Black Dove Owners Club

I didn't see a club for the Black Dove Telecaster.

I'd be interested to read what other Black Dove owners have to say about their guitars.

My initial liking of mine is turning to dislike.....it may end up on consignment one of these days. I may thin the guitar herd a bit.

I can't resist: why no love for the black dove?

If you want to sell it, give me a holler.

Somebody used to have an ad campaign with something like...."The relentless pursuit of tone..". That's the reason for the loss of love for the Dove. I had a MIM Strat a while back but sold that one off for the same reason. It played GREAT, something about the sound/tone didn't cut it to my ears. I recently picked up an Epiphone SG which I LOVE. I'm keeping my MIA "Standard"? Tele as well. The Black Dove just ends up as the odd guitar out.

I do like the belly cut on the Black Dove...Strat like neck, no big deal(it's a bit of a different guitar so a different neck?), maple neck ( all my other guitars have rosewood necks, I'd prefer a rosewood neck I think if I had a choice). No other complaints about the guitar.

( maybe getting off on a tangent here)I don't know why Fender doesn't let you "Make Yer Own Tele" at a non-Custom Shop price. Doesn't PRS do that? Why not be able to order Tele with a humbucker, or two, P-90 or TV Jones pick up ( $5260 for a La Carbonita (are you kidding me?)), different single coils...

I would have preferred a "Standard" Tele with the P-90s vs the '72 Deluxe Style...

I was hoping some other Black Dove owners would chime in about their Black Doves. They had to sell more than one of these guitars.

I want to join this club but I have to say, it seems a little gloomy. Teleagain, you
initiated this club but you might sell yours?

The Black Dove is a GREAT guitar! Really good P-90 sound which is well balanced
low gain or high gain. Nice big fat headstock which affords great sustain. I have
the maroon (?) one which is beautiful. A really unique Tele! I don't get it. I play it
all the time on jobs and it can do anything. Blues, classic rock, jazz, anything!
C'mon guys, I'll buy some beer and food. We can have a good club and jam out
on our Black Doves. I'm proud that I took the plunge and bought it. I was rewarded
with a really nice guitar. A whole lot better than the awful sounding Deluxe. I think
it really should be played on a tube amp to reap the creamy tones. Let's cheer up,
we have unique Teles, made by Fender, and most don't have them. Go Black Dove!!!
(silence in the room).

I wonder how many of these Fender has sold. You see/hear very little about them...hardly any reviews anywhere.

I play mine through a tube amp.....

I just ordered my from Sweetwater, should be here next week. Been wanting this ever since it came out.
I'd be willing to bet they stop making them in a few years, based on lack of demand. Never seen one in a store, but I don't get to many big box places.
I'll post some thoughts when it arrives.
I'm predisposed to liking it, since I like the 4 knobs/gibson style switching set up, as well as the big fat strat style headstock.
But i bought it without ever trying one...

back,

I got my Black Dove from Sweetwater, didn't lay hands on it either, but had played the humbucker equipped version, was very impressed by the Pro Guitar Shop video. My initial love has faded, maybe it'll return....

maybe I'll just keep it and make big bucks selling it in a few years when it's a rare collectors item......it seemed like a great idea to add another flavor or Tele...but this guitar isn't generating much buzz at all. It would be interesting to see sales (or lack of sales) figures for the 'Dove.....

when you get yours Back, there'll be all of three in the club here...I like the idea of having a unique guitar...

Don't flame me here gang, but right now the Epi SG is my favorite guitar....

I checked the members list, 15,650 and (soon to be )three in this little club. The 'Dove isn't wowing the Tele people. (Yawns/silence??? )

( I know not all the members are active)

Arrived yesterday, from Sweetwater. They actually set up the guitars before shipping, so it was pretty much perfect right out of the box. Only issue is that the pup selector switch has about 5 thread exposed above the pickguard, so I will have to pull the guard up and make the threads lower profile. It is well made, fit and finish great. I got the black on black one with maple neck to match my strat, 72 tele custom RI and standard tele with the same color/neck scheme.
Its pretty much just what I expected, and I love it. Neck is beefier than a real 70's deluxe I played a couple of weeks ago. Only complaint is that the pickup selector switch is really 'clicky' and feels kinda cheap.
I dig the sound of the black dove pups, but I like P-90's. I guess what I mean is that they are not a disappointment, sound wise. My love affair with WRH's found in the 72 RI's was long lived, but came to an end a few months ago. Probably why I sold my 72 thinline RI to get this black dove.

So. No complaints. I dig it a lot. Also sounds great unplugged, which was a bit of a surprise.

Next I'm going to buy a 72 Deluxe, and put in a pair of USA Dearmond buckers I have around. I better start saving $...

glad you like your Dove...mine is hanging on consignment...but it'll be a happy ending, someone will buy it, they'll like it, I'll get $$ for a new amp....

it looks like I'll be leaving the club, the Black Dove was sold and the shop has a 3 day return policy so in a few days, if it isn't returned I'll be leaving this nice little group here in the owners club...

I don't think it's anything against the Dove specifically but it just didn't do it...a common problem I'd think.....you like the amp/guitar pedal initially but then it fades..it's actually a helpful tool in the war on GAS...makes you think about buying stuff, do you REALLY want/need/like this piece of gear......

It had been hanging there a while and I was considering taking it back and giving it another try but this way is OK too.

I have the Strat-O-Sonic. I bought it for $849 Canadian at Long and McQuade in Edmonton, Alberta in 2005. It was reduced to sell from around $1500 if I recall. I plug it in every now and then. Great guitar to play although I prefer the sound of single coil teles and strats.

Hi all,

I've had my Black Dove Telecaster for about 3 years now. Love it!
It has kind of ended up defining my sound (along with the AC15).

I find the neck rather chunky and unsubtle but it looks great and the sound is massive with a real snarl...

Here are some songs I recorded with my old band.. all played on the Black Dove Telecaster...

http://www.pocketmessiah.com/music

and here's a picture of me playing it live last year...

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24228267/Black%20Dove%20Pic.jpg

cheers

MrB

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on one of these. I've got a couple of questions that maybe you guys could help me with. First I'm going to be using an American Standard Strat neck on it. Since the Black Dove has a 4 bolt neck as well I assume it will fit. Anyone out there know for sure? Second, I've never owned a P90 Tele. I don't see any pickup adjustment screws on the one I'm looking at. How does that work? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Beachbum! I am not sure about your neck screw query but I can tell you about the pickup adjustment. Each pup has two black screws in between the polepieces. The screws go all the way through and into the body of the guitar underneath (via a couple of brass ferrules). Adjusting these black screws allows pickup height adjustment. they are there, just hard to see in photos!
Cheers
Mr B

Thanks for the info.

Hi all,

I've had my Black Dove Telecaster for about 3 years now. Love it!
It has kind of ended up defining my sound (along with the AC15).

I find the neck rather chunky and unsubtle but it looks great and the sound is massive with a real snarl...

Here are some songs I recorded with my old band.. all played on the Black Dove Telecaster...

http://www.pocketmessiah.com/music

and here's a picture of me playing it live last year...

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24228267/Black%20Dove%20Pic.jpg

cheers

MrB

I just bought a Fender FSR Tele Custom P90 in sunset orange (my go-to is typically a Gretsch 6120 1959LTV) and I love it. The P90's are great. I really dig the way your Black Dove sounds as well as your band. I actually listened to every song. Love how you play and your sound (wish you played more lead) and think the overall sound of your band is pretty awesome. You guys have a sound I just don't hear enough of these days. Really nice.

Thanks for the positive comments about my (now sadly defunct) band. These days I am gigging on my own along to a backing tape. My newer stuff is at www.armyofmolemen.com The demos there feature a mix of guitars... The Black Dove Tele, a Japanese Gibson Marauder copy and a Les Paul Special...

Cheers,
Mr B