Strat v. Tele

[ulixxe]

HI all

I am new here.

Everyone here days the tele is the best guitar for a beginner. This is contrary to what I read on the various sites of manufacturers, shops, on-line outlets etc.

The only reason I prefer tele is that I prefer the shape and I like the idea that the controls etc are more stable than a Strat. I want to eventually to play blues.

Any comments? I am going to build my own guitar so that leaves plenty room for a decent amp and other stuff.

Thanks for any opinions, all suggestions are welcome.

Max

 

[Hudman_1]

It’s completely subjective. There is no best guitar model for beginners or any rule that says you can only play blues on a Strat.

Guitarist play blues on every kind of guitar: Strats, Teles, 335’s, SG’s, Les Paul’s, acoustics, etc

 

[Killing Floor]

The body shapes are different and the pickups "might" be positioned differently depending on models. Play what is comfortable. The best guitar is the one that feels the best in the fretting hand in my opinion. I'd say the more important debate is the color. I like Daphne blue more than sonic blue. Let's go!

 

[SixStringSlinger]

The best guitar for a beginner is the guitar the beginner in question gives a damn about playing. That's it.

Tele's perhaps have an added advantage in that they are pretty simple, as far as electric guitars go, so there's less to wrap your head around. But electric guitars in general are pretty simple.

A Tele can be a fine blues guitar. So can a high-output humbucker-and-Floyd-Rose-equipped shred machine. There's no functioning guitar that "can't" do blues, and there's no guitar that will allow you to blues when you can't on any other guitar.

I'm not saying it doesn't matter what guitar you start with. It's simply an almost purely subjective thing.

 

[Tele-friend]

I wouldnt say strat or tele is better for beginners. They are both equally fine for beginners. If you prefer the shape of a tele and the control layout then go for it
They are both great for blues.

 

[kookaburra]

Hit a store to check both models out.

 

[OmegaWoods]

Welcome! May I suggest looking at a Squier for a first guitar. They have a LOT of quality for not a lot of money. Classic Vibe series is very highly rated but the Affinity series models I have played are also respectable.

Good luck!

 

[_MementoMori_]

It's totally subjective. Also, Telecasters are better.

 

[sdsy1212]

I like the sound of the Strat neck pickup and Tele bridge pickup. Put both on my Tele.

 

[IronSchef]

I think the Tele is better for a beginner, because its less complex and no Tremolo to deal with -- with that being said, a Strat is perfectly fine to learn on

 

[Digital Larry]

Personally, I prefer the Tele due to the straightforward controls. Y'know, the tone and volume knobs work in all positions. I could not get used to Strat tone controls where there's one for the neck, one for the middle, and none for the bridge. I understand that this might have some application to performance, but since I don't perform, I don't like it. Yes you can rewire it any way you like, but straight off the rack it's a wee bit bizarre. IMO.

 

[basher]

Teles look better, sound better, stay in tune better, don't have a middle pickup to get in your way, and don't have body contours to make you all complacent and soft. Do you iron your pleated jeans and wear socks with your sandals? Then get a Strat. Otherwise, welcome to the cool kids' table.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

They are very similar instruments. A tele is a bit more stable and it can be argued that the fixed bridge is a little simpler for a beginner to deal with.

I really think it boils down to personal taste. I like a strat for ergonomics and prefer a tele for all things musical. The 'spongy' attack on a strat with the trem bugs me. I really don't use the middle pickup on a strat and don't care for the strat bridge pup (in most cases).

That being said, I still play a strat quite regularly, and probably always will. But my teles are my first choice.

For blues playing either would be fantastic choices.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

As a beginner, it is probably most important that you have a guitar that is properly set up. String action that is too high is hard for an experienced player to deal with, let alone a beginner.

You are taking up guitar at the perfect time. When I was a kid, cheap guitars were just that: cheap guitars. These days, modern manufacturing advances have made it possible to produce fairly high quality guitars inexpensively. A budget priced Squier packs a lot of punch compared to a budget priced guitar from thirty or forty years ago.

Manufacturers want to sell guitars, so of course they will claim that their model is the best. Likewise, we here at the TDPRI tend to have Telecaster obsessions, so we are going to tell you that the Telecaster is the best.

Me, I learned on a vintage Telecaster many years ago. Any lapses in learning were definitely my fault and not the guitar's. I think you could be very happy with a Squier Telecaster to learn on. Then, if you don't bond with it, they are very easy to resell.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Reedo]

 

[Greggorios]

First off Welcome! Which ever one you'll pick up and play most often. If you're building it then Telecaster as it's a more basic design.

 

[jvin248]

.

Tele.

A Strat has the tremolo-distraction-device. Either you are trying to dive bomb like EVH or you are trying to figure out why the guitar doesn't, or does!, stay in tune after said dive bombs.
There is also that volume knob in the way of picking like you can on a Tele.

However, cheap Strat-Like-Objects are all over the used guitar market while Teles are more challenging to find.

If you are building a guitar to keep costs down .. I'd suggest starting with a completed factory guitar new/used and replace parts over time rather than order all the parts separate and try to make it go. Much more complex the first time out.

Then if you are putting a lot of parts together or making major mods to another new/used guitar, you'll be in best playability condition after having a local guitar tech do a complete setup for your (runs around $50).

.

 

[Reedo]

Love Tele's hands down. Strat's are beautiful though.

 

[Slim Chance]

I started with a Strat, became a member here, bought a Tele and sold the Strat. Bought and sold Teles until I found the one I liked best. Bought another Stat because everybody should have one.

Now comes the 2₵ part. Building a guitar, even from off the self parts, for someone who is not a player and/or has never done it before is not going to be easy unless you are gifted in such matters. Since you can't play, you won't know if it's set up correctly so you will have the expense if have someone do that. Maybe you have a friend who can, I don't know. Your profile says you are 73. If you want to learn to play, best to buy a well made and set up guitar now and get going. Don't know your budget, but many people here are more than happy with Squier Bullet and Affinity models. The Bullet models have been known to go on sale at Musician's Friend for $129. Of course, there are other lower priced models from other manufactures. If you budget is larger, there are many people here who will be more than happy to help you spend it.

Good luck on you new endeavor. It can be quite rewarding.

 

[ndcaster]

Tele, because it's simpler. Play the guitar.