What is the best telecaster you’ve played?

[unclebilly]

Recognizing that this question is subjective and everyone has different things they look for in a guitar and we play different genres of music, what is the best tele you’ve played? Why?

I love my Player Plus. It works for my clumsy fingers, sounds great, looks awesome.

Sorry if this has been asked before.

 

[Skydog1010]

USA Performer

 

[Crafty Fox]

My 1988 '52 Reissue.
It was just perfect, but I have modded it anyway; Greasebucket controls, 4-way switch, Elekrosocket, modified control plate and handmade pickguard.

 

[dreamingtele]

It used to be my AVRI62 sunburst tele and then my 62 daphne blue tele. Both are set up the same (string action, relief, etc) but different pickups (the daphne blue has a 64 pickups) to have a bit of separation.

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

But dang, the one that I built as a partscaster from a Squier 72 CV thinline body and Musikraft neck outplays my more expensive teles. Lol

Untitled by D Y, on Flickr

 

[Colo Springs E]

I had a Highway One Telecaster that was so awesome... Of the 100s (literally) of guitars I've owned, it's the one I most regret letting get away. Pictured here, I gigged it about a year, and it got so naturally reliced, a thing of beauty. That guitar was perfect. Wish I could find it again, I'd pay a premium to get it back.

 

[Highway 49]

It’s a nice question, not least because it limits us to our actual experience rather than the millions of hours spent scouring the internet/looking in shop windows… so I’ve only actually played:
Fender ‘50s Baja Telecaster - I absolutely loved it;
Fender Classic ‘60s Telecaster - I loved it more - the neck suited me better being less chunky than the Baja;
Fender J Mascis Telecaster - sounded fantastic and a really nice guitar but the neck and jumbo frets were too hefty for me.
So the Classic ‘60s (with Pure Vintage ‘64 pickups) is for me - nice weight, brilliant build quality, slab rosewood board, vintage frets and super-comfortable neck. I’ve got two - not sure which I like the most: Olympic White, 7.5lbs, perfectly balanced, jangly sound; CAR, 8lb, not as well balanced, slightly mellower sound. I think probably, the Olympic White is the best I’ve ever played, having never played a guitar costing more than £600-700.

 

[tubedude]

Absolutely the best, by a wide margin, was the last Tele i built in 2021. Many factors in the outcome, but two of the most important were the Monty's '53 pickups and the Uber resonant Paulownia body. Guitar is also 5 Lbs. even, with strap!

 

[AAT65]

These two:

Kinda the same but kinda very different. An American Elite, with all the bells and whistles - Noiseless Gen 4 pickups, no-load tone control, S-1 for Series mode, compound radius fingerboard, front binding, belly carve, low-profile locking tuners, wheel truss rod adjust. And an American Original, as Plain Old Telecaster as they come (except Custom double binding and the 9.5” radius).

 

[Brent Hutto]

I have two answers, one that is probably true and another that is probably just "the one that got away" romanticism.

My everyday-player guitar for the past 15 months has been a Player Telecaster that's my favorite (and therefore "best" IMO) guitar, ever. Just nothing wrong with it for me, although if I were super picky I might wish it weighed a half a pound less and had a belly cut.

But when I was shopping for it last year, I came across a used Player Tele that had just arrived at the local Guitar Center. I spent a LONG time playing it and was just loving it. One of the best feeling fret jobs and setups I've ever encountered.

I never buy a guitar after just one demo so I went back the next day to try it again and probably buy it. Someone beat me to it. Just a 1-in-100 good example of a Telecaster and no surprise it went fast, they had it marked $575 which is well below the new price.

As it turned out the new Player Tele I ended up buying is the same black body, black pickguard, maple 'board as that used one. Coincidence? Who knows.

 

[mimmo]

My absolute best is the 1950 original Broadcaster I used to own. That guitar was the proverbial beast. Unbeatable.

My forever second best is my avatar AV52. This one's going nowhere.

Third one, probably a Classic Series 60s in Olympic White. I'd like to have it back.

 

[Vermoulian]

My AVRI ‘52 in my avatar. I didn’t want to spend that much on a Tele but I was at a local used gear emporium trying some other Teles and it was there on the wall, so I tried it too, just for giggles. It was so much better than any of the others that I changed my plans and traded my Gretsch 6120 in to get it. It’s just an amazing guitar.

 

[Lonn]

FCS '51 Nocaster I recently picked up.

 

[Jazzy-Will]

American Original 60s. Hands down.

 

[bobio]

Mine They are all partscasters, put together to my preferences, by me.

 

[msalama]

The umpteenth photo of this guitar, but WTH This is not only the best Tele, but the best electric guitar I've ever played and/or owned, including some 60's axes I've had in the past. Luv this geetar!

 

[cousinpaul]

For many years it was a '61 Esquire with the front pickup added. I didn't have good setup skills at the time and would have to say my black partscaster is probably the better instrument. Even so, I wish I could take another crack at the old one.

 

[1stpitch]

No doubt about it, my AmPro II is the best I've played. I just love the neck on that thing.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

FCS '51 Nocaster I recently picked up.

At least half of the Nocaster relics I have played have all been the best T style I’ve ever played.

That’s what made me forget about the “relic” and just play the guitar.

Light, with a big neck, and a thin finish.

 

[Stratellafella]

By far the best I’ve played what else do ya need

 

[SurfnSun707]