Is it Acoustic, Is It Electric, Is It Even a Telecaster ?

[gardo]

I dunno , but its very interesting

[video=youtube;riQbX2iPLe8]

 

more here

 

[badpenguin]

With that many effects, any guitar can sound like that.

[gardo]

true

[Danocoustic]

Do not want.

[gardo]

I want but not for $2k

 

[Freeman Keller]

The Mod Knob.........

[gardo]

In general I think acoustic guitars quit being acoustic years ago

with so many pick ups and transducers and so on. Not to mention EQ

We process the true sound into a fantasy sound so the line between acoustic and electric is really blurred

[Grant Harding]

The original Telecoustics were among the worst legit-brand guitars I've ever played or worked on.

 

They don't just get to brush that trash under the carpet. 😃🤔

[gardo]

They were terrible guitars,toys really

[Mikeo]

I have said it before and will say it again. Fender should really stop making acoustic instruments. I mean like immediately.

 

They bought Guild as there saving grace to decent acoustics, and made a wreck of the company then sold it off.

 

 

[Phil O'Keefe]

I dunno , but its very interesting

[video=youtube;riQbX2iPLe8]

 

more here

 

I've actually played one a couple of times already - not just here at NAMM, but also when I went to New York a couple of weeks ago when Fender was giving invited press people a preview of their new stuff that they were going to launch at NAMM.

 

It IS a very interesting guitar.

 

When I first saw it, I thought of the old Telecoustic - and I was way off. Thankfully, it's really nothing like that. They're using real wood (mahogany) for the body, and the top is sitka spruce (alternative woods will be offered later in the year as options). The pickup system was designed in cooperation with Fishman; it's got an onboard lithium battery that powers the electronics, which can be recharged over USB, and the play time vs charging time ratio is very good. It sounds remarkably acoustic-like; and I was hearing it running into a regular Deluxe Reverb. I suspect it would sound even better if plugged into an acoustic amp or running into the PA. It is very versatile - it can also sound very "electric" too. There is a bit of a limitation there - the guitar is designed for use with acoustic strings, with a wound G string. While you can use it with electric strings, it would probably be better to use it with a hybrid set - acoustic strings for the lowest three, and electric for the highest three. At least that's what I was told when I asked about it. That would give you the ability to bend strings when playing "electric" leads.

 

I'd want to test it out more before I made any more in-depth comments about it, but it probably really would be a good guitar for someone who needs to switch back and forth between electric and acoustic sounds - especially on the same song. If you're a rhythm player, you could easily get very convincing electric and acoustic sounds with just that one guitar. I think for lead players, the jury is probably still out due to the string issue; it's not really designed for electric strings.

[gardo]

Seems like it would be pretty nice for playing Sunday morning at church

[DeepEnd]

. . . There is a bit of a limitation there - the guitar is designed for use with acoustic strings' date=' with a wound G string. While you can use it with electric strings, it would probably be better to use it with a hybrid set - acoustic strings for the lowest three, and electric for the highest three. At least that's what I was told when I asked about it. That would give you the ability to bend strings when playing "electric" leads. . . .[/quote']

You know that when it comes to plain strings there's no such thing as electric vs. acoustic, right? And a plain 3rd would mess up the intonation. Meanwhile, you can get acoustic strings as light as 10-47 with a wound 3rd of about .023. If you can't bend something that light at least a little you're probably in trouble anyway.

[Emory]

I gave neighbor kid a nylon string git, went to Asia, came back to visit. Parents bought him one of those abominations. My heart sank, I could feel it. Tried to keep expression from going south. What a waste of money & time

[Phil O'Keefe]

You know that when it comes to plain strings there's no such thing as electric vs. acoustic, right? And a plain 3rd would mess up the intonation. Meanwhile, you can get acoustic strings as light as 10-47 with a wound 3rd of about .023. If you can't bend something that light at least a little you're probably in trouble anyway.

 

For plain strings, sure. But there are some differences between electric and acoustic string sets. Nickel is more commonly used for electric strings, while acoustic strings are typically wound with bronze... and of course, there is the wound vs unwound issue, which is the main factor at play here. A guitar pickup can be optimized for the use of one vs the other, and it can affect string balance, and as you mentioned, intonation.

 

While it isn’t an “absolute” (there are string sets marketed as being for electrics that have wound G strings and heavier gauges), many electric lead players typically use lighter gauges with an unwound third string. A acoustic bronze 10-47 set with a wound third would probably be a good choice for use with this new Fender if you wanted to have a wound G but retain as much string bending ease as possible.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Seems like it would be pretty nice for playing Sunday morning at church

 

I’m sure it will appeal to many worship players.

[Mikeo]

Almost looks like a Kieselcaster to me.

 

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[Freeman Keller]

I helped my son put together a LP junior sort of guitar. I had humbuckers with in and out of phase coil splitting and a piezo "acoustic" bridge. Stereo outputs so he could blend the signals outside of the guitar. He plays in a P&W band and the idea was that he could get any sound he needed from one guitar.

 

Unfortunately the sounds weren't very good and he is back to two or three guitars on sunday morning.

[Freeman Keller]

In my humble opinion you can only call it an "acoustic guitar" if it makes (relatively pretty) sounds without an amp or the 9 volt battery.

 

Also kind of interesting to me that they can make it sound like a "spruce and Brazilian rosewood dreadnought" when a lot of pretty experienced luthiers can't agree on what that sounds like.

 

I'm sure its a nice guitar and I'm sure that it will appeal to a lot of people and I'll look forward to playing one when it finally shows up in my local Fender dealer, but for right now I'll just say "ho, hum"

[Mikeo]

In my humble opinion you can only call it an "acoustic guitar" if it makes (relatively pretty) sounds without an amp or the 9 volt battery.

 

Also kind of interesting to me that they can make it sound like a "spruce and Brazilian rosewood dreadnought" when a lot of pretty experienced luthiers can't agree on what that sounds like.

 

I'm sure its a nice guitar and I'm sure that it will appeal to a lot of people and I'll look forward to playing one when it finally shows up in my local Fender dealer, but for right now I'll just say "ho, hum"

 

I agree with your humble opinion.

 

Godin has been making these for 30 years.

 

They have really nice necks on them too.

I believe Godin calls it a hybrid.

[video=youtube;pwPqyhZfgQU]

 

Then you have Taylor with there T5's. I never plugged on in, but strummed on a few times. Nice necks

[video=youtube;iEsnY_t0Yvk]

[video=youtube;BiAi_kcMg7g]

 

Let's not forget about the no longer made Gibson Chet Atkins SST vs Tom Anderson Crowdster

[video=youtube;TUiMG5D3QYk]

 

 

The Taylor, the Gibson, he Anderson are not in expensive hybrids. Kind of cool if you can only take one guitar to a gig, but you want an amp the can make and acoustic sound and and an electric sound. Rivera makes a one.

I've heard way better, but for and all in one, it works.

[video=youtube;GRxWl1A-c7I]

 

Hybrids are not a new game, just a new game for Fender.

 

 

 

 

[Freeman Keller]

 

Hybrids are not a new game, just a new game for Fender.

 

 

I think the new game here is whatever fancy modeling hardware they have put inside to try to make it sound like all these different guitars. I'd love to hear one played along side of a braz dread or a maple auditorium or a mahogany parlor. Someday I may get the chance.

 

 

[DeepEnd]

For plain strings, sure. But there are some differences between electric and acoustic string sets. Nickel is more commonly used for electric strings, while acoustic strings are typically wound with bronze... and of course, there is the wound vs unwound issue, which is the main factor at play here. A guitar pickup can be optimized for the use of one vs the other, and it can affect string balance, and as you mentioned, intonation.

 

While it isn’t an “absolute” (there are string sets marketed as being for electrics that have wound G strings and heavier gauges), many electric lead players typically use lighter gauges with an unwound third string. A acoustic bronze 10-47 set with a wound third would probably be a good choice for use with this new Fender if you wanted to have a wound G but retain as much string bending ease as possible.

Sure but you specifically said "acoustic strings for the lowest three, and electric for the highest three." Since at least the two highest strings would be plain there wouldn't be a difference. If you're talking about what would be essentially an acoustic set with a plain or nickel wound third I have to wonder how well that would work. Presumably the pickup is balanced for acoustic strings. There are also "acoustic/electric" strings such as GHS "white bronze" and DR Zebras that are meant for use with a magnetic pickup but you're still talking about a wound third. A quick look at the saddle shows it's intonated for a wound third. You can see the detail here: https://shop.fender.com/en-US/acoustic-guitars/acoustasonic/american-acoustasonic-telecaster/0972013232.html.

[DeepEnd]

If I wanted something like that there's a Line 6 Variax acoustic 20 miles from me for $325: https://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/d/fairview-heights-variax-300-acoustic/6803534362.html. Not quite the same but for the difference in price I'd take it.

[gardo]

Sunday evening and I just took a break from playing. There's something good about sitting by the fireplace and playing acoustic,no amp to drag around,just the pure sound of the guitar. I even sing better,

[JimLiedeka]

I have one. I saw the Anderton's demo and had to have it. I play more acoustic than electric but i thought this would be cool.

 

The neck has a very electric feel and has a satin finish, which I like. As a naked acoustic, it's not much to write home about but plugged in it's pretty cool. I think this guitar is focused more toward acoustic sounds and the single coil is a nice accent.

 

So far, I've mainly just messed around with only a looper pedal recording different parts with different sounds. Next I want to see if I can record by running it straight into my audio interface.