Possibly the most divisive thread in TDPRI history!

Unseen · October 13th, 2008, 04:26 AM

What makes a guitar a tele? Fender itself makes and has made so many different versions.

araT · October 13th, 2008, 04:30 AM

I'll start off, take the easy route & state the obvious.. Body shape

I was thinking the slanted bridge pickup, but that leaves all the Deluxes out.. I cant think of anything else that encompasses all models

telechaser · October 13th, 2008, 05:04 AM

+1 on body shape. The reason why I like the Tele is because the body just fits, no arm or belly countour, just the body shape. No thicker or thinner (I don't like thin bodies). I prefer the tele shaped headstock. The only exception would be is if it's a full hollow body then I wouldn't mind an LP style headstock.

Telemarkman · October 13th, 2008, 05:08 AM

This has been discussed several times in the past and always end up in flame wars ...

superbadj · October 13th, 2008, 09:40 AM

Well, given all the variations, to me it's about two things:

1: Simplicity in form. Simple headstock (not big, not gaudy), simple body (original had no contours, simple pickguard, etc.), simple controls.

2: the odd ability to have a distinct sound (bright, edgy, covers both twang and a bit of raunch) and incredible flexibility (country, rock&roll, some jazz, etc.).

Now, various models may alter one or more of these things, but to really feel like a true Tele, they have to keep most of them. So my '72 Tele Custom adds a crazier pickguard and a WRH in the neck, but retains the body simplicity, headstock, bridge & pickup. the controls are more complex, obviously, but it doesn't get gadgety with any active electronics or anything.

People add a bigsby---fine. especially if you don't change much else.

People change the neck to a strat type. Again, fine, unless you rip everything else out too. The Tele Deluxe (the 79's style) pushes the limit here to create a guitar with contouring, a strat neck, and different pickguard, different controls, and twin 'buckers. It's really nothing like a normal tele but the outline, and the fact that the WRHs are very fender-ish sounding 'buckers. It's pushing the limit, but because the controls are still pretty simple, and the WRHs are unique to it.......maybe it still counts.

The only "tele" guitars that I find TOTALLY odd are ones that are set neck, twin gibson-style 'buckers, super-high polish on a highly figured maple-capped body, carved top, contoured back, with all sorts of complex electronics on them. The ONLY tele-like thing they retain is the body outline. Nothing else is true tele-like.

That's my .02.

Tim Armstrong · October 13th, 2008, 09:48 AM

The eye of the beholder?

Cheers, Tim

Superc_1 · October 13th, 2008, 10:37 AM

+1 for Tim. If it has the basic shape and you like it. Thats all that matters.

hockey_head · October 13th, 2008, 10:45 AM

I thought they had majic sprinkles, but really, it's just a simplicity thing, a fun plank to spank................with or without sprinkles.

shadco · October 13th, 2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

The eye of the beholder?

Cheers, Tim

By George

I think he's got it!

newtwanger · October 13th, 2008, 11:10 AM

Well it's got to have a 3 brass saddle bridge. It's got to have a bakelite pickguard. It's got to have kluson tuners. It's got to be string-through body. It's got to be bolt on neck. It's got to have 2 single coil pickups. It's got to have a 3-way switch. It's got to have a solid maple neck. It's go to have nickel hardware. It's got to be a slab of ash shape the way Leo did it in way back when.

Unless...

It has a 6 saddle or steel saddle bridge. It has a plastic or phenolic white or 3 ply pickguard. It has gotoh or ping tuners. It is a toploader or uses a strat-style bridge. It is a neck-through body. It has 3 pickups or humbuckers. It has a 4-way, 5-way or no switck at all. It has a rosewood, ebony or capped fretboard. It has a tummy cut or forearm cut. It's made of alder, mahogany or maple. It has gold or chrome hardware.

All these things exist in Fender's Telecaster Arsenal and they decide what gets the Telecaster name put on it so....

If YOU play it and call it a Telecaster, why would some guy on the internet you've never met argue with you?

Now Esquires are completely different.

Blueblood · October 13th, 2008, 11:28 AM

As I've stated before...

"Humble, unpretentious wrapped in intriguing simplicity"

Ironwolf · October 13th, 2008, 11:41 AM

Telecaster outline, simple electronics. Beyond that, anything goes.

Tarnisher · October 13th, 2008, 11:47 AM

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of guitars I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it.

Big John · October 13th, 2008, 12:09 PM

If I say so -- thats what !!

telecaster803 · October 13th, 2008, 12:11 PM

It says "Telecaster" on the headstock.
Anything else is something else.
The Hamer t-51 looks like a Telecaster, but its a T-51.

If Fender calls it a tele, its a tele.

The REAL question is, why are they labeling all these Broadcasters as Telecasters? Humm.....

Just poking fun, but thats my answer anyway

Dan German · October 13th, 2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telecaster803

It says "Telecaster" on the headstock.

Someone took my "A" list answer, so I'll have to go with:

"I don't know much about telecasters, but I know what I like."

jhundt · October 13th, 2008, 12:52 PM

I'm sure the Fender company would say "it's a Tele if WE say it's a Tele!"

stevieboy · October 13th, 2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telecaster803

It says "Telecaster" on the headstock.
Anything else is something else.

Then this isn't a telecaster?

http://www.fender.com/products//sear...tno=0100222850

Quote:

Originally Posted by araT

I'll start off, take the easy route & state the obvious. Body shape

So this guitar IS a telecaster? (It's a beauty BTW)

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-c...rd-%3B%5E.html

Just a couple of fun examples that to me support this one--

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

The eye of the beholder?

Cheers, Tim

We all have our definitions. There are so many ways of looking at it, let alone seeing it. Mine are fairly strong, but I wouldn't insist on them for anyone else.

Ricky D. · October 13th, 2008, 02:54 PM

If Fender says it's a Telecaster, that's all there is to it. Strictly speaking, anything else is not a Telecaster.

Now what about all the "t-style" instruments out there? Well, we could be sloppy about the definition and include those too, but that won't work for those of us who are careful about words. Or we could call them Telecasters anyway even though we know they are not. That's not correct, either, and we all know this.

I've reached my own position. I will never be able to afford a Telecaster. But, I have a telecaster I built from parts. And I will avoid saying T-style as much as possible.

Chris S. · October 13th, 2008, 04:10 PM

Did someone mention a bee holder?

And before you decide that body shape determines Tele-ness, consider the TC-90:

CS

araT · October 13th, 2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris S.

And before you decide that body shape determines Tele-ness, consider the TC-90:

CS

See, that doesn't give me a tele feel at all.. I know it was sold as a tele, but it just doesnt feel like one..

There are many features that define a tele, and appear on most teles (some may have some, while others have others, but almost all teles have a couple of these thrown together), and this has ALMOST NONE of them.. the knobs are wrong, there's no slanted bridge pickup, the bridge itself is wrong, the body shape is wrong.. about the only thing 'tele' on that guitar is the headstock.

This looks like what would happen if a strat and a SG made a lovechild!

No offence meant by this in any way, I just don't feel it.

AjayTele · October 13th, 2008, 08:13 PM

My priorities in defining a "Tele" (in decreasing order of importance...)

1. Body Shape

Hmmm.... that's it.

BarnesTO · October 13th, 2008, 08:15 PM

I thought this would be about nitro vs poly, maple vs rosewood, or three saddles vs six.

robt57 · October 13th, 2008, 08:23 PM

I'd have to stick with body shape, and headstock shape. I'd like to say bridge plate/pup/twang, but I'd have to exclude my Piney Custom with the WRHBs, well at least it has a regular Tele headstock. And it sounds pretty Tele in the middle position, but it ain't no thang, cause it ain't got that twang...

Colt W. Knight · October 13th, 2008, 09:17 PM

I'd say since Fender has the rights on the name, anything that they say is a telecaster is indeed a telecaster.

Colt W. Knight · October 13th, 2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarnesTO

I thought this would be about nitro vs poly, maple vs rosewood, or three saddles vs six.

Remember when you didn't know any better? Wasn't it much simpler to look at guitars and just appreciate them for what they were?

jwc5 · October 13th, 2008, 09:30 PM

The decal on the headstock

pchilson · October 13th, 2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwc5

The decal on the headstock

Exactly, if its a Fender product and says Telecaster it is a Telecaster else its not...

araT · October 13th, 2008, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pchilson

Exactly, if its a Fender product and says Telecaster it is a Telecaster else its not...

What about squier? or any of the lawsuit teles?

Tim Armstrong · October 13th, 2008, 09:40 PM

As a divisive topic, this can't hold a CANDLE to "I don't get Relic-ing"!!!!

Cheers, Tim

ps- please, PLEASE, nobody go there!!!!!!!!

Tele_MEL · October 13th, 2008, 09:40 PM

Just my Humble opinion... YMMV..

To ME:

1) The body shape
2) Single coil in the bridge .. to get the twang

No pickup in the neck.. Esquire.
Single pickup in the neck.. Tele

beyond that.. ie. a humbucker in the neck.. um .. OK..
tray bridge, flat bridge. 6 saddles..3 saddles.. OK
rosewood, maple fretboard.. OK..
B-Bender.. OK

Still a Tele..

For some reason: Once I see a humbucker in both bridge and neck.. starts to be " based on a Tele " but straying from what a classic Tele is ( to ME ...)

a 3rd pickup...5 way switch.. strays even further..

All variations can be great guitars ( man I'm feeling the need to be politically correct... ) and give <whomever> just the sound they want..

and that's what a Tele means to me....

pchilson · October 13th, 2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by araT

What about squier? or any of the lawsuit teles?

Well a Squier is a Fender product and by rights says Telecaster on the headstock so therefore is...
I don't know about the lawsuit teles but I would assume they are not Fender products so therefore are disqualified as Telecasters...

play_loud · October 13th, 2008, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbadj

The only "tele" guitars that I find TOTALLY odd are ones that are set neck, twin gibson-style 'buckers, super-high polish on a highly figured maple-capped body, carved top, contoured back, with all sorts of complex electronics on them. The ONLY tele-like thing they retain is the body outline. Nothing else is true tele-like.

That's my .02.

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!

Ricky D. · October 13th, 2008, 11:11 PM

Unseen, where are you? Isn't it about time for you to dart in and light this up?

SixShooter · October 13th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Sorry, I just don't buy the "If Fender calls it a Tele it is a Tele" arguement. The question is what IS a Tele (as in what defines it's being) not what guitar can you call by name as a Tele. If Fender took a Strat and called it a Tele, is it a Tele? Nope. To me, the closer a guitar is in design the the original Telecaster of say '52 the more of a Tele it is. So if you build say a Warmouth partscaster with ash body, maple neck, 2 single coils, 3-saddle bridge, etc. it's much more of a Telecaster that the TC-90 or FMT-HH that Fender slaps a Telecaster label on to. It follows the original design.

Aw crap, I just thought of an analogy that contradicts what I just said. Is the 2008 Mustang a Mustang? It has little in common with the original 1964 mustang. Yes it has evolved, but it is more different than the same. I certainly have no problem at all with Ford calling it a Mustang.

I quit.

pchilson · October 13th, 2008, 11:42 PM

hehehe...I know what you are saying but it is Fenders design and label. They can make whatever they want and call it a Telecaster and it is. Putting together a bunch of parts just makes it a Telecaster clone...Ah well thats how I see it. I'm always wrong though.

Ironwolf · October 14th, 2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pchilson

...Ah well thats how I see it. I'm always wrong though.

Wife told you that, did she?

bowlfreshener · October 14th, 2008, 12:05 AM

For me its body shape, bridge plate and control plate, other than the 70s Custom Teles...I used to think headstock also, but I kind of got over that....

pchilson · October 14th, 2008, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironwolf

Wife told you that, did she?

Not for an hour or more...

SMPTE · October 14th, 2008, 01:31 AM

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

October 13th, 2008, 04:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
Unseen Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 62 Posts: 1,799	Possibly the most divisive thread in TDPRI history! What makes a guitar a tele? Fender itself makes and has made so many different versions.

October 13th, 2008, 05:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
telechaser Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,383 10 Photos	+1 on body shape. The reason why I like the Tele is because the body just fits, no arm or belly countour, just the body shape. No thicker or thinner (I don't like thin bodies). I prefer the tele shaped headstock. The only exception would be is if it's a full hollow body then I wouldn't mind an LP style headstock. __________________ Slowing down . . . to get faster

October 13th, 2008, 09:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,047	The eye of the beholder? Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

October 13th, 2008, 11:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
Blueblood Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: Directly in front of monitor Age: 56 Posts: 791 36 Photos	As I've stated before... "Humble, unpretentious wrapped in intriguing simplicity" __________________ (((((((((((({{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{got mojo?}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}))))))))))))

October 13th, 2008, 11:41 AM	#12 (permalink)
Ironwolf Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Boise, Idaho Age: 53 Posts: 1,360	Telecaster outline, simple electronics. Beyond that, anything goes. __________________ Oderint Dum Metuant - Nero Caesar

October 13th, 2008, 04:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
araT Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sydney, Oz Age: 24 Posts: 1,179 68 Photos	I'll start off, take the easy route & state the obvious.. Body shape I was thinking the slanted bridge pickup, but that leaves all the Deluxes out.. I cant think of anything else that encompasses all models

October 13th, 2008, 05:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
Telemarkman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 62 Posts: 6,131	This has been discussed several times in the past and always end up in flame wars ...

October 13th, 2008, 09:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
superbadj Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: roanoke, va Age: 35 Posts: 1,766 24 Photos	Well, given all the variations, to me it's about two things: 1: Simplicity in form. Simple headstock (not big, not gaudy), simple body (original had no contours, simple pickguard, etc.), simple controls. 2: the odd ability to have a distinct sound (bright, edgy, covers both twang and a bit of raunch) and incredible flexibility (country, rock&roll, some jazz, etc.). Now, various models may alter one or more of these things, but to really feel like a true Tele, they have to keep most of them. So my '72 Tele Custom adds a crazier pickguard and a WRH in the neck, but retains the body simplicity, headstock, bridge & pickup. the controls are more complex, obviously, but it doesn't get gadgety with any active electronics or anything. People add a bigsby---fine. especially if you don't change much else. People change the neck to a strat type. Again, fine, unless you rip everything else out too. The Tele Deluxe (the 79's style) pushes the limit here to create a guitar with contouring, a strat neck, and different pickguard, different controls, and twin 'buckers. It's really nothing like a normal tele but the outline, and the fact that the WRHs are very fender-ish sounding 'buckers. It's pushing the limit, but because the controls are still pretty simple, and the WRHs are unique to it.......maybe it still counts. The only "tele" guitars that I find TOTALLY odd are ones that are set neck, twin gibson-style 'buckers, super-high polish on a highly figured maple-capped body, carved top, contoured back, with all sorts of complex electronics on them. The ONLY tele-like thing they retain is the body outline. Nothing else is true tele-like. That's my .02.

October 13th, 2008, 10:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
Superc_1 Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atkins,Arkansas Age: 51 Posts: 182 5 Photos	+1 for Tim. If it has the basic shape and you like it. Thats all that matters.

October 13th, 2008, 10:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
hockey_head Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: shortsville, ny Age: 52 Posts: 379	I thought they had majic sprinkles, but really, it's just a simplicity thing, a fun plank to spank................with or without sprinkles.

October 13th, 2008, 11:10 AM	#10 (permalink)
newtwanger Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Age: 45 Posts: 1,518 11 Photos	Well it's got to have a 3 brass saddle bridge. It's got to have a bakelite pickguard. It's got to have kluson tuners. It's got to be string-through body. It's got to be bolt on neck. It's got to have 2 single coil pickups. It's got to have a 3-way switch. It's got to have a solid maple neck. It's go to have nickel hardware. It's got to be a slab of ash shape the way Leo did it in way back when. Unless... It has a 6 saddle or steel saddle bridge. It has a plastic or phenolic white or 3 ply pickguard. It has gotoh or ping tuners. It is a toploader or uses a strat-style bridge. It is a neck-through body. It has 3 pickups or humbuckers. It has a 4-way, 5-way or no switck at all. It has a rosewood, ebony or capped fretboard. It has a tummy cut or forearm cut. It's made of alder, mahogany or maple. It has gold or chrome hardware. All these things exist in Fender's Telecaster Arsenal and they decide what gets the Telecaster name put on it so.... If YOU play it and call it a Telecaster, why would some guy on the internet you've never met argue with you? Now Esquires are completely different.

October 13th, 2008, 11:47 AM	#13 (permalink)
Tarnisher Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Brooklyn Age: 30 Posts: 398	I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of guitars I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it. __________________ http://profile.myspace.com/thetarnishers

October 13th, 2008, 12:09 PM	#14 (permalink)
Big John Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Suffolk UK Posts: 6,639 39 Photos	If I say so -- thats what !! __________________ If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly !!

October 13th, 2008, 12:11 PM	#15 (permalink)
telecaster803 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Arkansas Age: 37 Posts: 152	It says "Telecaster" on the headstock. Anything else is something else. The Hamer t-51 looks like a Telecaster, but its a T-51. If Fender calls it a tele, its a tele. The REAL question is, why are they labeling all these Broadcasters as Telecasters? Humm..... Just poking fun, but thats my answer anyway __________________ "She dont understand, they keep showin my hands and not my face on TV" -Waylon Jennings

October 13th, 2008, 12:52 PM	#17 (permalink)
jhundt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands Age: 55 Posts: 3,963 13 Photos	I'm sure the Fender company would say "it's a Tele if WE say it's a Tele!"

October 13th, 2008, 02:54 PM	#19 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Age: 58 Posts: 1,888	If Fender says it's a Telecaster, that's all there is to it. Strictly speaking, anything else is not a Telecaster. Now what about all the "t-style" instruments out there? Well, we could be sloppy about the definition and include those too, but that won't work for those of us who are careful about words. Or we could call them Telecasters anyway even though we know they are not. That's not correct, either, and we all know this. I've reached my own position. I will never be able to afford a Telecaster. But, I have a telecaster I built from parts. And I will avoid saying T-style as much as possible.

October 13th, 2008, 04:10 PM	#20 (permalink)
Chris S. Moderator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Near TELE-Town (Wash. DC) Posts: 3,576 7 Photos	Did someone mention a bee holder? And before you decide that body shape determines Tele-ness, consider the TC-90: CS __________________ "I go online sometimes, but everyone's spelling is really bad. It's depressing." – Tara, from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" "It was born at the junction of form and function." – Bill Kirchen, from "Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods"

October 13th, 2008, 08:13 PM	#22 (permalink)
AjayTele Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 48 Posts: 1,476 12 Photos	My priorities in defining a "Tele" (in decreasing order of importance...) 1. Body Shape Hmmm.... that's it.

October 13th, 2008, 08:15 PM	#23 (permalink)
BarnesTO Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, AZ Age: 31 Posts: 754 4 Photos	I thought this would be about nitro vs poly, maple vs rosewood, or three saddles vs six.

October 13th, 2008, 08:23 PM	#24 (permalink)
robt57 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Lost Yankee in Nashville Age: 52 Posts: 5,862 22 Photos	I'd have to stick with body shape, and headstock shape. I'd like to say bridge plate/pup/twang, but I'd have to exclude my Piney Custom with the WRHBs, well at least it has a regular Tele headstock. And it sounds pretty Tele in the middle position, but it ain't no thang, cause it ain't got that twang... __________________ Leo's Great, Leo's Good, let us thank him for our... Twang!

October 13th, 2008, 09:17 PM	#25 (permalink)
Colt W. Knight Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West Virginia Age: 25 Posts: 4,072	I'd say since Fender has the rights on the name, anything that they say is a telecaster is indeed a telecaster.

October 13th, 2008, 09:30 PM	#27 (permalink)
jwc5 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft. Worth Posts: 259	The decal on the headstock

October 13th, 2008, 09:40 PM	#30 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,047	As a divisive topic, this can't hold a CANDLE to "I don't get Relic-ing"!!!! Cheers, Tim ps- please, PLEASE, nobody go there!!!!!!!! __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

October 13th, 2008, 09:40 PM	#31 (permalink)
Tele_MEL Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hillsboro, OR Age: 53 Posts: 237 1 Photos	Just my Humble opinion... YMMV.. To ME: 1) The body shape 2) Single coil in the bridge .. to get the twang No pickup in the neck.. Esquire. Single pickup in the neck.. Tele beyond that.. ie. a humbucker in the neck.. um .. OK.. tray bridge, flat bridge. 6 saddles..3 saddles.. OK rosewood, maple fretboard.. OK.. B-Bender.. OK Still a Tele.. For some reason: Once I see a humbucker in both bridge and neck.. starts to be " based on a Tele " but straying from what a classic Tele is ( to ME ...) a 3rd pickup...5 way switch.. strays even further.. All variations can be great guitars ( man I'm feeling the need to be politically correct... ) and give <whomever> just the sound they want.. and that's what a Tele means to me....

October 13th, 2008, 11:11 PM	#34 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Age: 58 Posts: 1,888	Unseen, where are you? Isn't it about time for you to dart in and light this up?

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.

October 13th, 2008, 11:19 PM	#35 (permalink)
SixShooter Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cincinnati Age: 42 Posts: 209 2 Photos	Sorry, I just don't buy the "If Fender calls it a Tele it is a Tele" arguement. The question is what IS a Tele (as in what defines it's being) not what guitar can you call by name as a Tele. If Fender took a Strat and called it a Tele, is it a Tele? Nope. To me, the closer a guitar is in design the the original Telecaster of say '52 the more of a Tele it is. So if you build say a Warmouth partscaster with ash body, maple neck, 2 single coils, 3-saddle bridge, etc. it's much more of a Telecaster that the TC-90 or FMT-HH that Fender slaps a Telecaster label on to. It follows the original design. Aw crap, I just thought of an analogy that contradicts what I just said. Is the 2008 Mustang a Mustang? It has little in common with the original 1964 mustang. Yes it has evolved, but it is more different than the same. I certainly have no problem at all with Ford calling it a Mustang. I quit.

October 13th, 2008, 11:42 PM	#36 (permalink)
pchilson Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Loveland, Colorado Age: 51 Posts: 2,031	hehehe...I know what you are saying but it is Fenders design and label. They can make whatever they want and call it a Telecaster and it is. Putting together a bunch of parts just makes it a Telecaster clone...Ah well thats how I see it. I'm always wrong though.

October 14th, 2008, 12:05 AM	#38 (permalink)
bowlfreshener Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 33 Posts: 2,022 6 Photos	For me its body shape, bridge plate and control plate, other than the 70s Custom Teles...I used to think headstock also, but I kind of got over that.... __________________ RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

October 14th, 2008, 01:31 AM	#40 (permalink)
SMPTE Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Minneeeesoooottta Posts: 1,330	Body shape, matched with it's ability to be used as crowd control on stage. __________________ '63 CS Tele, HW1 Texas Tele, EJ Strat, MIJ JM, Epi Casino (AlnicoV), Gibson SG Robot, Gibson LP DC Studio, Steinberger, Squier PBass (heavily modded)