Best Tele for the $$$

Looking to purchase a reasonably priced tele also - but not much choice for a lefty - so far MIM Player seems the best option. I have MIM Player strat and quite happy with it - upgraded to locking tuners but only cuz I found a deal on the them.
 
sprint said:
Looking to purchase a reasonably priced tele also - but not much choice for a lefty - so far MIM Player seems the best option. I have MIM Player strat and quite happy with it - upgraded to locking tuners but only cuz I found a deal on the them.
Click to expand...
I know clips are not everything but the 75th in that metallic champagne sounds great and better than many in the clips I have heard at 1100 its not a bad choice to me
 
Randalljax said:
I know clips are not everything but the 75th in that metallic champagne sounds great and better than many in the clips I have heard at 1100 its not a bad choice to me
Click to expand...
75th not available in LH :cry::cry: - guess it's player tele for me - just need the fam to get moving on those long and mcquade gift cards for the old man's birthday next month.
 
Stratman68 said:
I agree with Rick above. Older Tele American Standards (with 6 saddles) are killers ................You can find them from fairly cheap these days.
Great neck, great intonation and playability................
Click to expand...
These are good guitars but I'm not sure they actually sound like a Tele IMO. I think they sound a lot more Tele like with a three saddles bridge like the old Highway One.
 
Budda said:
Player series rivals older usa standards easily.
Click to expand...

Andy Eagle said:
These are good guitars but I'm not sure they actually sound like a Tele IMO. I think they sound a lot more Tele like with a three saddles bridge like the old Highway One.
Click to expand...
Both of these quotes bring out good points. You’re going to have to play some of these options to form your own opinion. I don’t think the Player series compare well with the American Standards at all, but Budda’s experience and opinion is different.

Andy’s point brings out that, in nearly 70 years of Telecasters, there have been different Teles, with different tones. While the Am Std presents a good Tele tone in an eminently playable package, if you’re looking for a completely original Tele feel and tone you would need to go back to the early 50s spec. There were also semihollow Teles, solid rosewood Teles, humbucker Tele’s, double cutaway Teles, and others, so a Tele can be many things.

I suggested the American Standard because they represented, in my experience of playing them on and off for almost 30 years, a high point combination of good Tele tone, mechanical stability that allows it to get and stay in tune across the neck, and a more developed playing feel than others I’ve tried. The comments here, valid to each person who made them, bear out why you have to take each opinion (mine included) with a grain of salt, and make your own decisions on what suits you best!
 
Rick said:
Both of these quotes bring out good points. You’re going to have to play some of these options to form your own opinion. I don’t think the Player series compare well with the American Standards at all, but Budda’s experience and opinion is different.

Andy’s point brings out that, in nearly 70 years of Telecasters, there have been different Teles, with different tones. While the Am Std presents a good Tele tone in an eminently playable package, if you’re looking for a completely original Tele feel and tone you would need to go back to the early 50s spec. There were also semihollow Teles, solid rosewood Teles, humbucker Tele’s, double cutaway Teles, and others, so a Tele can be many things.

I suggested the American Standard because they represented, in my experience of playing them on and off for almost 30 years, a high point combination of good Tele tone, mechanical stability that allows it to get and stay in tune across the neck, and a more developed playing feel than others I’ve tried. The comments here, valid to each person who made them, bear out why you have to take each opinion (mine included) with a grain of salt, and make your own decisions on what suits you best!
Click to expand...
I think the biggest issue , is they have changed all the models names , so I am not sure what the American STD is lol
they have the Vintera , Player , Performer , the signatures and the PRO with I think the American standard became , they are about 1999 CAD
 
Andy Eagle said:
These are good guitars but I'm not sure they actually sound like a Tele IMO. I think they sound a lot more Tele like with a three saddles bridge like the old Highway One.
Click to expand...
Maybe so Andy..............But I prefer 6 individual saddles for intonation and adjustments. That's just me of course. I have owned and played both and will never own the shared saddle version.
 
Randalljax said:
I think the biggest issue , is they have changed all the models names , so I am not sure what the American STD is lol
they have the Vintera , Player , Performer , the signatures and the PRO with I think the American standard became , they are about 1999 CAD
Click to expand...
Yes, the current American ones are pretty pricey. Back then, the only way you could tell it was a USA made guitar was it being the American Standard series... ie, a real Fender. The Japanese versions of the 80s were pretty darned well made, and the American made ones needed to come up with some quality and innovation to match. Of course, as soon as Fender latched on to the idea people would pay more for an American guitar, they started bringing in parts from their international locations and assembling them in California, putting the California USA neck plates on them and bam... a cheaper "American made" guitar that isn't. They have had so many models and iterations over the years, especially of the Tele and Strat, that it takes a book and a paid guide to sort it out. I think that has lessened their stature in some ways, but Fender has remained everybody's single coil guitar so what do they care what I think, right?

The older ones can be had a lot cheaper. The last AmStd Strat I bought I paid $700. They're around, and worth the price. There may be other models worth having out there, I honestly couldn't tell you, I just know these are worthwhile and could speak from actual years of gigging with them.

I've pretty much transitioned to all PRS for gigging guitars in the last decade or a touch more, and a Tele is the one thing they don't make. I traded out the pickups in my Telecaster some time ago for Duncans, a Jerry Donahue bridge and Minihumbucker in the neck... it gives me a bit more versatility. I think I still have the stock pickup set around here somewhere in case you're converting a Mexican version.
 
Randalljax said:
I think the biggest issue , is they have changed all the models names , so I am not sure what the American STD is lol
they have the Vintera , Player , Performer , the signatures and the PRO with I think the American standard became , they are about 1999 CAD
Click to expand...

You have it right. Player=standard. American performer = american special. American pro= american standard.

I prefer the Deep C they put on the pros though the modern C on the player isn't bad by any stretch. Should be able to find older pro's (II's are now out) for $1400-$1600, especially in your area. I see a lot of great deals there lol.
 
I’d suggest the G&L route. Owned over a dozen Fenders including Bajas, American Elite, and American Original line and my time with G&L’s put them at the top as far as single coil tone and feel for under $2k, especially used
 
jljesse said:
I’d suggest the G&L route. Owned over a dozen Fenders including Bajas, American Elite, and American Original line and my time with G&L’s put them at the top as far as single coil tone and feel for under $2k, especially used
Click to expand...

Harder to find an asat or bluesboy but they should meet his budget or even leave some fun money.
 
jefferski said:
The ASAT looks really nice, you can find them on Reverb for not much $. This is probably the next guitar I'm going to buy.

Also considering a Nashville Tele (or ASAT Classic S) for the extra pickup combinations, of course would have to mod the Nashville to get neck+bridge...
Click to expand...
I just picked up a Nashville this morning. Upside is that it sounds amazing. All 5 switch positions sound great (noiseless PU's)Definitely makes some amps really shine. On the flipside, I think the Volume pot on mine is screwed up. Hearing sporadic crackle when I touch the strings/pick ups. The taper on the volume needs to go. The volume is essentially 100% of the controls squeezed into 5% of the knob.

After replacing the volume and lowering the action a little bit, I think it'll be a great addition.
 
Triaxis75 said:
I just picked up a Nashville this morning. Upside is that it sounds amazing. All 5 switch positions sound great (noiseless PU's)Definitely makes some amps really shine. On the flipside, I think the Volume pot on mine is screwed up. Hearing sporadic crackle when I touch the strings/pick ups. The taper on the volume needs to go. The volume is essentially 100% of the controls squeezed into 5% of the knob.

After replacing the volume and lowering the action a little bit, I think it'll be a great addition.
Click to expand...
Nice! Is that one of the newer ones? Let us know how it is after you switch out the volume pot.
 
Pretty happy with my Player Tele. Not quite to the standard of my US Strat or other more expensive guitars, but for a reasonable price it's a great guitar, after a good setup of course. I find myself picking it up more and more, much to my surprise. Great value.
 
jefferski said:
Nice! Is that one of the newer ones? Let us know how it is after you switch out the volume pot.
Click to expand...
Fender Deluxe Nashville. Went with the White Blonde finish. I hopped on the list for the Ultra Luxe but they're saying October/November. Got it for $900 and was able to get a hard-shell, instead of gig bag, for free. Sound-wise, the Bassman/Verbs i could barely get along with (EVO's/Blackouts/etc) but now they sound glorious with these Noiseless pickups. I know its' pretty obvious, but dang...you gotta try it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom