Telecaster or Mustang?

I think a telecaster is no 1 starter guitar to learn to both play on and guitar tech. It is built like a tuition aid

I eventually found my main advice on guitar is DO NOT have a tremolo on any guitar, and try to get the instrument style that played the music you love, whether hollowbody/solid/p90/humbucker. Making a ham sandwich is hard if you started with sliced chicken

There are starter versions of all types, and if you can cope with the indignity of someone else playing it for 30 mins and reselling it, you can pick up a lot of abandoned unused learner instruments used. I bet I bought guitars off shelf in store used more than a lot of used sales

 

Welcome to TDPRI ... I like Telecasters .

 

If you like the shorter scale get the Mustang. Mustang was my first electric, cool little guitar. Gave my old one (early 70s model) to my daughter. That said, it's hard to go wrong with a Tele and you'll probably end up with one anyway...

 

If it's your first, get the CV Telecaster. Tele is a wonderful all-around guitar that can do everything from jazz to folk to metal. Plus the Classic Vibes are very well built, great handling instruments. It's a guitar you can hang onto forever, for a very reasonable cost.

I bought a VM Jaguar bass a couple of years ago. Based on my experience, the VM series Squiers are fixer-uppers. The pickups, electronics, and hardware all need to be replaced to be roadworthy. Just about every screw hole has stripped out on mine because the body is soft wood. Classic Vibe is a BIG step above the Vintage Modified series. Quality components from the outset.

 

This is the TDPRI, so most of us will say Telecaster, but, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Mustang. A band that played at my junior high and high school dances had two guitar players with Mustangs and they did Kinks, Moby Grape, Turtles, Beatles... all of those then current '60's tunes on those guitars. Pretty much straight into BF Fender amps (a Twin and a Vibrolux) with maybe a fuzz box of some kind for the lead guitar. Even with the short scale, you can cover a lot of ground.

I just bought a Jaguar, so I'm on a bit of a less-popular-Fender-guitar kick at the moment. But having said that, either one will get you there. BTW, the lead guitarist of that band once told me, "A Tele is a lead guitar. A Strat is for rhythm." I guess that's how it was in early 1967 before Jimi played Monterey.

 

Welcome! You can't go wrong either way, a CV Tele is a thing of beauty. So are VM Mustangs. I'm going to go against Dismalhead and say the VMs are mostly on par with CVs, speaking on the VM Jazzmaster, Jag, and Mustang I own(ed). They don't need 'fixing' anymore than a AVRI offset needs 'fixing'.

I will add this, though, a VM Mustang is a Mustang like the originals, for better or worse. You will spend more time getting the bridge in the 'sweet spot' if you plan on using the 'Dynamic Vibrato'. The original bridge is not that great, I used a Staytrem in mine, highly recommended. The pickups are ok in the VMM, but I went for more vintage sounding ones, the bridge is over-wound, killing much of the 'chime'/shimmer, what-have-you.

As a start to electrics, I'd get a CV Tele, they are ready to roll, nothing needed to get it going but a nice setup. I have a CVC and CV Thinline, great guitars.

 

I actually love both guitars. I had a 1966 Mustang in Daphne blue. It had turned greenish over the years. It was a very versatile guitar with some interesting tones from the switching configuration. Like a bonehead, I sold it in the 90's. All that being said, Telecaster all the way. Mustangs are cool, but telecasters rule. You can use that one if you'd like.

 

I think that you would be happy with either one, but make sure you play both first. If you play sitting down, I would tend to suggest the tele, but scale length comfort is important. FWIW.

Good luck and have fun shopping.

 

I haven't played the new Mustangs, but the old school ones with the "dynamic vibrato" are a bit plinky and light on sustain. I flogged one on the road for eight years in a punk band in the eighties. I highly recommend a Tele instead.

 

I'd say that is the weak point of the original design. If you used the tremolo, it would never stay in tune.

 

I started on a Mustang (in the 1970's) and played it for 6-7 years.
Get the Tele.
There seems to be some folks who can work with the Mustangs - but 90%* (*that is a BS made up statistic) of what you want to do on an electric will sound better and work better on a full scale well designed guitar.

 

Lock down that "trem" and bridge and a 'Stang can hold it down like a Tele. Or get it balanced and lubed right right and it will work pretty well--I guess I'm one of those '10 percenters'. The reason I have one:

 

Howdy!
Git that Tele!

 

nice photo!
I guess it's better to be a 10 percenter than a 1%er! *(outdated Occupy reference)
I recall trying to make that mustang sound like Leslie West - I was playing through a big and Clean SF fender. Didn't quite have enough oomph!

 

Have you looked at Epiphone Gibson copies? Les Paul, SG, 335, etc? A nice Epiphone ES-335 dot would be well within your budget, especially if you buy used, which is the smart way to go, and suited to the music you want to play.

The Epiphones are also the same scale length as the Mustang, but mostly with fixed bridges that will stay in tune better, like the tele.

Do you have any specific examples of songs or guitarists you want to sound like?

 

Save up another $99 and get one of the new Fender Mustangs or Duo Sonics, much better than the Squier offerings. My HS Duo Sonic is my favorite guitar out of the 30+ Ive owned over the years, regardless of price. They are awesome, especially for the indie sound.

 

I have a Tele, mainly Fender partscaster that I love .I also have a Squier Bullet Mustang .Very cheap,no wacky trem to worry about , and cheerful but plays well above its price weight.Not sure which one I actually like more .The tele is more refined but after a bit of fettling the Mustang is a shortscale joy to play .I lust for a Fender Mustang 90 released recently . Different guitars and different sound .The mustang could probably benefit from a couple of better alnico humbuckers but I have a Midtown which covers that .Might try and get a pickguard and fit some P90's which would make it a hot little bluesy rocky jazzy guitar .

 

Tele is the correct answer