Owning multiple telecasters

[Guithartic]

I have three, all American. One is a Vintage Hot Rod ‘52 in butterscotch blonde. Then I saw a 2001 American Designer Edition Silver Sparkle Tele with Custom Shop Texas Special pickups on eBay for $800. Had to get it at that price. Then I thought I needed to have the most modern possible so I got an American Ultra. I think the only reason I have them is to satisfy an urge. I just really felt right having a vintage one and an extremely modern one. I just play at home.

 

[Biffa6]

I currently have 2 an new AV64 that I have just picked up - true vintage specs and a player that I have modded 4 way switch, twisted tele pickups,locking tuners etc.

only play at home so will see how things go with playing both - if I do I’ll keep both if not the player may go - the AV64 is a keeper regardless

 

[SuprHtr]

Sometimes a price is too good to resist, i.e., the Players from Adorama for $520 last August. Consider also how little wear occurs when you rotate through 10 or so guitars. The same logic applies to maintaining low mileage on motorcycles!

 

[Full-Tilt-Tele]

Well, for me, myself, personally... It all started with a couple of nice scraps a neighbor gave to me, and the 'Shutdown Pandemic'... The first 'Tele' was actually an 'Art-Deco' 3/4 scale model of a 'Thinline' with solid Mahogany and Quilted Maple (Hangs in my Studio)... Then, I got serious about building my first real 'Partscaster' and I was hooked for good. Been at it for a year and I just finished my 12th. I've sold three, have several posted on e-Bay and just conjuring up what I call my Boutique Tele's with different 'Thames' My latest one is a 'Tribute to Surf City', you'll know it when you see it... Now, each one of these Tele's have a complete personality of their own. That' why...

 

[Maguchi]

Sometimes a price is too good to resist, i.e., the Players from Adorama for $520 last August. Consider also how little wear occurs when you rotate through 10 or so guitars. The same logic applies to maintaining low mileage on motorcycles!

Yeah, I remember that Adorama deal a coupla months ago. That was killer! I already had a blue one, so I din't snag one a those, but it was tempting. I did find a dyn-o-mite deal on a used 2015 Squier with a rosewood slab board about a year ago, so I snagged that one.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Some of those older Indonesian Squiers have some really choice rosewood boards. The way I understand it, if the material is there and there's an order of guitars to fill with rosewood boards, they just use what they have available - no matter how superlative it is. I bought 3 of those Squier Fat Teles, circa 2005, because I couldn't get over how nice the boards were. $ 129 per guitar, new in box, why not?

Today's prices, even Adorama prices, seem too high to me to buy multiples. But some of the prices we used to pay (such as @ $ 400 per American Standard Tele or Strat, no case) are so low, I would suggest, that the actual question should be, why not buy all you can?

 

[Opt_234]

different pickups sound different, different guitars feel different.

 

[Frisco 57]

A bit of a pattern or, maybe not.

 

[marc2211]

I have 3, 4 if you count an Esquire!

1. A MIM Classic 60’s in CAR my wife bought me a a surprise for my 40th. It’s my first Tele and means a lot to me and has a lovely thick sound.

2. JP Dragon MIM. Sounds totally different to the 60’s one, bright and aggressive, and being a huge LZ fan I one I wanted one from even it was released.

3. Most recent. USA LTD Performer Tele in butterscotch, black guard and with neck HB.

4. Squier CV Esquire. Bought on a bit of a whim, but it has started around.

 

[BLCK-OPM22]

Well, for me, myself, personally... It all started with a couple of nice scraps a neighbor gave to me, and the 'Shutdown Pandemic'... The first 'Tele' was actually an 'Art-Deco' 3/4 scale model of a 'Thinline' with solid Mahogany and Quilted Maple (Hangs in my Studio)... Then, I got serious about building my first real 'Partscaster' and I was hooked for good. Been at it for a year and I just finished my 12th. I've sold three, have several posted on e-Bay and just conjuring up what I call my Boutique Tele's with different 'Thames' My latest one is a 'Tribute to Surf City', you'll know it when you see it... Now, each one of these Tele's have a complete personality of their own. That' why...

That blue is absolutely gorgeous... and j only usually 1 shade of blue from fender. What is it if I may ask, refinished, or is it self built or custom maybe?

 

[BLCK-OPM22]

So I have 3 'fender' telecasters, 2 x SC MIM - butterscotch and black with black guard (different pickups), and 1 x p90 sunburst thinline (this one I'm changing the pickguard to black and putting wide ranged humbuckers in them plus appropriate pots).
My black tele with black pickguard has Seymour Duncan vintage stacked pups for the tele charm without the hum. That is my main guitar which I get my main live and recorded tones out of, and the guitar I write with if I don't use one of my acoustics. This gives me the ability to go from ethereal twinkly math rock/midwest emo tapping and arpeggios into full on aggression with the right pedal and not worry about any interference or 60 cycle hum becoming obvious. Love these pups for their warmth but also more accurate tele twang sound if you want it than the fender noiseless lines give you, I think by a long way anyway.
The butterscotch tele is standard setup again but with stock fender pups and is tuned to CGDGBD or FACGBE depending on the songs but also works as my back up live.

I also have a tele shaped Chapman ML3 in Ember with dual humbuckers that I love but that has a sound of its own... use it for heavy under layers and breakdowns along with my solar A2.6 TBR which has great Duncan Solar pups, although its very a metal guitar the pickups are great for emo/easycore stuff.

I found after buying my first tele (MIM butterscotch one) I was completely hooked. Nothing fit my hands the same, nothing felt the same, nothing felt as right when I played it and had it in my hands - I felt like it was the electric guitar made for me. Great for my punk stuff too.. Great for everything tbh!! Wouldn't swap the necks for anything, not a wizard, not the solar's neck... just a good old player series neck (although the rolled frets of the ML3 feel high high grade).

Once you get the tele bug, it doesn't subside I've found.

Hope everyone's enjoying their guitars whatever they are!!

 

[Festofish]

I dont understand it myself. I have 5 teles and I have no f-ing idea why.

Your real answer!
Ive been asking the same thing. There is so much variety out there so why stick with one type or brand? My #1 and #2 just got bumped down the list. Schecter PT Goldtop HH and Fender Vintera RW Tele Deluxe I won here a couple years ago.

 

[tfarny]

I have two, both partscasters with Warmoth necks. One of them is just a great all-around guitar that I've had for a long time. I've played more live music with it than with anything else, it can do anything I need. It can do twangy stuff but is maybe a little more suited to rocking. It is a great slide guitar when I'm in the mood to set it up that way. I would never sell it. The other one has more traditional pickups in it and a Glaser bender. It's just as good a guitar as the first one, the Glaser is its killer application and the different pickups also give me more sounds to choose from. If I wanted to get rid of it, I'd have to put the Glaser in the first guitar which would cost as much as a third guitar. So I have two teles and I'm not bothered by it. Those two plus my hollowbody Eastman are probably the only three electric guitars I need to own at this time.

I can't get into the mindset of buying several inexpensive guitars of the same type instead of one or two better ones. To me that's not even "collecting" which implies tasteful selection of a variety of rare or interesting things. 5 colors of the same Squier - I don't get it, it would be like "collecting" Dell laptops from Costco.

 

[guitarmikey]

Only one bought, the rest DIY, with different pickups and wiring, colors.
Made a partscaster Robben Ford inspired, with Texas Specials & 4 positions switch.
Bought the MIJ 62 but changed pups with Pure Vintage 64, and electronics as well.
Both have rosewood, 7.25 radius, but sound soooo different!
Encoureged by that, started to make some barncasters, one woth two P90’s. Another plethora of sounds!
I saved a nearly dead korean Squier, adding a SH-1 in neck. Threw some 011 flats, better for jazz sessions.
Another barncaster with only a P90 in bridge, Esquire/gibsonesque style…
Then I discovered the jazzmaster body, again with different pups, getting so different, sooo much different sounds!
And so on, and so on…
Of course, some guitars went away, then made some more, and… that’s it!

 

[mimmo]

Some time ago I started selling stuff and I only own one telecaster at the moment, an AV52. This is all I need really, tele-wise, and for the first time I don't feel the urge to buy another telecaster.

I may pull the trigger for the right 72 Custom, just to add something different, but it wouldn't be a need.

My J-45 and my Epiphone Riviera fill all the gaps, again I could get a small body acoustic just to have something different, but no need for this either.

So yes, just one great Telecaster and I am a happy guy.

 

[msalama]

the right 72 Custom

C'mon man, of course you NEED one, don't be bashful

 

[James824]

Ole geezer here. Confirmed bedroom player as I am so bad, no-one would ever want me in their band!

For many years; strictly a Gibson guy. Never cared for Teles at all.

Eventually had a few G&L US models (Legacy, ASAT). While I liked them none ever seemed to stick around long

About 15 years ago, Wildwood had a scratch and dent US Tele at a ridiculous price. Snagged it up and initially was not very impressed. However as time went on, it became the first guitar I reached for when I felt the urge to torture the wife and/or neighbors. As I grew older, the Tele just felt "right to me".

Sold all my Gibsons (and believe me I had some beautiful custom shop babies). Teles (no belly cut) are the only guitars that are comfortable to me in my advancing age. Especially white ones, 'cause we all know they sound the best.

 

[FenderLover]

To some extent, it's art - they're just cool to own. It's also different configurations of hardware and tuning. If one only plays in standard tuning and is happy with a stock guitar, maybe one is enough. I have 6 for different reasons, but yeah, one or two could be fine also. Don't fence me in.

 

[rjtwangs]

I like 'em...

RJ

 

[user name]

I definitely have a "type"