Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post

tpaul · July 25th, 2007, 03:56 PM

OK, I'll jump in on a 2-year-old thread. Call me a sucker!

The only guitar I ever bought new was a Strat. Sold it, and apart from sentimental reasons, don't miss it.

I currently own three teles and one strat. It's a great strat - MIJ 62 reissue with Kinmans. It sounds FANTASTIC. Which is why I haven't sold it.

However, I also don't play it much anymore. Why? I think it has to do with the bridge. When I started playing Teles I started getting into palm muting and developed a different playing technique than I'd used before - much more organic, for lack of a better word. The ashtray bridge (cover off, of course) with three saddles seems to be part of the technique, at least for me, and I now have a hard time imagining being entirely comfortable playing that style on a strat-style bridge.

I also think the Tele is more of a beast - sort of a brutish instrument, where the Strat is more refined. I guess if I wanted to play certain types of jazz or surf music I would probably use a strat. But for what I usually play a Tele seems better suited.

A third consideration is that I've come to prefer the look of the Tele.

I think I originally chose the Strat because of its tonal versatility and because I'd heard a couple of great players use it, and wanted that sound. Those are still valid reasons and if those reasons were still that important to me, I guess I might still be playing one.

I also have come to feel the rosewood fretboard goes better on a strat, and the maple on a tele, but that's another 2-year-old thread.

July 25th, 2007, 03:56 PM	#96 (permalink)
tpaul Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingston, NY Posts: 1,341 4 Photos	OK, I'll jump in on a 2-year-old thread. Call me a sucker! The only guitar I ever bought new was a Strat. Sold it, and apart from sentimental reasons, don't miss it. I currently own three teles and one strat. It's a great strat - MIJ 62 reissue with Kinmans. It sounds FANTASTIC. Which is why I haven't sold it. However, I also don't play it much anymore. Why? I think it has to do with the bridge. When I started playing Teles I started getting into palm muting and developed a different playing technique than I'd used before - much more organic, for lack of a better word. The ashtray bridge (cover off, of course) with three saddles seems to be part of the technique, at least for me, and I now have a hard time imagining being entirely comfortable playing that style on a strat-style bridge. I also think the Tele is more of a beast - sort of a brutish instrument, where the Strat is more refined. I guess if I wanted to play certain types of jazz or surf music I would probably use a strat. But for what I usually play a Tele seems better suited. A third consideration is that I've come to prefer the look of the Tele. I think I originally chose the Strat because of its tonal versatility and because I'd heard a couple of great players use it, and wanted that sound. Those are still valid reasons and if those reasons were still that important to me, I guess I might still be playing one. I also have come to feel the rosewood fretboard goes better on a strat, and the maple on a tele, but that's another 2-year-old thread.