When you think that you might have to put a Telecaster down!

[burntfrijoles]

My #1 favorite guitar is my CS NOS 63 Tele that I spec'd myself. It still is the first guitar that I pick up. Lately, sound wise, I'm just not feeling it. I've adjusted the heights of both the neck and bridge pickups but it still doesn't sound right. Have my ears changed their perspective of how I am hearing the tones. I prefer the sound of either of my Strats or my Les Paul right now. It's been this way for a good while now and I although I still reach for it first, I quickly switch to something else.

I don't want to give up on it so I'm going to try some new pickups and have it set up by a professional. Will see how it goes.

If all else fails, I will have a tear in my eye and lump in my throat and let her go. I hope that it can be revived but, if not, I'll be Tele-less for the first time in 20 + years.

 

[TwangerWannabe]

My #1 favorite guitar is my CS NOS 63 Tele that I spec'd myself. It still is the first guitar that I pick up. Lately, sound wise, I'm just not feeling it. I've adjusted the heights of both the neck and bridge pickups but it still doesn't sound right. Have my ears changed their perspective of how I am hearing the tones. I prefer the sound of either of my Strats or my Les Paul right now. It's been this way for a good while now and I although I still reach for it first, I quickly switch to something else.

I don't want to give up on it so I'm going to try some new pickups and have it set up by a professional. Will see how it goes.

If all else fails, I will have a tear in my eye and lump in my throat and let her go. I hope that it can be revived but, if not, I'll be Tele-less for the first time in 20 + years.

A lot of players think they know better than the people who make these guitars for a living and get disappointed when they spec out their own guitars, even if they're built by a reputable builder.

 

[sloppychops]

Yeah, those CS Teles tend to go bad after a few years. Nothing much you can do but "put them down" as you say.

However, I run a home for old and in the way Telecasters and would happy to find a place for yours to spend its final years. PM for my mailing address if I can help you out.

 

[Ricky D.]

My #1 favorite guitar is my CS NOS 63 Tele that I spec'd myself. It still is the first guitar that I pick up. Lately, sound wise, I'm just not feeling it. I've adjusted the heights of both the neck and bridge pickups but it still doesn't sound right. Have my ears changed their perspective of how I am hearing the tones. I prefer the sound of either of my Strats or my Les Paul right now. It's been this way for a good while now and I although I still reach for it first, I quickly switch to something else.

I don't want to give up on it so I'm going to try some new pickups and have it set up by a professional. Will see how it goes.

If all else fails, I will have a tear in my eye and lump in my throat and let her go. I hope that it can be revived but, if not, I'll be Tele-less for the first time in 20 + years.

Could be you need a new amp. What are you using now?

If all else fails, my shop is a Certified Telecaster Rescue Facility. We can help.

 

[HolmfirthNJ]

I would leave the pickups but get a good professional set up, and try again- for such simple instruments, it’s amazing how Telecasters can sound different from day-to-day… the slightest difference in settings maybe, or just a slightly different approach because I’m tired or something, and it’s all off.
Did you say what your pickups are btw?

 

[jrblue]

"Sound right"? If you know what "right" is, you should easily be able to change components, or adjust your amp, etc., to get that sound. What I expect is happening, assuming you have not changed your rig, which of course controls the sound of your guitar, is a common phenomenon. There's ear fatigue and boredom and even the psychoacoustical effect of finding familiar tones to be uninspiring. The cures are to become a better musician (play stuff that sounds better) and/or to do as most do, which is to change guitars and to explore great, but new, sounds. The likely second culprit is age-relate hearing change. As we get older, we hear high frequencies less well, to a significant and measurable extent. You don't have to be going deaf for this to occur. Your built in biological EQ is at work. If things don't sound right, that could be why.

 

[burntfrijoles]

A lot of players think they know better than the people who make these guitars for a living and get disappointed when they spec out their own guitars, even if they're built by a reputable builder.

It was nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, Wildwood had a special run of “thin skins“ with similar specs after I got mine.

 

[drmordo]

This is why some of us rotate out guitars. I have a bunch of electrics, but the one currently leaning on the couch a foot away from me is my current fav. I have nicer guitars, but this one inspires me right now. In a unpredictable amount of time, I'll get tired of it and move to something else. That said, the neck on this guitar fits my hand like no other, so it's never leaving my possession.

 

[Bob Womack]

Rotate...

...and change strings.

Bob

 

[dlew919]

I’m of the pick something else up for a bit. It is very rare that you get a Brian may style 50 years on the same instrument. And even Brian plays acoustics and other electrics on occasion. So pick up something else for a few days.

 

[Wallaby]

Tastes change, and usually not permanently IMO. Just put it in its case and play the others. No need to get rid of the guitar.

That's what I do. My rotations can last days, weeks, months or more than a year, I'm not in control of that, just grateful I have some choices in the matter.

 

[scotabilly]

I only put my Telecaster down to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom.

 

[Engine Swap]

Maybe you should get tested for GAS

 

[GrandpaBill]

Rip off the top string , tune to open G.
And she will have a new life , sing a new song , and then you will not put it down.
Everyone needs a 5 string open G Tele , it will be like having a new guitar.

 

[NoTeleBob]

Swap in something wild pickup wise. Like a single sized humbucker in the bridge. Maybe a mini humbucker into the neck if it's routed for that.

Get a pro setup. Give it a new life.

 

[39martind18]

My ear gets tired of the same exact sound every time I play, so I rotate my guitars and/or amps to "refresh" my ears. The contrasts between my Sheraton, Tele partscaster, Heritage H-550, Vibrolux Reverb, Deluxe Reverb and TMDR are such that, while I get similar tones, they're different enough that my ears are refreshed. New strings add to the refresh.

 

[kuch]

It's been your #1 for how many years?

+1 on give it a good setup and hang on to it. Play your other guitars for a while.

One day you'll hear a song on the radio and think "that sounds just like my tele".

I bet you'll start picking it up again.

 

[Gary in Boston]

What I find in such situations is that you need somebody else to play it (whom you feel is a good player) so you can sit back and hear it from another stand point ?

This phenom is called near field / far field listening.

Now you might feel, how can this be true, the sound coming through the amp is THE SOUND.

Nope, it's still helpful to have a different perspective and for somebody else to dial in what they think/feel etc.

Hey and if in the end it doesn't work out you may have a buyer for your Tele.

That way when you change your mind and you see the new owner playing your old friend you'll say to yourself, "Geez that guitar sound great I wish I never sold it".

 

[Fenderdad1950]

Every month about 6 days a month, pain from an old enduro motorcycle accident about 30 years ago. Even won a few races on it. Like a dummy I didn't take a pic of it. Here is a pic identical to it.

Great British 441 bike

 

[burntfrijoles]

Maybe you should get tested for GAS

That’s just it. I don’t want to replace it with another Telecaster.
I would love an ES-335 but if I acquired one it would not be at the expense of my Tele. It would be an addition.

Someone mentioned that our hearing changes at a certain age. Maybe I just don’t like the Tele sound any longer.

Thanks for the notes of encouragement and suggestions. I’m going to stick with my plan: new pickups and a good, professional set up.
I’m not ready to say goodbye because I’ve always loved the feel of this guitar.