Should I buy a FMT HH?

Guitarmoog · October 11th, 2007, 07:04 AM

Hi all. I usually use two main guitars live. An AVRI52 that I've had for a couple of years and a modified Epi Sheraton that I've been using for about 15. I've been thinking about a guitar that's a bit of both. i.e. a tele-phone, or epi-caster. I've also always fancied a LP, but just can't get the hang of the weight and feel of them.

So, the Tele FMT looks like a winner - tele shap, through body strings, but set neck, SD HBs (My Epi has SD '59s with series/parallell switching), carved top. I think I would need to add pup covers, but that's pretty easy.

So, what do you think. Am I looking for something that doesn't realy exist? Will I be dissappointed by it being niether one nor the other? Should I shut up and play what I have? Opinions welcome on the guitar and my outlook (ducking for cover).

Cheers

GuitarJunkie84 · October 11th, 2007, 07:10 AM

I'd say what I assume others might say. Go and play a bunch of them, play for a while. Play what you think you'd want to hear on it. If you like the sound and think you'll get some good playing time on it, I'd say go for it!

OrovilleTim · October 11th, 2007, 08:27 AM

I checked one of those out when I was playing rock stuff with a cover band. I really liked it for that style, and figured if I was going to play that stuff, this would be the way to go. They've got a real nice feel to them, and I really dig those frets. Quit that band, didn't buy the guitar.

The guy at my local shop said they sell a bit of those. When I was looking at them, I noticed a lot on eBay and Craigslist. I'm not sure why, maybe it was just because they sell a lot and some people don't keep playing. But, definitely check the used market.

WNC Bill · October 11th, 2007, 08:52 AM

those things are pretty cool, my friend has one, but it's more epi than tele IMO

hekawi · October 11th, 2007, 11:27 AM

i've got one and i love it. got a great deal on a used one at a local shop before GC drove them out of business. i bought it for the same reasons you're stating. it looks and feels like a Telecaster and sounds like a Les Paul/SG...and with the coil split option...you get a cool single coil vibe...but not like a standard Tele, more like a gibby with P-90s. the neck feels great. took me a couple of days to get used to the big frets, but i like 'em now. here's a photo:

Guitarmoog · October 12th, 2007, 02:23 AM

Yes, that's the one. Thanks for the views guys. The used market's not nearly as vibrant here as in the states, and I haven't found one in black cherry burst (like Hekawi's) used. I think I'm convinced to try it thoough. Found one online new for 560 Euro, so it's not a massive investment to give it a go, especially in light of that pic!

Guitarmoog · October 29th, 2007, 05:30 AM

I was travelling for a while, and, when i got back on Friday, it had arrived. I played it for a few hours, and decided it was a keeper. I had been planning to make minor mods, so i made the on Saturday. First, I don't like string trees on wound strings, and I don't really like the 70s butterfly-style string tree on teles, so I added a round 50s style tree

I also seem to have an irrational dislike of open-coil pickups (other than tele bridge pickups), so I added pup covers. This was quite a hassle in the end, as the pickup routs are cut very, very tightly. The pup itself really only just fits, and the covers wouldn't fit as well. So, I trimmed the covered so the front and back edges come down to just under the pup surrounds, with the corners the same, and the sides still to the base plate of the pup. Took quite a while, but i got there int he end, and love the efect. For the record, I can't hear any difference in sound before and after the covers were added.

The sound is exactly as you'd expect from a set-neck with those SD pups. The body is surprisingly thin, giving it slightly more of a tele-SG feel than a tele-LP. The neck is very much to my taste - not too big, not too small, nice and rounded, and the jumbo frets give a very epi-like feel. You can really hear the through-body stringing on the coil-split settings though. Like Hekawi said, it's not a bona-fide tele sound, but much closer than a guitar with a TOM tailpiece and a coild split.

I'm really enjoying it!!

Here are some pics, and thanks again for the advice:

bendecaster · October 29th, 2007, 06:47 AM

Hey, I like your guitars! I bought one of those set neck Teles in '04. It's a blue one with black hardware. I wanted an amber, but GT had a run on blue ones, and it was real cheap $. I didn't care for it initially, but I changed the pickups, and set it up, and I LOVE IT! It reminds me more of my PRS Custom 22 than a Tele though. I really like the color of you, and Hekawi's. Hope you get some good use of it!

October 11th, 2007, 07:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
Guitarmoog TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 90 7 Photos	Should I buy a FMT HH? Hi all. I usually use two main guitars live. An AVRI52 that I've had for a couple of years and a modified Epi Sheraton that I've been using for about 15. I've been thinking about a guitar that's a bit of both. i.e. a tele-phone, or epi-caster. I've also always fancied a LP, but just can't get the hang of the weight and feel of them. So, the Tele FMT looks like a winner - tele shap, through body strings, but set neck, SD HBs (My Epi has SD '59s with series/parallell switching), carved top. I think I would need to add pup covers, but that's pretty easy. So, what do you think. Am I looking for something that doesn't realy exist? Will I be dissappointed by it being niether one nor the other? Should I shut up and play what I have? Opinions welcome on the guitar and my outlook (ducking for cover). Cheers

October 11th, 2007, 08:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
OrovilleTim Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Lake Oroville, CA Age: 37 Posts: 554 19 Photos	I checked one of those out when I was playing rock stuff with a cover band. I really liked it for that style, and figured if I was going to play that stuff, this would be the way to go. They've got a real nice feel to them, and I really dig those frets. Quit that band, didn't buy the guitar. The guy at my local shop said they sell a bit of those. When I was looking at them, I noticed a lot on eBay and Craigslist. I'm not sure why, maybe it was just because they sell a lot and some people don't keep playing. But, definitely check the used market. __________________ Fender Special Edition Koa Tele / Fender Deluxe Series Powerhouse Strat Fender 65 Twin Reverb / Fender Blues Junior / Marshall DSL 50 & 1960AV Acoustic: Taylor K14CE / Fender Acoustasonic DSP Junior

October 11th, 2007, 11:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
hekawi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: greenville, sc Posts: 1,899	FMT/HH i've got one and i love it. got a great deal on a used one at a local shop before GC drove them out of business. i bought it for the same reasons you're stating. it looks and feels like a Telecaster and sounds like a Les Paul/SG...and with the coil split option...you get a cool single coil vibe...but not like a standard Tele, more like a gibby with P-90s. the neck feels great. took me a couple of days to get used to the big frets, but i like 'em now. here's a photo: __________________ ____________________________________________ "Rule Number One: Obey All Rules" - Barney Fife

October 29th, 2007, 05:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
Guitarmoog TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 90 7 Photos	Update - With Mods I was travelling for a while, and, when i got back on Friday, it had arrived. I played it for a few hours, and decided it was a keeper. I had been planning to make minor mods, so i made the on Saturday. First, I don't like string trees on wound strings, and I don't really like the 70s butterfly-style string tree on teles, so I added a round 50s style tree I also seem to have an irrational dislike of open-coil pickups (other than tele bridge pickups), so I added pup covers. This was quite a hassle in the end, as the pickup routs are cut very, very tightly. The pup itself really only just fits, and the covers wouldn't fit as well. So, I trimmed the covered so the front and back edges come down to just under the pup surrounds, with the corners the same, and the sides still to the base plate of the pup. Took quite a while, but i got there int he end, and love the efect. For the record, I can't hear any difference in sound before and after the covers were added. The sound is exactly as you'd expect from a set-neck with those SD pups. The body is surprisingly thin, giving it slightly more of a tele-SG feel than a tele-LP. The neck is very much to my taste - not too big, not too small, nice and rounded, and the jumbo frets give a very epi-like feel. You can really hear the through-body stringing on the coil-split settings though. Like Hekawi said, it's not a bona-fide tele sound, but much closer than a guitar with a TOM tailpiece and a coild split. I'm really enjoying it!! Here are some pics, and thanks again for the advice:

October 29th, 2007, 06:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
bendecaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: maine Posts: 755	Hey, I like your guitars! I bought one of those set neck Teles in '04. It's a blue one with black hardware. I wanted an amber, but GT had a run on blue ones, and it was real cheap $. I didn't care for it initially, but I changed the pickups, and set it up, and I LOVE IT! It reminds me more of my PRS Custom 22 than a Tele though. I really like the color of you, and Hekawi's. Hope you get some good use of it! __________________ The Demented 7th

October 11th, 2007, 07:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
GuitarJunkie84 Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Age: 24 Posts: 234	I'd say what I assume others might say. Go and play a bunch of them, play for a while. Play what you think you'd want to hear on it. If you like the sound and think you'll get some good playing time on it, I'd say go for it!

October 11th, 2007, 08:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
WNC Bill Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: western NC Posts: 133	those things are pretty cool, my friend has one, but it's more epi than tele IMO

October 12th, 2007, 02:23 AM	#6 (permalink)
Guitarmoog TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 90 7 Photos	Yes, that's the one. Thanks for the views guys. The used market's not nearly as vibrant here as in the states, and I haven't found one in black cherry burst (like Hekawi's) used. I think I'm convinced to try it thoough. Found one online new for 560 Euro, so it's not a massive investment to give it a go, especially in light of that pic!