Am i destroying the point of owning a telecaster

[Shredfest2]

I have 2 Telecasters and i just LOVE the feel of them, how they hang, how they feel, everything but the sound so i put humbuckers in both of mine and i know there are people out there who say that a telecaster is known for its sound and thats why people buy them and i agree with them being known for their sound but im just wondering if people think im butchering the point of owning a telecaster buy putting humbuckers in them.

Please let me know what you think

Thanks

[furrfurrfurr]

pics???

[Shredfest2]

sorry il get some pics up asap

[Brad_R]

If humbuckers are what you want, then by all means keep humbuckers in there. Don't let anybody tell you how your guitar should be. No, you aren't destroying the point of owning a telecaster. The point of owning a telecaster is the fact that you enjoy it.

[mowcheeba]

The big question is: What is/makes a Telecaster?
- Is it the shape?
- The bridge pickup fitted with the baseplate?
- The bridgeplate?

When does a Telecaster cease to be a Telecaster?

A Tele shaped guitar with Tune o Matic bridge and humbuckers isn't a Telecaster for me. It is rather a T-style guitar.

[Sarge]

Exactly...it's YOUR tele...do what you want to it. At times I prefer singles but most of the time I like and have many teles with BALLS! Blues, Jazz and some classic rock is great for a tele w/singles. But when I crank the 1/2 stack and the gain...HB's are fantastic!

[newtwanger]

Us 1972 Deluxe RI guys would argue that.
Had a Les Paul Special, didn't like the "feel" of the guitar.
Had an old Hendrix Strat, didn't like the "feel"
Got a tele, like the feel, the way it sits, everything.
Now if I wanted it to sound like an LP, I'd put different PUs
(replace the current pair of humbuckers with something LesPaul-ier)

You are NOT a butcher. You just know what you like and what you don't like.
Good for you.

[ChicknPickn]

In my garage band days, I had a buddy who saved up his pennies and bought a Strat, some 70's model. I tried not to let him see me drooling. I was SO jealous. This guy's dad was an electrical engineer and a cabinet maker. One day, my buddy brings the Strat to "practice" and it has a 'bucker in the bridge. I all but screamed, "Why did you do that????" He calmly replied, "Because I wanted to." And he proceeded to show us what it could do. No more arguments from me. You can, and should, do whatever you like to your own guitar.

[6x47]

Originally Posted by mowcheeba

The big question is: What is/makes a Telecaster?
- Is it the shape?
- The bridge pickup fitted with the baseplate?
- The bridgeplate?

When does a Telecaster cease to be a Telecaster?

A Tele shaped guitar with Tune o Matic bridge and humbuckers isn't a Telecaster for me. It is rather a T-style guitar.

With people here playing all types of music, using different bridges, different finishes, necks, controls, pups, all manner of strings, not to mention picks (or lack thereof) and amps, this is really a great question and should be the basis for a separate thread.

What is a tele?

What is twang?

Although we all love the tele. I'll bet our definitions are all over the map.

[Tim Armstrong]

Yeah, like the guys have said, don't sweat it!

Heck, even Fender made some Teles with two humbuckers... and Teles with two P-90s... and even a few "heavy metal" Teles back in the 80s.

Cheers, Tim

[6StringShooter]

it's your guitar...do whatever you want. I dabble in classic cars and I get all kinds of flak because I'm not one of these "trailer queen" anal rententive restoration buffs (like on the HAMB) who will crucify you if you put a 1959 gas cap on a 1954 vehicle (no offense to anyone here, but that's the general attitude i've gotten from those guys). I'm more of a "let the car/truck have it's character and to hell with what anyone else says". If I want to drop a 5 speed manual transmission into my '48 olds because I don't want to deal with a 2 speed automatic, I'm gonna do it...and guess what it's still going to be a '48 olds. The difference is that it ceases to be original, but it is more to my own liking. Anyway, my point is this...its your TELE. If someone comes by and tells you that it's not a real tele, tell them to take a hike. One thing is swapping out single coil pups for humbuckers...another is trying to pass off a BC Rich Warlock as a tele...Sorry about the rambling, I hope you get my point.

[viking]

Do what you like , play what you want , and mod everything the way you feel you need to ....!

[hal]

Basically a 72 custom. This is a legitimate form of the Tele.

[Trimmed&Burnin]

Originally Posted by Shredfest2

I have 2 Telecasters and i just LOVE the feel of them, how they hang, how they feel, everything but the sound so i put humbuckers in both of mine and i know there are people out there who say that a telecaster is known for its sound and thats why people buy them and i agree with them being known for their sound but im just wondering if people think im butchering the point of owning a telecaster buy putting humbuckers in them.

Please let me know what you think

Thanks

If you like the feel, if you like the sound with Humbuckers,,, who cares??? There may be a few guys who are so closed that they might frown but so what?? As much as I like Tele's I have to say that they are not a sacred object in and of themselves or there would be a lot of guys here being lined up against the wall by the Tele Police firing squad. You may want to buy a stock Fender Tele just cover your bases however,,, Relax my friend,,,,

[WrapAround]

Originally Posted by Shredfest2

I have 2 Telecasters and i just LOVE the feel of them, how they hang, how they feel, everything but the sound so i put humbuckers in both of mine and i know there are people out there who say that a telecaster is known for its sound and thats why people buy them and i agree with them being known for their sound but im just wondering if people think im butchering the point of owning a telecaster buy putting humbuckers in them.

Please let me know what you think

Thanks

If you like the way they play and sound, it's all good. It doesn't matter what others think.

[neocaster]

+1 to all of the above. If you have something that feels good to you, sounds good to you, and looks good to you, it's YOUR guitar. Tele Deluxes are 100% Telecaster, dual humbuckers and all. Your modded twin humbuckers are Teles, too. Tell Keef that Micawber (with a neck humbucker) isn't a Tele and he may hit you with it. Guy's got a killer backswing.

[martino]

Originally Posted by Shredfest2

sorry il get some pics up asap

not shure how to say this . . . . and I am not trying to make no trubble but...

fender makes teles with humbuckers in them Yea from the fender
factory!










must be 10 differnt FENDER TELECASTER'S with at least
1 humbucker in them Some have 3 !

so I think your going to be ok.

[edwardjeffrey]

For me,I would never put buckers in a tele,I love that single coil sound! I'm not completely anti bucker I love the minis in my old Riviera.It's your axe,so bucker it up all you want! Hope it turns out the way you want.
An old fool from the old school

[Tele-Ryan]

To 'bucker or not to 'bucker, that is the question.

First, are you a player or a collecter? If you're a player, and you want a certain sound, go for it! Half the fun of being a guitar player is searching for that sound in your head, your tone. Only you can decide what sounds best to you.

If you ARE a collecter, than no, I wouldn't put humbuckers in it. It does devalue the guitar a bit, especially if it's an older model.

The whole 'point' of being a Telecaster owner, is to own a Telecaster. What is a Telecaster? A specific sound? A body shape? An ideal? I don't know if anyone here can really say. Its probably a combination of a lot of things, and the appreciation of others.

The Tele body shape has been modified and accented over the years. The sound and pickups in different models have changed as well. And besides that, as much as a single coiled Tele has a certain dynamic range to it, the amp you use probably has a bigger effect on your actual tone. To me, being a Tele player has a lot to do with enjoying the feel of the instrument, the history of the instrument, the appreciation of the shear variety of models and versitility of the guitar. And also the comradary of Tele players worldwide.

Good luck with your experimentation! I hope you find your tone!

[boris bubbanov]

I'm usually one camp or the other.

But I have at this point 5 full size humbucker bridge rout style Telecaster guitars. I've converted one to single coils, neck and bridge, and I will do some more conversions. But they all lack the traditional Tele bridge, and I've seen these guitars slighted for it. I never stop thinking of ways to get them 'home' to being a proper single coil bridge arrangement.

I also have 2 neck humbuckered Teles, and plans to do more. I think a bit more freedom is allowed in a neck position; Strat, MFD, P-90, TV Jones, Charlie Christian, full size Seth Lover. These choices are much less likely to be tinged in regret, and they're basically reversible with a regular pick guard profile. Far fewer people look down their noses at this arrangement. Custom or convention, whatever you prefer to call it.

The question of whether we're free to set our 54 Esquire on fire or blow up our 96 point Mercedes Gull-Wing is always open for debate. Most would agree the guy that chopped his 70's original Strat threw money down the toilet.

I'd just say it like this, best I know: There are fewer dollars chasing HH type Fender Telecasters, for the numbers of those models that exist, and many more dollars chasing the numbers of single coil bridge rout Fender Teles. If I needed another HH tele, I'd go buy one being given away. Or do a stacked small size bucker, something the next guy can change back.

[tboy]

There once was a goucho named Shredfest
Who said that there's one thing I must test
When coils are one
That just ain't no fun
I think that some hummers may sound best

A few said eternal damnation
is sure to be your destination
But most said go for it
If you so adore it
It's your axe, but their consternation

So you scraped off the top of the muffin
And filled it with much thicker stuffin
Now that Tele is hot
You can show what you got
They don't call you Shredfest for nuffin

[mistermullens]

Originally Posted by Shredfest2

I have 2 Telecasters and i just LOVE the feel of them, how they hang, how they feel, everything but the sound so i put humbuckers in both of mine and i know there are people out there who say that a telecaster is known for its sound and thats why people buy them and i agree with them being known for their sound but im just wondering if people think im butchering the point of owning a telecaster buy putting humbuckers in them.

Longest sentence in TDPRI history!!!

I agree with most who have posted and say go for it. If its what you like, its what you like.

[sumed]

Originally Posted by tboy

There once was a goucho named Shredfest
Who said that there's one thing I must test
When coils are one
That just ain't no fun
I think that some hummers may sound best

A few said eternal damnation
is sure to be your destination
But most said go for it
If you so adore it
It's your axe, but their consternation

So you scraped off the top of the muffin
And filled it with much thicker stuffin
Now that Tele is hot
You can show what you got
They don't call you Shredfest for nuffin

LOVE IT!

[RomanS]

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