Is every single Nashville band playing Telecasters, or what?

[TheCheapGuitarist]

Where I live, I see telecasters in live music occasionally, probably no more frequently than strats, PRS, or whatever else. But the band I'm in took a trip to Nashville last year, and we played at three different venues. Every single band we watched contained a guitarist playing a telecaster, and one of them even had two guys who both played telecasters.

A couple of weeks ago, back here in our hometown several states away, we had an opening act that drove up here from Nashville - dude brought a telecaster.

 

[prairietelecaster]

This might explain the existence of the TDPRI.

 

[Tele-friend]

Legend has it that once upon a time, a magical genie popped out of a bottle of Tennessee whiskey and granted every aspiring musician in Nashville a single wish. And what did they wish for? Telecasters!
Why Telecasters? Well, in the mystical land of Music City, Telecasters are like the Swiss Army knives of guitars. They can twang, they can rock, they can roll, they can make you sound like you've been chicken pickin' since you were a kid. Plus, they look good

 

[FenderAndLester]

I mean Tele's and Nobles ODR 1's through anything with a super clean front end have kind of been the Nashville sound for a while now.

 

[Audiowonderland]

Where I live, I see telecasters in live music occasionally, probably no more frequently than strats, PRS, or whatever else. But the band I'm in took a trip to Nashville last year, and we played at three different venues. Every single band we watched contained a guitarist playing a telecaster, and one of them even had two guys who both played telecasters.

A couple of weeks ago, back here in our hometown several states away, we had an opening act that drove up here from Nashville - dude brought a telecaster.

Nashville is the copy and paste capital of the world. It surprises' you that the players there all copy each other's gear? The way they copy the songs and plug in the new blonde girl of the week, it doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[Musekatcher]

Telecasters, in Nashville? Did you see any boots, buckles and hats?

 

[haggardfan1]

new blonde girl of the week

Pictures or it didn't happen...

 

[Muckman]

Nashville is the copy and paste capital of the world. It surprises' you that the players there all copy each other's gear? They way they copy the songs and plug in the new blonde girl of the week it doesn't surprise me at all.

So true, but it’s not any more predictable than non-Nashville pop’s trend of “shock and individuality” that sounds just as overproduced and mimicked. Needless to say, I don’t listen to much FM, myself

 

[Jullecaster]

and one of them even had two guys who both played telecasters.

I first read that as one guy even played two teles at once. LOL.

That got me thinking of Michael Angelo Batio and his ridiculous quad guitar. And what do you know - Google image search shows he actually has a dual telecaster.

Don't tell Nashville about it, we can only handle so much legato

 

[Bob Womack]

I worked the recording truck on a country music festival back in the '90s. There were only two kinds of guitar on the stage: Teles (and boutique clones) and Martin D-28s.

I grew up East of Nashvegas in Knoxville, the original home of country music (the city fathers threw out the bunch who would later become the Grand Old Opry because they thought they were a scruffy, bad influence). There, Bluegrrass and Olde Tyme music ruled the world. The official guitar was a Martin D-28 but if'n you were going to play an electric guitar is had to be a Tele. Being me, and culturally pressure-resistant, it took me sixty years to own either.

Bob

 

[Jakedog]

The only thing that surprised me, is that someone was surprised by this.

 

[BigPapa-53]

What else would you have them play?

 

[brookdalebill]

See, there's still hope!

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

Telecasters, in Nashville? Did you see any boots, buckles and hats?

Nope, no country western at all, believe it or not. In fact, one of the places we played had "country western sucks!" scrawled on the men's room urinal panel. Lots of variety in music, but no country - and all telecaster.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

What else would you have them play?

Anything they want. But it's funny to watch everyone in that region copying each other with their guitar purchases.

 

[T Prior]

But it's funny to watch everyone in that region copying each other with their guitar purchases.

I hope that's satire or you are trying to be funny.

 

[Lou Tencodpees]

My only Nashville experience was a long weekend there this past November. Yep, all Teles and well played, from country clean to rowdy rock.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

I hope that's satire or you are trying to be funny.

Sorry to dash your hopes, buddy...

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

My only Nashville experience was a long weekend there this past November. Yep, all Teles and well played, from country clean to rowdy rock.

Yes, VERY well-played. Incredible talent in that city. The problem I see is that there's too much talent there; venues exploit all that talent, of which there is an over-supply, and you know how that works - very little $$$ for the musicians, many of who are working 12-hours a day at their jobs, and hoping to get discovered and signed at night. Most of those people last about a year, until they are emotionally, physically, and financially drained, then move back home.

 

[Holy smokes]

the strat was invented for country swing. Ya Texas claims haha. Watch -Ernest on jimmi Kimmel play why Dallas Outstanding. I will listen to this all day. It’s my home music. strat played right. Sorry yngvie