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

[Brent Hutto]

For me, tastes change but are often cyclical.

With that I'd like to point out that many guitars can be stashed under beds.

That's in effect where my Ibanez rests in peace. Actually as of a week or so ago it's under and behind a ginormous, ancient desk stashed in a back bedroom but same idea. For the couple hundred bucks I could clear by selling it, might as well roll the dice that one day my ears will magically decide they like the sounds it makes, again.

 

[burntfrijoles]

I'm curious...how are you feeling about your tele now?

As I said, it’s fine. Some times it’s exactly what I’m looking for and other times I prefer the Strat, Les Paul or new ES-335.

I guess I really don’t have a #1 guitar.

 

[deepintheblues]

If you are looking new pick ups….I put in a pair of Radioshop ID Telecasters into mine. I’m really happy with them.

They do a ‘64 set…..

It’s a small two man band company.

Telecaster Pickups Pickups & Pickup Sets - Radioshop Pickups

Vintage Telecaster pickups, hand wound Telecaster sets As Tele aficionados we are immensely proud of our lineup of Telecaster pickups which features three period specific sets to nail vintage tones perfectly and two of our ‘ID Sets which are classically inspired but have some of Radioshop’s own...

www.radioshoppickups.com

 

[Grandfunkfan]

I go through that every now and then too. I have 2 ways I cure it. One way is I play only on the bridge pickup for 3 or 4 or 5 days. I end up finding all kinds of tones I over look when I'm playing in my regular mode, and probably more importantly I pay more attention to my technique. The other thing I do is play with all the pickup settings at low lower volume. I start out around 4 and slowing work up to 5 or so. You have to have your amp turned up fairly loud or you won't get much tone out of the guitar. I'm always surprised at how much nuance is hiding at lower volume. When I finally get back to business as usual all is as it should be.

 

[bendercaster]

I just went through a period where I only wanted to play my offsets. The Tele's have both been in their cases for a few months. But this weekend, the offsets started sounding kind of plinky to me, so I put one away and pulled out my Tele it sounds so good. Sometimes you just need a little break.

 

[dreamingtele]

Its a lot harder when you only have 1 guitar, like me.. HAHAHA

I sold everything and just bought a 335.. now if I dont like the sound of it, I dont have a choice.. LOL I know it will sound nice again in a day or a week.. LOLOLOOL

 

[jim_pridx]

I'd be willing to bet that after rotating your guitars for a while, you'll eventually come back to the Tele, and you'll be damn glad that you didn't let it go.

 

[mschafft]

In my experience playing a guitar to overcome doubts is a frustrating endeavour. You are clearly not in a Tele mood. Just accept it and leave your Tele alone. When you hear great Tele tones which inspire you to play it again you will be happy to find it unmodified. I recently went through the same on/off/on again type deal with my beloved Jazzmaster. Glad I kept it!!!

 

[Festofish]

Put ’er away for a month or so. Buy something different. Pick up something wired and cheap just to get your hands and brain onto anew adventure. Jazzmaster? Pick up a cheap Gretsch. The blacktop broadtrons sound great and different.

 

[Hodgo88]

Coolidge effect - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Unless you gave that Tele a ring and swore an oath to love it forever, just put it in a case for a while and wait until you're fed up with the other guitars too...

 

[cousinpaul]

You got the 335? How are you liking it?

 

[ben smith]

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.

same thing has happened to me recently, I felt like I needed humbuckers to get the sound I was looking for so I bought anything that looked nice with buckers that wasn't expensive. my tele is still the best sounding tele I have heard so far with the pickups I chose but, when I setup n dialed in this now modded epiphone sg I was sold, I have not picked up the tele for a couple of months now. never thought this would happen to me but I am starting to feel like I might actually be a 12" radius humbucker kinda guy. sorry

 

[DustyMike]

I have owned a Strat, Les Paul Standard, SG Standard, Jazzmaster, SG Special, ES-235, Les Paul Jr., Gretsch Jet and a Tele....have done all sorts of selling, trades, etc....

The only guitar I've ever gotten rid of that haunted me is a Tele. Don't get rid of it lol.

 

[gitarzan]

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.

Ear fatigue? I don’t know how many guitars or pedals that I’ve gotten “tired” of hearing and switch off for a while, come back and find out that, “yes!” It sounds great again.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

I'd gently place it in the case and revisit it in a couple months.
Meantime, get one of these and rock yourself silly!

$399 plus shipping @ Reverb.
I got mine for $300 with a HSC.
Dropped a Lollar pickup in it and it's AMAZING!
And it for sure ain't a Tele.

 

[fretknot]

I can't imagine not having a Tele, or two...The only drawback for me is the weight. As I get older, even a 7.5 lb. guitar starts to feel a bit heavy after awhile. My solution is to play sitting down. I've sold some outstanding guitars because they weighed in at 9+ lbs., it's just too much for me.

 

[39martind18]

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.

I have four electrics that I rotate through: a 2006 Epiphone Sheraton '64 Reissue that is my primary electric, a Heritage H-550, big hollow body jazzbox, a D'angelico Excel SS, and a Tele Partscaster. While each is equipped with minihums, each has a distinct voice, and if one isn't doing it for me, one of the others almost always will. Eventually, I'll go back to the Sheraton because it has "the sound." Were it me, I wouldn't get rid of a guitar that has lit your ears for the better part of 20 years. Just sayin'...

 

[RichCuellarPDX]

I say put it away for awhile and play something different. Ive sold many a great guitar thinking "Im not into this one anymore", only to want it back a bit after I sold it. I think we just get used to something sometimes and it temporarily loses its luster. I have a great Tele that sometimes I feel Im just not connecting with, so I put it away and play my Mustang for a bit. Ill pick up the Tele later on and think "Wow! I love this thing!"

 

[Brent Hutto]

I must be an outlier. If a few months and a handful of failed attempts at "pull it out of the case and see how it sounds" go by and I'm not liking an instrument, I can safely get rid of it with zero chance I'll ever wish I had it back. I know this because I've gotten rid of dozens of acoustic guitars, mandolins, electric guitars and a couple other oddball instruments over the years. I'm 0-for-30 or so with ever having a regret.

I do try to be careful not to move too quickly. It's not that unusual to be dissatisfied with an instrument's sound, put it aside for a few weeks, then fall back in love with it after a little time out. But if it's been months, not weeks, and it's been multiple attempts to find a way to make a pleasing sound then it's time for it to go.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

I get a lil burned out on a tele at times. Thats what other guitars are for...and they make me realize how much I love my teles.