What's the tele's other half?

[jdimitri]

I think teles are great and am sure to own one forever!
But if i'm also interested in humbucker and/or semi acoustic guitars for more agressive rock, which one would 'complete' my sound?
Les pauls? SG? Gretsch? or maybe even a thinline or custom tele??

[Tom S]

A 335-type instrument is always fun and interesting.

[Mike Rice]

Tom is quite right which prompted me to buy an Epiphone DOT. I just couldn't warm up to that Gibsonesque neck, and at 5'7" I looked like a little kid playing my father's guitar. I traded that guitar and a few bucks for a '72 Telecaster Thinline RI and I absolutely love it! That was many years ago and I still have it. Feels like a Tele, looks like a Tele, but sounds like something quite unique, somewhere between Fender and Gibson. I find it a perfect compliment to a nice "regular" Tele.

If you actually want something with a very different feel the options are unlimited. I would suggest checking out some of the Korean and Taiwan guitars. I've played some Schecter, Yamaha, and PRS imports that have knocked my socks off. I don't understand how they can sell so much for so little. Pay particluar attention to models with P-90s or humbuckers for a truly complimentary sound.

Keep us posted as you shop!

[jdimitri]

Hmm i looked at ebay and saw some pretty good priced GFS semi hollows...
Are these alright for rock? Which semi hollow do people usually use for rock, 335 seems to be mostly used for jazz :?
I think i'll save up for a while and get something around $600, or maybe i'll get one the next time i visit singapore (the prices there are CRAZY! there's the import discount for overseas ppl, like 10% off on top of the already extra cheap price!)

[simonc]

does this suit what you are after?

"chambered mahogany body with set-in mahogany neck, dual TV Jones® Designed Gretsch mini-humbuckers"

Price in WA is $850.havent played one, but seen it in the shop, looks wayyyy cool. 8)

[jdimitri]

Lol yea, i've always thought gretsch were awesome (since i saw the living end live- man they're amazing live)
I don't think ive EVER seen a gretsch in a shop in melbourne though :(
Oh, what's the difference between a guitar with a hole and just 'chambered'
$850... if i can haggle it down that'd be a great deal!

[hutch]

hey, you should check out the music swop shop in carlton, or the guitar emporium in albert park, all second hand w/ wicked stuff.
they both got some gretch's at the moment i think and a lot of les paul's!

www.musicswopshop.com.au
www.guitaremporium.com.au

great places to check out old gear in melbourne!

[jdimitri]

Guitar emporium is sooo expensive (the online catalogue at least )
I might give them both a visit soon though!
Mannnnn I hate it how Troy in South Yarra closed
There's no other guitar shops open on sundays and they have a great range AND a great repairer
I did get a Cole Clark fat lady 2 with cutaway and pickups on their closing day for 1100-ish from $1700, amazing acoustic!

[TheBigKevDogg]

how are the Maton electrics they make down in Oz? I know ben harper used one for a while (when he was using maton accoustics also, pre cole clark)...





although I have to give a GIANT +1 to the 72 thinlines...I can't get enough of mine. I can't believe what a good decision it was to make that my first electric...i love it more and more every year

[jdimitri]

Wow, i might check one of those out!
Looks good!
Maton acoustics are expensive here though
But to me cole clark acoustics are matons cheaper and much improved, so no regrets :)

[cvansickle]

I approached it from a different angle. I got my first Tele style last year, and ASAT. I have always been a Gibson Les Paul player but I wanted to get some Tele type tones too.

The ASAT, with its ashtray bridge, feels perfectly natural for a Paul player. I also play a Strat, and I have to adjust my right hand technique quite a bit to play the Strat comfortably.

So, if a Les Paul player can adapt to a Tele with no sweat, shouldn't a Tele player be able to adapt to a Les Paul too?

[NashTele]

A 72 Thinline RI with the pots changed out from the stock 250's to 500's. I did this and ....I was enlightened !

[zombywoof]

G&L, These are great flippin guitars!!!! Ya want a semi-hollow body with humbuckers try a Bluesboy or ASAT Z (humbuckers that look like those on the old Fender 12 strings). For a amped up Tele sound try an ASAT (with the large high output MFDsl) or ASAT classic (with more traditional single coils and box bridge - but make sure ya play with alot of gain, some have been known to squeal quite a bit from the copper plate vibrating under the pickup ). Ya want cheaper - go to the Tribute series.

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by jdimitri

Hmm i looked at ebay and saw some pretty good priced GFS semi hollows...
Are these alright for rock? Which semi hollow do people usually use for rock, 335 seems to be mostly used for jazz :?

If you want to dispel that myth, just listen to Rick Derringer on "Back it the U.S.A." off the Live Roadwork album, recorded at the Whisky a Go-Go in 1972. It most certainly rocks. :D

Here's one example of a Washburn HB35S into an Aiken Invader. Disclaimer: This clip was made for amp tone purposes, so that's my excuse for the mediocre playing. I can come up with plenty of other excuses if needed. :)

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tspell...s/Washburn.mp3

Anyway, it's not jazz.

[Mike Rice]

True Dat!

One of the first articles I ever remember reading in GP was an interview with Larry Carlton, we're talking like 1973 or '74 perhaps? He was the consumate LA studio ace at that point in time and said he chose the 335 for what a universal guitar it was. EQ'ed properly you can get Les Paul chunk no problemo. Put on both pickups and tweak the EQ and it's amazing how much it will sound like a Tele with both PUs on.

I'll reitterate though; see if Schecter or Yamaha is importing a 335 clone. I truly think you'll get the most for your money and a cheapy that's also a keepy.

[andy__woods]

Hey, I'm looking for some humbucker action as well and these have caught my eye.

Epiphone Wildkat

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=518072

Epiphone Alleykat

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=518249

I think the Alleykat is just gorgeous, and the mini-humbucker really sparked my interest. I heard a group (4 piece: drum, bass, acoustic, electric) play a couple months ago and the Elec guy played an Alleykat and he could really smoke on it. Very impressive sound.

[hekawi]

my favorite tele mate is the epiphone casino, preferably played on a london rooftop, as seen in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6G7M...search=beatles

[Mike Rice]

I just bought one of these, it should arrive tomorrow:



It's a Yamaha AEX-502. Of all the fancy guitars at the LI show, I fell in love with one of these and it wasn't even for sale. It was being used to demo amps! I knew the owner through Inertian. He said he'd replaced the PUs at one point but had gone back to the originals. This thing was good at everything from jazz to rockabilly to blues. And of course it's orange, and we all know that orange guitars are just better.

I had also been looking at the AEX-520 which is the identical guitar but with mini-buckers. I finally got to play one today and didn't like it quite as much. It sounded fine, but just didn't jump out of the box the way the P-90 model did. There's a 520 on eBay right now on it's 3rd auction. I was high bidder for the first two but didn't meet reserve, so now it's relisted with a higher opening price than either auction ended at. Maybe he'll make out, but it's my opinion that the seller is a bit flakey and unrealiastic. And I still may be interested in his guitar!!

If you get a chance to check out one of these, do so. They're no longer made and getting tougher to find as I think the secret is getting out. But I did see a burst model sell on eBay last week for under $230, and that is an absolute steal for this guitar.

For bucker action I still like my '72 Thline RI. I pulled it out last night and wondered why it had been away so long. Plays great, sounds great, and seems to satisfy my bucker fix. Anything to keep the GAS in check a little bit is certainly appreciated!

[Pete Galati]

Actually, most of my Telecasters hardly qualify as Telecasters.

But the one guitar that isn't a Tele (by any stretch of the imagination) that I play the most, is my Dillion '58 Jr. knockoff.



I'm planning to upgrade the P90 soon, but other than that, (and I'm not crazy about it's tuners) this thing is a lot of fun, and it's kind of hard to beat a single P90 for a R&R guitar.

Pete

[6942]

I think a sigle P-90, would be the way to go.
I've seen Jay Turser, single P-90 guitars, on e-bay, for $179 delivered.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Tom S

A 335-type instrument is always fun and interesting.

If you're a fan of the 335 you should look at the CS336. The 336 is slightly scaled down in size, the back sides and center block made from a single piece of mahogany, and has 57 RI HB's that SCREAM! Mine is a beautiful figured top tangerine burst (very flamey) and I think it's the perfect "other" guitar. I hate to say this (boo, hiss hiss), but it's almost amazing my Tele gets played at all with this beauty in the house

PK

[J-man]

Originally Posted by TheBigKevDogg

how are the Maton electrics they make down in Oz? I know ben harper used one for a while (when he was using maton accoustics also, pre cole clark)...





although I have to give a GIANT +1 to the 72 thinlines...I can't get enough of mine. I can't believe what a good decision it was to make that my first electric...i love it more and more every year

I've been wondering about those for quite a while too, Josh Homme from Queens Of The Stone Age uses Maton's.

[The String King]

'72 Thinline RI sounds like what you are after- and it's still a Tele!