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I hate saying "NGD" but this qualifies...


twotimingpete

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I don't even know why, but I always find that acronym sort of annoying, but I guess I have to do it. this qualifies.

 

I actually got this last week. I've gone through several different tele type guitars looking for "the one". Most notable some xavieres, which are cool guitars but lack the magic, and a squier classic vibe which was excellent but didn't say Fender on it. at least not in the big font. ;) Plus maybe it just wasn't quite "there". I wanted more.

 

mimtele.jpg

Midnight wine Telecaster. Lola looks on in jealousy.

 

This is a brand new Fender Standard Telecaster in midnight wine. Based on my experience with this guitar (I've put it through its paces at this point; I didn't unpack it then run to post, I don't operate that way) I think that these MIMs, at least the brand new 2009 ones, are severely underrated and just do not get enough credit. I qualify that with "2009" because I understand the MIM design recently underwent an update by Fender.

 

This is a no compromise guitar. There's nothing on it that isn't good to go out of the box. The worksmanship is excellent, the electronics and hardware (including tuners) are all excellent, top drawer stuff. MIMs have a reputation for being sorta low range guitars, but nothing about this says "low range" to me. I got it for $100 off ($400) with a 20% off deal, but even at the $500 price it makes sense.

 

Starting unplugged, this guitar has a snap and pep that none of the other 10+ guitars I've gone through in the last year or so have. I'm not sure if it's the wood or the bridge or what it is. I'm not a wood snob. Normally I think the wood contributes very little to the amplified sound. But this thing is a snappy, resonant beast that has a distinct, peppy voice that it retains plugged in or unplugged.

 

I have to also say a word about the pickups, particularly the bridge pickup: Same story as the guitar at large, these do not get enough credit. I believe that the pickups were one of the things updated with the MIM update -- The description refers to them as "Hot Standard Tele Single-Coil Pickups". They have the usual tele characteristics but fatter, rounder, and hotter, making them extremely versatile. This is now one of my favorite pickups of any I've ever tried. They sound amazing overdriven or distorted, as well as clean. Even with a lot of hard grinding gain they still sound great. tight, and punchy. Try it through some fuzz? Pure magic. You haven't lived until you've worked out some aggression and mommy issues with a nice single coil and a tight sounding fuzz pedal, and none better than this one.

 

I think "this is it". I've been searching for that guitar to be my wingman ever since my hamer mirage was stolen 3 years ago, and I think this might actually be it.

 

You frequently hear about MIMs bringing mixed results; but I think that probably has to do with OLD mims, because if every one of them was like this, they'd have a better rep. This is a fantastic guitar and it doesn't need all the upgrades that MIMs are notorious for "needing".

 

mimtele2.jpg

Okay, there's the red.

 

Recently I made a sound clip shootout between a squier classic vibe tele and a xaviere 800 (tele). Soon I'll add this to the shootout for a full on three way comparison.

 

Edit: Oh, final note. Since "underrated" is part of the narrative here, I'll posit that midnight wine is perhaps the most underrated color. Looks dark and sexy, almost black, under low light situations, but shows its true angry red self if given the spotlight.

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HNGD. I had the same color in a 2007 or 08 model and I don't know what they could have done better on it. It was a hell of a guitar.

 

But of course that didn't stop me from modding it. A set of SCN's, a 4 way switch and of course a new pickguard and straplocks. Had to sell it when I was in a bind, but I replaced it with an Ash Deluxe a few months after that.

 

Here's a better picture of the color (if you don't mind). It's a pain to get it to show up.

 

IMG_0533.jpg

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Nice. Cannot go wrong with a red Tele. This makes me miss the Candy Apple Red Squier Tele I sold this year. On another note: what pickup(s) did you put into that Lola?

 

the lola has had more different stuff in it than lindsay lohan. first stockers, then gfs fat pats, then stock and jb, then mean 90, then pure 90s, and now...

 

mimlola.jpg

 

gibson 57 classic and 57 classic+ bridge. ;)

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Recently I made a sound clip shootout between a squier classic vibe tele and a xaviere 800 (tele). Soon I'll add this to the shootout for a full on three way comparison.


Edit: Oh, final note. Since "underrated" is part of the narrative here, I'll posit that midnight wine is perhaps the most underrated color. Looks dark and sexy, almost black, under low light situations, but shows its true angry red self if given the spotlight.

 

If I've said it once........I'll say it a thousand times:

"THE MIGHTY TELECASTER..............THE POLYGRAPH OF ELECTRIC GUITARS."

 

(damn fine polygraph machine you got there. It needs to be "calibrated".

Calibration = binding)

 

:thu:

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