G.E. Smith- now in Black

Tele_MEL · May 2nd, 2008, 05:29 PM

G.E. on his video clip mentioned his new guitar came in Red and Honey Blonde - and said ' maybe ' we can get 'em to make it in black.

Didn't know if it's common knowledge yet - since the web site only shows Honey Blonde and Red

but Elderly just said on the phone that they now offer Black.

Cool....

30 - 90 day lead time on any color from Elderly.

Now ya know!

FirstBassman · May 2nd, 2008, 06:18 PM

Today, I was at GC and asked if they had any GE's in stock and they said they never carry "signature models" in stock.

I can't really afford one but if I was in the market for one, anyone know who has them in the DC area?

OaklandA · May 2nd, 2008, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

Today, I was at GC and asked if they had any GE's in stock and they said they never carry "signature models" in stock.

I can't really afford one but if I was in the market for one, anyone know who has them in the DC area?

I think the GC guy you were talking to was talking out of his....um, back pocket. I sure have seen other signature models at GC's. Maybe it was just that one store, thought that doesn't make sense either.

I'd call around. Surely someone around would have one.

Telehackster · May 2nd, 2008, 07:24 PM

The 2008 Frontline lists the GE Smith Tele as now available in black, but I had never seen one for sale. Very cool!

Dennis68 · May 2nd, 2008, 07:33 PM

Of all the Fender signature series presentations I've seen from fender, that was once of the better ones. G.E. Smith did a nice job presenting his signature tele.

scooteraz · May 2nd, 2008, 08:05 PM

Yeah, I think I might just up and sell my American Deluxe if I could get into one of those. Have to look around.

FirstBassman · May 2nd, 2008, 08:55 PM

Besides the price, btw, the description by some of a fat baseball bat neck scares me off.

I prefer thin (front to back) necks.

nedray · May 2nd, 2008, 09:27 PM

I got my GE at Chuck Levin's--for 1399, but it may have been there for a while and not replaced. Great guitar and highly recommended. The neck is about like a Baja in size, but very slick, so it takes a little playing in. Mine weighs about nothing--probably under 6 lbs. Sounds extremely cool.

As for GC not carrying signature models, they seem to have a lot of Claptons, Johnsons, Vaughns (including a Lenny at the Rockville store), a EVH Frankenstein at Rockville, and I saw a Gatton there. Although, GC has gotten real strange since the sale, so it's hard to say what they're up to. They seem to have drastically narrowed their selection and stopped taking in used gear. I'm finding it pretty easy to stay away, which is just as well.

mellecaster · May 2nd, 2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

Besides the price, btw, the description by some of a fat baseball bat neck scares me off.

I prefer thin (front to back) necks.

Yep..if you prefer thinner necks, the GE would not be to your liking.

catalankid · May 3rd, 2008, 12:07 AM

I was up at GC in Boise, and wanted to play a GE Smith Tele last week. The kid that was waiting on me said that they don't carry them, but that he could order me one. I told him that I could order one too, the whole point was that I'd like to play one before I'd buy. I really like the red ones. GE says in his video that the neck is not crazy fat, but for that much dough I'm gonna play her first.

boris bubbanov · May 3rd, 2008, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OaklandA

I think the GC guy you were talking to was talking out of his....um, back pocket. I sure have seen other signature models at GC's. Maybe it was just that one store, thought that doesn't make sense either.

I'd call around. Surely someone around would have one.

Absolutely. I have seen literally one hundred and more Eric Johnson Strats at various Guitar Centers from Florida to California. How about Two new MIA James Burton Signature Teles in the same store?

Back pocket is right.

chabby · May 3rd, 2008, 12:00 PM

That guitar is the single best guitar purchase yet in my 49 years on the planet. I have never been so in love with a guitar. Since it's purchase I haven't so much as touched my R8 or T. Anderson strat which is somewhat embarassing, but true.

I never thought with my smallish hands I would so love that baseball neck but its very comfortable as it turn out - yet another myth exploded.
The neck is like butter - that's the only way I can explain it. It's tone beautiful. It is quintessential Tele through and through to me.

Tele_MEL · May 3rd, 2008, 12:40 PM

as I just noted with Chabby,

look at the Fender Spec. for the pickup positions for the G.E.

Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Neck Pickup with Tone Control (Bright Vintage Circuit)
Position 3. Neck Pickup with No Tone Control (Dark Vintage Circuit)

I didn't know that the middle position is not a Bridge/Neck combined.

I wonder if this is like the AV52, where that's stock, but most people rewire it to conventional?

chabby · May 3rd, 2008, 12:57 PM

That is wrong Tel Mel: I just plugtged in and verified that the neck pickup has tone control. Part of the reason I didnt like the stock 52RI I had was because it had that unuseable (to me) neck pickup config.

Not so with the Smith. Sorry, but she's controllable.

chabby · May 3rd, 2008, 01:00 PM

OWhat does Fender mean by no tone control with neck pick up?

I just plugged in and rolled the tone off and on and there was definitely control happening. It's still dark even with the tone control all the way on but not as muffled as with it off.

Mark Davis · May 3rd, 2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele_MEL

as I just noted with Chabby,

look at the Fender Spec. for the pickup positions for the G.E.

Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Neck Pickup with Tone Control (Bright Vintage Circuit)
Position 3. Neck Pickup with No Tone Control (Dark Vintage Circuit)

I didn't know that the middle position is not a Bridge/Neck combined.

I wonder if this is like the AV52, where that's stock, but most people rewire it to conventional?

Thats one of the millions of typos/mistakes inside the Fender specs.

The GE has regular modern wiring.

This is what the specs should have said.

Pickup Switching 3-Position Blade:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
Position 3. Neck Pickup

All positions have tone control.

Tele_MEL · May 3rd, 2008, 02:41 PM

Thanks Mark,

good to know.!~

mellecaster · May 3rd, 2008, 02:51 PM

Exactly as Mark and Chabby have said....they come w/ modern wiring, and as stated above...Fender specs on their Website are about as reliable as ?????

Mark Davis · May 3rd, 2008, 03:03 PM

Im pretty sure but not 100% positive the GE's have a 10k bridge pickup like the old Nocasters.

Black would look sharp with the fretboard markers.

mellecaster · May 3rd, 2008, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Im pretty sure but not 100% positive the GE's have a 10k bridge pickup like the old Nocasters.

Black would look sharp with the fretboard markers.

You are Correct Sir! (Ed McManhon voice)....that's the confusing part though, the Baseplate is Copper, unlike the Nocaster...but is is sure nuff 10K....I think Chabby said he called them, and it was used just for this Model ??

nedray · May 3rd, 2008, 05:46 PM

The bridge pup is supposed to emulate the one Fender used to put on lap steels. High output and designed to be close to the strings. I'm still playing with mine, but I think I like the normal height--around 3/32nd--about the best.

Mark Davis · May 3rd, 2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellecaster

You are Correct Sir! (Ed McManhon voice)....that's the confusing part though, the Baseplate is Copper, unlike the Nocaster...but is is sure nuff 10K....I think Chabby said he called them, and it was used just for this Model ??

I thought I remembered where you measured one so thanks.

I had 2 Champion lap steel pickups one was 8.97k the other was 6.0k.

They both sounded great!

FirstBassman · May 3rd, 2008, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nedray

I got my GE at Chuck Levin's.

Thanks, I'll give them a try.

Dennis68 · May 3rd, 2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Absolutely. I have seen literally one hundred and more Eric Johnson Strats at various Guitar Centers from Florida to California. How about Two new MIA James Burton Signature Teles in the same store?

Back pocket is right.

+1. I have seen many sig Fenders at various GC's in NY & CT.
Unless their practice of what they stock recently changed, maybe it is just this store didn't have any for some other reason?

FirstBassman · May 4th, 2008, 10:37 AM

Footnote:

I went to the local GC because, as some of you might have seen in another thread, there were discussions about pedals and DigiTech's Bad Monkey was highly recommended. So I went there to check it out. (BTW, everyone is right and I bought it.)

While there I figured I'd ask and that is what one of the guitar managers told me.

When I was first acquiring my gear I used to go to that GC fairly often. I am not an online GC-basher at all but I feel that store went sharply downhill when the previous manager left.

I didn't feel like arguing with the guy and just left. Their loss.

OaklandA · May 4th, 2008, 01:58 PM

FirstBass...I don't doubt that's what he told you. He was just wrong.

First, to go off-topic a bit about GC...I've come full circle on that bunch. The first few years they were around out here they were awful. Unpleasant shopping experience with the added bonus of complete incompetents on staff. Then a couple of years ago i noticed a change. The guys working there actually knew what they were talking about. They were informed, tried to make deals, the stores looked good and were well stocked.

Now, we're back to sloppy stores, dumb-dumbs as sales staff, and goofy policies like no cases included in the original price (depsite manufacturers shipping with the case). I think Bain is setting them up for either another sale or a breakup of some kind.

May 2nd, 2008, 05:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tele_MEL TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hillsboro, OR Age: 51 Posts: 72	G.E. Smith- now in Black G.E. on his video clip mentioned his new guitar came in Red and Honey Blonde - and said ' maybe ' we can get 'em to make it in black. Didn't know if it's common knowledge yet - since the web site only shows Honey Blonde and Red but Elderly just said on the phone that they now offer Black. Cool.... 30 - 90 day lead time on any color from Elderly. Now ya know!

May 2nd, 2008, 07:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dennis68 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hudson Valley Posts: 757	Of all the Fender signature series presentations I've seen from fender, that was once of the better ones. G.E. Smith did a nice job presenting his signature tele. __________________ -Dennis

May 3rd, 2008, 02:51 PM	#18 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,952 17 Photos	Exactly as Mark and Chabby have said....they come w/ modern wiring, and as stated above...Fender specs on their Website are about as reliable as ????? __________________ Let's Not Forget the Other 75% of The Tone Equation...It's Called an AMP

May 3rd, 2008, 03:03 PM	#19 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 57 Posts: 11,812	Im pretty sure but not 100% positive the GE's have a 10k bridge pickup like the old Nocasters. Black would look sharp with the fretboard markers. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

May 2nd, 2008, 06:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
FirstBassman Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 879	Today, I was at GC and asked if they had any GE's in stock and they said they never carry "signature models" in stock. I can't really afford one but if I was in the market for one, anyone know who has them in the DC area?

May 2nd, 2008, 07:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
Telehackster Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas, USA Age: 42 Posts: 813	The 2008 Frontline lists the GE Smith Tele as now available in black, but I had never seen one for sale. Very cool!

May 2nd, 2008, 08:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
scooteraz Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 730	Yeah, I think I might just up and sell my American Deluxe if I could get into one of those. Have to look around.

May 2nd, 2008, 08:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
FirstBassman Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 879	Besides the price, btw, the description by some of a fat baseball bat neck scares me off. I prefer thin (front to back) necks.

May 2nd, 2008, 09:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
nedray Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: No. Virginia Age: 55 Posts: 163	I got my GE at Chuck Levin's--for 1399, but it may have been there for a while and not replaced. Great guitar and highly recommended. The neck is about like a Baja in size, but very slick, so it takes a little playing in. Mine weighs about nothing--probably under 6 lbs. Sounds extremely cool. As for GC not carrying signature models, they seem to have a lot of Claptons, Johnsons, Vaughns (including a Lenny at the Rockville store), a EVH Frankenstein at Rockville, and I saw a Gatton there. Although, GC has gotten real strange since the sale, so it's hard to say what they're up to. They seem to have drastically narrowed their selection and stopped taking in used gear. I'm finding it pretty easy to stay away, which is just as well.

May 3rd, 2008, 12:07 AM	#10 (permalink)
catalankid TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Richfield, Id. Age: 54 Posts: 37	I was up at GC in Boise, and wanted to play a GE Smith Tele last week. The kid that was waiting on me said that they don't carry them, but that he could order me one. I told him that I could order one too, the whole point was that I'd like to play one before I'd buy. I really like the red ones. GE says in his video that the neck is not crazy fat, but for that much dough I'm gonna play her first.

May 3rd, 2008, 12:00 PM	#12 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,191	That guitar is the single best guitar purchase yet in my 49 years on the planet. I have never been so in love with a guitar. Since it's purchase I haven't so much as touched my R8 or T. Anderson strat which is somewhat embarassing, but true. I never thought with my smallish hands I would so love that baseball neck but its very comfortable as it turn out - yet another myth exploded. The neck is like butter - that's the only way I can explain it. It's tone beautiful. It is quintessential Tele through and through to me.

May 3rd, 2008, 12:40 PM	#13 (permalink)
Tele_MEL TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hillsboro, OR Age: 51 Posts: 72	as I just noted with Chabby, look at the Fender Spec. for the pickup positions for the G.E. Position 1. Bridge Pickup Position 2. Neck Pickup with Tone Control (Bright Vintage Circuit) Position 3. Neck Pickup with No Tone Control (Dark Vintage Circuit) I didn't know that the middle position is not a Bridge/Neck combined. I wonder if this is like the AV52, where that's stock, but most people rewire it to conventional?

May 3rd, 2008, 12:57 PM	#14 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,191	That is wrong Tel Mel: I just plugtged in and verified that the neck pickup has tone control. Part of the reason I didnt like the stock 52RI I had was because it had that unuseable (to me) neck pickup config. Not so with the Smith. Sorry, but she's controllable.

May 3rd, 2008, 01:00 PM	#15 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,191	OWhat does Fender mean by no tone control with neck pick up? I just plugged in and rolled the tone off and on and there was definitely control happening. It's still dark even with the tone control all the way on but not as muffled as with it off.

May 3rd, 2008, 02:41 PM	#17 (permalink)
Tele_MEL TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hillsboro, OR Age: 51 Posts: 72	Thanks Mark, good to know.!~

May 3rd, 2008, 05:46 PM	#21 (permalink)
nedray Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: No. Virginia Age: 55 Posts: 163	The bridge pup is supposed to emulate the one Fender used to put on lap steels. High output and designed to be close to the strings. I'm still playing with mine, but I think I like the normal height--around 3/32nd--about the best.

May 4th, 2008, 10:37 AM	#25 (permalink)
FirstBassman Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 879	Footnote: I went to the local GC because, as some of you might have seen in another thread, there were discussions about pedals and DigiTech's Bad Monkey was highly recommended. So I went there to check it out. (BTW, everyone is right and I bought it.) While there I figured I'd ask and that is what one of the guitar managers told me. When I was first acquiring my gear I used to go to that GC fairly often. I am not an online GC-basher at all but I feel that store went sharply downhill when the previous manager left. I didn't feel like arguing with the guy and just left. Their loss.