My new Tele is Ugly.

[diceman]

Zontar - I think that my Strat is more comfortable (body contours, anyways) - but the Tele sure is fun to play and by no means uncomfortable for me...

DJ - it wouldn't hurt to have an extra Tele lying around!

Ice - I didn't even buy a case for this thing (woulda cost almost as much as the guitar!) so it'll be laying around all the time. I have a feeling that the cheapest of my solid bodies will be the most played, for a while anways, since it is the most accessible.

[diceman]

Hillbilly - interesting switch mod on yours - you just popped the plate out and flipped it 180?

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by diceman

Hillbilly - interesting switch mod on yours - you just popped the plate out and flipped it 180?

The switch gets in my way when I play, and I can't get to the Volume control comfortably with the switch where it is on a 'stock' configuration. So, I put the Volume 1st, and the switch last. Everything works like it should, althoughI have a push-pull Tone control hiding in my RS for coil tap on the neck...

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by BCRGreg

Put a black guard on it and it will look TONS better.

Seconded...or mebbe even some black abalone...

[diceman]

Sentry - black is on order from GFS - 3 ply.

Hillbilly - that is genius. The coil tap has got to make that Tele very versatile. Thanks for filling me in on that.

[The_Sentry]

Originally Posted by diceman

Sentry - black is on order from GFS - 3 ply.

Hillbilly - that is genius. The coil tap has got to make that Tele very versatile. Thanks for filling me in on that.

S'all good....although that abalone is temptin' me to order a pickguard for my strat.

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by diceman

Hillbilly - that is genius. The coil tap has got to make that Tele very versatile. Thanks for filling me in on that.

The thing that works best for a 'splittable' neck humbucker in a Tele-style guitar is a nice, unbalanced, low-output humbucker. Mine's a neck-position Psychebilly, 7.3K.


My other Tele has a TV Jones Classic in the neck (4K), with a push/pull on the Tone control that puts the FilterTron out of phase with the bridge.

[diceman]

Right on HB. If (when) I get a nice Tele that I want to drop some money in to, I'll be looking in to your setup a little more.

I played Baby Shit at band practice today and was very impressed. I'm going to gig it on Tuesday for sure. I want to keep the upgrades to a minimum, and will be looking at tuners and maybe a new bridge plate. Pickups are fine from what I can tell. A little more feedback prone than I'm used to - but quite manageable.

I've got a sticker of a bomb dropping in to a toilet to put below the bridge, for a little humor in reference to the baby shit color of the guitar...

[LiveOak]

If I got another Fender, it would be a Tele. However, my Strat covers what I need in the way of single coil quack, twang and that glassy chime sound.

[diceman]

But when is ONE single coil guitar ever enough?

These two are cleaned up restrung and ready to gig on Tuesday:

[Joeydego]

PLENTY of babyshit yellow love to go around!

[diceman]

Nice Joey! My next one should look JUST like that...

[diceman]

The first couple of bumps and bruises are out of the way. She's ready for some rough nights in the bars, now. I'd hate for her to go in to the jungle to get used and abused looking TOO pretty. (I was sanding down the neck - and couldn't resist a couple of character marks).

[diceman]

And... I can confirm that the poly on these things is about 3 inches thick! The color is just a thin topcoat over about 1-1.5mm of clear. (One chip on the back side shows that...)

[djwilbanks]

+1 for character marks.

[PunkerJon]

Originally Posted by MelonSnapple

A Fat Chick just means theres more cushion for the pushin.
I love teles bro.

Don't forget, the bigger the waistband the deeper the quicksand. My used shop has some Teles I've been eying, but I'm trying to figure out how to get the one my brother has first

[diceman]

Thanks DJ. I dulled the finish down some with some steel wool as well. I am amazed at how thick the poly was. I tried a small "ding" on the back edge, which chipped out - and revealed a thick thick layer of poly under the color coat.

Oh well. A bunch of crappy components, but a winning combination overall. Baby Shit and I are getting along wonderfully. This guitar sounds and plays great - very nice neck (I sanded the thin poly coat off of the neck and how it feels even better).

I see myself getting a *nice* Tele down the road, but will probably keep gigging this $200 monster.

Jon - stealing from siblings is always a good option. I'll bet you could get one of these used Squiers for $150 or less.

[PunkerJon]

Well his is an '80s MIA that some girl left at his house who he never saw again. He doesn't even have an amp LOL! I think I would go G&L if I were to actually pay for one.

[diceman]

That would be great! How many years ago did she leave it?

MissoulaGriz has a G&L which I REALLY like. I think that the next one I get will probably be full Nitro (I don't think that G&L has any nitro models?) - either a Fender Highway 1 or maybe a used American Vintage are the most likely candidates. It'll be a long while, though. I'm out of gear to sell in order to get new stuff.

[needlespauls]

I love squiers bro, very nice!!!!
I may pull the trigger on one of the Classic Vibe series guitars soon.
Speaking of G & L teles, two of the stores near me have this limited edition chambered tele with a middle single coil, like a strat. The tone or volume knob doubles as a push/pull knob and it is a double coil stack/split in the bridge!!! This guitar is freakin awesome!!!! Power tele all the way, twang singles with edge to fat power. There's way too many sweet guitars right now............

[Joeydego]

Originally Posted by diceman

Nice Joey! My next one should look JUST like that...

52 reissue, hope you like low frets (I do), VERY easy to play

[StrangerNY]

Originally Posted by BCRGreg

Put a black guard on it and it will look TONS better.

+1. Single ply if you can find one.

- D

[PunkerJon]

Originally Posted by diceman

That would be great! How many years ago did she leave it?

MissoulaGriz has a G&L which I REALLY like. I think that the next one I get will probably be full Nitro (I don't think that G&L has any nitro models?) - either a Fender Highway 1 or maybe a used American Vintage are the most likely candidates. It'll be a long while, though. I'm out of gear to sell in order to get new stuff.

I believe the statute of limitations has expired on that one

[diceman]

Joey - yes, 52 RI is the plan. I just scored a '57 RI Strat (from Brett here on the forum, who works at Eddie's). The low / thin frets don't bother me at all. (Pretty much what I've got on my '65 Jaguar as well, and my '69 LP Deluxe has insanely low frets - both play great). My next guitar will probably be a '52RI Tele. If I'm spending over $1k, it had better be Nitro coated and not plastic dipped, if you know what I mean.

Stranger - 3 ply already on the way!

NLP's - my shop here has a couple of G&L Teles w/ soapbars in them - one is a hollow body. He's got two American Vintage Fender Teles though... one Rosewood the other Maple board... I think I'll be getting mine used whenever that happens (at least a year I think) - hopefully someone will buy one soon and then trade it in next year! If I could score a used G&L in that $6-800 range, I could live w/out the Nitro finish.

Jon - show us pix once you've acquired it.

[StrangerNY]

Dice - I put these GFS pickups in my Butterscotch Blonde Tele:

Bridge

Neck

They scream. Much hotter than what Squier sends out.

All this Tele talk guarantees that I'll be pulling the blonde out of the guitar room tomorrow...

- D

[diceman]

Stranter - I like GFS stuff - I have to orders on the way right now (a Dream 90 for one of my LP's in the neck, and that black pickguard for the Tele). I may go ahead and do that pickup upgrade as well... thanks for the tip.

[SoundwaveLP]

I like **some** Tele's. I really like them with dark finishes and woods. I.E George Harrison's Rosewood Telecaster. One of my favorite guitars, actually.

My opinion is a little bias though. I play alot of hard rock/metal and a Telecaster just isn't my cup of tea.

Edit: Forgot... congrats on the new guitar!

[diceman]

Thanks! I play in a hard rock / punk band, and the Tele sounds great. Our other guitarist plays a Les Paul, and I'm rocking Single Coils lately.

[SoundwaveLP]

Yeah, I've seen a Tele used for heavier music (James Hetfield - The Unforgiven II), but I guess I've just never found a need for it's tone. I get quite a bit of versatility with my new Ibanez RG350DX.. and well, I love the look of it too :P

[MissoulaGriz]

In a live situation I have always liked having a Les Paul matched with a smoking singlecoil, either a Tele or a Strat. It really helps balance out the guitar tones and give's two distinct sounds.