American Standard - why no love?

[bglaze]

I may be getting the wrong impression, but from my observations of threads that have a "recommend a guitar" type of subject matter, the American Standard Tele seems to get very little love. Why is that? Any ideas?

[jazztele]

cork sniffin'

there's nothing wrong with an american standard-- it's a good solid workingman's guitar that's comfortable in a lot of genre's.

some folks don't like the skinnier, modern style neck and big frets

some don't ike the six saddle bridge (i'll admit, i'm guilty of changing this on my am. std.)

some people don't like the pickups

it does seem like it's "popular" to pick on the american standard, but i guess the only really criticism i can give 'em is that they're quite a bit more expensive than the MIM classic series, and those guitars are in many ways equal in quality.

[0le FUZZY]

...I kant speak fer erry won onlee my own bad seff.

...Early on I found myseff wrapped roun a bran new won at a gig jes before we went on stage. Tuned it up and plugged it into the Twin and thought sunthin waz rong with either the amp or the bran new TELECASTER. It felt weird (the neck) and sounded flat and lifeless.

...Without knowin tew much about them yet haffin already knott liked the 83s and 84s I soon discovered the negatives tew my old TELECASTER lovin heart. I had played the 52 reissues and waz tickled tew deathwith them.

...The thangs I dent like then:

1, The headstock mounted truss rod adjustment.
2, The tuners and string tree.
3, The flat fret board.
4. The controls specially the tone control.
5, The color (more-ron)
6, The sound. Noe matter watt I did I couldn't make it twang like I wanted it tew.
7, The bridge. Jes dent feel rite.

...The good, it waz a Fenner TELECASTER and very purdy how bee yit a very different animal jes like the black JB or Elite or sum of the udder wons that hadda TELECASTER name but knott the soul.

...Different strokes fur different folks I reckon but as fur me knott my cup of tea.









(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.)

Please visit my page

[bglaze]

It doesn't bother me to see the AS get picked on; I own both an American Standard and a MIM Standard, and both are great guitars. I do, however, see obvious quality differences. The neck on my MIA is far smoother (rounded off on the fretboard) and to me it's more comfortable. The MIM's neck is a lot sharper on the fretboard edges. The pickups on my MIM give more buzz and sound muddier. Other than these two, I've never really played a lot of other tele's for any length of time, aside from just tooling around in the guitar shop. I only paid $599 for my American Standard which included the case. So It was a no-brainer for me to get it; I felt as if I practically stole it.

It has definitely made me curious however, as to why it does get picked on.

I actually like the 6 saddle bridge. I am having a Gotoh 6-saddle bridge put on the custom tele I am having built.

[holndav]

It really is preferences. All in all there is nothing really wrong with the AS model. It's just different from the vintage build.

I owned one once and sold it. I also sold my AS strat once I played the vintage model I currently have.

Don't forget that lots of us also have mutts and homebrew teles,esquires,51's,etc. and all of these are still just variations on Leo's original.

I would be willing to bet that if Bill K. or Redd each played a '52 RI and an AS most of us would have a hard time picking out which was which blindfolded.

Feel (neck radius and fret size)... that gets back to preferences again.

I will admit that I too had a harder time getting the sound I wanted from my AS vs. a vintage model...then again, I ain't Redd or Bill...

David

[crawdad]

I always thought it was a bad idea to name a guitar after a toilet. At least in my neck of the woods, there are lots of American Standard toilets and urinals. I'm sure there are a lot of AM Tele's out there that are great, but I kinda prefer the 50's appointments, which is just personal preference.

[aznrambo481]

people don't like them because they aren't vintage spec... I guess.

[bglaze]

Originally Posted by aznrambo481

people don't like them because they aren't vintage spec... I guess.

This may be why I like mine, because I honestly know nothing about Vintage spec...

[0le FUZZY]

I would be willing to bet that if Bill K. or Redd each played a '52 RI and an AS most of us would have a hard time picking out which was which blindfolded.

...I'll take that bet !


0le FUZZY

[Sleph]

people don't like them because they aren't vintage spec... I guess.

+1 ...that's my feelin too.

[jivetrain]

i love mine, but then again i've never played a vintage tele so i don't know what i could be missing. regardless of whether or not the modern styling is to your liking, i doubt anyone could deny that they're incredibly well made guitars

[edit_g]

I played a good few guitars to get to the AS model. The MIM ones, although I know a lot of people here like them, felt like they were low quality. As soon as I plugged them in they just completely let themselves down. I know you can change the pickups etc, but I just didn't like the whole feel of them. MIJ ones were ok, but just not as good as the AS model. I've loved every single american standard I've picked up and played (some more than others, obviously).

In the end I guess it just comes down to what feels right to you - so just play a bunch of different ones and pick what suits you.

[Mark Davis]

The reason I dont like them is a personal reason.

I like Leos specs. The AM STD has none of Leos specs at all every thing is different.

Thats the only reason I dont like them. Ive heard lots that sounded good and some that sounded bad like on all guitars.

[TelecasterSam]

I like the looks of the old 60s and 50s Teles, but I like the playability and intonation of the American Standard. I changed pickups, adding a middle one and 5-way switch, and have loved it for 18 years now.

[Zebulon Bluze]

My American Telecaster is the best electric I've ever owned or played. I own a MIM Nashville and it's not anywhere as good as the MIA. The MIA is crafted better, has a better feel and better sound. That's my opinion. I've been playing guitars for over forty years and I think I know what's good - for me at least. YMMV.

[holndav]

Quote:
I would be willing to bet that if Bill K. or Redd each played a '52 RI and an AS most of us would have a hard time picking out which was which blindfolded.

Originally Posted by 0le FUZZY

...I'll take that bet !


0le FUZZY

Yeah, but I said most of us! Heh heh...

Check is in the mail 0le Fuzzy...

David

[aznrambo481]

well, by vintage specs, I mean neck shape, 3 BARREL SADDLES (biggie because you can really see a difference). neck shape is personal preference, but a lot of people just either dig the look, feel, or lack of intonation of vintage saddles. I'm sure the pickups are different too...

[simonc]

I have both a MIM Std & a USA std tele, & to be honest I prefer playing the MIM...I think its the smaller frets...& it just sounds like it has more mojo...though maybe thats just me not being afraid that im going to ding it or scratch it- getting more carried away playing...
I like how the USA tele sounds as well,though it is a pretty different sounding guitar,almost sounds uptight (I know this is a bad desription but its the best I could come up with). I did own a usa std awhile back that I traded away - it was lifeless & the bridge pickup squealed like a banshee if you even thought of kicking on some overdrive...which I guess I have myself to blame, I didnt try that guitar out in the shop.
I look at it this way, the MIM is definately my pick over the USA to play, though the USA is prettier to look at, & nice for something slightly different, while remaining in the same ball park.

[Curly]

I have a fairly recent AS. It sounded fairly good, but I eventually replaced the pickups with a Duncan Broadcaster/ Vintage Rhythm set. I set it up with 11s for slide and it sounded so good I reset it for standard tuning. I think it sounds great.

the one thing that I don't like is the thin neck, especially compared to the vintage spec custom projects I've had built the last couple of years. I've just grown to love a nice fat neck. :)

[boris bubbanov]

Production on the American Standard ended in 1999. In 2000, the American Series was introduced. Harmony-Central still offers an article outlining all the changes.
I went looking and found this site in part because of my dissatisfaction with my 2004 Am Series as it was stock. With help from here, I've been able to install a vintage bridge plate and saddles, and Gotoh tuners, a few other mods. It is an extremely well made guitar; the pickups sound quite different with the vintage bridge.
The fretwork is nicer than any MIM Fender I have, but the neck does cause me difficulty playing long hours due to neck shape. Nevertheless I can make some moves on that board I cannot make on the MIM chunkier necks.
I am concerned that in terms of perceived value, the Am Se is now in some trouble image wise, and this accounts for some changes we'll be seeing soon. In part because of this site, there is a well understood trend back to vintage type features, and hopefully the Am Se will incorporate the best of these, or at least come up with something new that looks and works better.
In the very long term most if not all the bread and butter guitars will be assembled in Ensenada. But as long as the Am Se and Am Dlx are still made in Corona, it is essential that people see them as premium, and just in this last 12 months alone I think that image has eroded a lot.

Bubbanov

[bglaze]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Production on the American Standard ended in 1999. In 2000, the American Series was introduced. Harmony-Central still offers an article outlining all the changes.
I went looking and found this site in part because of my dissatisfaction with my 2004 Am Series as it was stock. With help from here, I've been able to install a vintage bridge plate and saddles, and Gotoh tuners, a few other mods. It is an extremely well made guitar; the pickups sound quite different with the vintage bridge.
The fretwork is nicer than any MIM Fender I have, but the neck does cause me difficulty playing long hours due to neck shape. Nevertheless I can make some moves on that board I cannot make on the MIM chunkier necks.
I am concerned that in terms of perceived value, the Am Se is now in some trouble image wise, and this accounts for some changes we'll be seeing soon. In part because of this site, there is a well understood trend back to vintage type features, and hopefully the Am Se will incorporate the best of these, or at least come up with something new that looks and works better.
In the very long term most if not all the bread and butter guitars will be assembled in Ensenada. But as long as the Am Se and Am Dlx are still made in Corona, it is essential that people see them as premium, and just in this last 12 months alone I think that image has eroded a lot.

Bubbanov

Interesting stuff! Thanks for sharing that. It'll be cool to see how it plays out.

[urizen]

I love it fine. I just wish they'd make it in Copper (w/ a blackguard)

[kaibu49]

I haven't played the good stuff to know any better , I like mine (2003 ASe w/ Fralin BS's) better than anything else I own.

[mellecaster]

To me it's kinda like the difference between an Escalade, and your Favorite Ole Pickup...the Escalade is probably the Better Vehicle.....but the Ole Pickup is a lot more useful and just plain Fun !