Why the Telecaster?

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 28 Apr 2004 2:53 pm

It seems like just about every country band I see has a lead player who plays a Tele. What is it about the Telecaster that makes it the ideal guitar for country picking? I've ruled out the 'twang' factor because I've played Strats for years and I can get exactly the same sound.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 28 Apr 2004 5:47 pm

With respect, I'd dispute the sound issue - I agree that they can be close, but the Strat has that characteristic 'ping' behind the note (not very technical, but I know what I mean), while the Tele sound is somehow thicker.

All this is very subjective, I know, and I have both instruments. I find when I use the Strat (rarely these days) I twiddle knobs until I get close to the Tele tone, but it ends in compromise. I have the Strat because, when I did studio work back in the UK, producers would sometimes specify the guitar they wanted me to play (

)....

The other reason I like the Tele? I've never used a pick and there's no middle pick-up to get in the way of my fingers.....

Overriding all these justifications is the star-factor - Roy Nichols, James Burton, Don Rich, Jimmy Bryant and many others made their ground-breaking impact on country music playing a Tele - there will always be guys who simply want to stand up there with the same instrument as the Masters....

RR

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 28 Apr 2004 6:23 pm

I agree with Roger,- there is a certain 'something' to the Tele that cannot be found in any other guitar.

I've used Strats as my main guitar for years and years, and the Tele is in fact one of the few modles I'm NOT able to emulate on my Strat.
A jazz box? Sure, no problem. Heavy metal axe? Just wait a minute while I install the tremolo arm. A Tele? Oh... errh, well.., can you wait while I call my guitar pusher?

Someone once said that it's one thing to play the electric guitar, playing the Tele is quite another matter.....

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 28 Apr 2004 7:06 pm

I'm not really that much of a guitarist, only played rhythm onstage, but I've owned about 1/2 dozen Telecasters in my life.

Aside from the fact that the sound of the Telecaster is on some of the most classic of country music recordings, that Leo Fender used the opinions of Los Angeles country musicians in creating his guitars, and that sound is accessible basically by just plugging the guitar into a Fender amp as thousands have done before us, the Telecaster is the classic country guitar for another important reason:

It LOOKS like a country music lead guitar should look like. Like a black Emmons PP, or a Sho~Bud permanent... when a guy I've never heard shows up to a gig with a Telecaster and a Twin Reverb, I silently say to myself "well, at least he knows what rig to play."

Other thoughts would come to mind if the guitarist hauled out a Parker Fly or a Steinberger with some "boutique" rock amp. He might be a monster, but he'd have to show me pretty darn quick.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Apr 2004 7:16 pm

Hey Herb, what's a "Sho~Bud permanent"?

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 28 Apr 2004 8:11 pm

Jimbeaux

Go here to find out

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 28 Apr 2004 11:49 pm

I think that in a few years, we will see more and more players using the Line 6 Variax or some other guitar using the same technology.

At the moment, Warmoth, in conjunction with Line 6, is making strat style bodies routed for Variax electronics, (I suppose they will call it the strat-o-variax) and they will soon start making similarly routed Tele style bodies.

This technology is the future, and it's only a matter of time before every company makes a similar guitar, and every guitar player in ever band has one.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 29 Apr 2004 12:00 am

The rear treble pickup and the "strings through the body" tailpiece of a stanard Tele, combined with it's longer scale and "block of wood" design always seemed to me to be the closest in feel to an acoustic flat top of all the early electric guitars. Plus it just undeniably cuts through the mix with a clean tone like no other guitar. It was just the classic case of the right sound at the right time!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 29 Apr 2004 2:09 am

Leo Fender's inspiration in designing the Tele was in fact the sustained sound of the Hawaiian steel guitar. He believed that the sound lived in the treble & bass and that midrange was just "fluf". The Tele fills in a unique niche in the sonic spectrum that cuts through a mix and blends perfectly with other instruments. The design (and choice of tonewoods) seems perfect for certain kinds of music yet the axe is amazingly versatile - check out jazzz guitarist Ed Bickert's faux-archtop sound. The simple "form-is-function" design has timeless visual appeal as well. Strats offer a wider range of tonal possibilities, perhaps better ergonomics and are easier to play with your teeth but for me, the Telecaster is unbeatable.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Apr 2004 2:34 am

what Roger said

"The other reason I like the Tele? I've never used a pick and there's no middle pick-up to get in the way of my fingers"

I would also contend that the middle PUP position ( that means Pick-up ) is not like a Strat..owning several of each for years and a few of each now..for me, and I believe for many others it is the comfort of the right hand over the bridge assy..and the very dominant consistent TWANG..especially with new strings and a Fender Tube amp !

and..A great looking Tele' really brings the Tele' bangers out of the woodwork on the gigs..they all just gotta see it..Strat heads don't know a good Tele' when they see one !

here's my latest which I recently added a B5 to..

<img src=http://bprior.com/50_bigsby.jpg>

it's a 1999/50's classic with Noisless PUPS and now the B5..I do have threaded Brass saddles on the way for it as well..but the primary Tele is still my '89/52 Butterscotch RI..

Thank You Leo..

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 29 April 2004 at 03:31 PM.]

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 29 Apr 2004 5:51 am

As a 'PS', I'd like to add that Leo's intention with the Stratocaster was to reach a wider market and to create a more versatile guitar than the Tele/Esquire.

There's no doubt he acheived that with the three pick-ups and the combinations that became available. Unfortunately, the only sound he left off the Strat was the Tele's bridge pick-up sound! Deliberate, maybe?

Someone above has expressed my thoughts on the Tele better than I could. It's almost a pure sound - simple and unadorned, and sounds to me just like a string vibrating throuhg a piece of wood. Put another way, the Tele sounds the same whether it's plugged in or not - through the amp it's just louder. I believe that's true with a good Tele, anyway - I've played a few 'dogs' in my time.....

My favourite Tele tone? James with Rick Nelson - especially in the '50s and early-'60s. Dry, compact and edgy - that sound can still make the hairs stand up on my arms! Of course, it helps that he could play a bit, too!

RR

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 29 Apr 2004 5:58 am

One more thought and I'm off to my gig in Key West.....

I played a lot in the UK with a terrific guitar-player named Billy Bremner (he was with Rockpile and the Pretenders) - Billy got as close to a Tele sound as I've ever heard.....

.....on a Fender Jaguar! He liked it's versatility, but preferred it to a Strat because of it's psuedo-Tele tone. Billy always spent too much on beer to be able to afford two guitars!

RR
(He's a great singer, too!)[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 29 April 2004 at 06:58 AM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Apr 2004 3:20 pm

The Tele is compact, has good "bite", and great sustaining qualities, along with a great neck.

What else could you want for commercial country music?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 29 Apr 2004 3:22 pm

The Tele is compact, has good "bite", and great sustaining qualities, along with a great neck.

What else could you want for commercial country music?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 29 Apr 2004 3:52 pm

Very simple...

It don't mean a thang,
if it ain't got that twang.

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 29 Apr 2004 5:14 pm

Unless it's a hardtail, the 2 play totally different. The tele is much more percussive. You have to overbend on a Strat because of the trem. I love them both and have had many of each, but a tele seems to hang in there when you whack, it, and whisper better when you don't. I play a Nashville Tele that gives me the 2 and 4 Strat positions, and absolutely love that guitar! JimP

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 29 Apr 2004 5:31 pm

I find the Tele to be a very responsive guitar in terms of feel. Does anyone else think that it takes more talent to play a Tele well than a Strat? I do. I think the Tele is a very precise guitar. I don't know exactly how to describe this. Johnny Highland comes to mind here.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 29 Apr 2004 8:27 pm

Me loves me Tele. Roger is right about the warmth, big tone.

Me loves me Strat too. I've got a 50's-style Japan edition w/ maple board, 2 Fender Lace Sensors and a Duncan JB Jr. It's probably the most versatile guitar I've ever owned, and SO BEAUTIFUL

I just got a new James Burton Tele in the shop that has some of the qualities of both of these guitars, including the Lace sensors. WOW!

Cool Bigsby, Tony. We may have some things in common

I've been grieving for 25 years over the ES335 w/ factory Bigsby that I traded away, and often think about adding one to a Tele here.

Rick

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 30 Apr 2004 3:20 am

Brent Mason comes to mind also!

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 30 Apr 2004 5:57 am

Tony,

I saw your post on TDPRI regarding your Tele. Nice job on adding the Bigsby. I'd like to add the B5 kit to my MIM Fat Tele.

cheers,
Drew

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Drew's Website

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 30 Apr 2004 6:02 am

Who's Brent ?

???

Don't discount this slab body as being only
Commercial Country ( I'm talkin' to you Donny Dude

)

I'm thinkin' Jazz..Rock and Roll..Blues...whatever pops your Cork...

There's a couple of rockers, one named Bruce somethin' or other..lets see..Keithy from across the pond..then there's that Danny guy ( who played with "E" ) I'm thinkin' it's a pretty long list for sure..

Add yes..the string thru or the top loader with hard tail stop makes this slab guitar capable of incredible bends and twangs and return to tune..that is if it was in tune to begin with..unlike the inconsistent , hardly ever return to pitch , Strat..

If you're gonna twang and yank..it's a Tele
all the way..
t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 30 April 2004 at 07:06 AM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 30 Apr 2004 6:29 am

"If you have to ask, you'll never know"

I think one listen to the Buckaroos Carnegie Hall Concert Album will explain better than all of the above posts. Except maybe Herb's.

when a guy I've never heard shows up to a gig with a Telecaster and a Twin Reverb, I silently say to myself "well, at least he knows what rig to play."

I've never owned a Tele. I am an abysmal guitarist, but I lust after one... I grew up in th DC area, about which there is now a song "DC is a Telecaster Town"... Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton and a score of lesser known but righteous Tele-whackers (my faves: Gantt Kushner, Dave Chapel , Brin Ried, Randy Leith, and Bob Hume among them) were the area pickers as I developed as a musician, with Gatton the 900 Lb gorilla...

I love a wide variety of classic electric guitar sounds... but a Telecaster in the right hands is "the $#it"...

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 30 Apr 2004 7:06 am

A few more reasons:
There's nothing quite like the snap of the strings against that plank of a tele neck.
There's the very cool tonal sweep from grabbing that big old tone control.
And I've never been able to get behind-the-nut bends as nicely on any other guitar.
Then there are all those great 60s photos of Buck Owens and Don Rich with their shiny Telecasters.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 30 Apr 2004 7:19 am

This says it all..
http://www.brentmason.com/broadband/video/index.html

Jeremy Steele · Post by **Jeremy Steele** » 30 Apr 2004 7:32 am

Quote:

"There's a couple of rockers, one named Bruce somethin' or other"

I think the Bruce in question plays an Esquire (with added neck p'up)...I know, I'm a nit picker.