Ultimate Telecaster Player

Who would you reckon is the guitarist whose playing style best suits the nuances and sound of the telecaster?

Danny Gatton leaps to my mind.
I saw him once at a "jam party" at Guitar Rez in the early 80's.
He was playing his old early 50s guitar, and he used every trick in the book.
Though Don Rich still "wins" for the definitive Tele tone (IMO), DG
was a "force of nature" on that thing!

I am liking Jason Laughlin lately.

That's a tough one because the Tele is such a versatile instrument.

Danny Gatton certainly has the twang sound which is so associated with the Tele.

Then there's Jimmy Bryant. How can you not include him?

Ted Greene redefined what a Tele could do. He played Jazz on a Tele as well as Bach inspired fugue improvisations. As Ted himself said "The versatility of the Tele is unmatched."

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Here's Ted talking about the Tele and it's range.
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Lately I mainly play jazz, but my favorite instrument is my Tele. Versatile indeed!

Dwight-era Pete Anderson for me.

Danny Gatton. Thread over.

Gatton had amazing chops and generally horrendous tone, IMO

Gatton had amazing chops and generally horrendous tone, IMO

Agreed.

Reggie Young and David Lindley

I got three. James burton and Danny fatten. But Brent mason might be tops in my book. He adds in all the other styles but just rips the tele apart! And you can't imagine that stuff on another guitar.

Bill Kirchen and Redd Volkaert, no question.

There isnt one, because like any guitar, you can make a telecaster sound so different in so many ways and play it in so many styles. I mean, does Albert Lee sound like Jimmy Page sound like Jeff Beck sound like Keith Richards?

No, they dont.

I can't imagine narrowing it down to one guy, but James Burton, Steve Cropper and maybe Jim Campilongo would certainly be in the running.

Jimmy Bryant was the first one that I heard playing a Tele.

Steve Cropper was another Tele player I liked.

Albert Collins is definitely on my list.

Jim Campilongo seems to use all the tones the tele can give you, and he uses them very well.

All who were mentioned so far are great. Roy Buchanan is the ultimate Tele player to me.

Ted Greene, Duke Levine, Jim Campilongo, Brent Mason comes to mind.

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There's Ted Greene vids above.

Honorable mentions for me are Jerry Donahue, Tommy Emmanuel, Albert Collins, Brad Paisley, Roy Buchanan, Don Rich, John Jorgenson, Cornell Dupree, Vince Gill and Steve Cropper.

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Danny Gatton. Thread over.

Kind of hard to dispute this.. The 'Humbler' sure made it look easy.

Yea I'd plus one campilongo. Such a great player !

I guess everyone would have to decide what the tele is all about in order to find a player. For example I wouldn't think of Ted Greene as a Tele player. Sure he played one and is amazing. But I think of tele players as guys who just attack the guitar, Ted isnt like that. But everyone would have to come up with what a tele is all about.

I would think John Jorgenson should at least be on the list.

John Jorgenson's at the top of mine

Roy buchannan, red volkert, bill kirchen and all those mentioned above.

Roy Buchanan!! Come on Vince Gill too

Marc Ribot

So many soul and country guys from the 60's. So many, thank God.

Brad Paisley

Keith Richards.

I'm with Rod... definitely Bill Kirchen

johnny hiland (even though he dont play teles in public anymore) and brent mason

To me Roy Buchanan!!

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Gatton,Buchanon,Cropper

Yea I'd plus one campilongo. Such a great player !

I guess everyone would have to decide what the tele is all about in order to find a player. For example I wouldn't think of Ted Greene as a Tele player. Sure he played one and is amazing. But I think of tele players as guys who just attack the guitar, Ted isnt like that. But everyone would have to come up with what a tele is all about.

FWIW, Ted Greene is the guy who "brought" me to the Telecaster. I was aware that Ed Bickert plays jazz on one but I was a bit more familiar with Ted's music. For jazz fans, I'd say those two guys are right up there and help to define the Telecaster for us.

I also like Scotty Anderson (what I've seen of him on YouTube). That is one scary guitar player!

While I love Danny Gatton,Both Roys..I'm gonna go with John Lowery or aka. "John 5"!

James Burton and Clarence White are the two guys who made me want to play a Tele. Add to the list Roy Nichols, John Jorgenson and Bill Kirchen and ...

Brent Mason,Roy Nichols,Hiland,Guthrie Trapp just to name a few.

Gatton....Telemaster!

Burton, Cropper, Keef...

What about Roy Buchanan?

Others might be flashier but Burton and Cropper have the most impressive resumes IMO.

Waylon Jennings, with few effects phaser/chorus and his 53 wired out of phase later on. that was it both pickups on he got so many sounds out of his touch and his thumb. This is based on his live album

There are so many, so good Tele-players with kinda their own style. And I like most of them, many already mentioned but I will go for three: John 5 - even though I am way older than him, I really dig his style. That guy doesn't seem to have any limit. Can play any style as far as I have seen. Still, my absolute favourite is Greg Koch. As stunning player, always performs well and it's absolutely great to watch him. A nice guy with a humorous approach. Last but not least, the great George Edward Smith, better known as G.E. who played his Tele for many years with the Saturday Night Live Band.

Excluding myself of coarse :lol: :lol: There are many people I like a lot however for me it would be Mr. Volkaert and I don't really look at it as a best telecaster thing I look at it in a musician thing.. He is very creative and simply a fun for me to watch and listen to..

Roy Buchanan!! Come on Vince Gill too

+1 ^^^

since the whole concept of tele and tele tone is new to me I certainly have to opinion on who is best. I think they are all amazing guys in their own right.

I do have to say that the videos in the front of the thread confused me a bit as they guy was great but he had a more Gibson tone what with all those humbuckers everywhere,

I never thought I'd be a traditionalist (kinda against my personality) but I think the Tele with a lipstick and the bridge pup is the perfect twang machine - unmatched.

Jimmy Ohlander.
Redd Volkaert.
Pete Anderson.
Josh Smith.

Personally, I think Tab Benoit deserves a mention.

Bill Frisell. Jim Campiglono.

Very much dig on their buzz.

It has to be Keith Richards or Bruce Springsteen or Both! :mrgreen:

Roy Buchanan . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4F_1_rpUZs&feature=related

and all of the above.

Keith Richards...Vince Gill..A caveman and a pretty player...Puy those two cats in a blender and see what comes out...WOW...!!!

My favorites have already been mentioned but theres also; Muddy Waters, Chrissie Hynde, Wilko Johnson, Rich Robinson,

Syd Barrett.

i have to go with don rich, Buck Owens,Merle Haggard,Luther Perkins

+1 for marc ribot. he's the most exciting tele player for sure. listen to tom waits' rain dogs if you need proof.

campilongo is the all-around master IMO.