What is the best known artist used Tele that isn't a tele at all.
My vote goes to the unofficial Prince Signature model from Hohner, the Prinz
Prince has used one from his early days on because it was affordable, looked sharp with it's flamed maple body and leopard skin pickguaurd and its dry funky sound. (the one pictured above is a later model with tortoise shell guard)
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Bought in 1980 from Knut Koupee Music store in Mineapolis, Prince according to Karl Dedolph the stores manager, probably chose the guitar because of it's leopard skin pickguard which matched his stage outfit. The budget guitar's raw tone was ideal for the clean guitar chugging and staccato rhythms of Punk-Funk. He used it whilst supporting Rick James that year, on the "Dirty Mind" album and on almost every tour to date. A Telecaster variant, the guitar differs greatly to the Fender industry standard. The Hohner is all maple finished in blonde, as opposed to the Ash and Alder body of a Fender. The tonal properties of Maple suit the artist well, it has a bright top end and good sustain; he chose this wood for all his later custom guitars. The Hohners distinctive imitation Mahogany binding on the edges and central join bind a two-piece figured Maple top, the neck is also highly figured one piece affair.
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This is Prince's actual guitar
It was only after he became famous that Hohner renamed their guitar "The Prince" but after objections from Prince himself renamed it again as "The Prinz"
Prince is still using that Original Hohner and it is seen in plenty of video clips