MIM Nashville and MIM Classic '60s

porto leone · February 8th, 2008, 04:00 AM

has anybody compared these teles?
on the specs, the Nashville seems superior to me 'cause of the medium jumbo frets, the satin finished neck, the truss rod adjustment at the headstock and the middle pickup cavity. i wonder if the '60s has more mojo though.
i'm looking for some opinions for terms of quality and playability. i'm not interested so much for pickups and wiring, since i can change them easily.
one more thing that i'd like to know is if there are any differences in sound between the alder and the ash Nashville models.

holndav · February 8th, 2008, 07:41 AM

Other than the 3rd pup, I would decide based on whether you prefer bigger or smaller frets.

JMHO.

I love the reissues and the vintage frets but that's me.

David

garrett · February 8th, 2008, 07:59 AM

In my opinion, your conclusions are spot on and I chose the Nashville over a Classic for the same reasons. But it's a matter of preference of course. A lot of players still prefer the vintage specs of the Classic series.

Ash is generally a brighter sounding wood, and alder is more even-tempered. Either is a great sounding option.

ajgus · February 8th, 2008, 10:16 AM

I bought my Nashville for its reasonable price (under $600 new) & its swimming pool route. I've since sunk about $200 into it turning it into my ideal Tele for around the same price as the Classic. To me its a no-brainer.

boris bubbanov · February 8th, 2008, 12:09 PM

I've got 4 Deluxe Nashvilles in ash. I tried quite a number of all kinds, and just preferred the ash body and maple necked examples. YMMV.

I've a number of other Teles, and the Nashville is the least Tele-ish of all my single coil Teles, even with a three brass barrel plate and saddle mod. Some might say the Nashville is a quasi-strat hardtail. But with a change to a traditional 2 pickup setup, you can have a 'Classic 50's' type guitar with the bigger frets and flatter radius, and the thinner neck of the Classic 60's (and if found with a rosewood board, even the board).

I chose the Nashvilles over Classics because of plentiful supply, being able to choose from a large number of examples played in person, and a better price/value at that point in time. Had the Classics been blowing out at the time I was shopping, you best believe I'd have bought those, great guitars.

ajgus · February 8th, 2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

I' But with a change to a traditional 2 pickup setup, you can have a 'Classic 50's' type guitar with the bigger frets and flatter radius, and the thinner neck of the Classic 60's

That's what I did. Threw on some new pickups. My experience was that the switch to a vintage style bridge w/ brass saddles did, however, give me more of a "Tele" sound.

PJ · February 9th, 2008, 12:51 PM

I like my Nashville - especially after modding the pickups
to a set of Texas Special Strats & a Tele bridge. Nice guitar, nice frets, too. But, you're right, not a lot of vintage
mojo. Feels more modern than vintage.

sonicland · February 9th, 2008, 01:05 PM

I know I'm probably in the minority but I really prefer the poly neck on the 62's. Not sure why and it's not a huge deal, I own both but if I could only have one I'd take the poly. Just thought I'd mention it so that it's known that not everyone likes the satin over the poly.

Axis29 · February 9th, 2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonicland

I know I'm probably in the minority but I really prefer the poly neck on the 62's. Not sure why and it's not a huge deal, I own both but if I could only have one I'd take the poly. Just thought I'd mention it so that it's known that not everyone likes the satin over the poly.

By 'poly', do you mean a satin poly? Cause my Nasheville is covered in a shiny coating of poly....

PJ · February 9th, 2008, 02:03 PM

My Nashville had a satin finish on the neck, until I buffed it out. Now it's about the same as the Classic Series stuff.
Nice profile on the Nashville, though. Nice '70s C-profile.

beep.click · February 9th, 2008, 02:15 PM

I bought a Nashville because it was cheap ($330). I've never even SEEN a Classic 60s, to compare it to.

The Nashville doesn't seem very Tele to me -- neck is smaller than I prefer, but also very similar to the Strats I've played for years. The third pickup looks odd to me (but would disappear more into a different colored pickguard).

That being said, I've been playing the heck out of it since I got it, and recording with it. The recorded sound is PURE Tele.

Telemarkman · February 9th, 2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porto leone

on the specs, the Nashville seems superior to me 'cause of the medium jumbo frets, the satin finished neck, the truss rod adjustment at the headstock and the middle pickup cavity. i wonder if the '60s has more mojo though.

I find that the 60's Classics specs are superior, but that's merely a matter of personal taste. (When I started playing in the 60's all Telecasters had vintage specs

...)

Besides the obvious specs differences, there's not much difference in build quality. Both are great guitars, and playability is dependent on whether you like the vintage or modern specs. We probably disagree on that...

To me the biggest difference is the tone. I've gig'ed with a friend who plays the Nashville Tele, and while my '52RI and 60's Classic sounded typically vintage Tele (lots of twang), his Nashville sounded somewhat between a Tele and a Strat, or at least not the typical Tele sound that most of us connect with a Tele. It IS very versatile though, and on the bridge pickup you wouldn't mistake it for anything else than a Tele.

BritishBluesBoy · February 9th, 2008, 03:10 PM

Get one of these... You know you want to...

PJ · February 9th, 2008, 04:30 PM

Nashville with Texas Special Strat neck & middle, with custom guard from Terrapin Guitars.
IMGhttp://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/pgazzara/HPIM1429.jpg[/IMG]

PJ · February 9th, 2008, 04:31 PM

Nashville with Texas Special Strat neck & middle, with custom guard from Terrapin Guitars.
[IMG]

[/IMG]

sudancat · February 10th, 2008, 12:23 AM

The nashville does not sound like a strat.Its got all the twang and honk you could ask for. I got one, price was right and I was looking a honey blonde color. I eventually rewired it to a 3 way like a regular tele,changed pups to SD's, and changed the neck to a vinatge neck,narrower,installed a vintage bridge and 3 brass compensated saddles, and installed a push/pull pot to turn the middle strat pup on and off. I very seldom ever use it and when I do its just playin around. i will eventually discard the middle pup,change the pg to regular tele pg or find a honey blonde 2 pup tele and put a humbucker in the neck on the nashville.I paid around 4 and spent an extra $250. The changes were personal preference only.

I also have a 50s classic and a 52ri. The classics are great also. The only thing I changed on these were the saddles and pups, you know it, SD's. I paid around 5 for the classic and spent about $100 extra

porto leone · February 10th, 2008, 03:21 AM

in Europe the price range is different. it starts from 525 euros for the Classic '60s and from 585 euros for the Nashville. just for the record...

February 8th, 2008, 04:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
porto leone Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greece Age: 38 Posts: 106 66 Photos	MIM Nashville and MIM Classic '60s has anybody compared these teles? on the specs, the Nashville seems superior to me 'cause of the medium jumbo frets, the satin finished neck, the truss rod adjustment at the headstock and the middle pickup cavity. i wonder if the '60s has more mojo though. i'm looking for some opinions for terms of quality and playability. i'm not interested so much for pickups and wiring, since i can change them easily. one more thing that i'd like to know is if there are any differences in sound between the alder and the ash Nashville models.

February 8th, 2008, 07:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
holndav Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 1,139 44 Photos	Other than the 3rd pup, I would decide based on whether you prefer bigger or smaller frets. JMHO. I love the reissues and the vintage frets but that's me. David __________________ "If we can't be free at least we can be cheap". FZ

February 8th, 2008, 07:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
garrett Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Adelaide, Australia Age: 29 Posts: 160	In my opinion, your conclusions are spot on and I chose the Nashville over a Classic for the same reasons. But it's a matter of preference of course. A lot of players still prefer the vintage specs of the Classic series. Ash is generally a brighter sounding wood, and alder is more even-tempered. Either is a great sounding option. __________________ --Garrett--

February 8th, 2008, 10:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
ajgus Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 1,593	I bought my Nashville for its reasonable price (under $600 new) & its swimming pool route. I've since sunk about $200 into it turning it into my ideal Tele for around the same price as the Classic. To me its a no-brainer. __________________ "Is anyone here a Marine Biologist?!!!"

February 8th, 2008, 12:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 6,980	I've got 4 Deluxe Nashvilles in ash. I tried quite a number of all kinds, and just preferred the ash body and maple necked examples. YMMV. I've a number of other Teles, and the Nashville is the least Tele-ish of all my single coil Teles, even with a three brass barrel plate and saddle mod. Some might say the Nashville is a quasi-strat hardtail. But with a change to a traditional 2 pickup setup, you can have a 'Classic 50's' type guitar with the bigger frets and flatter radius, and the thinner neck of the Classic 60's (and if found with a rosewood board, even the board). I chose the Nashvilles over Classics because of plentiful supply, being able to choose from a large number of examples played in person, and a better price/value at that point in time. Had the Classics been blowing out at the time I was shopping, you best believe I'd have bought those, great guitars. __________________ Bubban0v

February 9th, 2008, 12:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,772 4 Photos	I like my Nashville - especially after modding the pickups to a set of Texas Special Strats & a Tele bridge. Nice guitar, nice frets, too. But, you're right, not a lot of vintage mojo. Feels more modern than vintage. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

February 9th, 2008, 01:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
sonicland Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pigs Holler, PA Posts: 110	I know I'm probably in the minority but I really prefer the poly neck on the 62's. Not sure why and it's not a huge deal, I own both but if I could only have one I'd take the poly. Just thought I'd mention it so that it's known that not everyone likes the satin over the poly.

February 9th, 2008, 02:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,772 4 Photos	My Nashville had a satin finish on the neck, until I buffed it out. Now it's about the same as the Classic Series stuff. Nice profile on the Nashville, though. Nice '70s C-profile. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

February 9th, 2008, 02:15 PM	#11 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,553	I bought a Nashville because it was cheap ($330). I've never even SEEN a Classic 60s, to compare it to. The Nashville doesn't seem very Tele to me -- neck is smaller than I prefer, but also very similar to the Strats I've played for years. The third pickup looks odd to me (but would disappear more into a different colored pickguard). That being said, I've been playing the heck out of it since I got it, and recording with it. The recorded sound is PURE Tele. __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

February 9th, 2008, 03:10 PM	#13 (permalink)
BritishBluesBoy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 40 Posts: 4,192 62 Photos	Get one of these... You know you want to... __________________ BBB.

February 9th, 2008, 04:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,772 4 Photos	Nashville with Texas Special Strat neck & middle, with custom guard from Terrapin Guitars. IMGhttp://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/pgazzara/HPIM1429.jpg[/IMG] __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

February 9th, 2008, 04:31 PM	#15 (permalink)
PJ Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,772 4 Photos	Nashville with Texas Special Strat neck & middle, with custom guard from Terrapin Guitars. [IMG][/IMG] __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

February 10th, 2008, 12:23 AM	#16 (permalink)
sudancat Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: North Carolina Posts: 700 12 Photos	The nashville does not sound like a strat.Its got all the twang and honk you could ask for. I got one, price was right and I was looking a honey blonde color. I eventually rewired it to a 3 way like a regular tele,changed pups to SD's, and changed the neck to a vinatge neck,narrower,installed a vintage bridge and 3 brass compensated saddles, and installed a push/pull pot to turn the middle strat pup on and off. I very seldom ever use it and when I do its just playin around. i will eventually discard the middle pup,change the pg to regular tele pg or find a honey blonde 2 pup tele and put a humbucker in the neck on the nashville.I paid around 4 and spent an extra $250. The changes were personal preference only. I also have a 50s classic and a 52ri. The classics are great also. The only thing I changed on these were the saddles and pups, you know it, SD's. I paid around 5 for the classic and spent about $100 extra

February 10th, 2008, 03:21 AM	#17 (permalink)
porto leone Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greece Age: 38 Posts: 106 66 Photos	in Europe the price range is different. it starts from 525 euros for the Classic '60s and from 585 euros for the Nashville. just for the record...