The Telecaster -- only Fender guitar that didn't need superstar endorsers?
- Thread starter BrazHog
- Start date
USian Pie
Tele-Holic
Whenever I think about becoming a paying TDPRI member, a thread like this brings me back to my senses.
Gary in Boston
Friend of Leo's
I thought of maybe another reason for this phenom.
Due to the reasonable price and indestructible nature of a Telecaster almost anybody could have one and they last forever.
So........ they were literally the definition of ubiquitous, in fact I have never been to a recording studio that didn't have at least one as part of their "guitar stable". No so with any other guitar. There is always a Tele.
So why do you need an endorsement if they are always just "there".
Due to the reasonable price and indestructible nature of a Telecaster almost anybody could have one and they last forever.
So........ they were literally the definition of ubiquitous, in fact I have never been to a recording studio that didn't have at least one as part of their "guitar stable". No so with any other guitar. There is always a Tele.
So why do you need an endorsement if they are always just "there".
teletail
Friend of Leo's
Not even close.
Becks Ashtray
Tele-Meister
Jimmy Page played the solo on Stairway to Heaven using a Tele.....and used a Tele almost exclusively with the Yardbirds
Dubious statement
I think that the OP’s point re the Tele was that Leo may well have intended to replace it with the Strat. He saw the latter as simply an evolution of his ‘electric Spanish Guitar’ whitch would, therefore, supersede it’s predecessor.
Matthias
Friend of Leo's
Teles seem to have waves of popularity that keep it recognisable.
I was surprised watching old vids how many 90s indie bands played Teles, particularly British acts… More than Strats I’d estimate. But then I guess the biggest household name Strat players in the late 80s were Mark Knopfler, Richey Sambora, Eric Clapton, etc… Clapton particularly loved sticking a Strat on his album covers. I’m not surprised Strats became a little less common, though not totally rejected, with the cool kids. The Tele always kept a bit more of stripped-back vibe and, at least in certain eras, you get more punch out of the stock pickups, I guess.
So I half agree with the OP… Less reliant on a few big names, somewhat on where it sits as an uncluttered Fender, but I think the it’s stayed quite so popular by cropping up frequently on stage or on TV.
I was surprised watching old vids how many 90s indie bands played Teles, particularly British acts… More than Strats I’d estimate. But then I guess the biggest household name Strat players in the late 80s were Mark Knopfler, Richey Sambora, Eric Clapton, etc… Clapton particularly loved sticking a Strat on his album covers. I’m not surprised Strats became a little less common, though not totally rejected, with the cool kids. The Tele always kept a bit more of stripped-back vibe and, at least in certain eras, you get more punch out of the stock pickups, I guess.
So I half agree with the OP… Less reliant on a few big names, somewhat on where it sits as an uncluttered Fender, but I think the it’s stayed quite so popular by cropping up frequently on stage or on TV.
Did Hendrix (allegedly) bring the Strat ‘back from the dead’, or did he bring the electric guitar ‘back from the dead’? If it was (allegedly) the former, what guitar(s) was ‘replacing’ the Strat as the popular choice? If it was the latter, what if he’d played a Yamaha, Jackson or Gretsch, would one of those now be as popular as the Strat?That cuts deep, man. All it started like, I was thinking that on one hand, you have the Strat and the Jag/Stang that were brought back from the brink/ brought back from the dead by a single supermassive stardom event.
And on the other hand you have Our Favorite Guitar, always humble and dependable, that was of course played by countless great musicians, that goes without saying. It never was in the epicenter of a culture shift like grunge or psychedelia, but anyway survived thanks to its simplicity and ruggedness.
So I was thinking that, and then I post it to the forum, and next thing you know...
Moral of the story: I should stop thinking before posting.
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Like what you did there ‘7ender’, genius!
2HBStrat
Friend of Leo's
Till he could afford a Les Paul
Becks Ashtray
Tele-Meister
Les Paul's are easier to play in my opinion.
You can do anything with a Tele, including stuff solos up on stage. It's an unforgiving instrument but in a good way. Not quite like brass instruments where you need to generate the tone organically, but a close analog.
I think that's what makes Teles such great guitars and why they are still made and sold today: very expressive block of wood with a long branch attached, simple pick-ups (even with the 60Hz hum) and a look that is industrial and artistic at the same time.
Trenchant63
Tele-Holic
The Stratocaster model was in the trauma room - coding with everyone around not knowing what to do. Things looked really grim - in walked Dr. Hendrix with huge confidence and authority taking charge of the situation .. “Get me the paddles - STRAT!! .. I mean ‘STAT’!! …” (actual eye witness account)
I tend to agree with you on the Tele point. But, for the life of me, I can’t fathom how one guitar with a fretted neck and six steel strings can be less forgiving than another. Close to urban myth territory but I firmly believe it
The Telecaster: Less Is More!
I built a strat once that checked ALMOST all the boxes for me, proprietary circuit, Tele lipstick in neck, a DiMarzio split coil Humbucker middle using push pull top position tone pot, five way rotary switch with push pull volume to cut on neck lipstick at any setting, nocaster bridge (removed from a Fender Telecaster) hard tail strat bridge string through body. One piece Musikraft maple neck 10/56 V profile, 9.5 radius, NICKEL fret wire medium jumbo. The things I would have done differently now would be, figure out a way to use a grease bucket circuit retaining the coil split, move the HB to neck position and use a Seth Lover (PAF style) four lead splittable HB, not have the boat tail body top output jack (but have it as an embedded jack in the very bottom of the body so input jack would be buried out of the way entirely), used vintage tuners not heavy locking tuners, had a HOT Seymour Duncan lipstick in middle position, utilized a Telecaster ashtray bridge with the Fender nocaster bridge pickup and six saddle bridge.
But (not gonna happen) maybe in the next life, too old to attempt another project. Thinking about it Tele bridge and a Strat pickguard just aren't gonna fit especially wanting all the wiring I would need. If someone builds one like I specified I sure would like to try it out.
But (not gonna happen) maybe in the next life, too old to attempt another project. Thinking about it Tele bridge and a Strat pickguard just aren't gonna fit especially wanting all the wiring I would need. If someone builds one like I specified I sure would like to try it out.
Most times this is true.
There's just magic that occurs using standard Tele bridge and pickups.
Had he burned it in Altamont, or wherever it was that he burned his Strat, I suppose so, yes.
EDIT: It was Monterey Pop.
2HBStrat
Friend of Leo's
Gibsons ARE easier to play, and are more forgiving IMO. But that's not a bad thing. In most cases for power rock Les Paul, a.k.a a Gibson with humbuckers, will kick a Teles @$$ every time.
I do too.
If that was true then a one string, one pickup, one fret guitar would the most.
