Need help deciding: a guitar that complements the Telecaster

[arlum]

I liked the way old Telecasters paired up with a hollow bodied Gretsch with De Armond 2000 pickups. Both clear and crisp single coils but recognizably different. Very Rockabilly.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I'd say ( just from my own perspective) if the OP already has a Tele and a Stratocaster, he has answered his own question.
Assuming stock pickup and controls from each of those guitars, plus clean and overdriven amps, there is a universe of sounds there.

( maybe hyperbole on my part, but IMO, a Stratocaster is magic,
and you can get a pretty good 'humbucker' sound out of a Tele bridge pickup if you back off the Tone knob a bit, and add some drive/dirt)

 

[ndcaster]

a dark flattop like a J-50 or J-200

 

[carpenter]

Its arch nemesis A Les Paul Standard

 

[glenlivet]

Starfire I SC in Seafoam Green | Guild Guitars

Based on the timeless Starfire II and III, the Starfire I SC features a 2“ thick, hollow body with an added bridge block. Seafoam Green and Snowcrest White.

guildguitars.com

Humbuckers with coil split. Lots of different sounds in these guitars. I don't play with a lot of dirt or drive, but I bet they would chew it up.

 

[John C]

I will echo adding something in the Gibson family - your choice between Les Paul, ES335 or SG, also your choice between humbuckers or P90s. You can't go wrong by having all of the 3 classic electrics - Tele, Strat, and Les Paul.

 

[bottlenecker]

Yep. I’m a 28 series Martin man myself. 18 series are equally nice but in a different way.
I find, especially in a recording scenario when tones can be easily manipulated, that a Tele can do as well as most.
I’ve never found a digital electric sound that truly captured an acoustic.

Almost any dread will compliment electrics, with all that sparkle and thump, and the big hole for the midrange, but D-28s usually sound the most scooped to me. My first choice for rhythm strumming in a band. They pump up the low mids in the rhythm section, make the cymbals sound like they're playing sparkly chords, and leave a big hole for voices, steel guitar, teles, fiddles, etc.

 

[244300]

Anything with humbuckers.

Thread/

 

[jimmywrangles]

From your description of what you play my very first thought was Les Paul.
Doesn't even have to be a Gibson, plenty of LP style guitars out there cheaper and as good as the Gibson.
LP's sound particularly good with some crunch/fuzz/overdrive so methinks that's your baby.

 

[Wallaby]

Les Paul.

The problem with them is once you figure them out there is a huge risk you won't pick up your other guitars.

 

[Southpaw Tele]

I have two electrics, a Tele and Jazzmaster. Only thing I’d like to add is a hollow body electric.

 

[244300]

Les Paul.

The problem with them is once you figure them out there is a huge risk you won't pick up your other guitars.

Yep

 

[Vibroluxer]

For recording purposes I am looking to purchase a guitar that complements my main guitar, a US Standard Telecaster.
A few notes:
- I also have a Stratocaster which has its use but is more on the light/trebly side of arrangements
- the music I make is the rock singer songwriter type
- I use mostly clean and overdrive/crunch sounds, I occasionally use distortion/fuzz on solos

Any experience that you can share will be much appreciated.

How much do you want to spend?