Possibly the most divisive thread in TDPRI history!

[SimpleOne]

there are two kinds of guitars
1)Telecasters
2)Guitars that wish they were
A
Telecaster is a guitar that is agreed to meet certain criteria as judge by those who are recognized the world over as being the preeminent authorities on such guitars, and that brothers and sisters is you.

[eddiewagner]

i say bodyshape and headstocksgape. i friend has a framus renegade. that has a tele-ish body, but a 2x3 headstock. no televibe at all comes floating from that guitar.

[Nick JD]

There's less variation in Telecasters than in human beings. My drooping arms and my protruding brow, plus my thick skull and my hairy appendages still let me be human.

If it wants to be a telecaster, let it be ... a Telecaster. Keeping the Telecaster "line" pure sounds like something where we just don't wanna go.

Embrace difference. Embrace freedom.

[AjayTele]

Nick JD, my HMT Telecaster thanks you from the bottom of it's heart for your tolerance and acceptance...

[psycho gun]

body shape and simple pickups with at least one in a large bridge.

[tele salivas]

Originally Posted by SMPTE

Body shape, matched with it's ability to be used as crowd control on stage.

You're referring to the Keef video, live, early eighties, Fdr Custm+braining="satisfaction"?

(sorry had trouble pulling the YOUtube video down,... anybody? anybody

[Tele_MEL]

Hey SixShooter, Man did you nail it with the Mustang analogy.. so now I stand ( sit? ) corrected...

The car evolved and made changes with the times.. still a Mustang.. just a contemporary version of the original.

Cause right after my post - Play_Loud posts that pic of a stunning guitar.. with obvious signature Tele... shape.. pots - but modern: PRS type finish and Humbuckers...

so: as there are " classic " Mustangs ( to me: the 64 1/2, the 65 and the 66 are the years that I like. once past that.. I don't like how they got bigger with bigger engines to compete with Camero, Firebird, GTO, Barracuda) - but they're still Mustangs... then there was the whole Fox platform from 1979 - 1993 that were barely identifiable as mustangs ( to me ). .but fit the times..

anyway: They're all Teles.. and at this point.. I like the Classics ( but I'd be happy to have Play_Loud's .. in a heartbeat! )

as far as being ' produced by Fender '... - remember when saying " go Xerox this form " was the same as go make a copy "... The word was brought into the language

Long Live the Tele...

[ThreePlyGuy]

Too many choices and Lord aint it grand!

[phunkybassist]

Well, I have a Peavey Generation EXP Triple/Single, which to be exact, is a Telecaster shaped body, with a Nashville Telecaster pickup configuration, alder body, maple neck, maple fingerboard, and a nice 3 tone sunburst and a b/w/b pickguard. However, I never refer to it as the Peavey Generation EXP triple/single nashvuille tele clone...I just say, "Hey, would you hand me my Tele?" Hope Fender doesn't sue me.

[phunkybassist]

Originally Posted by Tele_MEL

as far as being ' produced by Fender '... - remember when saying " go Xerox this form " was the same as go make a copy "... The word was brought into the language

Right, and do you ask for a tissue, or do you just say "Kleenex"? And being in the Midwest, I'm no stranger to this situation
"Do you want a Coke?"
"Sure, get me a (insert any soda brand here)"

[musicmatty]

What makes a Tele a Tele?? The two single coil pickups that are used. A large single coil for the bridge and a cap covered single coil for the neck and JUST as IMPORTANT...the spacing of the two pickups in relation to eachother...hence, why there should be no middle pickup between the neck and the bridge...and no double humbuckers.

This would be what makes a Tele distinct from all others and why it has it's unique sound. The sound of the Bridge by itself for all the Twank it gives and yet when it is played in unison with the neck pup is most unique to any guitar sound that has ever been produced in my opinion.

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by AjayTele

Nick JD, my HMT Telecaster thanks you from the bottom of it's heart for your tolerance and acceptance...

You'll have someone's eye out with that! I wouldn't be surprised if those quirky models become quite pricey in later years.

[neocaster]

I call my Fenders and Squiers Teles, but I wouldn't tell anyone else what to call a Tele. A friend plays an ASAT Classic and it feels and sounds a lot like a Tele to me. Another has a 72 Deluxe RI and it feels and sounds like none of the above, but it's certainly a Tele to me.

[ter93]

Originally Posted by play_loud

Consider the only reason I am on these forums is because of this guitar, the Fender FMT HH (mines in brown transparent):



Obviously you know what my answer to the OP is now!

A single coil pickup in the bridge position mounted to the bridge plate?

[hockey_head]

I think Behringer makes a nice one but my wife told me i'm wrong.

[telecaster803]

Behringer .... im going to pretend that was a joke.