American Standard - why no love?

[GilmourD]

The reason I don't like them is because they don't sound very different from a Strat to my ear. The bridge plate is too thick and for a long time the bridge pickup didn't have a plate underneath. Everything that set it apart tonally was taken away. I think they play great and they look great, but they don't sound like Teles. Unlike Fuzzy, I don't mind the modern innovations like hte headstock end trussrod adjustment or the different string trees. I like to take MIM Standard Teles and modify them with ashtray bridges and different pickups to get that classic sound with the modern innovations.

[bglaze]

Originally Posted by GilmourD

The reason I don't like them is because they don't sound very different from a Strat to my ear. The bridge plate is too thick and for a long time the bridge pickup didn't have a plate underneath. Everything that set it apart tonally was taken away. I think they play great and they look great, but they don't sound like Teles. Unlike Fuzzy, I don't mind the modern innovations like hte headstock end trussrod adjustment or the different string trees. I like to take MIM Standard Teles and modify them with ashtray bridges and different pickups to get that classic sound with the modern innovations.

I have a MIM tele, I may try that with mine to see if I can notice any difference.

[Momotoro]

All subjectivity aside, I can name many modern tele players who use vintage style teles and wow us all with tone (Campilongo, Gill, Volkaert, etc). Yet, I can not name one tele virtuoso who plays the modern style tele. This is very unlike the Strat. One can name equally a number of modern style strat players and vintage style ones.

That speaks something doesn't it?

[IronJoe]

For whatever it's worth, I love mine. I think it handles country, blues, and rock & roll just fine. I'm not particularly swayed by whether or not famous tele players prefer a different model. I think it's a great guitar and I'm proud to own it.

[davidge1]

Originally Posted by Scotland

...not as good as the vintage spec. ones. Give me a MIM 50/60 or a 52RI any day of the week.

That's the way I feel too.

People here often talk about the quality of one Tele over another, but it's usually limited to the quality of the materials used or the workmanship. When talking about the design of the guitar, people usually say it's "individual preference"...but I dont agree. I think that it's the quality of the DESIGN of the Tele that makes it what it is, more than anything else. I think Leo Fender knew exactly what he was doing, and did everything for a specific reason. He had a vision, and I'm in favor of not messing with it.

The original design looked great, sounded great, and felt great. Why go with a modern interpretation when you can get something very close to the original?

[kp8]

Originally Posted by Momotoro

All subjectivity aside, I can name many modern tele players who use vintage style teles and wow us all with tone (Campilongo, Gill, Volkaert, etc). Yet, I can not name one tele virtuoso who plays the modern style tele.

brent mason, will ray plays a g & l, albert lee plays that funny looking thing. JD now plays his peavy sig.... This list goes on.

[Momotoro]

brent mason, will ray plays a g & l, albert lee plays that funny looking thing. JD now plays his peavy sig.... This list goes on.

True, good list. Mason and Ray are very good modern examples, but Albert Lee gets dinged all the time for tone. I would still say there is a difference in the tone in the two groups. But I accept that the latter are telemasters of a modern ilk.

[AngelStrummer]

Originally Posted by IronJoe

For whatever it's worth, I love mine. I think it handles country, blues, and rock & roll just fine. I'm not particularly swayed by whether or not famous tele players prefer a different model. I think it's a great guitar and I'm proud to own it.

+1

[davidge1]

In spite of what I said, the real judge of a guitar for me is when I pick it up and play it, how do I like it? I'd definetely buy a guitar that wasn't the original design if I fell in love with it.

Lots of people like the Standard, and that's what counts. I wouldn't put the guitar down...Im sure they're really good guitars.

[Razzamatazz]

Originally Posted by Momotoro

All subjectivity aside, I can name many modern tele players who use vintage style teles and wow us all with tone (Campilongo, Gill, Volkaert, etc). Yet, I can not name one tele virtuoso who plays the modern style tele. This is very unlike the Strat. One can name equally a number of modern style strat players and vintage style ones.

That speaks something doesn't it?

Not exactly a tele virtuoso but the singer/guitarist of Bloc Party plays an Am Se tele, probably stock too, and he makes it sound good. Actually, the "postpunk" music scene uses the American Standard/Series tele a lot, and for the same reasons as for which the "vintage style" players hate the model. You can't blame Fender for filling in a niche formed by certain "modern style" customers.

And yes, I have one too and I love it. I wouldn't love it as much if I played country or old school blues, so I understand most of your objections.

[Momotoro]

I have seen Bloc Party on Showtime, I was impressed. Not my cup of tea, but I was entertained for the show.

[mjb1967]

I'm so glad I found this thread....I've only been playing for about a year and have more guitars than sense. I must admit though the best thing about it is that I've gotten used to both my 52'Hot Rod and my American Standard 04. I find myself messing with everything on the American Standard, trying to make it sound better to me..now i realize what I am doing, Im trying to make it sound like the hot rod....I shielded all the cavities with copper tape, installed 52 re issue pickups, and still, Im not quite happy with it...I have recently been looking for a vintage bridge for it, but have been told that I would have to drill new holes, so thats where it ends...I think I'll sell the AM std and save up for a copper 52'.........hmmmmm or maybe a bigsby....lol

[Oster]

I like them. I like the bridge design for its comfort and spot-on intonation. I can understand why certain people prefer the earlier specs but find it odd that some of those people can hear a difference in bridge types but not body wood because to me that's in the same grey area.

[bglaze]

I heard that shielding the cavaties in a tele is kind of pointless since the pickups are already shielded (The neck pickup by the pickup cover, and the bridge pickup by the bridge plate). Anyone else able to comment on this?

[jazztele]

No. the cavity on my am. std. is shielded, and it's an extremely quiet guitar-- much more so than my MIM's. i doubt it's just the difference in the pickups.

[bglaze]

Originally Posted by jazztele

No. the cavity on my am. std. is shielded, and it's an extremely quiet guitar-- much more so than my MIM's. i doubt it's just the difference in the pickups.

My MIA is not shielded and it's still a lot quieter than my MIM... It's possible it is the pickups...

[jivetrain]

the american standards are shielded with paint, which makes it only look like they're unshielded. i tried adding copper to the cavities just to reduce the noise even further and it made a world of difference; it makes no noise at all at reasonable volumes. the guitar benefits hugely from added shielding

[Telarkaster]

I love everything about my 1995 Am Std: tuners, modern neck, 6 saddle bridge, satin finish on the neck, medium jumbo frets, flat fret board, pups, knobs, bridge plate. If I had to custom order a Tele I would ask for those specs.

I'd take my Tele over any other that I've played. If there was a fire I would grab it first over my other guitars.

There's absolutely nothing on it I would change. How can you improve perfection? To me this is what a Tele should be. I picked it out of a wall of Teles, compared it to the others and chose it over the pretty looking but dead sounding sunburst.

I have no nostalgic feelings for any of the vintage specs, they mean nothing to me. I was not alive in 1952. I understand why older guitarists prefer the vintage specs, good for them. Insult my guitar and I get mad...

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by Telarkaster

I have no nostalgic feelings for any of the vintage specs, they mean nothing to me. I was not alive in 1952. I understand why older guitarists prefer the vintage specs, good for them. Insult my guitar and I get mad...

Vintage specs mean nothing to me, and I was definitely alive in 1952. I'll take a flatter board and a six saddle bridge any day.

I haven't seen any correlation between age and preferring vintage specs.

[mjb1967]

Originally Posted by bglaze

I heard that shielding the cavaties in a tele is kind of pointless since the pickups are already shielded (The neck pickup by the pickup cover, and the bridge pickup by the bridge plate). Anyone else able to comment on this?

I decided to shield it when I added the custom shop 52' reissue pickups...Im a newbie man, and it was more of a "what do you think"...than It was a statement.... I may very well have wasted five dollars worth of copper tape and 45 min. of my life, but I look forward to taking advice from guys who have tried different stuff and had it work for them....and from non judgemental guys who dont take this stuff so persnally, jeez dood I think my guitars are the bomb too, but really

[bglaze]

Originally Posted by mjb1967

I decided to shield it when I added the custom shop 52' reissue pickups...Im a newbie man, and it was more of a "what do you think"...than It was a statement.... I may very well have wasted five dollars worth of copper tape and 45 min. of my life, but I look forward to taking advice from guys who have tried different stuff and had it work for them....and from non judgemental guys who dont take this stuff so persnally, jeez dood I think my guitars are the bomb too, but really

If you are referring to me, I definitely wasn't trying to be judgmental. I'm a newbie too if there ever was one! I was just mentioning something I had heard and was really hoping someone might chime in to comment or correct me if I was wrong. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I love my MIA, but I don't think it's better than other people's guitars. I bought it because I found it for practically half the price a MIA usually goes for and I couldn't pass it up. I have fallen in love with it, and was just curious why Am. Series aren't as widely liked on the forums, so I started the thread.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Dave W

I couldn't disagree with you more. The American Series is not in any trouble image-wise or sales-wise. Ask a dealer to order you one in a color he doesn't stock and see how long it takes...it's unusual for Fender to have any in stock in their warehouse. They sell everything they can make.

Fender is not moving toward vintage specs with the Am Series or Am Deluxe. The whole point of them is to be modern versions. There are plenty of other options if you want a vintage version.

Don't confuse sentiment on this forum with actual sales in the real world. More members here favor vintage specs, and that's fine. But FMIC has sold way more modern spec American Teles than Leo or CBS ever sold of the originals.

There's something for everybody.

All I know is I bought 3 American Series Teles, 60th Anniversary 'Cubic Zirconium' versions in immaculate NOS condition this month, at 3 different Guitar Centers for $ 393 apiece. Likewise 2 American Series Strats, 60th Anniversary versions in the same shape ( passed on a third I wasn't 100 percent on ) at $ 404 apiece.
These guitars once sold for $ 1,099, that's the price most mentioned at Harmony-Central. MSRP well above that.

Sure the dealer would love to order me one, for $$$$, explain why I would bother. The above limited edition guitars even have American Vintage Tele and 57/62 pickups, which newer ones don't have. Until FMIC prints their sales numbers, who knows how many they still sell.

The Olds Cutlass Supreme was once a major seller; too bad nobody saw what lay in store for that model.

Bubbanov

This is how I 'fix' the bridge:

[petebradt]

Just not mah thang.

[Zebulon Bluze]

One of the major reasons I bought my American Tele is the fact that the pickups are dead quiet. No 60 cycle hum. I might have bought a Highway One, but it had noisy pickups. I also didn't like the hotter sound of the Highway One nor the duller sound of the noisless pickups on the American Deluxe.

The intonation issue was also important to me. The six saddle bridge intonates perfectly. I'm glad I don't have to fool with the three saddle bridge. I can hear the difference.