Looking for Advice

[ESLCOL9433]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a long-time Strat player who already owns a CS Shop Strat it's a Wildwood 10 PostModern, and I have a 1983 57 reissue Strat a very early one it's really nice. I've been putting off getting my first Tele for 8 years now and I've finally decided to take the plunge so I'm hoping some of you can give me some advice.

I really like my Wildwood 10 CS strat if anyone has any opinions on the Wildwood 10 62 Teles I'd be interested in hearing about it. I don't know anyone who has a CS Tele, but as I look around the 62 Teles with the rosewood necks seem to really meet what I'm looking for in my first Telecaster purchase as far as the tone is concerned. I noticed a guy on here earlier had 55 CS Tele that was white blonde and it really looked like a nice guitar.

I'm new here so any input would be appreciated.

 

[MelodicBend]

For the advice you seek, YES.

You might not find anything that will hold up against your custom strat. That will be your first challenge.

Although people here generally mean well, you will probably get bombarded with encouragement to buy a Tele without hesitation. I'll try to be more comprehensive though.

Establish your demands for neck dimensions, pickups (type and configuration), and wood. Only then will you be able to pick one that you will love and bond with.

My first real electric was a Mexico Tele I bought new in the 90's. I loved everything about it but the neck always bothered me. Had I known of my neck measurement quirk at the time, I would have bought a more suitable (for me) model which I would definitely still own today. I've been in search for this mystical instrument for too long. I'll eventually give up and just buy ALL the Telecasters.

What models do you have your eyes on at the moment?

Good luck!

 

[Boreas]

Welcome aboard!

Well above my price range, so cannot offer any advice other than any Tele is a good instrument.

 

[Wooly Fox]

As always, go to a guitar shop with a decent Fender and CS offering (make a day out of it if you need to travel far) and try out lots. Don't get too blinkered by spec and type and enjoy yourself.

I didn't go into Long & McQuaid here in Vancouver to buy a CS 52' Blackguard Tele (see avatar) but that's what happened. Traded two guitars I had fallen out of love with to get it and it's now my "play around the home office" guitar.

Also try one of AVII 60s Teles as well, might be what you're after.

 

[Peegoo]

@ESLCOL9433

I have a 2003 FCS Time Machine Series '63 Telecaster Relic that I got 2nd hand, and it's a peach of a guitar. The neck on it is pretty chunky for a Fender that's supposed to replicate an early-60s model. It's pretty close in size and feel to my Gibson ES339 with the '59 neck shape.

I mention this because neck carve can make or break the feel of a guitar for many players. So as @Wooly Fox advises above--get to a shop and play a bunch.

Do not get disappointed if you don't find one right away; take your time because an impulse buy may not be so stellar after a month or three. Be patent. One will speak to you.

 

[Wetwired]

I think I've got a version of what you're describing: Mine is a 2012 Wildwood 10 1961 Tele w/rosewood fingerboard and a John English 59 C carve.
It's my only CS, so I can't compare it to others but it is the most comfortable guitar I own, coming in at 6.25 lbs. It's one of the best playing and sweetest sounding teles I've had in 40 plus years of playing. After I got it, I've stopped looking at other teles. I found "the one".
Finding out it had hand wound Abby Y pups was the unexpected icing on the cake for me.

Let me know if you have any specific questions I can answer...

 

[kuch]

welcome aboard.
As said before, I would look at teles with similar specs to your fav strat. I would also go out and play some higher end ones if there's a shop around you that carries them.

Good luck in your search

 

[nielDa]

What kuch said - if you get a chance to try other Telecasters check the specs on your Strat first, and have a way to measure the guitars you try. Then decide if you want to replicate the Strat specs, or branch out.

 

[fenderchamp]

Watch the classifieds on here. That's where I got my CS Tele. I got a great deal on it and it is top-notch. Right now for example, there is a like new 1960 CS tele that sure looks sweet. The guy bought it 3 weeks ago, it looks like the place he bought it from has a 2 week return policy though. It seems like he's in a real hurry to get rid of it, and I doubt it has anything to do with the quality of the guitar.

 

[ESLCOL9433]

For the advice you seek, YES.

You might not find anything that will hold up against your custom strat. That will be your first challenge.

Although people here generally mean well, you will probably get bombarded with encouragement to buy a Tele without hesitation. I'll try to be more comprehensive though.

Establish your demands for neck dimensions, pickups (type and configuration), and wood. Only then will you be able to pick one that you will love and bond with.

My first real electric was a Mexico Tele I bought new in the 90's. I loved everything about it but the neck always bothered me. Had I known of my neck measurement quirk at the time, I would have bought a more suitable (for me) model which I would definitely still own today. I've been in search for this mystical instrument for too long. I'll eventually give up and just buy ALL the Telecasters.

What models do you have your eyes on at the moment?

Good luck!

Hey melodic bend, it's interesting you bring up neck dimensions I have a Modern C on my custom shop strat which is the slimmest neck Fender offers it's about .870 depth at the 12th fret that was the major change I made when I ordered the guitar. I'm not a big fan of large chunky necks but it seems most Tele players and most Teles have the larger C necks. That one issue I know I'll probably have is finding a Tele with a slimmer neck. The point is if that's the case then I don't think I have much choice almost have to go the custom shop route I just have never been able to get comfortable with larger necks. The only tele I know of that comes with a slim neck is the John 5 series do you know of any other teles that have slimmer necks? As far as PUPS go the 62 Teles with the rosewood necks offered by Wildwood sound really good to me, but Greg Koch is the demo guy for them and he can make anything sound awesome. I think they have the twisted Tele PUPS are those good if you want the guitar to really have an edge to it? thanks for responding I'n in that new guitar mode...LOL!

 

[ESLCOL9433]

I think I've got a version of what you're describing: Mine is a 2012 Wildwood 10 1961 Tele w/rosewood fingerboard and a John English 59 C carve.
It's my only CS, so I can't compare it to others but it is the most comfortable guitar I own, coming in at 6.25 lbs. It's one of the best playing and sweetest sounding teles I've had in 40 plus years of playing. After I got it, I've stopped looking at other teles. I found "the one".
Finding out it had hand wound Abby Y pups was the unexpected icing on the cake for me.

Let me know if you have any specific questions I can answer...

Hi wetwired, any idea what nexk depth is at the 12th fret on that tele? I’ve seen very very few teles with a slimmer neck carve like the fender Modern C. I’ve tried to get used to the larger necks and it just doesn’t work for me. Sure my hand is smaller, but I know a lot players with small hands and they love the baseball bat style necks. If you bump into any teles with slimmer neck profiles and remember this thread push the guitar my way. Thanks for feedback

 

[MelodicBend]

ESLCOL,
Thanks for the detailed response. It's given me a few things to think about as well. We're almost there I think. I wasn't expecting you (or anyone really) to consider a Fender C to be too big. Fender has historically made their necks considerably thinner and narrower than the likes of Gretsch, Gibson, and others. I love strats and teles but have always struggled with their undersized (to me) necks.
When you say you want a thinner neck, do you mean less overall material and weight? Width at the nut? Do you prefer the smaller fret size? I'll suggest a few necks for reference.

1. The Jimmy Page Telecaster. I think this is probably what you're after. Thin D profile, 7.25 inch radius, 1.650 inch nut width, vintage frets. I don't think Jimmy himself or Fender even knows for sure, but the original was most likely a 1958 model.

2. Player series or older MIM standard necks are considerably smaller than USA model necks. Most will have the medium jumbo frets.

3. Japan models usually have a nut width narrower than 42mm and slimmer profiles.

4. American Vintage II. Definitely play a few of these before even considering branching out to other series. Lots to choose from in the current lineup.

Even if you decide against the suggestions above, you can note the specs if you find a fit and look for the same thing on a different model.

Good luck. Let us know if you decide on a particular Tele or Custom Shop.

 

[ESLCOL9433]

ESLCOL,
Thanks for the detailed response. It's given me a few things to think about as well. We're almost there I think. I wasn't expecting you (or anyone really) to consider a Fender C to be too big. Fender has historically made their necks considerably thinner and narrower than the likes of Gretsch, Gibson, and others. I love strats and teles but have always struggled with their undersized (to me) necks.
When you say you want a thinner neck, do you mean less overall material and weight? Width at the nut? Do you prefer the smaller fret size? I'll suggest a few necks for reference.

1. The Jimmy Page Telecaster. I think this is probably what you're after. Thin D profile, 7.25 inch radius, 1.650 inch nut width, vintage frets. I don't think Jimmy himself or Fender even knows for sure, but the original was most likely a 1958 model.

2. Player series or older MIM standard necks are considerably smaller than USA model necks. Most will have the medium jumbo frets.

3. Japan models usually have a nut width narrower than 42mm and slimmer profiles.

4. American Vintage II. Definitely play a few of these before even considering branching out to other series. Lots to choose from in the current lineup.

Even if you decide against the suggestions above, you can note the specs if you find a fit and look for the same thing on a different model.

Good luck. Let us know if you decide on a particular Tele or Custom

 

[ESLCOL9433]

Watch the classifieds on here. That's where I got my CS Tele. I got a great deal on it and it is top-notch. Right now for example, there is a like new 1960 CS tele that sure looks sweet. The guy bought it 3 weeks ago, it looks like the place he bought it from has a 2 week return policy though. It seems like he's in a real hurry to get rid of it, and I doubt it has anything to do with the quality of the guitar.

thanks fenderchamp I didn't even notice the classifieds pull down until you mentioned it no doubt something could pop up on there.

 

[ESLCOL9433]

Melodicbend,

That list really helps point me in the right direction so thanks. A friend of mine sent me a txt today saying he heard the Jimmy Page(mirror) Tele was a beast and it doesn't have one of the big chunky fender necks, but he's a PRS guy so wasn't sure how credible he was looks like he was right. My Postmodern Strat has a Modern C-neck it's .870 at the 12th fret and .820 at the first so I'll try and find a tele with a neck in that range. For some reason, I can handle a larger neck up to about fret 7 but I really struggle above that unless the neck slims down considerably. If I can't find a slimmer tele neck then I may have to go full custom shop. I've made the mistake of thinking I would get used to a larger neck in the past and I never did ended up selling the guitar. I just looked up that Jimmy Page Tele looks like they have full custom shop version, and I think one made in Mexico too so I'm going to go down that rabbit hole and see where I end up. Thanks again ESLCOL

 

[fenderchamp]

Melodicbend,

That list really helps point me in the right direction so thanks. A friend of mine sent me a txt today saying he heard the Jimmy Page(mirror) Tele was a beast and it doesn't have one of the big chunky fender necks, but he's a PRS guy so wasn't sure how credible he was looks like he was right. My Postmodern Strat has a Modern C-neck it's .870 at the 12th fret and .820 at the first so I'll try and find a tele with a neck in that range. For some reason, I can handle a larger neck up to about fret 7 but I really struggle above that unless the neck slims down considerably. If I can't find a slimmer tele neck then I may have to go full custom shop. I've made the mistake of thinking I would get used to a larger neck in the past and I never did ended up selling the guitar. I just looked up that Jimmy Page Tele looks like they have full custom shop version, and I think one made in Mexico too so I'm going to go down that rabbit hole and see where I end up. Thanks again ESLCOL

The page mirror comes from the custom shop or in a us made, 2K roughly, price point vintage series sort of guitar with nitro, a nice I think tweed, case etc, it's just not CS.

I've never seen the CS version in person but I've played several of the 2k-ish series and they are pretty nice, not remarkably light as I recall, and they don't have a big 'ol neck by any means. The bridge pickup is remarkably sweet.

The page dragon painted guitar is the MIM guitar.

Yeah... page mirror teles are nice.

 

[Wetwired]

Hi wetwired, any idea what nexk depth is at the 12th fret on that tele? I’ve seen very very few teles with a slimmer neck carve like the fender Modern C. I’ve tried to get used to the larger necks and it just doesn’t work for me. Sure my hand is smaller, but I know a lot players with small hands and they love the baseball bat style necks. If you bump into any teles with slimmer neck profiles and remember this thread push the guitar my way. Thanks for feedback

It's .860 at the 1st and .980 at the 12th.

I had an 80s E. Series that was super slim, and I've got a partscaster that is close to a flat 1.00 up and down the neck. This one, however, just feels like "home".
I'll keep my eyes peeled for you in the forums...

 

[ESLCOL9433]

Thanks appreciate it.

I did find one he’s supposed to measure the depth on the at 1st and 12th fret we’ll see where it lands. I think I can probably go about .900 at the 12th and still feel really good and confident I made the right decision. Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too picky but at least I know what I like.