Versatile Telecaster vs Stratocaster with a broader palette of tones

[warendorph]

Hi TDPRI.

I'm sorry for my first post being slightly negative, but ...

... Is it just me? Or does this makes sense to anyone?
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
(If I google that phrase (with the quotes), Google says there are "About 2,220 results".)

But aren't those descriptions more or less almost synonymous? Doesn't "being more versatile" and "offering a broader palette of tones" mean almost exactly the same? Are there subtle differences I don't get here? Or is that line just being regurgitated all over the internet regarding Telecasters vs Stratocasters, with no particularly good reason at all?

I love both Telecasters and Stratocasters, so not trying to start a nasty argument here, I'm just curious about that phrase.

-- Erik Warendorph

 

[2HBStrat]

Hi TDPRI.

I'm sorry for my first post being slightly negative, but ...

... Is it just me? Or does this makes sense to anyone?
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
(If I google that phrase (with the quotes), Google says there are "About 2,220 results".)

But aren't those descriptions more or less almost synonymous? Doesn't "being more versatile" and "offering a broader palette of tones" mean almost exactly the same? Are there subtle differences I don't get here? Or is that line just being regurgitated all over the internet regarding Telecasters vs Stratocasters, with no particularly good reason at all?

I love both Telecasters and Stratocasters, so not trying to start a nasty argument here, I'm just curious about that phrase.

-- Erik Warendorph

Oh, boy, not this again.

 

[4pickupguy]

Well, You maybe stretching the premise a bit. Both are versatile both sound great. Both have different voices. I have a hard time with only three sounds on a tele. The typical strat bridge pickup is pretty anemic compared to a tele. Both frustrate me sometimes. I got lucky and found solution that works for me. I can get by all night with a strat but I would really struggle on a stock tele.

 

[warendorph]

Oh, boy, not this again.

Oh, no! I have messed up and embarrassed myself in my first post? (My wife warned me. I should have listened, I guess.)
What exactly did I do wrong?

 

[BrazHog]

Can you post a link to a video of either a Tele *or* a Strat being versatile and/or having a broad palette?

The ones I have seen, you have a YT influencer flicking the pickup selector this way and that, and playing some lame blues licks that all sound the same, in different varieties of shrill and/or muffled.

 

[2HBStrat]

Oh, no! I have messed up and embarrassed myself in my first post? (My wife warned me. I should have listened, I guess.)
What exactly did I do wrong?

No, you're fine. I'm just kidding around

 

[USian Pie]

Can you post a link to a video of either a Tele *or* a Strat being versatile and/or having a broad palette?

The ones I have seen, you have a YT influencer flicking the pickup selector this way and that, and playing some lame blues licks that all sound the same, in different varieties of shrill and/or muffled.

You're able to get to the part were they play? I always punch out after 2 minutes of talking.

 

[bobio]

Oh, no! I have messed up and embarrassed myself in my first post? (My wife warned me. I should have listened, I guess.)
What exactly did I do wrong?

Don't worry, there is a hazing process for newbies.
It isn't that rough though if you can handle some excessive sarcasm

 

[warendorph]

Hmmm ... I think my post wasn't very clear, and easily misunderstood. Sorry about that.
Let me rewind and try to explain ...
I had (and have) a Tele (clone) and I was trying to persuade myself into buying a Strat (clone). So while "investigating" I googled stuff like:
telecaster vs stratocaster
And that phrase:
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
seemed to pop up in a lot of the hits I got.
And it just doesn't makes sense to me, trying to explain their differences. To me, it's like saying:
"Telecaster can do a lot of stuff, whereas Stratocaster can do a lot of stuff"
So that was my main point.
Does the phrase
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
makes sense to anyone? If not, isn't it weird that it's being regurgitated everywhere?
By the way, I bought a Strat clone, and now I'm twice as happy. (Smiley)

 

[bobio]

Hmmm ... I think my post wasn't very clear, and easily misunderstood. Sorry about that.
Let me rewind and try to explain ...
I had (and have) a Tele (clone) and I was trying to persuade myself into buying a Strat (clone). So while "investigating" I googled stuff like:
telecaster vs stratocaster
And that phrase:
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
seemed to pop up in a lot of the hits I got.
And it just doesn't makes sense to me, trying to explain their differences. To me, it's like saying:
"Telecaster can do a lot of stuff, whereas Stratocaster can do a lot of stuff"
So that was my main point.
Does the phrase
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
makes sense to anyone? If not, Isn't it weird that it's being regurgitated everywhere?
By the way, I bought a Strat clone, and now I'm twice as happy. (Smiley)

I have both, but I know that isn't always possible for everyone.
Honestly, I don't think you can reason your way through a decision like this.
The best way to make sure you don't regret your choice is to sit down with an example of both and play.
There is absolutely no substitute for getting the guitar in your hands and playing.
Make sure you play different examples of each as well, don't let a poorly set up example dissuade you.

 

[warendorph]

Thanks for the hazing, everyone. I've seen American college horror films, so I know how it works ...

 

[fender4life]

There is no answer because It's 100% subjective. Only answer changes with the player. For me a strat is superior in both respects but these days i prefer teles unless i can find a truly great strat. But the fact i spent most of my life on strats i'm just kinda burned on them and now would rather play teles now because they are relatively new to me. (started using them around 2010) But the problem with strats these days for me is the only ones i am interested in are more then i am willing to pay because of the way fender has changed in recent years. I have no problem finding great teles very reasonably so thats what i play. I find them perfectly versatile but strats to me are just more so. It's IMO much harder to find a great strat then it is a tele tho.

 

[warendorph]

Also, I should probably have included that I'm more or less a newbie when it comes to electric guitars, so I'm pretty easily satisfied. I just wanted to get some general idea of the sound of Teles vs Strats. Because the (Super) Squier Affinity Strat I wanted to buy was on the East coast of USA, and I'm on the West coast. (And there was a hurricane).
Still, I ended up buying it unplayed, but being very happy. And the luthier who sold it to me was fine as well (unharmed by the Florida catastrophe).

 

[warendorph]

All is well that ends well.
(Except, that phrase (versatile vs a broader palette of tones) still kinda annoys me, popping up everywhere ... )

 

[G Stone496]

Hi TDPRI.

I'm sorry for my first post being slightly negative, but ...

... Is it just me? Or does this makes sense to anyone?
"Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones"
(If I google that phrase (with the quotes), Google says there are "About 2,220 results".)

But aren't those descriptions more or less almost synonymous? Doesn't "being more versatile" and "offering a broader palette of tones" mean almost exactly the same? Are there subtle differences I don't get here? Or is that line just being regurgitated all over the internet regarding Telecasters vs Stratocasters, with no particularly good reason at all?

I love both Telecasters and Stratocasters, so not trying to start a nasty argument here, I'm just curious about that phrase.

-- Erik Warendorph

Strats and Teles are both equally cool, versatile etc. They are different though. IMHO you need both. I like them both. I do like one of them better than the other. But I won’t say here which one.

 

[warendorph]

There is no answer because It's 100% subjective. Only answer changes with the player. For me a strat is superior in both respects but these days i prefer teles unless i can find a truly great strat. But the fact i spent most of my life on strats i'm just kinda burned on them and now would rather play teles now because they are relatively new to me. (started using them around 2010) But the problem with strats these days for me is the only ones i am interested in are more then i am willing to pay because of the way fender has changed in recent years. I have no problem finding great teles very reasonably so thats what i play. I find them perfectly versatile but strats to me are just more so. It's IMO much harder to find a great strat then it is a tele tho.

As a newbie, I find this extremely interesting. Can I ask you to elaborate? On almost everything you said? It reminds me of reading that Andy Summers switched from teles to strats, claiming they were better (I'm paraphrasing), which I thought was kind of a surprise. (Since the first 3/5 of Police's albums were made with his "iconic" Tele. Not a standard Tele, of course.)
I will of course make my personal guitar choices myself, but I find it very fascinating listening to people with years of experience, on anything I find interesting.
If you have the time ...

 

[bobio]

Having both Teles and Strats, I am not sure I could make a "one or the other" choice.
I am sitting here trying to think of a reason to pick one over the other and I can't think of one.
They are just "different". I don't envy you trying to choose one over the other

The only thing I can think of was posted earlier, good Teles tend to be more affordable than a good Strat.

 

[Cheap Trills]

Strats don't have the balls. All kinds of pretty, but they can't get ugly.

 

[Midgetje94]

Strats don't have the balls. All kinds of pretty, but they can't get ugly.

Exactly. I think I personally enjoy playing strats better at this point. The feel, the sounds (IMO) I recently got my first Strat in a while. And it’s taken over everything. Haha.

But when I pick up my Tele. It just feels like “home” idk. Maybe it’s me.

After having both together. Idk how I got by without both. Kinda like clothes. There’s a time for Go fasters and a time for boots

 

[Midgetje94]

But I’ll follow that agreeing with the previous statement. You can pick up just about any Tele at just about any price and play the dog crap out of it.

Strats are kinda princes like. You have to find the one that speaks to you.

You can easily have 4 Teles and 1 Strat that holds up