Why the Telecaster?

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 30 Apr 2004 9:30 am

Aside from the Esquire.The Telecaster was Leo's first born. It was difficult to convince the public in 1954 that the Stratocaster was beyond the Telecaster.

It has what very few guitars have..It can be sweet and mean and growl and yet have the subtle sounds of jazz in the right hands.

Im a Telecaster fan. It has all the tonal qualities of the Fender Steel Guitar sound and that was Leo Fenders intent.

Nothing has been more copied but never equalled as that of the Telecaster.

edited for more bite

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 30 April 2004 at 10:32 AM.]

Billy Woo · Post by **Billy Woo** » 30 Apr 2004 12:54 pm

Well, I'll put my 2 cents here.." Two very good reasons for popularity of the Telecaster in my home town is:

Roy Buchanan

Danny Gatton

"nuff said said the Flaming Torch"

BB

erik · Post by **erik** » 30 Apr 2004 3:41 pm

As many I'm sure have heard, I'm a pretty bad guitar player, but I love the sound of a Strat. It has a personality and can create many tonal nuances with little effort. OTOH, the Tele gives you a clear solid tone that requires YOU to shape it into something. This is why I never owned one and never will. LOL

-johnson

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 30 Apr 2004 4:50 pm

Tony, block that trem and the Strat's as stable as anything. Mine's not blocked, but I've got the springs tightened all the way down. The tailpiece doesn't move, and the guitar stays in tune all night. Of course, I don't beat the hound out of it like some people.

Richie Blackmore played a Strat, and he cranked his middle pickup all the way down so that he could pick with his fingers in the middle position.

My fingers seem to find space in between the neck and middle pickup, and I love those "in between" positions on the Strat (the "Bell Bottom Blues" solo tone)... it's a great sound for chunking rhythm (and I BELIEVE in rhythm guitar- it's getting to be a lost art!). On the other hand, when you want to thicken it up for a rock or jazz sound, go to the neck or middle pickup. These Lace Sensors sound almost like humbuckers sometimes, especially with the tone rolled off a little.

My Strat's got a master volume and tone (like a Tele) and the third knob splits the coils on the J.B. Jr. humbucker. Lots of variations!

I'm playing the Strat tomorrow at an outdoor jazz gig. I usually play a big jazz box, but the low frequencies that roll around on festival stages are troublesome with an archtop. The Strat will do just fine.

But this Tele's a great guitar, too. Not as many bells and whistles, but it's built like a rock, stays in tune, sounds, looks and plays great. I'd take either guitar to any gig.

So many Fenders, so little time...

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 1 May 2004 1:00 am

I think Roger got it right when he said that it's because the 'stars' played Teles (Roy Nichols, Don Rich, James Burton, Jimmy Bryant, etc.) that the Tele became so popular among country pickers.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 1 May 2004 1:32 am

"when you make lemonade, you want to taste the tangy lemon flavour and the sweet sugar.All the other flavours are Fluff."
Leo wanted his standard guitars to sound like his steel guitars
(from Fender: the sound heard round the world" page 65)

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 1 May 2004 2:02 am

Rick..agreed..lock down the Strat Tailpiece and there are no tuning issues..but then you loose one of the greatest attributes of the Strat ! And lowering the mid PUP also looses some great Strat tone as well..

Guys..don't get me wrong..I talk a loud Tele' talk but I've played and owned Strats my whole 45 year playing adventure ( now 55 years old) and I would never be without a Strat in the barn..

I've been fortunate to own several beauties thru the years..

'54, '57, '58, '60,'62 the worst , '66 The Best..and I do have a couple of mid 80's MIJ's which are pretty incredible as well..and a stock HWY1 which I do use on gigs now and then..

All nice guitars..but..

they ain't Tele's !!

sorry Rick ole' Buddy..

oh and you too Buddy Holly..if you're listening in..

t

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 1 May 2004 5:24 am

That's the only electric guitar for me. The first electric guitar I ever picked up was my teacher's early 50's blackguard when I was about 12. Right then and there, I was "imprinted." Remember rocker G. E. Smith of Saturday Night Live fame? He said that playing a Tele was like riding a Harley, and that if you didn't understand, nobody could explain it to you.

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 1 May 2004 7:00 am

It's an easy answer to an easy question. It was good enough for Don Rich, James Burton, Roy Nichols, Merle Haggard, Marty Stewart, Clarence White, among others. So the answer? Why not?

------------------
1985 Emmons push-pull,S-10 Marlin,Evans SE200,Hilton pedal

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 1 May 2004 1:29 pm

I think Roger got it right when he said that it's because the 'stars' played Teles (Roy Nichols, Don Rich, James Burton, Jimmy Bryant, etc.) that the Tele became so popular among country pickers.

I agree too. People want to play what their heros played.

Don't get me wrong. I love my'68 B-bender Tele, and have more playing time on it than all the others (I have 23 guitars) combined.

But when it comes to SOUND, I still say that the Variax is the way to go. It has 5 different Tele sounds, 5 different Strat sounds, 5 different Les Paul sounds, 16 other Gibson sounds, including hollow and semi hollow body sounds, as well as a J 200, 5 different Gretsch sounds, 5 different Ricknbacher sounds, including two 12 strings, 3 Martin acoustic sounds, etc, even banjo, dobro, National steel body and sitar sounds.

This IS the guitar of the future. And sooner of later it will replace not just the Tele, but everything else as well.

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 1 May 2004 1:31 pm

I recently blocked the tremolo on my Strat. It lowers the pitch only which is fine with me. And now I can rest my palm on the tailpiece without the weight pushing the guitar out of tune. That always bothered me before...especially in an onstage noisy situation because I know I was often pushing the guitar a bit out of tune without being able to hear it. I rarely ever wanted to lift the whammy bar anyways so I don't miss it. I made a wedge out of hardwood and fixed it in the body cavity so that the tremolo block bottoms out on it. It's stays in tune very well and I've still got all the tremolo action I want to use anyways.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 1 May 2004 4:30 pm

Mike, I'm sure the Variax is nice, but don't you think you might be overstating the case just a little?

The Line 6 amps were supposed to replace all other amps, too, weren't they?

On the gig today, I played my Strat (50 year old technology) and my blackface Princeton (50 year old technology). It sounded amazing!

Tone out the wazoo. Through the big festival PA, the Princeton sounded huge. I got thick "humbucker" jazz sounds, thin "funk" rhythm sounds, out-of-phase in-between tones, slightly-overdriven bluesy tones and more... out of one guitar. To be fair, I did use my pedal board, which has a Boss chorus, tuner, octaver and delay, plus a Cry Baby.

I honestly think that Mr. Fender nailed it with the Tele and Strat. I've played ES335's, ES175's, Les Pauls, Gretsches, Gibson Howard Roberts models, Epiphone Joe Pass guitars, a Hofner New President, etc., etc. I have always kept coming back to the Fender. For me, the Strat is a one-beautiful-guitar-does-it-all instrument. It's beautiful in its simplicity and aesthetics. Why complicate perfection?

This doesn't mean, however, that I'll stay away from the Gibsons. I love them too!

About that Princeton Reverb... there's no need to take any more amp than that to a gig where there's a PA. I'm through hauling 40-lb.+ amps around.

Bless your heart, Leo Fender!

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 1 May 2004 10:47 pm

Rick, all I can say is go to a store that has a Variax in stock and sit down with it for 15 minutes and put it through it's paces. Don't take my word for it, see (hear) for yourself what it can do.

Hearing is believing.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 2 May 2004 12:53 am

Rick, gotta agree with you on this one---I don't want to play a guitar that tries to sound like every other guitar out there. I had an early PRS, and I think that's what Paul was trying to do with that 5-way pickup switch, and the "sweet switch." None of that stuff worked for me at home, much less onstage. Gimme a Tele, my Les Paul, ES-175, whatever...and that little DeLuxe Reverb, and I'm gig-worthy. Loaded out, and back inside to count the money!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 2 May 2004 1:59 am

Mike 'ole buddy..just let me know when that '68 Bender is no longer functional..send it my way..I'll give it a good ( final) home..

It's not just about tone..although that is a very important part of the package..it's also about feel..and lets not forget..the pride and emotion of holding a piece of history..

Line 6..although agreed are nice Instruments..are gonna have to survive at least another half decade before thay can make a "replacement" claim..

I'm not gonna replace my Tele's with a guitar that sounds like a Tele..I'm not gonna replace my Fender Tube amp ( Deville) with an amp that has a Fender Tube amp knob setting..

I'm recalling how many folks replaced their P and J Basses with P and J Bass clones only to come back to the real deal years later..after chasing tone since they put the original down..or worse..sold it..

If you really like the Pizza at the little joint at the end of the block why eat Pizza at another joint that claims there Pizza is just as good as the other guys ?

t

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 2 May 2004 2:58 am

I haven't tried the Variax, but I have tried the Line6 amps and use the Protools Ampfarm plug-ins ALL the time. Couldn't live without them.

I would have gotten the Line6 tube amp, but it is 3000€ over here, just ridiculous, but a great sounding unit.

The Variax is for those needing 20 different guitars in one package, I can identify with that.
Will it be a purist Tele; no,
will it be a very cool unit for what it does, which is a lot ; most likely yes.

Piney Woods · Post by **Piney Woods** » 2 May 2004 8:33 am

R.E. Variax replacing Teles, etc.
I remember back in the 80s when electronic drums were going to make "real" drums obsolete.
The Variax is probably a great tool, but I think humans have too great a tendency to proclaim that every new thing makes every old thing it was designed to replace obsolete.I run a used & new record store and we sell more vinyl every year.Every good thing has it's place.Or,to paraphrase Johnny Horton, very little difference between the two but hooray for that little difference![This message was edited by Piney Woods on 02 May 2004 at 09:33 AM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 2 May 2004 4:09 pm

A wise man once told me,"Son, if you want a yo-yo, get a Duncan."

Steve Gambrell
Fender Telecaster(s)
Emmons push-pull
'55 Martin D-28
'67 Martin D-18
Some amps
Some Gibsons
some more stuff

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 3 May 2004 4:32 am

At this moment I've got 4 Telecasters in various pickup configurations and they're all great. Most of my professional (full time) career I played a Gibson but I always had a Tele on the bandstand as you can't duplicate that sound on anything. The sound of an old Tele through a Fender tube amp is something that can't be duplicated by Line 6 or whoever. I don't care how close it might come, maybe it's a mental thing with me but I don't want no "Fake Twang".... I want the real thing......Have a good 'un, JH

------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 5 May 2004 8:39 am

Why the Strat?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 5 May 2004 12:22 pm

Why the Tele? Um ....

In no particular order:

Jimmy Bryant
Roy Nichols
Luther Perkins
Danny Gatton
Albert Collins
Roy Buchanan
Amos Garrett
Ed Bickert
Ray Benson
Albert Lee
Arlen Roth
Jim Caplilongo
Joe Dalton
James Burton
Steve Cropper
Jerry Donahue
Mike Stern
Clarence White
John Jorganson

I could go on.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 5 May 2004 2:01 pm

Red Volkaert
Brad Paisley
Brent Mason
Merle Haggard
Don Rich
Robben Ford
Mike Stern
Steve Wariner
James Mitchell
John Jorgenson
Jason Jordan
Keith Urban..who's he ?
Ray Flacke
Andy Sommers
Albert Lee

and on and on and on..

oh and don't forget me and the crew I hang with..

Jimmy Garret
Sonny Falls
Matt Cook
T Prior ( geek )
Woody Mitchell

Who are those other guys ? Just a few more Tele' geeks I suppose..

t

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 5 May 2004 3:06 pm

Buck Owens
Robbie Robertson
Muddy Waters
Jeff Beck
Danny Weiss
Jesse Ed Davis
Bruce Springsteen
Cornell Dupree

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 5 May 2004 3:47 pm

Umm...

Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Mark Knopfler
SRV
Jimi

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 6 May 2004 3:34 am

And there ain't no "Fake Twang" among the lot of 'em.........JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.