Cheap telecaster copy $109

[dealcatcher]

Ok for $109 one would expect this copy is really cheaplly made. However the reviews over at Harmony Central are really good. I own a Agile LP copy that I bought from Rondomusic and I love it. Has any tried Rondo's SX telecaster copy? Here are some pics and a link. I'm looking for a cheap telecaster. I know the MIM 52's are nice, but they still are over $500.

Review:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guita...e-Copy-01.html

$109 Telecaster copy
http://www.rondomusic.bigstep.com/it...l?PRID=1369830

[Dacious]

Double post

[Dacious]

That looks not bad for the bucks. At least the parts are standard pattern, so it might turn into a good project guitar for modding. The body grain looks OK in that sample.

[0le FUZZY]

I'm gonna respond tew this but only because ---

http://65.108.199.151//pictures.bmp/stl50bsb6right.jpg
http://65.108.199.151//pictures.bmp/stl50bsb5aright.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.bigstep.com/El...0bsb1right.jpg

In other werdz I cannot find the http://65.108.199.151//pictures.bmp/stl50bsb6right.jpg
On the Rondo page in either Netcrash or M.I. Exploder.

Only shows in this post by you.

Few questions, How come the bottom picture duz not show up on their page and duz on yer post here?

Duz that nut set inna groove on that fretboard or at the end of the fretboard as most of the cheap MIJ 60s and 70s models dew?

Is that truss rod adjustment in the headstock or at the butt of the neck as most Reissues and older TELECASTERs are?

Why don't they show that headstock face on?

I assume the pots and switch are the cheap MIJ type but are those P/Us the long permanent mag-a-nute type mounted unner the six steel poles?

I have had these questions for well over two years now cents I first saw the the Rondo brought here by someone else.

I supose yer post waz a question so for $109 yew will git watt yew pay for. If in fact that nut is mounted jes like a regular TELECASTER and that truss rod adjustment is in the butt and those P/Us are mag-a-new-tick pole type then maybe it's werth a liddo more and sold at a good price. If any one of these are other than standard TELECASTER yew slip back tew the hunnert dollar bracket.

The review in H.C. duz say the nut is plastic but no one states watt type of mounting.

I haff played and checked out the FENDER Squier TELECASTER with it's liddo differences and at $169.99 find it tew haff the proper headstock and weigh only about 8 pounds (not 12) and sound great !!

..........JMHO and a few questions.

Good luck!!

[tellypicker]

...did a better job of the 12th fret dot placement than some others I see out there. They almost look far enough apart...

[dealcatcher]

Here is a better pic of the headstock.



I found all the pics simply by replacing the "bsb4" at the end of the url with other numbers. "bsb3" etc. I decided to just order one and give it a shot. I have 30 days to decide if I like it. I'll post a review and some pics when it comes in. I still like the MIM 52" RI, but I really like the color of the SX. I also like this Tokai 52" RI...

http://www.vaxxine.com/mikesmusic/new_page_12.htm

Not too bad for $399.

http://www.mikesmusiconline.com/

[TeleTwanger37]

I think fuzzy hit it right n the head,i would rather buy the squire series of fender than get a total knock off ,the fender squire series i have played in the shops latley are looking and sounding better than ever and at a price that is very reasonable,recently seem MIM standard in news paper classifieds for under 200 bucks in fact i got one to tinker with .

[FraKo]

Cheap tele's are not that easy to find here, and the Squire's cost about 270/280 €, that means about 320/330 $. I wanted a cheap Tele, and I got this Johnson JT800 (see also the Review Zone) for just 97$ including a not-too-bad gig bag: here's the link fot the blonde one, mine's black with a rosewood fingerboard. NOTE: the instument is DARKER than shown in the photo, necks are honey blonde stain.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2536697225

Though I don't like the headstock shape, the body is a '70's styled one (see the notch), very THICK and resonant, well shaped, vintage routed (it accepts standard tele single coil pup's only). It's a toploader like the SX, but with fine sustain. The pup's work well, expecially the very twangy bridge one (I seldom use, I'm a neck-pup-jazzy-boy). The nut is a standard (plastic) tele one. Headstock apart, the only main difference is the 22 frets neck: there's no fingerboard "extension", so that the neck pocket is slightly more routed to accept such a longer neck. But the neck is great, IMHO, expecially if you like (I guess Fuzzy don't, eh eh eh) a flat radius (about 14"). I did just a little fret dressing, and now I can play with a medium-low action with no hearable buzzes. 10/46 strings are recommended, it came with horrible and unplayable 9/42's.

[FraKo]

Originally Posted by FraKo

It's a toploader like the SX

Just want to add that I remember than when looking for a cheap tele a few months ago I had seen the SX (but that dealer couldn't ship overseas), but it seems to me that it was a string-thru-body model, like the ones that have been reviewed on HC. Vv, this one is a toploader, as shown in the photo.

Anycase, here's the link for the Johnson tele reviews (including mine) on HC:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guita...r-Copy-01.html

and

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guita...e-Copy-01.html

[hekawi]

i think i'd cough up the extra $40 for that "Kramer Classic" that some of the guys in the TDPRI have been posting about (something about a e-mail coupon...they're usually about $200). And I've seen the Peavey Generation EXP for less than $200, and Peaveys are pretty strong guitars for the money.

[TheGoodTexan]

I'm not accusing anyone of anything, but some of these posts about cheap Tele copies sound like they were written by sales reps, trying to "anonymously" push their product. Especially when they provide a route for you to purchase the guitar for yourself.

Does anyone else here feel that way, or am I reading too much into someone's honest to goodness post?

[PaulR]

I have an old Peavey Reactor AX. It developed a crack in the neck so I got an Allparts Tele neck for it, put in good pots and switch and Fender Original Telecaster pickups. The body is supposedly swamp ash. In any event, the headstock shape looks right and it is one of my favorite guits and a keeper--even as fickle as I am! It's on my avatar. :D Oh yeah, I forgot to add the bakelite pickguard from WD Music.

['ol hank pank]

I thought it and you said it!
dealcatcher is an interesting screen name.
Not trying to flame anyone, I am always up for finding good deals, but should only be allowed here by a non-profiting member.
I like the agile LP Jr type guitar too.
But I am wary of this thread.
MHO

[FraKo]

Hey,

I'm sorry for that, if I'm responsible for your feelings. No, not at all, I posted that link only since I do not have the possibility to post a photo of my own. I'm not related to anyone (and - forgive me - it may sound weird that a guy from Italy cold be "in charge" of a shop in Arizona...)

Sincerely, I'm only satisfied with my little clone, I just wanted to suggest it to anybody who's looking for a cheap back up. And, just to give some more explanation, I choose that e-bay store simply 'cause the others didn't ship outside the US.

I agree that any commercial spot has got to be avoided on this board, but positive and/or negative comments about purchases and retails are usually welcome
[/quote]

[TheGoodTexan]

Thanks for telling me that. It is good to hear.

[dealcatcher]

TheGoodTexan, I'm no sale's rep. I simply wanted everyone's honest opinion on the SX tele copy. I posted the link at Rondo simply because it was the easiest way to find info about it. The name DealCatcher does however come from the site I run... DealCatcher.com. We also run a popular forum and I know how it is when companys try and advertise...SPAM our boards with there ads. I assure you this is not what I was doing. I did end up ordering the SX. I'll try it out, if its complete junk I'll just send it back.

[Scotty]

I'm not accusing anyone of anything, but some of these posts about cheap Tele copies sound like they were written by sales reps, trying to "anonymously" push their product. Especially when they provide a route for you to purchase the guitar for yourself.

Does anyone else here feel that way, or am I reading too much into someone's honest to goodness post?

I couldn't sell heaters to Eskimos, so I find the accusa....er, pardon me....inference that I'm a salesperson quite laughable. :?

Here's why I'm go for cheapies these days:

1) I'm just a guy who's going thru a divorce, and thus can't afford a "real" Tele right now thanks to my lawyer and my ex. :evil: When I finally can, it'll have to be with all the bits in it I want, so it'll likely be a custom job or a parts-a-caster (gee, even then it's still not a Fender, so am I still gonna get razzed?). FMIC can't deliver the right features I want in a single guitar unless I pony up a few grand at the Custom Shop and wait a year or two...(uh, no thanks)

2 ) I posted the Kramer Classic info you similarly commented on in another post because A) it's a d*mn good price for a clone and B) it got good reviews from other TDPRI-ers who AREN'T locked into brand names, and C) I believe in sharing, and wanted to pass along the deal to like minded folks here who are either in the same shoes as me and/or aren't lemming-like in how they view instruments. They're basically just tools to get the point across, after all...Makita or Craftsman, they make no difference to me so long as I get the hole drilled in the wall and I don't get ripped off or hurt in the process.

3) I myself currently am fortunate enough to still own several guitars, some expensive, others cheap imports, and have had other from all points in between over the years (in fact, my current fave is a $300 guitar that I got from MusicYo - got it on a whim, and it was a complete shock to me how good it was). Having the benefit of this knowledge, I can attest that the quality of many of the imports these days is quite good, so much so I'm not afraid to turn others onto stuff they may not know about or are on the fence to try if their wallet is in a pinch. For instance, the MIM 50's Fender Strats easily rival my "real" USA-made mid-80s '57 reissue. I used to own a Japanese ESP strat that also was as good as the Eric Clapton strat I had at the time, and it cost 1/4 of the price (used vs. new). My first guitar was an Ibanez Les Paul Custom clone that beat the pants off the Gibson versions being made at the time, and sounded/played just as good. If anything irritates me, it's overpriced/underfeatured guitars that ride on their name recognition only...and as you can see, it's been pretty much ingrained in me from my earliest days as a player.

4) I simply enjoy getting a cheapie and revving it up to better something you can get off the shelf. Been doing this since I was 15, and not only is it therapeutic, but also was and still is a lot less expensive than other hobbies (hot rods, golf, etc.)...and of course, still a helluva lot of fun!

Trust me, I appreciate a good "vintage" guitar (my faves are a '64 L series Strat and one of the first ever Custom Esquires), but they're out of the reach of mere mortals like me. The prices and quality on repros these days - Fender or not - is better than ever. Unfortunately, the economy in general for most (not to mention personal situations for others) is not. Otherwise, we all could afford to be "purists".


So now ya know.

-Scotty

[0le FUZZY]

Dealcatcher, thanx fer splainin cause I did observe

The name DealCatcher does however come from the site I run... DealCatcher.com.

....and the other curious links tew yer post. I had tried ta tie yew tew this business fer the reasons yew stated

We also run a popular forum and I know how it is when companys try and advertise...SPAM our boards with there ads. I assure you this is not what I was doing.

Now that that is settled and yew are gonna buy one we wait fer yer time tew report back tew us on yer satisfaction or other over this Tele.

I await a report from yew as tew how the P/Us are designed and cents yew posted the pix of that headstock sum other questions are now answered.Thank yew!!

Please lettus know how yew feel about yer hnnert and nine dollar investment.

[TheGoodTexan]

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[PaulR]

That's more like it!

[TheGoodTexan]

Hey Scotty,

Sounds like you have some pent up frustration there.

I never suggested that a cheap guitar couldn't be a good one...nor am I a brand snob or a purest. Play what ever you like. Have fun.

[dealcatcher]

No problem, I'll post some pics and hopefully a review sometime tommrow. UPS should be dropping it off in the afternoon. I also decided to order a Tokai 52" tele copy. I've hear lots of good things about Tokai guitars. I'm going to compare the $399 Tokai with my $109 Rondo. If they both are el'cheapo I will simply buy a Fender MIM "52 and send the others back or sell them on ebay. Here are pics I found of the Tokai Tele...seems a bit nicer then the Rondo SX.

[FraKo]

Originally Posted by dealcatcher

seems a bit nicer then the Rondo

Nice! And it's a string-thru.
BTW, I ve been right now called by my luthier: my Yamaha orange tele (this is NOT an AD :D ) is coming back home after a pro-set up, including a complete fret dressing. I missed its maple fingerboard in the last weeks...