Has anyone here become a Tele-only owner/player?

[Twang-ineer]

I have too many guitars 20% T Style roughly..... but in the hypothetical "desert island with electricity" scenario I have a Kiesel "Tele". Hard Tail, HSS, Fender scale, 12" radius, Alder and Maple on Maple. That guitar meets every need that I could imagine having. That and a Peavey Transformer Combo, and I think I could live out my days fairly happy.

 

[markesquire]

I'm currently down to just a Tele and an archtop (for electric). Seriously considering getting down to just one Tele that incorporates my favorite elements of of the archie.

 

[Sax-son]

I wouldn't consider myself a Tele only player, but I have found myself using them more and more. Because of their simplicity, their ability to stay in tune and can cover most of the bases, I can see why people are using them exclusively.

 

[robt57]

Was untill recent 2x LP deal popped up and had some loose coin.

But not bumped #1 (tele/6k PUs). Once you really get used to single coils and how to use&abuse their response,.. Well, me.. I have some trouble with HB thru hot front end. Hope to fix that.

 

[985plowboy]

I’ve owned a couple dozen Strats and Strat Plus, a 1971 Jaguar,
a few Ibanii (plural for Ibanez) and a couple Gibsons Les Paul Special and Junior
A few years back I had a gear purge and sold off guitars that I liked but never played.

I currently own two telecasters and four acoustics.

 

[birv2]

Still have my Jimmie Vaughan strat, but very rarely play it. Everything else 1) Rick Kelly Telecaster, 2) Jay Turser Tele with Squier neck and HB in the neck, and 3) Squier Affinity tele with Fralin pickups.

Every once in a while (like once a year), I get the strat out and play with it a bit. Then put it right back and grab a tele. And I started out as a strat-only player.

 

[rsfanforever]

No I play my 2 acoustics about 2% of the time, my 2 Les Pauls about 2% of the time and my 3 teles about 96% of the time. For me nothing beats a tele thru a Fender Tweed Deluxe.

 

[InstantCoffeeBlue]

After regrettably selling a few guitars while laid off in the early part of 2020, I was pretty much a Tele-only guy up until a few months ago, when I added a Loar LH-301 (ES-225 copy) to cover some of the more traditional jazz and Western swing work, but honestly, tone and functionality-wise, the guitars are interchangeable as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, there's something special about the way P-90s interact with a hollow body, but I wouldn't hesitate to grab the Tele for pretty much any gig other than a big band date that calls for the Freddie Green four-on-the-floor rhythm sound. I'd like to get another nice Strat at some point, but I do think there's value in proving to oneself that you can get by with less, and if that's the case, the Tele is an ideal tool for that.

 

[Guithartic]

I’m a Tele-only player for about a week (I have a Vintage ‘52 Hot Rod and an American Ultra). Then I’m a Strat-only player, then a Les Paul-only player, then an SG-only player. Then back to thinking all I really need and love are the two Teles.

 

[tho618]

Yes! Since 1996! This is the way!

 

[sloppychops]

Great replies here!

I have a pretty good variety of electric guitars, including a couple Strats and Jaguars, a semi-hollow, a couple hollow bodies, and a couple new Harmony guitars. But 90% of my playing is on a Tele. Every time I resolve to sell off a non-Tele, I play it for awhile and can't follow through. It bothers me that I'm not using most of those other guitars, but I just can't seem to sell any of them. I don't know if it's the pain of losing money on the sale or that I'm thinking I might later want to play what I sell.

 

[mimmo]

Not anymore, I’ve got a Strat now. But for a dozen years or so all I owned was teles.

Pretty similar story here. I used to own ony one Tele for about ten years, the I added a strat - all the electrics I need.

Acoustics are a different story...

 

[T Prior]

Well about as close as one can be I suppose. I own 4 Tele's , ( my daughter ran off with the 5th ) For the last 3 or 4 years I play the same one perhaps 99% of the time ( B Bender) , the others may come out for nostalgic reasons , maybe. The one Strat I own ( 2004 HWY 1) came out to two gigs last year , before that it hadn't seen gig duty in well over a decade or two . Before the B Bender, the 1989/52RI had full time gig duty , so since around 2000 , going on 23 years now, the electric 6 stringer hanging on the strap has been a Tele ! It never gets old either !

Disclaimer #1 but don't tell anyone- the couple of gigs I brought the Strat out to last year was really big fun ! I think and execute differently playing the Strat. Don't ask why .

Disclaimer #2- All the electrics are ready for gig duty 100% of the time. New strings, set up- ready to go , should I have a last minute desire to grab one on the way out. I hear them as I head out " take me, take me" LOL

 

[Muckman]

Interesting - I’m coming from the Les Paul in the opposite direction. Absolutely get the Les Paul’s sound and playability but since I started playing the Tele - I’ve come to really appreciate the increased scale length, string tension and snap to the notes. But I’m upgrading my Tele pickups to get back some of that Les Paul tone depth I am missing - but not going full fat bucker to make it a Les Paul sound totally. I do want to keep that Tele sparkle.

The Cavalier tapped bridge pickups do this, very well. I have a 51/52 tapped at 7200 winds. That gives me vintage tele sparkle or big fat broadcaster tone. A buddy of mine had one overwound and tapped at about the same wind. His goes from hot p90 tone to tele sparkle. The versatility is just an added bonus, the tone from Cavalier pickups is as colorful and musical as I’ve heard.

 

[rawgerpaper]

Teles and Strats, all I need mainly 80%. If I need a humbucker or p90s, I would prefer a Tele or Strat with a humbucker or p90s than hollowbodies or semihollow ones. But would love to have a 335 or a Gretsch black falcon for the mojo. But in terms of sound, for playing in gigs and sessions, nothing beats the Tele and Strat for sho but definitely Tele up there first then Strat. I'm a clean tone guy who hooks straight to amp (with sometimes reverb) and I can say that nothing beats the Tele clean tone.

 

[Festofish]

I’ll never have just one style of axe. I like to experience different offerings. Jag, Jazz, Mustang, St Vincent, Wilshire…………… The Tele is a classic and a staple but only one available flavor. There are so many types.
My #1 is a Schecter PT

 

[JCL50]

I think I still play a little more often my Strats than my Teles

 

[swervinbob]

I’m trying to record more with my tele to add color, but 99% of the time I’m on my PRS CE24.

 

[lousy13]

I rotate between my Tele, 335 and Strat with the Tele getting the heaviest play time. I can't imagine having only a Tele but like many have said it covers a lot of ground.

 

[Butch Snyder]

I own five guitars. They are all T-style guitars; so, 4 Telecasters and one 70th Ann Broadcaster RI. They all are different finishes and have different pickups and pickup configurations. That's how I get the variety. I just love how a Telecaster feels. I don't like the belly cut or forearm contours.