Telecaster Recommendations?

[cwhitey2]

So here's the deal.

I have had my eyes (or GAS) set on a tele for a while now and I have officially decided that I'm buying one this week or after Christmas. I have a couple of questions first though.

Mind you I have never dealt with Fender or 'classic' style guitars. I own a Ibby, Schecter, Carvin, Jackson...

Anyways, my only real concern is the old style/vintage hardware they come with. I want to tune to drop B with this thing and have proper intonation....can this be achieved with the vintage bridge? Strings that would be used are NYXL 10-52.

Also, I want single coils because this will mainly be used for clean parts for my black metal band. SO if you have any pup recommendations I would love to hear them...I know NOTHING about single coils (as in what to look for).

The only real exception to single coils would be SD Black Winters with a coil tap or coil split.



My price range is pretty wide....$250-$1000. Does not have to be American....can't be Chinese or Indo. ALSO DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FENDER.

I found a '92 Mexi for $379 (i'm assuming its a Mexi for that price) with up graded pups and wiring. It has had Alpha pots and Seymour-Duncan Pickups (Vintage Rhythm and Vintage '54 Lead). I'm not sure if that's a good price, nut I'm might swing by there after work and check it out.

 

[wiretap]

I have an LTD Ron Wood Sig, a vintage inspired Tele with some more modern appointments. I use it for C# and have zero problems, but the bridge isn't an ashtray or barrel, much more modern. Might be right up your alley. SD Hot For Tele single inthe bridge and a '59 HB in the neck. Wide range of tones. Korean made and a little nicer than most mexican Fender's I've played. sounds like a tele should but does a lot more.

 

[TonyGD]

I easily would recommend Chapman Guitars ML-3 Modern (HH) and there's the ML-3 Traditional if you really want single coils.
With the Modern you can get your Seymour Duncan Black Winters and be able to split the coils with the tone knob.(coil split tone knob also on the traditional model as well)
If you find a nice Fender I wouldn't blame ya, but I definitely would not sleep on these Chapman guitars.
I own the ML-7T, killer specs for the price, but I'd say for black metal, or any metal they could definitely benefit from swapping the stock pickups (dropping BKP Black Hawks in mine tomorrow hopefully)
Pretty frickin sweet quality, MIK, under $700, look into it.
Happy searchin.

 

[cwhitey2]

I have an LTD Ron Wood Sig, a vintage inspired Tele with some more modern appointments. I use it for C# and have zero problems, but the bridge isn't an ashtray or barrel, much more modern. Might be right up your alley. SD Hot For Tele single inthe bridge and a '59 HB in the neck. Wide range of tones. Korean made and a little nicer than most mexican Fender's I've played. sounds like a tele should but does a lot more.

I'm deff going to have to check this thing out!!!

I easily would recommend Chapman Guitars ML-3 Modern (HH) and there's the ML-3 Traditional if you really want single coils.
With the Modern you can get your Seymour Duncan Black Winters and be able to split the coils with the tone knob.(coil split tone knob also on the traditional model as well)
If you find a nice Fender I wouldn't blame ya, but I definitely would not sleep on these Chapman guitars.
I own the ML-7T, killer specs for the price, but I'd say for black metal, or any metal they could definitely benefit from swapping the stock pickups (dropping BKP Black Hawks in mine tomorrow hopefully)
Pretty frickin sweet quality, MIK, under $700, look into it.
Happy searchin.

I have been looking at these recently since they their name has been popping up here quite frequently, but I know ZERO about them as a brand. Their factory tour vid did look nice.

If anyone has one of these please chime in!



And thanks guys, both of these are right up my alley!

 

[TonyGD]

Chapman Guitars are made by World Music in South Korea (Same factory as PRS SE, LTD, Schecter) There's only one US Distributor so far, fairly new.
The specs on the ML-7T are a little different, 26.5 scale length, it has a set neck while the 6 string ML-3 are regular 25.5, and bolt-on. Yet I'm sure you see the all access neck joint. The neck profile is thin (Feels great), definitely rounder than a wizard.
I've been GAS'ing for one of these Fender FMT Teles for a while so if you got one, I'd be so jealous. Also has a push pull tone knob for coil split.

 

[cwhitey2]

Chapman Guitars are made by World Music in South Korea (Same factory as PRS SE, LTD, Schecter) There's only one US Distributor so far, fairly new.
The specs on the ML-7T are a little different, 26.5 scale length, it has a set neck while the 6 string ML-3 are regular 25.5, and bolt-on. Yet I'm sure you see the all access neck joint. The neck profile is thin (Feels great), definitely rounder than a wizard.
I've been GAS'ing for one of these Fender FMT Teles for a while so if you got one, I'd be so jealous. Also has a push pull tone knob for coil split.

You know whats funny...I think i started a thread a bout a spalted tele like that a year or so ago...COMPLETELY forgot about them!

 

[stevexc]

There's only one US Distributor so far, fairly new.

Actually 3; Riff City, Flipside, and RNA Music.

In addition to the ML3 Modern and Vintage there's also the ML3 RC, which is set-neck as well. It's got SC-sized humbuckers. Plays really great for the price point.


What I personally did was get a Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster and stuck a Standard Telecaster bridge on there. I also tossed a Hot Rail T set in the neck and bridge. Kickass metal chugging machine, I've got it set up for D but I don't see why it couldn't handle B.

Downsides are that upper fret access is kinda sucky, and there's no 22nd fret (let alone a 24th fret). Neck is chunky but for me that's a plus - it feels super comfy.

Also look into the G&L Tribute ASATs.

 

[TonyGD]

Actually 3; Riff City, Flipside, and RNA Music.

In addition to the ML3 Modern and Vintage there's also the ML3 RC, which is set-neck as well. It's got SC-sized humbuckers. Plays really great for the price point.


What I personally did was get a Fender Nashville Deluxe Telecaster and stuck a Standard Telecaster bridge on there. I also tossed a Hot Rail T set in the neck and bridge. Kickass metal chugging machine, I've got it set up for D but I don't see why it couldn't handle B.

Downsides are that upper fret access is kinda sucky, and there's no 22nd fret (let alone a 24th fret). Neck is chunky but for me that's a plus - it feels super comfy.

Also look into the G&L Tribute ASATs.

I was just about to mention the ASAT as well but I forgot...
Not even sure why I thought Riff City was the only distributor
Point being:still kinda small/new, and I hope to see them pop up more in the US (especially on this forum).
I love direct mounted pickups but I also am a sucker for red tortoise or white pearloid pickguards.

 

[123321123]

Am I the only person who cannot stand the Chapman guitars aesthetic?

 

[warpedsoul]

I own this Schecter Blackjack SLS PT. The passive version comes with the Full Shred and Jazz with coil splitting available. I'll be putting it in Drop A. I highly recommend this guitar and the Schecter SLS line in general. I think the PT only has the skull inlay though.

 

[rockstarazuri]

Any Fender Japan Tele if you can get them. Try getting them online from Ishibashi

 

[Albionic]

a bit out there and pretty rare but i always wanted a yamaha pacifica 1230s

 

[Forkface]

you could also check out Carvin's TLB60 model. Its sorta like a Telecaster, but with slightly different appointments. The most basic options should run you at around 800ish bucks. And you get to choose your bridge and pickups and whatnot to suit more whatever needs you may have.

 

[pdbeaton87]

I was going to recommend a Chapman as well. I would like to pick up the ML-3 RC someday. I like the looks of the Red but wish they would offer that puppy in that Blue they have for the Traditional!

It would be cool to see if you can find a used 60th Anniversary Fender Telebration model. I picked up the '62? that they put out for that year.

I was looking into the 'Redwood' Tele they put out, that joint looked really nice and also unique! Some of the Tele's they put out for the Telebration were more modern, if you google it I know there is a website where they show each model that was put out for each month of the year.

If you can't find a used one within your price range, I would most definitely do what was stated above and get a Japanese made Fender. However, some of the ESP LTD tele's look pretty good. Check out the video that Rob Chapman and Captain put out when they did their modded guitars for under 500 pounds.

 

[indreku]

get Jim Roots squire tele

upgrade pups ut push pull pot in and done.

 

[hamster]

Fujigen J-Standard Iliad Series !!! Made in Japan, it kills most of the Mexican mades Fender in this price range.

If you want to swap pickups, this is my advice for any telecaster : Dimarzio Fast Track T (telecaster model) for the bridge.
And if you want to keep some "real" telecaster sound, you can put a Twang King in neck position.

 

[Discoqueen]

It might be best to go to a store and try some out. I think Fenders vary in how they play from guitar to guitar. I would keep an open mind to the Chinease models as well. I played five telecasters at my local shop, and I ended up going with the cheapest (affinity telecaster) because it had a feel and sound that beat the higher prices mic's and mim's. So, just play a bunch of teles and see which is best! American standards are bad ass, too, they sound and feel pretty good, but you might have to buy used for that price range. I think vintage style three saddle bridges won't do it for you. American specials, I've never played, but I've heard on the tele forums that they are about the same as the MiM teles. Look into broadcaster type pickups. All the major brands make them. If I could have any set, I'd go with BKP flat 50's, but I think DiMarzio twang kings sounded cool too when I was looking at them.

 

[Grand Moff Tim]

If you want a tele because you want those sweet tele clean tones, ignore any and all suggestions to get anything with humbuckers. Humbuckers have their place, to be sure, but that place isn't sweet Fender-style cleans.

If you want an actual tele rather than some other guitar dressed up as a tele, it needs three things: 1) tele-style single coils (no, they aren't the same as 'normal' strat-style single coils), 2) a bolt-on neck, and 3) that big honkin' tele bridge plate.

Some people might quibble about other things, like woods and saddlle type/material, but those are secondary, IMO.

As far as intonation, if you get a tele with a three-barrel-style bridge, then yeah, you might have some problems. Not to worry, though, because you can get teles with six saddles without really sacrificing anything tonally (to my ears, anyway ). In fact, that's what Fender American Standard teles have had for quite some time now, and I'm sure you could find one used for a steal of a price, or just splurge and buy a brand new one, since they're not that much more than your budget new.

It doesn't need to be a Fender to meet the specs a tele "should" meet, of course, since plenty of companies make them. I just think if you want a tele because you want tele tones, those are the specs you're going to need. When somebody wants a tele with humbuckers, they don't want a tele, they want a Jackson shaped like a tele.

IMO, of course .

 

[rockstarazuri]

^ agreed.

 

[Axewield31]

Yeah, if you want a tele, get a real one. There's really no point looking outside an American Standard.
That said, there's some pretty cool G&L ASATs..