Telecaster dillema

[ChrisDowning]

You might consider that what you like is a lighter less bassy sound. So that can be achieved with a resistor on each wire to the volume pot that allows the treble frequencies through and blocks the bass. This will make the current HBs sound much more treble at all volumes. I'm doing that on a neck P90 that's way too bassy - but I can't find my papers with the specs - maybe someone else can step in with numbers

 

[Telecaster88]

I'd wait. Keep your guitars and save up for a Tele. They will be there when you're ready financially. I would not sell a guitar you love to fund one you will be taking a chance on.

Also, if your mind allows it, consider a MIM Tele. The fit and finish can be as good as American made. Or go used MIA.

 

[gomestelecaster]

You might consider that what you like is a lighter less bassy sound. So that can be achieved with a resistor on each wire to the volume pot that allows the treble frequencies through and blocks the bass. This will make the current HBs sound much more treble at all volumes. I'm doing that on a neck P90 that's way too bassy - but I can't find my papers with the specs - maybe someone else can step in with numbers

Yes, that's the part I grew a bit out of love with (the rest of the guitar feels amazing tbh), it sounds very bassy. Thinking about it, my rig around the guitar as changed quite a lot so I should play it more to see if it warrants a pick-up change or some tweaks has you suggested.

 

[gomestelecaster]

I'd wait. Keep your guitars and save up for a Tele. They will be there when you're ready financially. I would not sell a guitar you love to fund one you will be taking a chance on.

Also, if your mind allows it, consider a MIM Tele. The fit and finish can be as good as American made. Or go used MIA.

That's exactly what I'm considering, going MIM with the Tele Player Plus Only thing I'm not sure is little things like the synthetic bone nut and how good the electronics are, as this will probably be a "lifer" guitar

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

A Nashville session player, years ago, said that model Yamaha was one of his favorites in a studio situation.

 

[ChrisDowning]

Yes, that's the part I grew a bit out of love with (the rest of the guitar feels amazing tbh), it sounds very bassy. Thinking about it, my rig around the guitar as changed quite a lot so I should play it more to see if it warrants a pick-up change or some tweaks has you suggested.

It's not like putting in a bass cut circuit is going to irrevocably devalue the guitar as it can be undone - it just needs a resistor or cap to cut the bass so it' sounds more like a single coil than HB - I've got papers on this as I'm doing the same on one of my guitars. G&L has this circuit in some guitars where you can engage a bass cut.

 

[Telecaster88]

That's exactly what I'm considering, going MIM with the Tele Player Plus Only thing I'm not sure is little things like the synthetic bone nut and how good the electronics are, as this will probably be a "lifer" guitar

If you're looking for a lifer, and I don't want to be a buzzkill*, but make sure you like those noiseless pickups in the player plus before you buy. I have a couple Strats with Vintage Noiseless pickups in them, and they are good for what they are, but in my estimation, don't give you the punch and sparkle of true single coils, which is the classic Tele sound. Despite liking the VNs okay, I eventually moved to a Strat with traditional single coils, and the improvement to my ears was great. They just have a zip and zazz the noiseless lacks. The VNs are just fine once you're used to them, but to my ears are a little hi-fi or ultra clear/pristine. YMMV.

I have several MIM Fenders, and they are every bit as playable and well built as my American made Fenders. I would also not worry about a synthetic nut. My '88 Am Std Tele has one, and it's going strong decades later.

Good luck!

*heh heh, no pun intended.

 

[Sparky2]

gomestelecaster,

How close are you to music stores that have Telecasters in stock?

Reason I ask is, it would be a very regretful situation if you sold the Yamaha jazz box, ordered a Telecaster that you never actually played, and found that you hated it.

My recommendation is to focus on the Telecasters that you can actually play, hold, and try out.
One of them might sing to you.

Anything else is a gamble with very low potential reward.

Just my two cents.

 

[gomestelecaster]

If you're looking for a lifer, and I don't want to be a buzzkill*, but make sure you like those noiseless pickups in the player plus before you buy. I have a couple Strats with Vintage Noiseless pickups in them, and they are good for what they are, but in my estimation, don't give you the punch and sparkle of true single coils, which is the classic Tele sound. Despite liking the VNs okay, I eventually moved to a Strat with traditional single coils, and the improvement to my ears was great. They just have a zip and zazz the noiseless lacks. The VNs are just fine once you're used to them, but to my ears are a little hi-fi or ultra clear/pristine. YMMV.

I have several MIM Fenders, and they are every bit as playable and well built as my American made Fenders. I would also not worry about a synthetic nut. My '88 Am Std Tele has one, and it's going strong decades later.

Good luck!

*heh heh, no pun intended.

Yes, I would probably switch to a pair of twisted tele pick ups. I prefer more modern necks, and in general more modern appointments in what regards playability but sound / pickup wise I prefer vintage sounding.

 

[ChrisDowning]

I've always thought that the noiseless are stacks and don't sound much like single coils.

 

[acstorfer]

.

 

[acstorfer]

.

 

[gomestelecaster]

gomestelecaster,

How close are you to music stores that have Telecasters in stock?

Reason I ask is, it would be a very regretful situation if you sold the Yamaha jazz box, ordered a Telecaster that you never actually played, and found that you hated it.

My recommendation is to focus on the Telecasters that you can actually play, hold, and try out.
One of them might sing to you.

Anything else is a gamble with very low potential reward.

Just my two cents.



View attachment 1130169

Yeah, I will definitely try a few before I buy. I do have a MIJ Strat so it's not total new territory but I will try out a few when time comes, thanks for the 2 cents, gonna put it on the Tele piggy-bank :-D

 

[srblue5]

Don't sell either of those guitars, especially the Yamaha. I personally love the look of hollowbody guitars with exposed-coil humbuckers -- reminds me of some of the jazz guitarists in the '70s with their setups (Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin, etc.).

+1 for MIM Fenders. I have a Vintera Modified '50s and it's a lifer as far as I can tell.

 

[Sparky2]

Yeah, I will definitely try a few before I buy. I do have a MIJ Strat so it's not total new territory but I will try out a few when time comes, thanks for the 2 cents, gonna put it on the Tele piggy-bank :-D

I just thought to myself, "Well, I'll just send one of my Telecasters to gomestelecaster there in Portugal. How expensive could it be anyway?"

FexEx shipping for a properly-packaged Telecaster from where I live in northern Alabama to any major city in Portugal turns out to cost an estimated $1,200 or more.

Sorry buddy.
I love you a lot, but not 12 hundred bones worth.

 

[mschafft]

Do you practice near train cables, neon lights or other sources of crazy 60 cycle hum? Humbuckers do have advantages depending on where you live/play.

 

[Caffiend]

Which is easiest to replace should you have regerts?
Why not build one? Partscaster. I’m thinking of doing the same with a Mustang to get the specs I want.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking a partscaster will be cheap. They usually end up costing more than equivalent by the time you're done unless you have a big stash of bits. Then you discover that noone will buy it for even half the cost of the parts.

The good reasons to build partscasters are for something exactly right or for fun. Conversely, if looking for high value and able to cope with snagging and someone else's odd decisions they're potentially an amazing source of value instrument second hand. They do also give an interesting approach to buying in pieces over time although this can get expensive as plans change while collecting bits...

 

[53Strat]

A good Telecaster is going to be way ahead of any Gretsch whether fitted with Dynasonics or Filtertrons IMO.
Dynasonics were used by Chet Atkins, George Harrison and some players few of us outside the Gretsch enthusiasts community would even know about.
Both Chet and George got out of those very quickly and never went back.
Filtertrons are nice, bright humbuckers which have hardly attracted any modern players in any genre to embrace. Yeah I know Brian Setzer has been sponsored by Gretsch but I would suggest he could have done everything and more on a Telecaster but he would have had a long queue of players in many genres ahead of himself to get a deal with Fender for playing a Tele.
I've owned a G6120 and a G6128. Filters and Dynasonics were sadly lacking compared with Fender single coil offerings IMO.
As far as Humbuckers go nobody is beating Gibson, Ibanez or PRS and the bright offerings from Gretsch are in no way comparable to good Telecaster pickups for global acceptance, flexibility and
tonal range.
The lovely people on the Gretsch forum would advise otherwise but nobody significant really uses
a Gretsch as their main axe these days.
But, they have really good build quality and their Proline range instruments (made in Japan) cost way more than comparable instruments made in Asia. And, IMO way more than they are worth.

 

[Fretting out]

Has nothing to do with “wires and wood” as they say

The telecaster was always expensive, we’ve just been inundated with cheaper versions for so long that we forgot….

 

[teletina]

Someone will be happy with that Yamaha !