New Tele - What to look for?

pen67 · January 26th, 2008, 01:24 PM

I tried an American Standard Telecaster today at the local music shop. Really nice experience. I really feel like buying it, but I want to make sure there is nothing wrong with it, so: what to look for, and how to do it?

The guy at the shop recommended a small Roland cube amp, 20watt. Would this be ok for practicing at home? It sounded ok in the shop. Any other recommendations?

If I buy this Tele, it´s going to be my first electrical guitar. Been playing for years on my K Yairi steel stringed accoustic. Time for a change!

johnnytronics · January 26th, 2008, 01:30 PM

Roland Cube is great for home practice. Gets plenty loud too. Nice effects, simple knobs. Batteries last for ever.
Also, you'll love the Tele.

johnnytronics · January 26th, 2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnytronics

Roland Cube is great for home practice. Gets plenty loud too. Nice effects, simple knobs. Batteries last for ever.
Also, you'll love the Tele.

Sorry, batteries are for the Micro Cube, which I thought you were referencing.
I own that one, and also had a Roland Cube 30. Both are excellent, so I assume the 20 would be also.

boris bubbanov · January 26th, 2008, 01:48 PM

Welcome, pen.

I understand you guys get gouged on the price of guitars regardless of where up and down the price ladder you look.

Still, I want to recommend you spend a lot more time looking at what is out there, playing a wide variety of guitars but also checking out lots of amps.

I recommend you not get trapped into this 'bedroom amp' thing. Buy something such as a 22 watt 65 reissue Deluxe Reverb by Fender, something that is or better approximates what musicians use in earning money. So much of your sound will be about the amp, not the guitar. You may be able to get closer to where you're going with a really good tube amp, and a Squier or used Made in Mexico Fender Tele.

There's some nice fit and finish details on the US models, I have 4 of the earlier version of this model, and I appreciate those details, but someone hearing me play can not distinguish my Squiers from the US Fender by listening. The amp and speakers is what they hear.

Bubbanov

deearne · January 26th, 2008, 02:06 PM

I went to Sam Ash yesterday to see it they had the new American Standard. I want to buy either the new Standard or a new American Vintage '52 and wanted to compare. They opened up the box right in front of me and took out the new Amer. Standard in the natural finish and I've got to tell you it took my breath away. The tech at the store fell in love with it too. I plugged into a Hot Rod Deluxe and played a few chords. Right out of the box it was perfect! Nice fast neck, easy to play, light weight and sounded very nice out of the clean channel. I'm a woman, so my hands aren't huge, but I have long fingers and found this neck very comfortable. I don't think you can go wrong with that guitar. Very good value for the price.

Then I plugged in the AVRI butterscotch blonde. This was also a stunning looking guitar. The neck was also nice and easy to play, and surprisingly light. The sound of this one ($300 more) was, to my ears, far warmer and vintage sounding with loads of Twang. I already have an American Series HS and 2 thinlines with humbuckers, so this was just the change in sound I was looking for. I preferred this one and I will cough up the extra money for it. Hope this helps anyone interested in either of these guitars.

So now I have to sell one of my thinlines on ebay. If anyone is interested, she's a Lake Placid Blue rare one. item no. 320211015260 .

Thanks,
Dee

pen67 · January 26th, 2008, 02:08 PM

Thanks for the answers - A bit more confused now

Yes, we pay ridiculous prices on guitars in Denmark. The American Standard is close to 2000 usd. I actually tried a squire telecaster in the same shop, but I didn´t like it. It didn´t feel as solid and smooth as the american model (maybe it was just a bad copy).

I´ve been looking to buy an electrical for a long time. I´m not planning on collecting these things, I just want a nice, reliable instrument to play at home and jam with friends in the weekend.

I know myself well enough to realise this: If I bought a squire, as nice as it might be, I would allways have this nagging feeling I should have bought the "original". Call me a snob or a helpless victim of marketing, that´s how it is.

I heard tube amps should be the bette choice. Are they much more expensive than transistor amps?

pen67 · January 26th, 2008, 02:18 PM

I would like to have tried the Highway 1 model, though. How does it compare to the American Standard, generally? I read somewhere about some electronic circuit being used in it to suppres high tones, is it true?

January 26th, 2008, 01:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
pen67 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark, Sealand Age: 40 Posts: 3	New Tele - What to look for? I tried an American Standard Telecaster today at the local music shop. Really nice experience. I really feel like buying it, but I want to make sure there is nothing wrong with it, so: what to look for, and how to do it? The guy at the shop recommended a small Roland cube amp, 20watt. Would this be ok for practicing at home? It sounded ok in the shop. Any other recommendations? If I buy this Tele, it´s going to be my first electrical guitar. Been playing for years on my K Yairi steel stringed accoustic. Time for a change!

January 26th, 2008, 01:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
johnnytronics Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Big Apple, NYC Age: 58 Posts: 506	Roland Cube is great for home practice. Gets plenty loud too. Nice effects, simple knobs. Batteries last for ever. Also, you'll love the Tele. __________________ Support our Troops

January 26th, 2008, 02:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
deearne TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Broad Channel, NY Posts: 11	I went to Sam Ash yesterday to see it they had the new American Standard. I want to buy either the new Standard or a new American Vintage '52 and wanted to compare. They opened up the box right in front of me and took out the new Amer. Standard in the natural finish and I've got to tell you it took my breath away. The tech at the store fell in love with it too. I plugged into a Hot Rod Deluxe and played a few chords. Right out of the box it was perfect! Nice fast neck, easy to play, light weight and sounded very nice out of the clean channel. I'm a woman, so my hands aren't huge, but I have long fingers and found this neck very comfortable. I don't think you can go wrong with that guitar. Very good value for the price. Then I plugged in the AVRI butterscotch blonde. This was also a stunning looking guitar. The neck was also nice and easy to play, and surprisingly light. The sound of this one ($300 more) was, to my ears, far warmer and vintage sounding with loads of Twang. I already have an American Series HS and 2 thinlines with humbuckers, so this was just the change in sound I was looking for. I preferred this one and I will cough up the extra money for it. Hope this helps anyone interested in either of these guitars. So now I have to sell one of my thinlines on ebay. If anyone is interested, she's a Lake Placid Blue rare one. item no. 320211015260 . Thanks, Dee __________________ Dee

January 26th, 2008, 01:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 7,149	Welcome, pen. I understand you guys get gouged on the price of guitars regardless of where up and down the price ladder you look. Still, I want to recommend you spend a lot more time looking at what is out there, playing a wide variety of guitars but also checking out lots of amps. I recommend you not get trapped into this 'bedroom amp' thing. Buy something such as a 22 watt 65 reissue Deluxe Reverb by Fender, something that is or better approximates what musicians use in earning money. So much of your sound will be about the amp, not the guitar. You may be able to get closer to where you're going with a really good tube amp, and a Squier or used Made in Mexico Fender Tele. There's some nice fit and finish details on the US models, I have 4 of the earlier version of this model, and I appreciate those details, but someone hearing me play can not distinguish my Squiers from the US Fender by listening. The amp and speakers is what they hear. Bubbanov

January 26th, 2008, 02:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
pen67 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark, Sealand Age: 40 Posts: 3	Thanks for the answers - A bit more confused now Yes, we pay ridiculous prices on guitars in Denmark. The American Standard is close to 2000 usd. I actually tried a squire telecaster in the same shop, but I didn´t like it. It didn´t feel as solid and smooth as the american model (maybe it was just a bad copy). I´ve been looking to buy an electrical for a long time. I´m not planning on collecting these things, I just want a nice, reliable instrument to play at home and jam with friends in the weekend. I know myself well enough to realise this: If I bought a squire, as nice as it might be, I would allways have this nagging feeling I should have bought the "original". Call me a snob or a helpless victim of marketing, that´s how it is. I heard tube amps should be the bette choice. Are they much more expensive than transistor amps?

January 26th, 2008, 02:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
pen67 NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark, Sealand Age: 40 Posts: 3	I would like to have tried the Highway 1 model, though. How does it compare to the American Standard, generally? I read somewhere about some electronic circuit being used in it to suppres high tones, is it true?