Help me choose my next tele!!

[riffpowers]

I bought a baja a few weeks ago, my 1st tele. Now I;ve settled into it I think it sounds great and is a lot of fun, not to mention cool looking!!
However, ever since I got it I've had problems with stiff/crampy hands, and I've finally worked out that it must be the baja thats doing it. I don't like thin necks, but the neck on the baja is just too uncomfortable for me. For reference my other 2 guitars are a hamer jr with chubby "vintage carve" neck and a les paul custom.

So, I was thinking about trading in the baja for something a bit more hand friendly.So, heres what I'm after.....

Has to be vintage style, no 6 saddle or trem, 3 saddle bridge I reckon.My baja is quite heavy, so I'd like something lighter and more shoulder friendly. I'd like a chubby neck, sorta like a chunky les paul neck, and I'll be playing dirty stuff on it so I'd like something that sounds mean and dirty plugged into a plexi rather than clean.
As far as a budget goes I was looking to spend around what I paid for the baja.


What should I look for??!!

[KevinB]

It sounds like you should look into the MIM 50's Classic.

I tend to be a bit of a "MIA snob" but I saw a MIM 50's Esquire recently that I was very impressed with.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by riffpowers

I. For reference my other 2 guitars are a hamer jr with chubby "vintage carve" neck and a les paul custom.

So, I was thinking about trading in the baja for something a bit more hand friendly.So, heres what I'm after.....

Has to be vintage style, no 6 saddle or trem, 3 saddle bridge I reckon.My baja is quite heavy, so I'd like something lighter and more shoulder friendly. I'd like a chubby neck, sorta like a chunky les paul neck, and I'll be playing dirty stuff on it so I'd like something that sounds mean and dirty plugged into a plexi rather than clean.
As far as a budget goes I was looking to spend around what I paid for the baja.


What should I look for??!!

You are in luck! There is one Tele made that PERFECTLY fits your requirements. The Highway I Texas Tele. Here are its features:

1. Vintage style 3 brass saddles with vintage tuners.

2. Every Texas I have played has been very light, mine weighs 6.7 lbs.

3. The back of the neck is the same as an AV52, fairly chunky, bigger than
regular HWY 1 or the american series. In addition it has a 12" radius fretboard, the same as the Les Paul you have.

4. The pickups are hotter than any other Fender Tele single coil almost P90ish. Made for blues and rock, not a country clean Tele.

5. The street retail price is $839, almost exactly what the Baja is.

http://www.fender.com/products//sear...tno=0113502367

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=515122

[tele12]

Oh, I just noticed you are in the UK, The Texas will cost much more than the Baja.

[cacibi]

Originally Posted by KevinB

It sounds like you should look into the MIM 50's Classic.

I tend to be a bit of a "MIA snob" but I saw a MIM 50's Esquire recently that I was very impressed with.

+1, love my MIM Esquire. The necks are great and they're pretty light bodies that are very nicely finished. My sunburst is one of the better looking bursts I've seen on any guitar.

I upgraded:

Pickups - swapped stock pups out for Don Mare 4709's (added neck)
Pickguard - changed to bakelite guard when I added neck pup
Saddles - Glendale compensated saddles - kept stock bridgeplate
Tuners - replaced with locking kluson-style tuners from stewmac

On the list -

Will probably change the output jack for an electroset at some point.

Kept all the stock electronics, pots and switch are of good quality.