I just don't get the Tele...please help

actually i have a JCM800 that i've played for a while with a 2x12 cab with green backs. it has a pretty nice clean sound if you put the pre-amp gain around noon and turn up the volume as loud as you need it. it's almost the exact opposite setup as you'd use for rock. also turn your amp up louder than you need and roll the volume back on the tele. makes a world of difference and use a lot less pre-amp gain. plus my marshall is purple which is probably why it sounds better.

 

Well, there it is.

1959?
1987?
2203?
2204?
2205?

A 2205 would work fine. Set it up clean, crank the mids. A dynacomp would help.

 

Give it a try with the Marshall...Set it to clean , slam a compressor in the mix and youre good to go. ...money is money...

 

I Have the Gatton Bardens in one of my Tele's. The GFS (modern/vintage) Lil Punchers get you in the nearest ballpark to these. The Vintage ones are very weak and thin-sounding. And, the Hot ones are complete mud on my Tele, but the modern/vintage set sounds great to my ears.

Quite a price difference between those and the Bardens.

 

One thing that helps fatten a Tele....besides the tone knob is a 4way switch with your pickups in series. You can always throw in a P-90 or Humbucker in the neck position which gives a very versatile guitar.

 

I thinks it's a basic thing. If you were playing a real ( good ) Les Paul or an Ibenez Artist and then jumped into an albiet Tele Like guitar was bound to be a speed bump and for possibly a bunch of reasons, "value engineered" pickups, heardware, woods. Then there is those first moments when you go to pull a bend on the high B or E string and the sustain is ........... different. Actually for fun, play the mock Tele intensly for an hour or so and then switch back to the Les Paul.You find yourself flying.

Lastly I'd get myself a real Tele. The X's and Rondo guitars are wonderful, and lord knows I love a cheap guitar but Teles, good Teles are not $$$, nowhere near the price of a Les Paul.

I honestly think the challange of playing a Tele will be rewarded.


Best of luck,

Gary

 

I thought all country players had PRS guitars.

CC

P.S. What Fezz said, and that video made my day.

 

To the original poster.......I know how you're feeling....

I've given this Les Paul an honest try,....

http://www.dhgate.com/2012-new-grot...81374f8c8701376dd7278a72c5.html?recinfo=8,2,1

...and I don't understand the appeal of them....they sound awful.

 

He's right on the money. That's a Tele-style guitar. Since you like it, I would change pickups to something that's more to your liking. There are tons of choices out there. Listen to sound samples. And yes, you don't have to play a Telecaster for country music anymore. Watch the country award shows, and you'll see Les Pauls, PRS's, and more.

I'm thinking of getting a Xaviere Tele-style right now, but I have already reconciled having to mod it to get what I need.

I have a Squier Classic Vibe Tele that I bought a few years ago when they were first released, and it's the best Telecaster I have ever owned. The main reason I like it is, it's not your typical twangy Tele sound. The Alnico III bridge pickup is much warmer, with none of that "ice pick" tone you hear in many Teles. I hate that sound. It grates on my ears. Even with my tone control dimed, it's still warm. The neck pickup is surprisingly usable. I wouldn't change a thing about it. It even has a flame maple neck! The guitar cost me $325.

 

Do I detect some sarcasm here?

 

Man, I assumed this was a joke, but for $250 that thing looks awesome (aside from the headstock logo). I've been spending big money building from Warmoth to get nice tops like that one. How bad could it be? Throw in some new electronics.

 

I played humbucker guitars for years before getting my first Tele, and it was a very similar experience to Johntodd's. The Tele sounded thin and piercing to me, and I hated it. Then, I started "re-learning" how to dial in my amps around the Tele, and things improved dramatically. My go-to guitar these days is an American Special with a CS Nocaster in the bridge and the stock Texas Special in the neck, and this guitar works well even with the high gain channel on my Boogie Mark V. It doesn't push the first preamp stage in the same way that my humbucker guitars do, but it does bring out note articulations that the humbuckers just can't touch. This is with the tone knob rolled back a little bit, with it up all the way things get a bit harsh.

 

With the stomp boxes these days, you can get just about any tone you want as long as you are starting with a clean sounding amp. A compressor, maybe a paisley drive, a good reverb and eureka! Oh, and those BL pickups would make a great difference.Good luck!

 

Maybe try a compressor to fatten it up a bit?

 

Could be.

Could be the Xaviere is letting you down, without your recognizing it.

Your ears, senses are calibrated for a Les Paul and it may take time for you to recognize what is missing about the Xaviere.

The "damage" could be permanent. Or it may take time for your ears to recalibrate. If you want to give yourself the highest percentage of success though, you will need to spend more money; get a decent quality 2 single coil, traditional configuration North American Tele. IMO.

 

I'm using a compressor and the new Boss Combo Drive with my Tele,Strat and Traynor custom 40. Best tone for country on a cleanish setting and the increased crunch from the Combo Drive opens up a wonderful "AC 30" wonderland of growl. Keep about 25% spare guitar vol so that you've got that extra drive for solos

 

Some great guitar playing on that video!

Maybe someone should make a list of country players that don't just play Teles?

 

No beefier PUs needed at all. Think Jimi, Ritchie or simply Stairway to Heaven. They were all using stock wimpsy strat or Tele PU.
All you need is a vision and a declared intention to go for it no matter what guitar. I usually play a lot of straight into a SF but if it comes to a dog fight I'm prepared to use my Tele too. Here's a small real quick one take snipplet I did. Don't shoot me for all the imperfections. Just a sound clip intended.
All Tele for those who believe in the thin tone. Yes, thin tone, but good for me.

 

Listen to enough Brad Paisley and you'll see what Tele's can sound like.
If you still don't like Tele's, stick with your L/P.
Don't expect your amp settings to be the same tho'.