Teles that are closest to Les pauls in terms of tone

ravelle · September 8th, 2005, 03:38 AM

Are there any teles out there that sound like les pauls? i heard the 72s are .

ChurchPlayer · September 8th, 2005, 04:51 AM

Depends on what you mean by "close". There are folks who never knew Jimmy Page played anything but a Les Paul, so I guess his Tele was "close".

A lot is going to depend on your rig, the songs/tones you're looking to nail, etc. You can likely find Teles that will cop particular examples of LP tone, but nothing that's going to do it all. The simple physics of the two guitars - differences in body and neck composition, scale length, neck-to-body joint, bridge, etc. - make that impossible.

In general, though, I've found alder bodied teles with a neck bucker (either full size or a good mini) can cop a decent LP when needed.

cvansickle · September 8th, 2005, 06:22 AM

I got some pretty early Paul tones out of an Aerodyne Tele a few weeks ago. It's the P90 neck pickup that does it for that model.

moonshiner · September 8th, 2005, 08:52 AM

72 Deluxe is close..

83 Elite is close...

There is a new squire that has tone chambers and 2 hummies that's close too... (even has a similar style in neck to the paul)

Anything with humbuckers or p-90's will sound close.. but a tele is still a tele... it's hard to make it anything else... Though lots of people try...

Bill · September 8th, 2005, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshiner

83 Elite is close...

I bet you're right. I bought a Strat Elite because it sounded so much more like a Les Paul (or Gibson in general) than like a Fender. I sold it because it sounded kind of sterile to my ears.

Wild Rice Chris · September 8th, 2005, 09:33 AM

Nothing closer.

I prefer this to any Paul (and I've spent a lot of time with 3 Gibsons and countless copies).

saladin · September 8th, 2005, 10:07 AM

My #1 Tele has a set of SD 59's, it can come close. Using a Hot Rail Tele bridge can get you there as well but it's hard to get "Tele" sounds out of them.

ravelle · September 8th, 2005, 10:37 AM

hm does getting close to the paul sound also mean i will have to let go of my tele honk?

and what so special about Paul necks compared to tele necks..O no lemme rephrase , whats the diff between a paul and tele neck.

moonshiner · September 8th, 2005, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravelle

hm does getting close to the paul sound also mean i will have to let go of my tele honk?

Yes... for the most part... but, tone and sound is subjective...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravelle

and what so special about Paul necks compared to tele necks..O no lemme rephrase , whats the diff between a paul and tele neck.

LP Necks, IMO, are more thin C to my hands... They are not uncomfortably thin like a shredder... but they feel much different in your paw than a tele neck...

Tele62 · September 8th, 2005, 10:47 AM

I think the easiest way is to install a Duncan "'lil '59" bridge pup, Worked for me....depending on what Les Paul Tone your after..the 'lil '59 did the overdriven Lester tone quite well AKA ZZ Top, AC/DC, Skynyrd, Mountain, etc.

The differance in the neck is scale length, 25.5" vs 24.75"

also set neck, maple capped mahogany body..etc, etc on lesters.

genelovesjez · September 8th, 2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravelle

and what so special about Paul necks compared to tele necks..O no lemme rephrase , whats the diff between a paul and tele neck.

As was mentioned, the main difference is the scale length. Play them both unplugged and you'll really see how that makes them sound different.

the velvet catfish · September 8th, 2005, 10:53 AM

(recoils in fright) He said LP ewww..

stevedenver · September 8th, 2005, 11:24 AM

nice shot of the 'office'- i love trains-lots

i am a les paul lover and have many (ewwwww

)
i agree about the scale difference making a big difference-as of course does the tele metal bridge and pup contact

i have three teles too-only one is traditional in pup configuration and its..

my broadcaster clone (by Lentz)-it has a very thick ballsy sound in the bridge pup, and for what i know, this is typical of early broadcaster style or real broadcaster pups-not the tele twang-but it can do this a bit when clean-probably the three brass saddles as well

-and it is surprisingly similar to an LP when you add some gain (or lots)

-in fact thru my Marshall i like it better sometimes with lots of gain as it has a bit more cut and bite and definition-it does not however have the same type of bloom and sing as a paf style humbucker - i think these broadcaster type pups may be a bit hotter than later pups and seem to have a bit more mids

clayfeat · September 8th, 2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele62

I think the easiest way is to install a Duncan "'lil '59" bridge pup, Worked for me....depending on what Les Paul Tone your after..the 'lil '59 did the overdriven Lester tone quite well AKA ZZ Top, AC/DC, Skynyrd, Mountain, etc.

Yep. Very thick and creamy. I got good sounds out of my Lil 59. Or you can buy one of those Paul Teles MF sells for $399. 8)

Tele295 · September 8th, 2005, 12:30 PM

Fender Custom Telecaster FMT

rmielech · September 8th, 2005, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tele295

Fender Custom Telecaster FMT

I've got a tele FMT. Picture a telecaster on steroids. That's what it sounds like. Or a non-homogenized Les Paul. Or a not-so-polite Les Paul. Or a Les Paul on a sugar rush.

Fatmanstratman · September 8th, 2005, 05:09 PM

....... I agree that any Tele with a couple of 'buckers fitted is going to sound LP-ish.

My 72 RI Thinline, wound up and overdriven, sounds remarkably similar to a friends LP Classic.

Having said that, nothing he can do can make his LP sound like any of my Teles..... heh, heh, heh!

jackleg · September 8th, 2005, 06:42 PM

research tele deluxes of the early to mid '70s.

ravelle · September 8th, 2005, 09:45 PM

Alright thanks alottttttt guuys..sometimes i imagine my teles a les paul and that works..except the pups ain't humbuckers. And that les paul with gibson pups are stuck in my head.

gbenson · September 9th, 2005, 12:02 AM

I think the two main things keeping Gibson-style Teles from sounding more Gibson-y are the lack of mahogany and the scale length. I don't think the bolt on matters as much and the wide range pups can be bright, but so can alot of LP stock HB's.

Scale length is the biggest factor, IMO.

Put a shorter scale length conversion neck on your tele and it will probably sound a little more like a Melody Maker. just a guess

dagger4 · September 9th, 2005, 04:34 PM

Hello,
I do agree that the sound of the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Telecaster have a lot in common.
The best fit for a Hot driven Telecaster is the '50 P90 Les Paul Junior (the dog ear type). The SG comes close to.
I Have a 40th anniversary. model with the stacked type P100.

IMO the sound of the P100 comes more close to the narrow Gibson deluxe Pups.

I also have the HW1 Texas Tele.

One thing that plays a major rule in the recorded sound of the guitar is the amplifier, and the way the guitar responds to the cabinet at high volumes.
That’s the way they (Page etc.) recorded in those day (and still do).
It is sometimes hard to predict how a new guitar sounds in a “live” situation.
Both the Les Paul and the Telecaster are known for there Live sound capabilities at high volumes.

Here is a direct comparison between the two in MP3.
The First bar is the Les Paul, the Second Bar is the Texas Tele. I used the Marshall Plexy model on the PODXT.
The download is here:
http://www.freefilehosting.net/?id=rdr9mqrZ

My conclusion is:
They sound very similar, but the Tele has slightly less output and is less Muddy.

Best regards
Chris

Fatmanstratman · September 9th, 2005, 05:33 PM

Well - there you have it. A really good comparison (do I detect a little Status Quo influence?) which shows just how similar the LP and the almighty Tele can sound.

Great job, Chris! 8)

Roli · September 9th, 2005, 07:40 PM

Now play them clean and you'll notice how different they are. ;)

PJ · September 10th, 2005, 12:09 AM

I had a Les Paul and sold it, because it didn't play like my Teles. And for me, tone is heavily influenced by how you interact with the instrument. I seem to get better "tone"
through my fingers, when they're on a Tele. But for sure,
there are lots of "Tone Kings" playing Les Pauls. Lots of people never knew Jimmy Paige recorded with both a Tele and Les Paul, and never knew the difference.

Bonneville Bruce · September 10th, 2005, 12:30 AM

For better or worse I have never played a LP, so I can't swear to this, but, I have one of the 2001 '72 Thinlines (in enchanting Surf Green), and my LP-playing buddy thinks it sounds a lot like a P-90 equipped LP.

I do think it sounds very LPish. That is why I bought it, because I wanted to broaden my tonal pallette to enhance the dulcet tones of my '69 Thinline, and the Stand-up-and-salute tones of my Classic 50s Stratocaster, each also in the fetching Surf Green. After all, Seth Lover designed the Wide Range humbucker, for pity sakes, so it should bear some semblance to a LP tone. But I also appreciate the '72 Thinline reissue for its own sublty unique tones.

I believe it to be very capable of the very modern buck-o-mania tones all the young dudes and dudettes are getting with those pointy-headed shred-o-matics. It also can cop some P-90ish tones running clean through the Blues Jr.

The fun thing about the '72 Thinline is that it is also a fine example of that guitar we all know and love, and one can still get some Gibby tones, too. And folks, it is about 2lbs. lighter than a LP.

Bonneville Bruce

September 8th, 2005, 03:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
ravelle Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2005 Location: asia Age: 19 Posts: 469	Teles that are closest to Les pauls in terms of tone Are there any teles out there that sound like les pauls? i heard the 72s are .

September 8th, 2005, 04:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
ChurchPlayer Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 375	Depends on what you mean by "close". There are folks who never knew Jimmy Page played anything but a Les Paul, so I guess his Tele was "close". A lot is going to depend on your rig, the songs/tones you're looking to nail, etc. You can likely find Teles that will cop particular examples of LP tone, but nothing that's going to do it all. The simple physics of the two guitars - differences in body and neck composition, scale length, neck-to-body joint, bridge, etc. - make that impossible. In general, though, I've found alder bodied teles with a neck bucker (either full size or a good mini) can cop a decent LP when needed. __________________ Jake "I tell my kids, 'Daddy's the best guitar player on the block. Always will be. Even if we have to move.'"

September 8th, 2005, 06:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
cvansickle Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA USA Posts: 741 5 Photos	I got some pretty early Paul tones out of an Aerodyne Tele a few weeks ago. It's the P90 neck pickup that does it for that model. __________________ Death Or Glory - Who Dares Wins!

September 8th, 2005, 08:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
moonshiner Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Milyucky, Whiskonsin Posts: 2,145	72 Deluxe is close.. 83 Elite is close... There is a new squire that has tone chambers and 2 hummies that's close too... (even has a similar style in neck to the paul) Anything with humbuckers or p-90's will sound close.. but a tele is still a tele... it's hard to make it anything else... Though lots of people try... __________________ "Everyone's got to be something... Me? I'm stupid... It's all I ever wanted to be... Shock me again!"

September 8th, 2005, 09:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Wild Rice Chris Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rice Custom Dungeon Posts: 2,805 24 Photos	Nothing closer. I prefer this to any Paul (and I've spent a lot of time with 3 Gibsons and countless copies). __________________ --Insert Signature Here-- Enjoy, and please visit my homepage.

September 8th, 2005, 10:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
saladin TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 76	My #1 Tele has a set of SD 59's, it can come close. Using a Hot Rail Tele bridge can get you there as well but it's hard to get "Tele" sounds out of them.

September 8th, 2005, 10:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
ravelle Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2005 Location: asia Age: 19 Posts: 469	hm does getting close to the paul sound also mean i will have to let go of my tele honk? and what so special about Paul necks compared to tele necks..O no lemme rephrase , whats the diff between a paul and tele neck.

September 8th, 2005, 10:47 AM	#10 (permalink)
Tele62 TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 71	Lester tones I think the easiest way is to install a Duncan "'lil '59" bridge pup, Worked for me....depending on what Les Paul Tone your after..the 'lil '59 did the overdriven Lester tone quite well AKA ZZ Top, AC/DC, Skynyrd, Mountain, etc. The differance in the neck is scale length, 25.5" vs 24.75" also set neck, maple capped mahogany body..etc, etc on lesters. __________________ And on the 8th day.......the Telecaster was created......

September 8th, 2005, 10:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
the velvet catfish Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kansas Age: 38 Posts: 203 26 Photos	(recoils in fright) He said LP ewww.. __________________ "I might be powerfully concerned, but not scared."

September 8th, 2005, 11:24 AM	#13 (permalink)
stevedenver Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: the mile high city Posts: 1,156 14 Photos	nice shot of the 'office'- i love trains-lots i am a les paul lover and have many (ewwwww ) i agree about the scale difference making a big difference-as of course does the tele metal bridge and pup contact i have three teles too-only one is traditional in pup configuration and its.. my broadcaster clone (by Lentz)-it has a very thick ballsy sound in the bridge pup, and for what i know, this is typical of early broadcaster style or real broadcaster pups-not the tele twang-but it can do this a bit when clean-probably the three brass saddles as well -and it is surprisingly similar to an LP when you add some gain (or lots) -in fact thru my Marshall i like it better sometimes with lots of gain as it has a bit more cut and bite and definition-it does not however have the same type of bloom and sing as a paf style humbucker - i think these broadcaster type pups may be a bit hotter than later pups and seem to have a bit more mids __________________ Im really a Les Paul guy at heart, but .....

September 8th, 2005, 12:30 PM	#15 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tiger Town Posts: 3,235 14 Photos	Fender Custom Telecaster FMT __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

September 8th, 2005, 05:09 PM	#17 (permalink)
Fatmanstratman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fatmanville, Cambs., UK Posts: 2,755	In simple terms.... ....... I agree that any Tele with a couple of 'buckers fitted is going to sound LP-ish. My 72 RI Thinline, wound up and overdriven, sounds remarkably similar to a friends LP Classic. Having said that, nothing he can do can make his LP sound like any of my Teles..... heh, heh, heh! __________________ . . . *"Behind every argument is someone's ignorance."*

September 8th, 2005, 06:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
jackleg TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 78	research tele deluxes of the early to mid '70s.

September 8th, 2005, 09:45 PM	#19 (permalink)
ravelle Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2005 Location: asia Age: 19 Posts: 469	Alright thanks alottttttt guuys..sometimes i imagine my teles a les paul and that works..except the pups ain't humbuckers. And that les paul with gibson pups are stuck in my head.

September 9th, 2005, 12:02 AM	#20 (permalink)
gbenson TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queens, NY Posts: 90	I think the two main things keeping Gibson-style Teles from sounding more Gibson-y are the lack of mahogany and the scale length. I don't think the bolt on matters as much and the wide range pups can be bright, but so can alot of LP stock HB's. Scale length is the biggest factor, IMO. Put a shorter scale length conversion neck on your tele and it will probably sound a little more like a Melody Maker. just a guess

September 9th, 2005, 04:34 PM	#21 (permalink)
dagger4 Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Posts: 263	I have them both. Here is a A/B in audio Hello, I do agree that the sound of the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Telecaster have a lot in common. The best fit for a Hot driven Telecaster is the '50 P90 Les Paul Junior (the dog ear type). The SG comes close to. I Have a 40th anniversary. model with the stacked type P100. IMO the sound of the P100 comes more close to the narrow Gibson deluxe Pups. I also have the HW1 Texas Tele. One thing that plays a major rule in the recorded sound of the guitar is the amplifier, and the way the guitar responds to the cabinet at high volumes. That’s the way they (Page etc.) recorded in those day (and still do). It is sometimes hard to predict how a new guitar sounds in a “live” situation. Both the Les Paul and the Telecaster are known for there Live sound capabilities at high volumes. Here is a direct comparison between the two in MP3. The First bar is the Les Paul, the Second Bar is the Texas Tele. I used the Marshall Plexy model on the PODXT. The download is here: http://www.freefilehosting.net/?id=rdr9mqrZ My conclusion is: They sound very similar, but the Tele has slightly less output and is less Muddy. Best regards Chris __________________ Chris Myspace Music: http://www.myspace.com/chrisschutter

September 9th, 2005, 05:33 PM	#22 (permalink)
Fatmanstratman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fatmanville, Cambs., UK Posts: 2,755	Nice work, Dagger4 Well - there you have it. A really good comparison (do I detect a little Status Quo influence?) which shows just how similar the LP and the almighty Tele can sound. Great job, Chris! 8) __________________ . . . *"Behind every argument is someone's ignorance."*

September 9th, 2005, 07:40 PM	#23 (permalink)
Roli Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: ¤ Hungary ¤ Age: 30 Posts: 1,454 5 Photos	Now play them clean and you'll notice how different they are. ;)

September 10th, 2005, 12:09 AM	#24 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,809 4 Photos	Les Paul vs. Tele Tone I had a Les Paul and sold it, because it didn't play like my Teles. And for me, tone is heavily influenced by how you interact with the instrument. I seem to get better "tone" through my fingers, when they're on a Tele. But for sure, there are lots of "Tone Kings" playing Les Pauls. Lots of people never knew Jimmy Paige recorded with both a Tele and Les Paul, and never knew the difference. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

September 10th, 2005, 12:30 AM	#25 (permalink)
Bonneville Bruce Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Caldwell, Idaho Posts: 543	Teles that are closest to Les pauls in terms of tone For better or worse I have never played a LP, so I can't swear to this, but, I have one of the 2001 '72 Thinlines (in enchanting Surf Green), and my LP-playing buddy thinks it sounds a lot like a P-90 equipped LP. I do think it sounds very LPish. That is why I bought it, because I wanted to broaden my tonal pallette to enhance the dulcet tones of my '69 Thinline, and the Stand-up-and-salute tones of my Classic 50s Stratocaster, each also in the fetching Surf Green. After all, Seth Lover designed the Wide Range humbucker, for pity sakes, so it should bear some semblance to a LP tone. But I also appreciate the '72 Thinline reissue for its own sublty unique tones. I believe it to be very capable of the very modern buck-o-mania tones all the young dudes and dudettes are getting with those pointy-headed shred-o-matics. It also can cop some P-90ish tones running clean through the Blues Jr. The fun thing about the '72 Thinline is that it is also a fine example of that guitar we all know and love, and one can still get some Gibby tones, too. And folks, it is about 2lbs. lighter than a LP. Bonneville Bruce