Do I Need a Tele Deluxe?

[thunderbyrd]

yes you need a tele deluxe.

 

[bender66]

With the cunife pickups now available I'd just build my own with all the specs you've mentioned in this thread. I see some decent ash Deluxe bodies available.

 

[Fiesta Red]

View attachment 1059618

Yes!
They look and sound awesome…

Actually, you need a “standard” Telecaster, a 60’s “Custom Telecaster”, a 69 Thinline, a 72 Telecaster Custom, a 72 Thinline and a 72 Deluxe.

I’ll add this:

You also need a Micawber copy…and two Esquires—one with maple, one with rosewood…and a Esquire/Les Paul Junior mashup with a hardtail Strat bridge and a P-90 in the bridge position…

 

[tlsmack]

I used to think humbucker telecasters were not legit. Then I played a 1974 or so with original cunife wide range pickups. What a great sound. Smooth Fender tone, not like the fake wide range pickups hiding in a fender looking cover.

 

[Hallski]

Damn, glad you got out of that deal alright.

Curious how you liked the neck on the Deluxe since you had played it a bit.

Me too!

I didn't mind the neck, but it was thinner than the Road Worn 50's I've grown to love of course, but I could have gotten by with it. Doesn't seem to be another neck out there like the 50's, so I might just ride it out with one guitar for a bit and really think about what I want to pair with the Tele.

 

[Hallski]

Since you did ask, I'd keep the PRS since you have a Telecaster. I have a Korean SE and it's a very good guitar, especially for the money I paid, $260 several years ago. I think anybody that actually uses a guitar should have a single coil guitar and a humbucker guitar if the funds allow it.

I am fortunate to have a MIM Telecaster and a US Telecaster but I recently bought a Squier Classic Vibe Thinline Telecaster and I am very surprised how good it is for the money. I paid $368 for mine but later found a great deal from ProAudioStar. $279...https://www.proaudiostar.com/squier...ter-thinline-natural-w-maple-fingerboard.html
I would send mine back and buy this one, but I can't find a thing wrong with it, so I feel like that's kind of cheating , and sending back gear that isn't damaged will cost us all in the long run.

I agree, definitely want to add a HB to go with the Tele. I've been through so many HB guitars, not sure which direction to go. The Tele is making me happy right now, I want to just ride out that vibe I've caught with this one, but I dont really have a backup for it right now.

 

[msalama]

OP -

Don't know if you're still interested in Deluxes, but the one below seems like a good deal nevertheless. Although with possible caveats as follows:

1) You're in the States and this is an EU guitar, which may make it complicated and / or expensive for you because of red tape and customs duties, etc.
2) This is a late 70's CBS Fender, so it will have a thick poly finish and may also weight a lot.

And then the pluses as I see them:

1) The guitar seems mint and all original.
2) The price is quite reasonable IMO.

If I was looking for a Deluxe ATM, I'd be very interested in this myself. DISCLAIMER: I'm not affiliated with the seller in any way.

Fender Telecaster Deluxe (1972 - 1981) | Reverb

During Fender's CBS era, various different updates to the Telecaster design were released, including the Fender Telecaster Deluxe in 1972. Compare prices on new and used Fender Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitars on Reverb.com.

reverb.com

PS. That guitar sold immediately, and no wonder...

 

[Blackmore Fan]

Yes.

 

[AndrewG]

All my Telecasters to date have been the 'traditional' two single-coil models. Then I bought the Noventa with the single MP90, wanting a break from the familiar. I then got a hankering for humbuckers but couldn't afford a Deluxe, so I found this:

A little bit Deluxe, a little bit Thinline, and with the Varicoil a quite convincing nod to single coil tones.

 

[bluesmain]

Without randomness ,
Order cannot manifest itself

 

[Peegoo]

Yes, you need one.

If you currently own one, you need another one

 

[Terrygh1949]

A simple question, that I'm sure will have many answers!

A little backstory; I never owned a proper Tele, and when I finally did get one, it was a Nashville Power Telecaster (not proper at all, haha, had the Piezo bridge, etc) and I couldnt get along with it and promptly sold it. Then, I swore off ALL Tele's! A few years have gone by, and I had the Tele itch again as I was watching different players and getting into playing different styles of music myself. So I traded a few guitars and came out with a Road Worn 50's Tele and I loooooooove it! It's changed my whole approach to guitar and what I'm wanting out of an instrument. I feel like myself on the Tele, I'm playing in ways I didn't think I could play. That said, it's inspiring! And of course I want another

That brings in the question. It's only been a short time since I've had the Road Worn, but my other main guitar (a PRS SE Custom 24) isn't doing anything for me anymore. I have a chance to trade this for a 2008 72 RI with Tremolo (pictured). I'm primarily playing worship, and at my core, I identify as a hard rocker style wise. Would adding the Tele with Humbuckers (and essentially losing a solid HB guitar) be an asset, or overkill? What I want in a second guitar is a backup to the main guitar (the Road Worn) but also something different enough tonally to have another option, but still maintain the same vibe.

Thoughts?

Do it, it's nice to have another road to travel.

 

[RockinforJesus]

Thanks, really liking it! All around its surprising me. Chunkiest neck I've ever played but its feeling very comfortable!

I agree about the HB in a Tele concept, seems slightly off base and might be better served with an LP style, which I am thinking about in terms of a PRS replacement, maybe even a PRS singlecut, but I haven't really found a singlecut I dig (besides the Tele of course). Keeping my options open but wanted to possibly jump on this Deluxe because it does check some boxes for me

Hey, have you considered a PRS S2 Starla? The pickups are amazing - Gretsch/Tele-like chime, vintage styling with the Bigsby for subtle tremolo, yet PRS innovation and dependability. I might be looked down on for saying this but my Starla gets way more play time than my Am Std Tele, and let me tell you, I really love my Tele. The PRS covers much more territory though, and is a P&W machine!

 

[Tele-friend]

I actually like the big ol' Strat headstock on a Tele! But it's different for sure. And I was kind of thinking the same thing, that if I added another Tele right now, it would have to be something quite different, which the Deluxe does I think.

If you like big strat headstocks and HBs, but want them in a Tele format, definitely go for a Deluxe. Here is my '74. These WRHB pickups sound amazing and together with 1 meg pots, they are really something else. Brighter and more articulate than usual HBs, more powerful than the single coils. Neck is quite narrow though but I get used to it quite fast after switching from a Tele.
I dont know about modern Deluxes, but if they are close to the originals, definitely go for one.

 

[Tele-friend]

which I always think of as a punk rock or “whatever, as long as it growls” group. If there’s any iconic tele deluxe usage, it’s probably being put through a rectifier at festival volume, it’s probably Warped tour, and it’s probably 2004 again.

Maybe. But the cleanish and crunchy blues tones I get from my Deluxe are amazing. Just played it today

 

[skisquash]

Have the American Pro Deluxe II. Loving it in the live mix and studio. Not only a complement to my Teles but all the other guitars. Nice welcomed surprise. One of the best purchases. In my top two.

 

[bender66]

Just gonna leave this here.

 

[msalama]

if they are close to the originals

The AV2s are reportedly pretty good, so those are always an option if an unspoiled original is unobtainable.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

Yea!
Humbuckers are proof that God loves you and wants you to rock.

God does love you, and he indeed wants you to rock!

 

[Six Bachelors]

I got a Deluxe by accident. I had wanted a Tele Custom for about fifteen years but couldn’t get my hands on one, then came across a black, maple board Nash Deluxe a few years ago and got a great price on it. No, it’s not a real Deluxe - four bolt neck and Lollar WRHBs - but it is a splendid guitar and can do just about anything I need. I love having Gibson functionality in a Tele body and with Fender scale length. I like the aged/reliced neck. I like the boat neck and big frets. I like the body contour. I even like the hefty weight. It is the guitar I know best and would be happy relying on for any task if I had to.

I don’t think these are for everyone though - they are very different from a Les Paul and quite different from a traditional Tele. The Lollar pickups are beautiful but don’t sound much like PAF pickups - much clearer and more Fendery. They sound a bit more like traditional Tele pickups but are smoother and more muscular. They’re not suited to styles far down the Tele and LP path like chicken pickin’ or heavy metal.

Incidentally I’ll finally be picking up a real Custom soon - a natural finish ‘77 with a rosewood board that I am making payments on at the moment. I think I’ll end up using the Custom and Deluxe as my two main guitars. I currently have two LPs - a very nice ‘98 Classic 1960 and a ‘83 Custom with a Kahler - but I just don’t play them as well as the Deluxe. I have to sell one of them to find the Tele Custom anyway.

Photo shows the Deluxe plus a parts Esquire…