Tell Me Your Side - Is One Tele Enough?

[Zillinois]

IMO, you may want a back up of what you already have, especially if you gig a bit, never hurts to have a back up. That said, maybe the back could sound different, not like people will care that much...

[hwy145]

I've bought and sold many. I found one that made all others inferior. So, I guess one is enough... If you find the one.

[Turtletwang]

Personally, I only need one Tele. However, if I started gigging out more often, I might consider a backup; and the backup would have to be similar to my main instrument.

[bigjed]

my first Tele was a Copper 52 (1997) - had to sell it - but had I kept it I wouldn't have bought another Tele EVER... but after years without one I bought a James Burton Standard - only because I'm a huge fan - same reason I bought my Pink Paisley CIJ - and for a laugh I put together a Tele 12. The JB and the Paisley both sound diff but there's no mistaking they're Teles - same basic thing without doubt but I run one with 11s and one with 9s. The 12 string means I don't have to buy a fookin Rickenbacker..

[soulman969]

It may be enough but is it wise? I have four and they're all slightly different from one another and there's a specific purpose for each.

1) The CS 51 Nocaster is stock except for a custom Soft "V" neck. It's been retired from active service in a professional sense. It doesn't gig anymore.

2) The "Nashcaster" is a Nocaster modified Nashville Deluxe with Soft "V" neck and a 4-way push/pull switch that now takes it's place. It's tuned down a half step to accommodate the tuning of a band I gig with.

3) The 1995 MIM has Alnico V's and a rotary 4-way switch. I'm setting up in an open tuning for slide and replacing the neck pickup with a P90 soapbar.

4) The 2010 CVC has Keystones and a rotary 4-way switch. It stays in standard tuning to accommodate the tuning of another group I jam with or when I play solo.

I'm not a huge fan of playing Strats but I'd like to pick up a hardtail at some point in time for the tone the #2 and #4 positions offer and I have an Epi Sheraton that I use occasionally for blues jamming. For the most part though I play the Tele's.

[63dot]

Originally Posted by BackNtheSaddle

I think you start with a Telecaster, a Les Paul and a good acoustic guitar.

Once you have the "big-3", then you are free to explore, including duplicates of any.

But, that's just my opinion. I know many people who have just a lot of Tele's, other people with only LP's and still more people, who have a great eclectic collection of many guitars.

A single coil tele (or strat), a humbucker guitar, and an acoustic are three guitars which can cover a ton of territory. If you get those three and an amp, you are ready to play out and record and not have to worry about extra gear.

While there are many who get other guitars, the one single coil electric and one humbucker electric cover just about every sound you will need. Sure it would be cool to have a tele with dual EMG 81s, a set-neck mahogany tele, or a tele with a tremolo whether it be a Floyd or Bigsby or strat wang bar, or a hollowbody Telacoustic with nice acoustic amp effect and nice acoustic amp/PA, but the basic tones are covered with your tele and a humbucker guitar for all the electric tones. If you want the humbucker tones of a Gibson, then just get a Fender Blacktop Telecaster with dual, full-sized humbuckers and call it a day. Leave the Les Paul or ES-335 behind and save some money. There are plenty of aftermarket full sized humbuckers you can put in that guitar to make it a very, very close approximation of a Les Paul. Get a humbucker with a little more midrange and/or sustain and/or output and you are sonically pretty well into Gibson territory. I can see having a Duncan JB or Duncan Distortion spice up the Blacktop tele.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guita...FYgFRQodbSdMjw

If you don't need to save the money, then get a Fender Custom Shop tele with two humbuckers.

[pickandgrin]

^You missed out P90s and/ or DeArmonds.

There are certain sounds that they can do that Fender single coils or humbuckers can't.

[63dot]

Originally Posted by pickandgrin

^You missed out P90s and/ or DeArmonds.

There are certain sounds that they can do that Fender single coils or humbuckers can't.

You know what would be fun is a SD JB in bridge (with push pull for coil split) and SD Phat Cat in neck. I thought about that for my SG copy. That would probably make for a great two pickup tele.

I also thought about ultra powerful (splittable) DiMarzio Super Distortion in bridge and Phat Cat in neck. You get humbucker, single coil, and P90.

A third option, to favor single coil Fender sound would be 1) SD Stag Mag (splittable) in bridge 2) Phat Cat in neck for those three sounds.

[jamblehamblebum]

Originally Posted by TeleKato

I have 11 ... one coming, one in mind, and maybe another. There is always another ...

Allow me to sort of paraphrase Sheik Ilderim, from the movie 'Ben Hur' ... the scene in his tent, with Judah, discussing having multiple wives. Let's apply it to Teles (for my opinion in any event):

One God, that I can understand; but one Tele? That is not civilized. It is not generous!

classic .

[Telemarkman]

Originally Posted by ian_45

Hey guys,

I've been looking around to get another guitar as a backup to my 52' AVRI. I didn't think much of it but after playing many different models (thinline, blacktop, 62' telebration) they all had very similar tones. After giving it some thought, I felt that if I get another tele it would be money wasted for something that's not really practical, like buying the same shoes in a different colour.

I've never thought of my 60's Classic as a backup guitar, but more as an alternative choice.

And who wants to be "really practical"? I let my feelings decide.

[trev333]

you'd have to be lucky to get "your perfect sounding/feeling" Tele first time around....

why live a life of self denial either?....

you know you want another one.... ha ha ... come on admit it....

[smallstoner]

It all depends on how many guitars you have. If you only have the Tele, then yeah, buy something else. If you already have several other types, then I can think of worse ideas than a backup Tele.

[sir humphrey]

Yeah - one Tele for me. Don't see the need for another, a good Tele does one thing exceptionally well. Once you've got that covered, move on.

You can't have enough Strats though ;-)

[BoogerRooger]

Everybody needs jazz box!

[chezdeluxe]

They're like plastic model aeroplane kits.

You buy, modify,assemble or build a whole lot of different Teles, in different colours with different pickups, bridges, saddles, body wood, fingerboards,tuning machines, switches, capacitors, machine heads, and have a lot of fun.

Then one day you look around and they're like the Revell kit P51 Mustangs, Focke Wulf 190s and Republic Thunderchiefs that are still in your old bedroom at Mum & Dads place.

And worth about as much.

[trev333]

my third tele is the bomb, it's me........ the other two would grace any stage as well..... (all US Fullertons)...what a dilemma to have....

my second Fav is a Indo squier that I put P90's into.... it has a sound I was always hearing in my head....

the strats hardly get a plug in these days..... after playing the teles.. I'm too rough with the strats now.. they're too lively to the touch, slippery/floaty/bendy and less defined....... not as if that's bad in any way...
I'll find my back to them one day.... I started with strats...

[AndrewG]

I never gig without a backup for everything-guitar, amp, strings, cables...so having a spare Tele is essential. I have three, with the third being set up for slide. That's plenty for me.
I understand the collecting thing, but not to the point of obsessiveness; like having to have the same model in every colour, for example...to my way of thinking that's getting slightly worrying, not to say anal!

[hylo]

Originally Posted by Cameage

You can never have enough guitars.

Personally, I think I'd rather go for variety, though, just to make GAS easier on the wallet (harder to afford the offsets and Les Pauls if I buy six Telecasters in the meantime).

For some odd reason I read "you can never have enough affairs".

I only have one guitar at the moment and I don't feel the need for any more. That particular guitar is a CS Esquire. It makes me happy and plays like a wet dream.

Couldn't ask for more.

[sir humphrey]

Originally Posted by hylo

For some odd reason I read "you can never have enough affairs".

I only have one guitar at the moment and I don't feel the need for any more. That particular guitar is a CS Esquire. It makes me happy and plays like a wet dream.

Couldn't ask for more.

Plays like a wet dream? What - sticky, messy and not as good as the real thing?

;-)

[Telepi]

Originally Posted by BackNtheSaddle

I think you start with a Telecaster, a Les Paul and a good acoustic guitar.

Plus one.

I've narrowed my GAS down to these three: Gibson LP, Fender Baja and Fender Kingman.

My goal was not to collect guitars, especially multiple copies of the same model. Although, I can see some folks wanting various p/u configurations, necks, etc or even a back up though.