Nate Kahle
Former Member
Choo Choo here comes the sensitive train, tell me what you think; but don't tell me it's not as soft as a tele but not as tubby as a strat because that's the sound people want to hear. Hmm.
Nashville Tele: Why not buy a Strat instead?
- Thread starter Nate Kahle
- Start date
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The bridge pickup.
Tele bridge pickups have "more".
More punch, power, guts, whatever euphemism or adverb you like.
Oh, maybe perhaps the bridge itself.
That steel and/or brass cage that contains the pickup.
Perhaps the brass plate underneath the bridge pickup.
Personally, I dislike stock Tele neck pickups.
Unless a Nashville Tele has a 'bucker of some sort, I can't hang.
Lots of us TDPRI guys have strong opinions on every gnat's wazoo detail about our beloved Teles.
All of this has been discussed here ad nauseum.
Tele bridge pickups have "more".
More punch, power, guts, whatever euphemism or adverb you like.
Oh, maybe perhaps the bridge itself.
That steel and/or brass cage that contains the pickup.
Perhaps the brass plate underneath the bridge pickup.
Personally, I dislike stock Tele neck pickups.
Unless a Nashville Tele has a 'bucker of some sort, I can't hang.
Lots of us TDPRI guys have strong opinions on every gnat's wazoo detail about our beloved Teles.
All of this has been discussed here ad nauseum.
Nate Kahle
Former Member
You either like your strings through the body, or you like them on the plate. Needa leave the Tele's alone I say.
I've played one at a Guitar Center. It is still a Tele - it still has that "Tele sound" - but can do a bit of the Strat quack as well. This just seems like a Tele with a few more sonic options. In my opinion - which is worth absolutely nothing - it's only about 25% Stratty, maintaining most of it's Teleness.
The same argument could be made for a Tele with humbuckers - why not just get a Les Paul? Well, they are still Teles, just a bit thicker sounding.
To be honest, if you are playing out, how many people in the audience will know the difference anyway? Ask 95% of the people in the audience what guitar and amp was being played, you will get "a yellow guitar, I think. What is an amp?"
OK, yeah, I don't know what my point is either.
The same argument could be made for a Tele with humbuckers - why not just get a Les Paul? Well, they are still Teles, just a bit thicker sounding.
To be honest, if you are playing out, how many people in the audience will know the difference anyway? Ask 95% of the people in the audience what guitar and amp was being played, you will get "a yellow guitar, I think. What is an amp?"
OK, yeah, I don't know what my point is either.
sjtalon
Doctor of Teleocity
A Strat, is a Strat. With a mod, neck and bridge can sound kinda Tele, but you still can't have that distinct Tele bridge twang. A Nashville is REAL Tele (if that's what a person wants) and with the right neck pup (Nocaster, Keystone, Twisted Tele), can sound VERY similar to a Strat, and in position 4, quack real nice. Like unixfish says, play walk don't run with a Nashville set up right and no one would know the diff.
burntfrijoles
Doctor of Teleocity
Nashville Tele- Meh!
I'm at a loss at finding a reason to buy over a Strat!
However, differences are what makes things interesting. As my redneck neighbor says "some folks like red Corvettes and some folks like black Porsches".
I'm at a loss at finding a reason to buy over a Strat!
However, differences are what makes things interesting. As my redneck neighbor says "some folks like red Corvettes and some folks like black Porsches".
ColonelPanic
Tele-Meister
For me, the covered neck pickup on the Tele is to die for, and the middle pickup is the only reason I'd have a Strat, shove the two together, and voila, a Nashville!
It is all about personal preference though, and the humbucker point above is a very good one. I am quite tired of people assuming that I've retro-fitted the middle pickup, they always moan that the cover doesn't match the black bridge pickup
It is all about personal preference though, and the humbucker point above is a very good one. I am quite tired of people assuming that I've retro-fitted the middle pickup, they always moan that the cover doesn't match the black bridge pickup
Strats are dopey and "common".
That's why.
(not all Strats - the vintage ones would please me greatly...)
That's why.
(not all Strats - the vintage ones would please me greatly...)
jvin248
Doctor of Teleocity
Put Tele pups and electronics in a Strat and it sounds like a Tele.
If yer a real purist play an Esquire!
If you need a switch to get more sounds play a Tele.
If you still can't get all the sounds you need or play in Nashville studios, add a middle Strat pup.
I put one of my better Tele bridge pups in a Strat and it didn't sound like a Tele.
Now I'm putting together a hardtail Strat, but not for Tele pickups, I'm putting an F spaced Jazzmaster shaped P-90 at the bridge, and the Strat guard hides all sins if I don't like it and switch to a different pup.
It's funny I have five Strat bodies lying around but never leave them assembled for long, because Strats suck!
Still, now and then I go there when I feel like cheating on my Esquires.
If you need a switch to get more sounds play a Tele.
If you still can't get all the sounds you need or play in Nashville studios, add a middle Strat pup.
I put one of my better Tele bridge pups in a Strat and it didn't sound like a Tele.
Now I'm putting together a hardtail Strat, but not for Tele pickups, I'm putting an F spaced Jazzmaster shaped P-90 at the bridge, and the Strat guard hides all sins if I don't like it and switch to a different pup.
It's funny I have five Strat bodies lying around but never leave them assembled for long, because Strats suck!
Still, now and then I go there when I feel like cheating on my Esquires.
nicholaspaul
Tele-Meister
If a guitar of any kind sounds like a Strat, which Strat are we talking about? And which amp are we playing thru? There are huge differences between different vintages, although I do realise there are certain sounds in ones head that are Strat like.
For me, Tele vs Strat come down to body shape. If I put a Tele bridge in a Strat what is it?
It's also a case of attitude. No matter the sound, a Tele just makes me do different things than a Strat, for better or worse.
For me, Tele vs Strat come down to body shape. If I put a Tele bridge in a Strat what is it?
It's also a case of attitude. No matter the sound, a Tele just makes me do different things than a Strat, for better or worse.
Nate Kahle
Former Member
I don't have Esquire money.
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
When I'm having trouble deciding...
I pick up my Gretsch.
I pick up my Gretsch.
Wrong-Note Rod
Poster Extraordinaire
the strat does some things the tele doesnt and vice versa. The only thing really in common between these two guitars, is the middle pickup.
the toggle position 2 quack on the strat is going to sound a bit different than the tele because of the different bridge pickups and the bridgeplate. That doesnt mean the tele version is going to sound bad, it wont. Just different.
Plus of course the strat has the whammy bar and to me, thats a beautiful thing.
the toggle position 2 quack on the strat is going to sound a bit different than the tele because of the different bridge pickups and the bridgeplate. That doesnt mean the tele version is going to sound bad, it wont. Just different.
Plus of course the strat has the whammy bar and to me, thats a beautiful thing.
dreamsinger
Tele-Meister
Oddly enough, I play a Tele now because the Strat I had, had a push/push pot that killed the middle pickup plus I had the trem blocked. I almost never turned on the middle pickup so decided I was really a hardtailTele guy. It's a killer partscaster with a DeHavilland swamp ash body that I back routed and chambered. I covered the back with highly figured bookmatched swamp ash, Joe Barden p/u's, 1 3/4" Warmoth maple neck (fat finger syndrome).
stevenhay
Tele-Meister
I bought mine because it was used and cheap. So there.
OlRedNeckHippy
Poster Extraordinaire
I play a Nashville.
There is no way you're going to get "that Tele tone" I get on my Nashville on any Strat. Ever.
There is no way you're going to get "that Tele tone" I get on my Nashville on any Strat. Ever.
src9000
Poster Extraordinaire
Most of my guitar time is sitting. The strats won't stay put.
Frank'n'censed
Doctor of Teleocity
You're joking, right...remember, you're behind enemy lines.
Tim Bowen
Poster Extraordinaire
Like brookdalebill said, the bridge pickup.
For me, adding a third/middle pickup to my early 90s '52 reissue Tele eventually became an on-the-job necessity; I like playing slide and funk with strat(ty) ducktones, especially position #2 in the five way (yes, I understand that some famous tele players use stock teles for such... we've done this one before too... I'm not those guys and have different preferences than random famous cats anyway).
So when I decided that I also needed a B-bender tele, viola, there's my used Nashville B-bender Tele sitting there in the store and it already has three pickups, perfect.
I did eventually put Lollars in the '52 and Harmonic Designs in the Nashville B-Bender. Don't need another tele, but couldn't imagine not having three pickups in one.
Strats and teles are the only standard electric guitars I play anymore, and they retain some of their inherent character regardless of how one chooses to Frankenstein them, or not. Strats are floating exclusively for me; the bar is half the fun and floating is part of the sound that I like.
For me, adding a third/middle pickup to my early 90s '52 reissue Tele eventually became an on-the-job necessity; I like playing slide and funk with strat(ty) ducktones, especially position #2 in the five way (yes, I understand that some famous tele players use stock teles for such... we've done this one before too... I'm not those guys and have different preferences than random famous cats anyway).
So when I decided that I also needed a B-bender tele, viola, there's my used Nashville B-bender Tele sitting there in the store and it already has three pickups, perfect.
I did eventually put Lollars in the '52 and Harmonic Designs in the Nashville B-Bender. Don't need another tele, but couldn't imagine not having three pickups in one.
Strats and teles are the only standard electric guitars I play anymore, and they retain some of their inherent character regardless of how one chooses to Frankenstein them, or not. Strats are floating exclusively for me; the bar is half the fun and floating is part of the sound that I like.
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