Stock Teles Can Definitely Handle Distortion

[SonicDiveBomb]

I have two telecasters. A squier I modified with a humbucker at the bridge and very recently bought a Mexican 2014 standard. I figured I'd end up throwing a lace sensor humbucker or any humbucker like I did the the squier, but after putting her through her paces with a Marshall and a Boss DS-2, this guitar actually sounds awesome with distortion! Teles really can play anything! Does anyone else use the stock singles with distortion?

 

[waparker4]

Yes, teles sound good doing about anything.

 

[SonicDiveBomb]

Yes, teles sound good doing about anything.

Yes they do! I'm rather surprised because I've tried getting a good distorted sound out of other single coiled guitars and it was usually far too thin and screechy. With the telecaster, it's no humbucker sound, but it is a very nice distorted sound and the classic twang gives it a nice edge

 

[cynic79]

Teles can handle distortion very well, much better than a Strat IMHO. Just roll back the tone knob a smidge if the high end is out of hand.

 

[fendertx]

Yep, I run my Tele through my little JMP 1 watter. It gets all the Zep, AC/DC, and Thin Lizzy sounds and more. I also get some fun out of Social Distortion type stuff as well.

 

[tlagosh]

Was there ever any question? Didn't Morello use a tele for most of the Rage stuff in the nineties? Page? Boy, I love me some teles.

 

[Tele Ted]

Tele's rock it...

 

[outbreak]

yulp I've used my MIM standard for 80's hardcore/thrash/d-beat. Handles the distortion fine and if anything I like the treble cutting through but then again that style of music works with just about any guitar

 

[kyussvegas]

Teles can handle distortion very well, much better than a Strat IMHO.

+1

And a Tele can handle distortion like a champ with an individual single coil pup. Never had half the growl with my Strat.

 

[SonicDiveBomb]

+1 And a Tele can handle distortion like a champ with an individual single coil pup. Never had half the growl with my Strat.

with my strat I feel I always have to give a lot more distortion to get that heavy sound but with my tele I just leave my distortion pedal at the same settings as my jaguar loaded with Dimarzio buckers. Thoroughly impressed at the jonny greenwood sounds I can pull off even without the lace sensors

 

[Springer]

My stock Tele loves distortion! May have to tweak her tone knobbie a little, but into an AC30 via a RAT, a Tele will rawk!

 

[soulman969]

If you add a 4th pickup combination of the neck and bridge in series you'll combine the two pickups into something tonally similar to a humbucker and with greater output. That combination can really drive an amp to break up or drive a pedal to do the same.

 

[trashedlostfdu]

i sometimes use mine through a tremoverb and a cab with a quad of K85's (older version of K100's which i like better.

it kills.

but... nothing beats a timmy (vol 100% OD 0%) into my 18w or jtm45 half way up.

of my teles, the AM std with the Twang Kings is the best of my small tele stable.

 

[timmer114]

+1 on the 4 way switch suggestion..

My old mim Standard had those stock hot ceramics, really punchy meaty sound with distortion. My 51 nocaster pups in my partscaster will do gut slugging downtuned death metal better than any humbucker equipped guitar I have ever owned, and growing up in the 80s thrash scene, I owned a lot of them.

 

[Mr. Lumbergh]

If you add a 4th pickup combination of the neck and bridge in series you'll combine the two pickups into something tonally similar to a humbucker and with great output. That combination can really drive an amp to break up or drive a pedal to do the same.

Yeah, I have the 4-way going on mine now too. Even a modest Tubescreamer into a Fender tube amp, and a nice warm, chunky, usable distortion is what you get. I love how many different sounds you can get out of one of the most basic electric guitar designs...

 

[Martin R]

I never thought it couldn't handle distortion. This is a 74 Custom. The rhythm part is an old Deluxe cranked to 10...The lead is through a Dean Markley Overlord pedal, with the Deluxe at about 8.

 

[10thoufirst]

Yes, teles sound good doing about anything.

Well you just can't argue with this statement. I wish I'd thought of saying it. I just assumed!

 

[Lobomov]

Teles and Teles .. My tele with a 10k single coil in the bridge perform quite nice. I'm sure if I dropped a 16k single coil like the bare knuckle pile driver in there, it would preform even nicer.

My tele with a run of the mill 7k bridge single coil is nice enough, but it struggles with regards to pushing the tubes in my amp.


I'd say that pup type is more important than guitar type here.

 

[SonicDiveBomb]

Teles and Teles .. My tele with a 10k single coil in the bridge perform quite nice. I'm sure if I dropped a 16k single coil like the bare knuckle pile driver in there, it would preform even nicer. My tele with a run of the mill 7k bridge single coil is nice enough, but it struggles with regards to pushing the tubes in my amp. I'd say that pup type is more important than guitar type here.

well yeah what I meant was that the pups that came stock with my 2014 Mexican standard can handle the somewhat moderate distortion I use

 

[Martin R]

I never thought it couldn't handle distortion. This is a 74 Custom. The rhythm part is an old Deluxe cranked to 10...The lead is through a Dean Markley Overlord pedal, with the Deluxe at about 8.

Although this is a distorted Tele, (it's a live studio recording using the Overlord), it's not the link I wrote about.

If anybody cares, this is the cranked Deluxe on rhythm with the Overlord lead.