I don't like my Tele

[Lonn]

That's my problem! It plays nicely, access to the upper frets is good, but as Graham says, if you rely on a Lester to hide sloppy playing, which I do, then everything is exposed.

I realize this is often said in jest but I never quite understood it. Guitar players don’t get any more sloppy than I, but I love my telecaster. Perhaps the difference is I’m not trying to hide my sloppiness LOL. I sound like me no matter what I’m playing.

 

[HighwayStar106]

Strats are definitely too polite!

However I hate to see you lower your guitar count, so here's a suggestion for a replacement: (actually no joke, I've tried one if these and it was very good, especially for £269):

View attachment 478621

My brother has that exact guitar. I keep telling him it's not a proper Tele because it's got humbuckers in it, but I secretly want it.

If we're all posting pics of our Teles now...

 

[soulman969]

That's my problem! It plays nicely, access to the upper frets is good, but as Graham says, if you rely on a Lester to hide sloppy playing, which I do, then everything is exposed.

It'll make you a better player if only because there's nowhere to hide. Use it as a way to improve your playing. Be a shame to let a great guitar go.

 

[Baelzebub]

View attachment 478620 View attachment 478618 View attachment 478619
It's a Harley Benton TE70.
There's nothing wrong with it except the sound. I gambled £150 on it and lost but I'll get something back for it on FeeBay

If it's the sound that easily fixable with pickup swap. If you're used to LP's get a hotter set of Tele pups, or, hell..purists be damned toss a humbucker in it. You might find just enough difference in the tones to keep it for when you want something different from the LP...but not too much so.

I picked up a cheap(er) Michael Kelly with HB's, (a mini in the neck, full in the bridge), and am thinking of putting some Probuckers I got out of an Epi LP into it, if I can just figure out the wiring. Like yours, plays nice and nothing wrong with it, but I think the PB will make it sing!

have th figure something for the neck since that full sized PB won't fit the p/g and I'm loathe to cut it..but I might just try it with a ring mount.

 

[Groovey]

Well it's not a Tele, so I'm not surprised. Tele's don't have whammy bars...

So your a purist, eh?

 

[s5tuart]

It'll make you a better player if only because there's nowhere to hide. Use it as a way to improve your playing. Be a shame to let a great guitar go.

I certainly agree with the sentiment but at my level I need somewhere to hide!

It's not really that so much it's just not the sound I want out of a guitar and I'm not willing to start down the route of swapping pickups when it "only" cost me £150.
I won't lose much on eBay, probably less than if I get a set of hum buckers for it and STILL decide it's not for me.

 

[RoyC]

I just don't like the look of them, no matter what they sound like.

 

[thomquietwolf]

 

[nutball73]

I just don't like the look of them, no matter what they sound like.

Cast his eyes out! Heretic! How can he say that about the most beautiful guitar shape ever made?

Here's one I made earlier...

 

[Sarnodude]

I didn't like mine either - so I sold it. No matter what I did, it just refused to sound like an LP. But of course I knew that when I bought it

I just to play one through a cranked Hiwatt Bulldog 50. It came awfully close. Of course, my ears weren't very discerning back then.

 

[space]

Indeed. I think that the Teles I do like are humbucker equipped anyway so I should have done more research before buying. Teles with single coils do sound strident to my ears and I did toy with the idea of modifying this one, but buying a load of new stuff for it seems ludicrous.
Strats single coils always sound a lot more smooth to my ears. Less twang and, dare I say it, more sophisticated!

I went through 4 teles b4 I found "the one"
Just happened to be an Ibanez
T

 

[Stevn]

Why wouldn't you?

Flat heavy lumpen things.

What model is it?

…but good! I have. 1952 copy.

 

[Impulsive guppy]

If you get a canoe or other small water craft you might appreciate it more!

 

[rcole_sooner]

My first tele was a Mim I grabbed at GC just cuz I wanted a tele. But yeah, I never bonded with it.

So one day I decided to use it as my first attempt to refinish a guitar, stripped it, lacquered it, put Highway 1 pups in it, vintage tuners, fret leveled. Then got a wild hair and decided to try my hand a relic-ing.

I ain't saying all that turned out great, but now it is my goto beater guitar. It plays nice, and stays in tune great. It is kinda like an old favorite pair of jeans.

So who knows ... maybe give it a little "love" and see what happens.

On the right in this pic.

It goes camping and traveling with me. Been to several Caribbean islands.

 

[LivingMyDream]

I'm right with you, s5uart. I had a nice Fender American Standard Tele - just couldn't bond with it, so it sat in it's case. I let it go. Then I saw a nice Fender MIM Thinline Deluxe Tele, and I thought maybe that was the sound I wanted. Nope, it sat in it's case, too. I let it go.

To date, I am Tele-less, and I just can't see that changing. I do have 4 Strat, though, so I'm happy.

 

[Sarnodude]

I have a question.. I own two strats, so I have a good idea of how they feel under my fingers.
The last American Tele I played was really stiff.... is this typical?

 

[s5tuart]

My mate Geoff had a 71 Tele yonks ago. He still has it. He was the country player in our band.
I never liked that either

 

[s5tuart]

I have a question.. I own two strats, so I have a good idea of how they feel under my fingers.
The last American Tele I played was really stiff.... is this typical?

I know exactly what you mean, but I don't know the answer.

 

[Lonn]

My latest Tele has an old MIJ Fernandes neck on it that's fairy beefy, which I like. It's a lightweight guitar but still feels substantial when I play it, which is every day.

 

[Cerb]

How can he say that about the most beautiful guitar shape ever made?

I thought he said that about the Telecaster..? What am I missing?