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Help me shop Teles


joegrant413

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Hey,

 

I've decided that my next guitar purchase will most likely be a Tele or Tele copy. Price range... let's say $300 to $1000. Would prefer new, unless it's used from a highly reputable used dealer. The 80/20 rule at around $800 is definitely on my mind here.

 

What I *think* I want:

 

- maple fretboard

 

- not the baseball bat neck, much more on the thin side

 

- probably a solid body, though I need to check out the Teles with one F hole to be open to other possibilities

 

- single coil on the neck with a good deal of 'twang'

 

- probably single coil on the bridge

 

- six-saddle bridge (no trem)

 

- Tele copies would be OK

 

- would prefer to buy from a manufacturer and country of origin combo with a high reputation. So right now I'm thinking MIA and MIJ Fender, MIA G&L, *maybe* MIK G&L Tribute

 

- simple looks preferred... natural finish a 'nice to have'

 

 

Nice to have: nitro finish

 

 

Any suggestions, references, web site, shops around St. Louis would be MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

 

:wave:

 

Thanks!

-- Joe

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Originally posted by guitarNed

I am just gonna come right out with my question. What is the 80/20 rule???

 

 

 

No prob...

 

It's the idea that at some point you get less and less for the more money you put into something.

 

My gut feeling is that you get 80% of the quality and feature you care about if you spend about $800 or so. Maybe a $1200 guitar buys you another 10%, but you had to spend a lot more money to get that.

 

There's no such thing as a 'perfect' guitar, but I doubt you can really appreciate much difference in a guitar over $1500 or so. But I'm no expert by any stretch of thinking when it comes to these higher price ranges. Mostly I'm just stating what I've heard from other HC threads.

 

-- Joe

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Most USA G&L ASATs will probably be a bit over $1000. If there are no options on the guitar, it might be $950-1000, but the last time I was in a shop most of their ASATs were $1200-1300.

They are very well made, medium-large neck, pickups a bit more modern than the traditional Tele but very versatile.

Comparable to an American Deluxe Tele...they both have a different vibe going on so try some out.

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Originally posted by metallica_00

Most USA G&L ASATs will probably be a bit over $1000. If there are no options on the guitar, it might be $950-1000, but the last time I was in a shop most of their ASATs were $1200-1300.


They are very well made, medium-large neck, pickups a bit more modern than the traditional Tele but very versatile.


Comparable to an American Deluxe Tele...they both have a different vibe going on so try some out.

 

 

USED.

 

$550-700 for a USA G&L ASAT in excellent condition. That could be money well spent.

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Originally posted by jerry_picker



USED.


$550-700 for a USA G&L ASAT in excellent condition. That could be money well spent.

 

 

Hey jerry_picker, good to see you on this thread.

 

This is one of those times where I'm not in any hurry .. which makes it easier to keep an eye out for a great used guitar at a good price.

 

I've never bought used, but there's always a first time.

 

Thanks,

-- Joe

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Don't buy a G&L new. They're good guitars, but they have terrible resale value. I know that at this point, you probably don't plan on selling it...but you never know. If you must go G&L, go used.

For around $800, I'd look into a Fender American Standard. Try out a bunch at the stores, pick one you like, and talk them as low as they'll go. They're way better than the H1's I tried, and the price difference have greatly narrowed ($750 vs $950). The Classic and Artists are decent for the money, but they all have fairly chunky necks and really round radii.

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I don't want to be too obvious, but why not check out a few MIM Standard Telecasters and see if you like one. I spent Friday night tweaking my '04 around and I've moved her to the front of my small stable again. It took three 1/4 turns of the truss rod, each one an hour apart, before the neck was just right, but after some minor saddle adjustment for action and intonation, the the thing really plays like a champ. I don't know why, but this Tele is affected by weather change more than my other guitars. I love its looks, though, and it sounds great. A simple pleasure without breaking the bank.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that this Telecaster isn't much different than my brother's '78. At the time everyone was bitching about the quality, now the thing is worth decent bucks. It plays and sounds similar to my Mexican '04.

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Originally posted by HockeyRocker

It took three 1/4 turns of the truss rod, each one an hour apart, before the neck was just right,



:eek:

You might want to do an overnight wait between 90 degree turns...just saying. The wood needs to come to steady state, and a 3/4 turn over three hours seems excessive.

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Originally posted by jerry_picker



:eek:

You might want to do an overnight wait between 90 degree turns...just saying. The wood needs to come to steady state, and a 3/4 turn over three hours seems excessive.



Thanks for the advice. It did seem excessive. When I first sat down with the Tele I had no idea that it would take a 3/4" turn.

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Originally posted by joegrant413

- single coil on the neck with a good deal of 'twang'




fyi: the twang people refer to regarding teles traditionally comes from the bridge pickup.

my suggestion would be to check out a late 90s american std. tele. ($500-600) It has a c neck (not really fat), a modern six saddle bridge. maple neck. a natural ash body was a finish option for a few years in there as well. pickups are good too.

fe_as_tele_mn_nt_a.jpg

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Originally posted by DenverDave

Here is a great one to consider...




Brand new Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster. Designed by one of the custom shop gurus - Ash body, custom shop pups, S1 switching system. Looks like a great guitar, and it's in your price range...

 

 

doesn't have a six saddle bridge

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Originally posted by BootRoots



fyi: the twang people refer to regarding teles traditionally comes from the bridge pickup.

...

 

 

Thanks, I didn't realize that.

 

But I'm still pretty sure I want single coil for the neck. I'm probably looking for SCs on both neck and bridgel.

 

-- Joe

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Originally posted by DenverDave

Here is a great one to consider...


424027.jpg

Brand new Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster. Designed by one of the custom shop gurus - Ash body, custom shop pups, S1 switching system. Looks like a great guitar, and it's in your price range...



Has anyone played one of these ??? I'm thinking about getting one of these myself....

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