Hey folks!

Hey everyone!

I've been lurking long enough and recently got some great advice on here so I figured it was high time I post an intro!

Been playing since I was young. The first brand new guitar I ever got was a Peavey combo with a Reactor (Tele clone) and amp from Guitar Center back in the 90s. Saved up my allowance for months. Put it on layaway and was super proud. Shortly after started the pawn shop cycle (I must have lived in Music-Go-Round for a while ) of trading in for different guitars. That was my last tele for decades.

I wrote tele's off for a good bit for being too simple. I got caught up in Ibanez's, Wolfgang's, and stuff for a good bit. Anyways, after almost 3 decades of not playing a tele, I've matured a bit and realized the simplistic beauty of a tele. A Chicago Music Exchange special Player tele caught my eye and I had to have it.

As soon as it hit my hands, I realized what I missing. All this time, the tele is what I should have been playing. To me, it's a "proper" guitar. Something about the neck, string through hard tail, slab body, etc. It didn't feel like an instrument that had to be babied but instead it wants to be played.

I'm primarily a blues player (somewhere in the BB, SRV, KWS, Clapton, & David Gilmour range) and the tele just fits the way I play.

So here I am now, 2 teles on hand: a CME special MIM Player Tele (swapped out to a flat oval 12" roasted maple neck, Texas Special pups, a 4-way switch, and a 0-load tone knob) and a MIM Nashville Deluxe.

The kicker these days is now the Thinline bug bit me. I don't know why but I have to have one. So I begun working with MJT to do a custom build (w/ custom Musikraft neck to my specs). It's my first ground-up custom guitar to my specs; something I've dreamt of doing since I was kid. Can't wait to welcome that one into the collection but I'm certainly in no rush, I want that one to be as perfect as it can be.

Anyways, lookin' forward to learning from y'all and enjoying the conversations!

Cheers!

 

Thanks y'all!

I realized the aged natural tele didn't have the new neck on in that picture. Here's what she looks like these days:

 

Thanks!!

The neck was from Fender. It's their new-ish 12" Flat Oval Roasted Maple Neck (Part # 0990302920).

I love it but wish I could change just one thing, the flat oval part. I love the jumbo frets and 12" radius but the back of the neck shape is a bit to thin down towards the nut. The Nashville Tele has a 12" radius but totally different back shape (more full & rounded) and uses narrow tall frets.

With that being said, that roasted maple neck is still my favorite at the moment.