What do you dislike about the Telecaster ?

[moonman2]

We all love Telecasters and we’re all keen to express our love of them ... but what is it about them that bugs you ?

(I’ll go first) ...

• I dislike 3 barrel ash tray bridges.
• When the upper bout of the body goes above the 17th fret (eg. 70’s Fender body shapes).
• When the screws on the pick guards protrude, especially the one nearest to the bridge that keeps catching my fingers and nails when picking.
• Hidden heel truss rod access.
• When the string tree is too close to the nut thereby eliminating the possibility of behind the nut bends (eg. Brent Mason model).
• 2 string trees.
• Fender American Standard string trees (that scratch and ping whenever you move the string behind the nut).

 

[northernguitar]

Hidden heel truss rod access

Really, this is about it. You say you dislike the string trees. Have you ever considered staggered tuners?

 

[Double Stop]

When it comes to Teles, I guess I’m a staunch traditionalist: 3-Barrel ashtray bridge, 21 frets, 2 single coils.

Take away any of these 3 essential specs, the less I like them.

 

[Jensen]

I cannot think of much since I love t-style guitars.

I think the bridge pickup is great when combined with the neck pickup but too ice picky on its own unless you turn the tone down. As soon as you turn the tone down, the middle and neck position gets too dark, so you can say I dislike the fact that there is no option to adjust the tone on a knob that only influences the bridge position. Unlike many others I am generelly not able to find amp settings that will work for all pickup positions on any type of guitar. I mostly find the bridge position gets too trebly or anything else gets too dark.

 

[FuncleManson]

The headstock.

 

[dougstrum]

You crazy~what's not to like!

 

[ChrisDowning]

When teaching I found the Telecaster was the guitar that got used the most - could have been my Strat, Takamine, Dreadnought, Cort HB - but it was the Tele. The only issue was the sharp edges. And now I have a Tele with a Strat body - job done. A compensated bridge deals with intonation and no trem keeps it in tune. Don't much like the ashtray but the ones on the Pro2 have the edges cut back - so solved - and anyway you can buy those to change on other models. And I prefer the limited pup choices - in fact, I'd be happy with an Esquire.

 

[Sparky2]

I dislike that when I'm playing my Telecaster, the women in the audience throw themselves at me.

It's hard to make music and finish the gig when all these girls are frantically wanting to have intimate relations with a humble, hard working guitar player.

Sheesh, ladies.
Have some dignity for gosh's sake.

 

[greenhornet]

I LOVE the Telecaster-- as long as I don't have to play mine. What's not to love about a guitar that gets sounds as diverse as Ed Bickert, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Page, Jim Campilongo...?
Yet I find it so boxy and uncomfortable. I have been playing Strats forever, and they are by far the most comfortable guitar for me. I miss that Tele twang! But for the life of me I find them hard to get along with... And I am always hitting that hair trigger volume control on my American Professional. I know, turn the plate around...

 

[Chiogtr4x]

My only complaint with my 2004 Standard Telecaster ( bought new) became its weight.
(actually, I've become older/weaker-really!)
It was a very good-sounding player- comfy neck- never any issues or even adjustments- rock solid!
So I just sold it, and got myself a Squier '60's Thinline, and absolutely love it. Nice and light, and 3 very clear pickup sounds.

My only gripe is the pickup selector is very stiff on the switching. I really don't wanna bend the tip or anything. Just live with it and hope it will ease up a bit. Fun Tele!

 

[mimmo]

Is this a serious question? I mean, seriously?

 

[nickmsmith]

Anything you don’t like, you can change. So.. N/A.

 

[brookdalebill]

The only thing I don’t like is the position of the pickup selector.
I prefer it “up top”, like on a 70s Tele Custom, DeLuxe, or Les Paul.
It’s more of a preference than a fault, though.

 

[heffus]

I don't like how they make you buy more of them than you actually need.

 

[TCA117]

Love my tele - it's a workhorse. I replaced the 52 ri pickups for Seymour Duncan's - so I guess I didn't like those original pickups.

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

I'm not impressed with pricing for new USA built Teles.

 

[BFcaster]

Any guitar has something to dislike, not hate. If we hated it we wouldn't buy/play that particular one.
Keep in mind you can always get some after-market item for some dislikes, such as a bridge or saddles, or move the string tree, or get truly-flat/recessed pickguard screws. If you don't like a Tele because it's boxy, get one with cutaways (like on a Strat). See, no real reason to dislike anything on a Telecaster!

So anyway, dislike about a Telecaster?
-I wish the volume pot was about 1/2" farther back, to allow for quicker switching without the knob getting in the way.
-The truss rod at the heal is a pain, but it's a rare day you have to get there and adjust.
-Ditto for the hidden neck pickup adjustment screws.
-a long-time complaint has been the clip for the output cup, but I had this issue only once.

To digress, compared to my Strat, it seems that trem arm is always in the way when I want to ride the volume knob.
End digression.

 

[loopfinding]

- i don't like how single coil pickups hum. when the kinman or ilitch patents run out, everyone can make real sounding (or real) hum-free SCs cheaply.
- archtops have had saddle compensation forever. on three saddle models, compensation should have been standard decades ago.
- it's kind of silly that switch tips and jack cups still fall off, when that doesn't happen at all on a strat.
- white blonde should be a permanently available color alongside BSB.

that's about it.

 

[Jupiter]

The way the traditional ashtray shreds my wrist. Gotoh and Marc Rutters fixed that for me though. ;-)

 

[moonman2]

Really, this is about it. You say you dislike the string trees. Have you ever considered staggered tuners?

Yes and I use them (replace).
Still have to have a string tree there though, because two visually empty holes in the headstock is equally if not more annoying.