come back and try some others if I don't catch anything I must have.



    If you need something to trigger your answer, here is a short list of teles that I consider to glance at - based on price, gut feeling and no intelligence whatsoever. Also, I'm a bit leary of humbuckers, as I am concerned that part of the tele mojo is in the regular single coil pickups. Is that way wrong?


    Anyway, some possibilities (sorry for the danish website - model names, most of the specs and the pics should be understandable, though :) )


    http://www.4sound.dk/shop/elek…le-custom-mn-3-color.html
    http://www.4sound.dk/shop/elek…0s-butterscotch-blon.html
    http://www.4sound.dk/shop/elek…stom-rw-3-color-sunb.html
    http://www.4sound.dk/shop/elek…hinline-deluxe-mn-bl.html
    http://www.4sound.dk/shop/elek…le-mn-brown-sunburst.html

    How much can you spend? In your position, NO QUESTION what I would buy... G&L...



    If you aren't familiar with them do some research on them, and the you will quickly see why they are regarded often as Leo fenders best work since the Pre CBS stuff... There " cheaper" line is on par quality wise with MIA stuff... I personally have a 1987 ASAT special which is basically a tele with p90ish style pickups and it absolutely rules. It was the best sounding guitar I have picked up in years, and was almost a laughable experience comparing to a new MIA tele. While I love my American deluxe tele, the ASAT is special, and super gnarly and unique sounding, and built stronger than a bomb shelter. I'd be looking at anything G&L if I were you, just my opinion and experience :)... Hell forget MIA fender PERIOD after you pick up an ASAT, ESPECIALLY one made in the late 80s that were all set up by Leo :)

    +1
    My ASAT Special rules too!
    Some good prices used.


    Quote from VESmedic1

    How much can you spend? In your position, NO QUESTION what I would buy... G&L...



    If you aren't familiar with them do some research on them, and the you will quickly see why they are regarded often as Leo fenders best work since the Pre CBS stuff... There " cheaper" line is on par quality wise with MIA stuff... I personally have a 1987 ASAT special which is basically a tele with p90ish style pickups and it absolutely rules. It was the best sounding guitar I have picked up in years, and was almost a laughable experience comparing to a new MIA tele. While I love my American deluxe tele, the ASAT is special, and super gnarly and unique sounding, and built stronger than a bomb shelter. I'd be looking at anything G&L if I were you, just my opinion and experience :)... Hell forget MIA fender PERIOD after you pick up an ASAT, ESPECIALLY one made in the late 80s that were all set up by Leo :)

    I highly recommend you post this on the gear pages and the tdpri sites. Lots of experience there.
    My thoughts are , since owning a Kemper for 2 yrs, I'm playing a Tele most often. It just seems so many profiles were done with Teles that now I pretty much plug and play.
    If you buy a mim or similar you'll probably want to upgrade the pups and wiring.
    As for the bridge, take a look at Rutters or other high quality alternatives.

    G&Ls are not in particular high prevalence here in Denmark. For the price, I would be able to swing for a Tribute ASAT classic or special. I'm guessing the Tribute series is like the cheaper alternative.


    I'm not looking for a new main axe, I'm looking for something to supplement what I have, so I am not going for something expensive, and I am not looking to upgrade electronics or hardware either :)


    I'm also not sure I'm looking for something "unique", as I'm sure most of what I have heard and liked are actual Fender telecasters :)

    Quote from Michael_dk

    G&Ls are not in particular high prevalence here in Denmark. For the price, I would be able to swing for a Tribute ASAT classic or special. I'm guessing the Tribute series is like the cheaper alternative.


    I'm not looking for a new main axe, I'm looking for something to supplement what I have, so I am not going for something expensive, and I am not looking to upgrade electronics or hardware either :)


    I'm also not sure I'm looking for something "unique", as I'm sure most of what I have heard and liked are actual Fender telecasters :)



    ahh, didnt realize you were in denmark, could be a bit of a problem. Never the less, i understand you maybe just wanting the "traditional" tele tone, but thats okay, you are just missing out then! :D The ASAT special is basically a tele on steroids, but I digress....They DO as I'm sure you saw make the ASAT classic, which is your standard telecaster, and yes, the tribute series is what I was referring to as far as their "cheaper" alternatives. Pound for pound, The G&L classic will slap the crap out of anything you have posted and are looking at, and that is the truth. Maybe consider ebay or used? I'm sure that could still be a problem I guess...Really trying to not steer you wrong here, which is why I keep replying, but I would still find a way to get one, because in your price range, there is not a guitar on the planet that comes close for what you want. The guys who KNOW in Nashville, play G&L, get there some time, you will see :)

    Quote from VESmedic1

    ahh, didnt realize you were in denmark, could be a bit of a problem. Never the less, i understand you maybe just wanting the "traditional" tele tone, but thats okay, you are just missing out then! :D The ASAT special is basically a tele on steroids, but I digress....They DO as I'm sure you saw make the ASAT classic, which is your standard telecaster, and yes, the tribute series is what I was referring to as far as their "cheaper" alternatives. Pound for pound, The G&L classic will slap the crap out of anything you have posted and are looking at, and that is the truth. Maybe consider ebay or used? I'm sure that could still be a problem I guess...Really trying to not steer you wrong here, which is why I keep replying, but I would still find a way to get one, because in your price range, there is not a guitar on the planet that comes close for what you want. The guys who KNOW in Nashville, play G&L, get there some time, you will see :)



    There are a couple of G&Ls here (very few) that I could try out. Could you describe the difference in sound (hard, I know :-)). Again, my focus is rock rhythm, so I just want to make sure it's suited for this as well.


    Also, do you have any experience with the tribute series?

    Quote from Michael_dk

    Aannd hopefully last clarification: I'm talking about rhythm guitar more than lead :)

    I would definitively buy the traditional model, no humbucker and no P90 at the bridge-position. The "Twang" of the original tele-bridge-pickup is rocking the house. ;)


    I just bought this brilliant telecaster (1970, candy apple red), but it's a different price-frame. If it has to be cheap I would go for G&L, too. I you want to have a really great tele sometimes, take a look at used teles from the 70's . They not as expensive as 60's or 50's teles, but fantastic guitars for the value.

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    first name: Guenter / family name: Haas / www.guenterhaas.de

    My 'versatile rock' tele is a Vintage Hot Rod, but I've put a Seymour Duncan Hot Lead Stack in the bridge. It's not as hot as the name suggests, think a more muscular version of the traditional tele bridge, but quiet! Throw one in a MIM standard tele, along with the matching neck and you've a killer axe!

    The KPA seams to love Tele type guitars.


    Especially Fender guitars of the same type can sound very different - so I recommend take some time - go to a large shop and try all T-Style guitars they have.


    I spend 4 hours in a huge shop when I bought my first tele ...


    ... and take only EXACTLY the one you have played - not another unused one from the store.

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    Quote from rnrmf

    My 'versatile rock' tele is a Vintage Hot Rod, but I've put a Seymour Duncan Hot Lead Stack in the bridge. It's not as hot as the name suggests, think a more muscular version of the traditional tele bridge, but quiet! Throw one in a MIM standard tele, along with the matching neck and you've a killer axe!

    I know the SD Hot Stacks, different sound and no comparison to the original tele-bridge-pickup. If you want to have the "twang", you need the original one. I'm playing 3 teles ('66 blonde/Rosewood/original pickups, '70/candy apple red/Rosewood/original pickups, 80's standard/Maple Neck/Di Marzio at bridge-position) and the difference between the Di Marzio, the SD Hot Stacks (3 of them in one of my strats) and the original pickups is enormous. If you change tele-pickups you might get a nice tone, too, but you loose the -famous- character of the guitar.

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    first name: Guenter / family name: Haas / www.guenterhaas.de