Describe the 3 Tele Switch Positions

[Brent Hutto]

Pretend you're talking to a total newcomer who has never played or heard a Telecaster. Describe the sound of each switch position and say what kind of music you think each position is perfect for.

And I'm talking about just a bog-standard Tele, two single coils in the Neck and Bridge plus Middle position that combines them.

Here's my attempt:

NECK: Easier to get dark sounds, can get a little too thumpy. Ideal for rolling off the tone a bit and pretend it's 1959 and you're playing jazz
BRIDGE: Max Twang, tends toward too bitey. It's ideal for when you want to sound like a Tele and nothing else.
MIDDLE: Smooths out the Bridge sound or gives a bit of twang to the Neck sound, take your pick. Maybe best if you want to sound like an acoustic guitar except electric?

 

[schmee]

Neck: a bit compressed, softened lows, but with some sizzle on the high end.
Bridge: Twang, very bright if you dont roll down the tone pot. Punchy middy twang for country or rock lead work if some tone rolled off.
Middle: Sounds a bit out of phase, but tames both neck and bridge locations a bit.

 

[ShortintheSleeve]

For me:

Neck - "Wait? Why does my guitar sound sort of dull of a sudden? Ah, I accidentally hit the pickup selector switch."

Middle - For when I want more of the clarity the bridge offers mixed with a bit of the mellowness of the neck

Bridge (with the tone knob turned back about 1/4) - My lifeblood

 

[Peegoo]

Neck: thump

Middle: sweet

Bridge: stiletto

 

[Boreas]

I don't play in a band or with others. I don't need to cut through a mix. I live in the neck position (sounds like a guitar) with an occasional venture to the middle. I use the first position to make sure my bridge pickup is still functioning.

That being said, the key to owning most electric guitars is to learn how to adjust pickup heights to your own personal sonic preference.

 

[Freeman Keller]

I play humbuckers and P90's most of the time, but have one tele clone with singles

Neck - warm complex jazzy. Lots of mids and overtones

Mid - the best of both worlds, adds just enough sparkle to the neck. Vey nice with 2V2T

Bridge - bright, sort of shrill and jarring. Many high partials, not much fundimental. I rarely use the bridge by itself

 

[Brent Hutto]

...with 2V2T

That's a new one on me, a little help please?

 

[fenderchamp]

That's a new one on me, a little help please?

like a Les Paul 2 vol 2 tones (a very un tele-like feature to mention)

neck, like a Strat neck but not so hollow, and a bit boxy, kind of futsy but not be sneezed at entirely.

middle: Kind of sparkly, kind of cool for some clean tones.

bridge: with a volume and tone control and of course most importantly with a tube amp which is an instrument in itself, "the tonez" all sorts of the tonez. This is what "tele tone" and twang and all the things that make a tele spring forth from. The other two positions are sort of like bonus window dressing.

Of course the irony in @Freeman Keller 's answer is that there really isn't a tele with 2v 2t other than a deluxe which well... you were asking about tele tones right?

 

[Killing Floor]

Pretend you're talking to a total newcomer who has never played or heard a Telecaster.

I’d say “nice Tele!, before you even take it home have them wire it series-parallel with a 4 way.” Just me?

 

[Milspec]

This is where the modern 3-way fails for me...too limited and misses out on some of the best tones.

The original "dark circuit" allows one to blend the neck into the bridge to find the sweet spot which makes a Tele sound like a Tele should. Without the ability to blend them, you have a compromised sound no matter what.

I always looked at the positions simply in the terms of warm to bright and how I describe the positions. Neck for warm tones, middle for brighter, and bridge for brightest tones. What is missing is the blending of the above in the percentages that you prefer.

 

[Jakeboy]

Neck-warm and throaty
Middle-chimey sweetness
Bridge- bright twang

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Bridge: Bakersfield twang
Middle: mid-50s Memphis rockabilly
Neck: Uptown jazz

 

[Brent Hutto]

Neck-warm and throaty
Middle-chimey sweetness
Bridge- bright twang

I think your word "chimey" is good for what I've noticed during my recent infatuation with the Middle position. That's what Middle add to the Neck tone (which until recently was my favorite).

 

[Freeman Keller]

like a Les Paul 2 vol 2 tones (a very un tele-like feature to mention)

...

Of course the irony in @Freeman Keller 's answer is that there really isn't a tele with 2v 2t other than a deluxe which well... you were asking about tele tones right?

I agree and I apologize. I build guitars and pretty much can do what I want, I realize that isn't what the OP was asking.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I agree and I apologize. I build guitars and pretty much can do what I want, I realize that isn't what the OP was asking.

No apology needed (for me at least). Now I know about 2V2T. Next time I'm in the guitar store and see a Les Paul I'll be sure to refer to it like that

 

[SixStringSlinger]

Neck: Warm but clear.
Middle: Mellow but assertive(? Still working on that one)
Bridge: Bright but full.

Or, as appropriated/adapted from a post I saw here a while back:

Bridge: Rock n' roll; some country
Middle: Other country
Neck: Blues/jazz.

This is where the modern 3-way fails for me...too limited and misses out on some of the best tones.

The original "dark circuit" allows one to blend the neck into the bridge to find the sweet spot which makes a Tele sound like a Tele should.

Just out of curiosity, got any examples?

 

[BlackASATClassic]

Bridge =
Middle =
Neck =

 

[fakeocaster]

Neck swing and jazz
middle 60s soul
Bridge honky tonk

 

[Milspec]

 

[buster poser]

I’d say “nice Tele!, before you even take it home have them wire it series-parallel with a 4 way.” Just me?

That. Mine lives in neck or serial. Almost never in bridge/parallel.