My new Tele is Ugly.

diceman · 03-14-2009, 08:36 PM

I know what you're thinking... ALL Teles are ugly. No - this one is especially ugly - and its barely a Tele at all, because it is a Squier. What color is it you ask? Baby shit yellow. It said so right there on the tag. "Baby-Shit Yellow Squier Telecaster. Made in China. Put me down, I am not what you are looking for." This thing doesn't have a thing going for it... other than playability and tone for $$PENNIES$$!

I've always hated Teles. Appearance, anyways. So much so that I never dared even touch one (in the same vein as scooters and fat chicks - may be fun, but only until your friends see you on one). A few weeks ago one of the guys in my little blues jam group (MissoulaGriz here on the forum) brought over his G&L ASAT Custom Tele, and it knocked my socks off. My new Tele is a far cry from the ASAT, but it plays like a Tele and sounds like a Tele, and when the shop owner said "$230... but since you buy so much gear here... $195" I replied instantly with "I'll take it!" I was literally in the shop to pick up a polish cloth and to let my 3 year old son play with the black cat that roams around the shop. What a day.

So, I don't even plan on doing any mods on this thing. It sounds great for what it is. I almost bought a Squier Affinity Tele - it looked much much better (had a clear coat over a very nice wood grain body), but the hardware on the Affinity was quite frankly terrible (the saddle intonation screws touched the strings - all of them!). The Squier Standard is string through body, and has a great looking decent quality bridge hardware/setup. For the money, I couldn't walk out without it.

Here she is... my baby shit yellow Squier Tele:

My n

qwank · 03-14-2009, 08:38 PM

I hate teles too. i love that color though. and fat chicks are never fun

BCRGreg · 03-14-2009, 08:40 PM

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

decoy205 · 03-14-2009, 08:43 PM

haha Baby shit yellow!! thats great.

Yeah i agree teles with black guards rule!

diceman · 03-14-2009, 08:47 PM

Greg - as usual, I think you're right.

Gwank - you should really give all three a try. You may be surprised. (really, I've never in my life found anything redeeming about a Tele until I played a few!)

Decoy - having 2 kids myself, I immediately recognized the color!

USP45Tim · 03-14-2009, 08:47 PM

I *really* like it, Dice!!!

diceman · 03-14-2009, 08:51 PM

Thanks Tim! I'm really liking it too. Best $195 (did I mention we don't have sales tax in Montana?) I've ever spent...

djwilbanks · 03-14-2009, 08:58 PM

So when you decide to sell it, let me know first.

USP45Tim · 03-14-2009, 08:58 PM

Right on! I've been having the Tele itch for some time and that model would be exactly what I'd want. Like someone else mentioned, I'd slap a black pg on there and personally I'd slap a Hot Rail in the bridge.

The thing I like about that guitar is that it's simple and it'll get your point across. Definitely a rockin machine! Great score!

diceman · 03-14-2009, 09:05 PM

Tim - I may end up upgrading the electronics eventually. It would be worth it. I don't know what kind of multi-piece furniture grade wood the body is made out of, but the guitar sounds good, the neck feels great, and the fretwork is amazingly... perfect. I'm sure I'll find plenty of little things I don't like, eventually, but I'm pretty impressed with it. The tuners feel a little cheap. Thats about it.

Like you said, Tele itch was getting bad... this has temporarily cured it. I didn't have the itch bad enough to drop $1-2k on a great one, but this is a good one for 10% of that. I'll probably be looking at upgrades from GFS on the cheap.

djwilbanks · 03-14-2009, 09:06 PM

Want a bigsby for it?

diceman · 03-14-2009, 09:09 PM

DJ - I don't see it moving, but I'll let you know!

And... "no" to the Bigsby!

djwilbanks · 03-14-2009, 09:11 PM

Just pimpin' it out a bit.

hillbilly · 03-14-2009, 09:14 PM

Play the shit out of it. Beat it up. The harder you play it, the better it will sound.

Tele's are for 'real men' because there's nothing fancy to hide behind. If you can do your thang on a Tele, it will only improve the rest of your playing.

Here's my 2 'baby shit yellow' Tele's:

jomo · 03-14-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwank

I hate teles too. i love that color though. and fat chicks are never fun

You hate Teles? Fat chicks aren't fun? You my friend have neither played the right Tele and you damn sure ain't met the right fat chick.

As far as you new Tele bro, I'm with unka Greg, black guard the biyatch out! I relic it too. I love me some yeller teles.

MissoulaGriz · 03-14-2009, 10:18 PM

Teles kick ass! Nice score Diceman...I LOVE the color and it just reminds me of how thankful I am that I am no longer changing diapers.
+1 on a black pickguard.

MissoulaGriz · 03-14-2009, 10:22 PM

OK, so after reading Diceman's post I am a little freaked out. I went and checked the strings on my ASAT Classic and what did I find? My strings come through the body and they rest against the intonation screws before they hit the saddles. I have never had any problems with intonation or busted strings on this Tele but now I'm all freaked out about it. I hate it when that happens. Help a brother out and please tell me it is no big deal. Are all the ASAT Classics like that? Why would someone design a bridge system like this?

diceman · 03-14-2009, 11:00 PM

Thanks guys! The black guard does look much better.

Griz - probably not a big deal. All I know for sure is that your Tele is the reason that I even gave Teles a chance. I wouldn't worry about it!

MelonSnapple · 03-14-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwank

I hate teles too. i love that color though. and fat chicks are never fun

A Fat Chick just means theres more cushion for the pushin.

I love teles bro.

frankthomson · 03-14-2009, 11:17 PM

first off, it's not baby shit yellow, it's baby PUKE yellow, and secondly....
TELES RULE!

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwank

I hate teles too. i love that color though. and fat chicks are never fun

how old are yoiu?!?!?!

TWANG · 03-14-2009, 11:20 PM

I love 'em.

That's all I'm saying.

TWANG

diceman · 03-14-2009, 11:22 PM

Define "'em"...

Hillbilly and Jomo - you guys aren't helping my Tele GAS (which I'm trying to cure!) any by showing me those beauties...

I just ordered a black guard from Guitar Fetish - $10 plus shipping ($7). Hopefully its a close fit.

Iceman0124 · 03-14-2009, 11:25 PM

Put a black guard and a vintage plate with 3 brass saddles and it'll look hot...and likely sound better too, the bridge change on mine was akin to putting new pups in her.

TeleDog · 03-14-2009, 11:31 PM

I love Teles! You can have 20 LPs but there's always room for a Tele, every guitar player needs one!

diceman · 03-14-2009, 11:34 PM

TeleDog - I hear ya (now!).

Ice - I'll look in to the bridge plate... I think I'm going to keep mods to a minimum and just start saving for something "high end." I'm having a lot of fun with it as is so far...

MissoulaGriz · 03-15-2009, 01:02 AM

Teles are a trip. They're like a plank of wood that just sits there. Then you pick one up, plug it in and say Holy Fudge Sickles...these things rock. I swear they can do it all. I love my LP, Strat and Gretsch but there is something about the simplicity of a Tele that makes me go YES...I like it!

diceman · 03-15-2009, 01:09 AM

I hear ya, Griz. They are much more than they appear to be. I can only imagine the look on my face when I picked up your Tele a couple of weeks ago - first Tele I'd ever laid hands on... Gosh, that thing is just amazing! It was very surprised with the tone I was getting with it - it absolutely screamed and shrieked - damn it sounded good. This Squier will tide me over, but after playing yours, I think I'll have that GAS going on until I score something as nice as your ASAT Custom! I think I'll need a year or so to pull that off, though.

Iceman0124 · 03-15-2009, 01:12 AM

My tele is the only solidbody in my collection that can hold my interest right now.

djwilbanks · 03-15-2009, 01:13 AM

I wish mine was finished... You don't understand how hard it is not to just go out and buy a cheap one to tide me over.

zontar · 03-15-2009, 01:15 AM

I've seen worse.

My reason for not getting a Tele has nothing to do with the look--or even the sound--I just find them uncomfortable to play.

03-14-2009, 08:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	My new Tele is Ugly. I know what you're thinking... ALL Teles are ugly. No - this one is especially ugly - and its barely a Tele at all, because it is a Squier. What color is it you ask? Baby shit yellow. It said so right there on the tag. "Baby-Shit Yellow Squier Telecaster. Made in China. Put me down, I am not what you are looking for." This thing doesn't have a thing going for it... other than playability and tone for $$PENNIES$$! I've always hated Teles. Appearance, anyways. So much so that I never dared even touch one (in the same vein as scooters and fat chicks - may be fun, but only until your friends see you on one). A few weeks ago one of the guys in my little blues jam group (MissoulaGriz here on the forum) brought over his G&L ASAT Custom Tele, and it knocked my socks off. My new Tele is a far cry from the ASAT, but it plays like a Tele and sounds like a Tele, and when the shop owner said "$230... but since you buy so much gear here... $195" I replied instantly with "I'll take it!" I was literally in the shop to pick up a polish cloth and to let my 3 year old son play with the black cat that roams around the shop. What a day. So, I don't even plan on doing any mods on this thing. It sounds great for what it is. I almost bought a Squier Affinity Tele - it looked much much better (had a clear coat over a very nice wood grain body), but the hardware on the Affinity was quite frankly terrible (the saddle intonation screws touched the strings - all of them!). The Squier Standard is string through body, and has a great looking decent quality bridge hardware/setup. For the money, I couldn't walk out without it. Here she is... my baby shit yellow Squier Tele: My n __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 08:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
qwank Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Southern NH Posts: 3,569 Thanks: 16 Thanked 11 Times in 4 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I hate teles too. i love that color though. and fat chicks are never fun __________________ 2009 Ebony Traditional Pro 2009 Satin White Junior

03-14-2009, 08:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
BCRGreg Grumpy Old Luthier Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lemoyne, PA Posts: 6,967 Thanks: 157 Thanked 731 Times in 95 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Put a black guard on it and it will look TONS better. __________________ Cool guitars, extreme repairs and brutal honesty. www.bcrmusic.com www.grumpyoldmenband.com http://www.youtube.com/user/unkagreg

03-14-2009, 08:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
decoy205 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Brooklyn NY Posts: 3,186 Thanks: 98 Thanked 35 Times in 13 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. haha Baby shit yellow!! thats great. Yeah i agree teles with black guards rule! __________________

03-14-2009, 08:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Greg - as usual, I think you're right. Gwank - you should really give all three a try. You may be surprised. (really, I've never in my life found anything redeeming about a Tele until I played a few!) Decoy - having 2 kids myself, I immediately recognized the color! __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

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03-14-2009, 08:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
USP45Tim V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: S.E. Louisiana Posts: 3,353 Thanks: 13 Thanked 182 Times in 44 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I really like it, Dice!!! __________________ The true character of a man is what he can do for someone who can do nothing for him in return. Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.

03-14-2009, 08:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Thanks Tim! I'm really liking it too. Best $195 (did I mention we don't have sales tax in Montana?) I've ever spent... __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 08:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 16,146 Thanks: 125 Thanked 207 Times in 38 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. So when you decide to sell it, let me know first. __________________ º\|\|\|\|\|º

03-14-2009, 08:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
USP45Tim V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: S.E. Louisiana Posts: 3,353 Thanks: 13 Thanked 182 Times in 44 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Right on! I've been having the Tele itch for some time and that model would be exactly what I'd want. Like someone else mentioned, I'd slap a black pg on there and personally I'd slap a Hot Rail in the bridge. The thing I like about that guitar is that it's simple and it'll get your point across. Definitely a rockin machine! Great score! __________________ The true character of a man is what he can do for someone who can do nothing for him in return. Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.

03-14-2009, 09:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Tim - I may end up upgrading the electronics eventually. It would be worth it. I don't know what kind of multi-piece furniture grade wood the body is made out of, but the guitar sounds good, the neck feels great, and the fretwork is amazingly... perfect. I'm sure I'll find plenty of little things I don't like, eventually, but I'm pretty impressed with it. The tuners feel a little cheap. Thats about it. Like you said, Tele itch was getting bad... this has temporarily cured it. I didn't have the itch bad enough to drop $1-2k on a great one, but this is a good one for 10% of that. I'll probably be looking at upgrades from GFS on the cheap. __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 09:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 16,146 Thanks: 125 Thanked 207 Times in 38 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Want a bigsby for it? __________________ º\|\|\|\|\|º

03-14-2009, 09:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. DJ - I don't see it moving, but I'll let you know! And... "no" to the Bigsby! __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 09:11 PM	#13 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 16,146 Thanks: 125 Thanked 207 Times in 38 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Just pimpin' it out a bit. __________________ º\|\|\|\|\|º

03-14-2009, 09:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
hillbilly V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 865 Thanks: 0 Thanked 49 Times in 10 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Play the shit out of it. Beat it up. The harder you play it, the better it will sound. Tele's are for 'real men' because there's nothing fancy to hide behind. If you can do your thang on a Tele, it will only improve the rest of your playing. Here's my 2 'baby shit yellow' Tele's: __________________ Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting for what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb disputing that vote.---Benjamin Franklin >>> RS GUITARWORKS <<< Southern Electric

03-14-2009, 10:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
MissoulaGriz Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Missoula, MT Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Teles kick ass! Nice score Diceman...I LOVE the color and it just reminds me of how thankful I am that I am no longer changing diapers. +1 on a black pickguard.

03-14-2009, 10:22 PM	#17 (permalink)
MissoulaGriz Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Missoula, MT Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. OK, so after reading Diceman's post I am a little freaked out. I went and checked the strings on my ASAT Classic and what did I find? My strings come through the body and they rest against the intonation screws before they hit the saddles. I have never had any problems with intonation or busted strings on this Tele but now I'm all freaked out about it. I hate it when that happens. Help a brother out and please tell me it is no big deal. Are all the ASAT Classics like that? Why would someone design a bridge system like this?

03-14-2009, 11:00 PM	#18 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Thanks guys! The black guard does look much better. Griz - probably not a big deal. All I know for sure is that your Tele is the reason that I even gave Teles a chance. I wouldn't worry about it! __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 11:20 PM	#21 (permalink)
TWANG Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: minnesota Posts: 1,011 Thanks: 0 Thanked 43 Times in 13 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I love 'em. That's all I'm saying. TWANG

03-14-2009, 11:22 PM	#22 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Define "'em"... Hillbilly and Jomo - you guys aren't helping my Tele GAS (which I'm trying to cure!) any by showing me those beauties... I just ordered a black guard from Guitar Fetish - $10 plus shipping ($7). Hopefully its a close fit. __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-14-2009, 11:25 PM	#23 (permalink)
Iceman0124 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chattanooga TN Posts: 1,533 Thanks: 39 Thanked 12 Times in 4 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Put a black guard and a vintage plate with 3 brass saddles and it'll look hot...and likely sound better too, the bridge change on mine was akin to putting new pups in her.

03-14-2009, 11:31 PM	#24 (permalink)
TeleDog Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,456 Thanks: 12 Thanked 52 Times in 13 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I love Teles! You can have 20 LPs but there's always room for a Tele, every guitar player needs one! __________________ ... just blues it up a little!

03-14-2009, 11:34 PM	#25 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. TeleDog - I hear ya (now!). Ice - I'll look in to the bridge plate... I think I'm going to keep mods to a minimum and just start saving for something "high end." I'm having a lot of fun with it as is so far... __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-15-2009, 01:02 AM	#26 (permalink)
MissoulaGriz Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Missoula, MT Posts: 171 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. Teles are a trip. They're like a plank of wood that just sits there. Then you pick one up, plug it in and say Holy Fudge Sickles...these things rock. I swear they can do it all. I love my LP, Strat and Gretsch but there is something about the simplicity of a Tele that makes me go YES...I like it!

03-15-2009, 01:09 AM	#27 (permalink)
diceman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 16,293 Thanks: 307 Thanked 89 Times in 32 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I hear ya, Griz. They are much more than they appear to be. I can only imagine the look on my face when I picked up your Tele a couple of weeks ago - first Tele I'd ever laid hands on... Gosh, that thing is just amazing! It was very surprised with the tone I was getting with it - it absolutely screamed and shrieked - damn it sounded good. This Squier will tide me over, but after playing yours, I think I'll have that GAS going on until I score something as nice as your ASAT Custom! I think I'll need a year or so to pull that off, though. __________________ My Band: www.comeupswingingmusic.com or www.myspace.com/comeupswinging

03-15-2009, 01:12 AM	#28 (permalink)
Iceman0124 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chattanooga TN Posts: 1,533 Thanks: 39 Thanked 12 Times in 4 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. My tele is the only solidbody in my collection that can hold my interest right now.

03-15-2009, 01:13 AM	#29 (permalink)
djwilbanks V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 16,146 Thanks: 125 Thanked 207 Times in 38 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I wish mine was finished... You don't understand how hard it is not to just go out and buy a cheap one to tide me over. __________________ º\|\|\|\|\|º

03-15-2009, 01:15 AM	#30 (permalink)
zontar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In a people house Posts: 1,223 Thanks: 9 Thanked 8 Times in 3 Posts	Re: My new Tele is Ugly. I've seen worse. My reason for not getting a Tele has nothing to do with the look--or even the sound--I just find them uncomfortable to play. __________________ I've been a pilgrim on this earth since the day of my birth, I'm a long way from my home.

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