How Do You Feel About Signature Telecasters?

Not yet.

:^)

 

This. Generally, I wouldn’t care to play a guitar with someone else’s name on it. Especially a tele - sort of goes against the spirit/novelty of the tele design for me.

That said, the Johnny Marr Jag and the Reverend Greg Koch tele both intrigue me. I happen to love both players, but would only get them if the specs were a good fit for me.

 

Also, I’d like to see a Syd Barrett Esquire, but would happily make my own. Mainly just jonesin for an Esquire, I think.

 

The only sig tele I’d want is a Joe Strummer. I’m not even a big fan of his music, I just love the look of that guitar.

 

I have a Chris Shiflett.


I enjoy the Foo Fighters and his music but that’s not why I bought the guitar. I bought the guitar because I love the features of the guitar.

Same thing with the Monterey Hendrix. I just love the guitar. It’s not a Jimi fetish although I do admire Hendrix.

 

IMHO, signature guitars are way, way overrated. Funny, but most of those players who now have a signature model just took a standard guitar, modified it and made it their own. You can do the very same thing.

Signature guitars are, I believe, for collectors and hardcore fans, but that's about it. I wouldn't spend the exorbitant amount of money some makers want for a signature model. Modding the guitar is half the fun!

 

Hi and thanks for reply, that sorted it out.

Yeah, I’m loving it. Even though it’s not 100% accurate (and for a good reason), it always makes me smile when playing Let It Be and Abbey Road stuff through cranked ’65 Twin RI!

 

I'm ok with someone's model, just don't like artificial "signatures" of someone on anything. No fake signatures for me and no fake "road-worn" relicing. Just a personal preference.

 

I've owned several Signature G&L's tho they aren't artist's models... just Leo-era models (ASAT and ASAT Classic) that featured a silk screen decal of Leo's signature under the top coats.



Earlier models ASAT's had 'by Leo Fender' on the headstock tho those aren't considered Sig models… just was a strategy Dale Hyatt came up with to help market the 'real one's' as well as take a shot at the big boys



Dale was responsible for the G&L Broadcaster (as well as the G&L 'Super Strats' - the Invader, Superhawk, and Rampage) Below is a fun pic of Mr. Perkins and Mr. Burton basically each playing their signature models….


Leo gave Carl a Broadcaster and he played it pretty much exclusively til his passing.

This full page ad created quite a bit of havoc when it was published in the mid 80's… Fender wasn't amused to say the least. LOL.



Lastly, here's a listing that's currently on Reverb for a Broadcaster that was built for Mr. Hyatt... along with a photo of him holding it and a very detailed letter written by his son.

It's worth a read to get the back story of the Broadcaster and just how influential and loyal Dale was to Leo. (The full letter is included in the photo section tho you may need readers to read it)

(Btw, no affiliation to the seller)
https://reverb.com/item/23039617-g-l-broadcaster-1986-black-serial-00002

 

”How do you feel about Signature Telecasters?”

I’ll sign any Telecaster for a reasonable figure...especially if she’s flexible

 

There are a few I want because of the specs and some aesthetics:

according to Aesthetics:
1. Jimi Hendrix Monterey Strat
2. George Harrison Rosewood Tele
3. John5 Tele (Shoreline Gold)

according to Specs:
1. John Mayer Strat, (Black1, as long they have the big dipper pickups)
2. Jimi Page Mirror telecaster (But I wont put the mirrors on)
3. GE Smith Telecaser
4. Brian Setzer Gretsch
5. Chet Atkins Gretsch

just to name a few on top of my head,.

 

First 'serious' guitar I ever owned was a MIM Fender Muddy Waters Telecaster.

Goodness knows how that guitar managed to leave the factory; frozen truss rod, faulty pickups.

By the end of the 10 years that I had owned it, all that was left was the guitar body, neck plate and the input jack. Everything else was replaced. Eventually sold it because I got a Baja Telecaster.

I must be said that I am very keen on the Jimmy Page mirror telecaster; however, I am unsure when it will hit the shores of Sunny Singapore...

 

No way I'd buy a signature guitar, but there is a lot of eye candy from the custom shop I'd love to get my hands on.
Our local retailer had a sheryl crow signature Tele he tried to talk me into one day while I was browsing, I mean, with all due respect to the gal, I ain't getting around with a sheryl crow Telecaster. No, nup, nyet, nein!

 

A friend of mine had a Clarence Tele ...was quite awesome sounding.

 

I think I personally tend to prefer vintage reissues to signature models. I liked how the Joe Strummer and Andy Summers Teles turned out.

 

Dang. I just bought another signature guitar - a J Mascis Jazzy. Once again I really couldn't care less about the signature - it was just a nice guitar. Think I'm going to get hooked on Jazzmasters and will not doubt buy my way up through the range - spending more and more for smaller and smaller return. Maybe I should just get a Custom Shop and cut out all the in-betweens. Wonder If I can convince the missus it would be saving money

Cheers

 

It'd be different if it was a Taylor Swift Tele

 

I used to have a Jimmie Vaughan strat that I still miss. I couldn’t tell you a single song of his. I could care less about signature models. The name may grab my attention but I’ll go straight to the specs when checking it out.

 

Jimmie Vaughan played his Tex-Mex Signature Stratocaster models for years, on-stage and in studio. That doesn’t mean he didn’t use other guitars, but his guitar tech said JV used a stock Tex-Mex Strat as his main instrument on tour for quite a while.

 

Like other people have said before me, it's all about the features. I would like a Robert Cray Strat and a Harrison Tele, but not because I'm a huge fan of either Cray or Harrison (I really am, but that's irrelevent). Its because I would like a hardtail Strat and an all rosewood Tele. I don't use the whammy, and I would like something different, and rosewood is just beautiful.

I'm a huge Clapton fan, but I don't want a Clapton Strat, because the features just don't shift my gears. I'm not interested in active circuits and the mid boost thing.

I do kind of look sideways at the people who shell out, for example, $10k for an exact replica of SRV's Number One, but it's their money, and if that makes them happy, you can't take it with you when you go.