Which non Telecaster guitars can sound most like the genuine traditional Telecaster?

[theleman]

I don't have any Telecaster guitars at all now. But I have a Samick Humbucker guitar LK-45, and an old Strat copy and a Yamaha PAC012.
I read somewhere that some guitars can mimic Telecaster tone. So I tried with my Samick LK-45, and some effects on my GX112 amp.
And it kinda sounded like a Tele on the bridge pickup, but not quite. I might be just mishearing it from the hypnotic mental state.

But wondered, is there non tele guitar that would sound like real tele both for the bridge and neck pickup - the growl?
Which make and model would it be? Could it replace Telecaster and make believe people that it could be a real telecaster?

 

[LOSTVENTURE]

Well, humbuckers will never get you there, unless you're into some of the older Gretsch pickups. The Filtertrons for example are very lightly wound and so deliver a lot of highs. Otherwise, you may want to sit down with a P90 loaded instrument and see how close that gets you.
But, the Tele sound is unique, and getting even close will probably get you back into some other brand's "T" style guitar.

 

[Fretting out]

For my needs I can get my jazzmaster to twang pretty well

I guess a guitar could have tele pickups in it and that would get close

I recently saw a les Paul with tele pickups that seemed pretty interesting

But…as far as guitars with their own pickups the jazzmaster does it for me

 

[bettyseldest]

I have one of these;

 

[Alex_C]

Ibanez Talman

 

[feldkeen]

View attachment 976139
Ibanez Talman

That looks like a functional head stock for tuning stability. Yet doesn’t look silly to me like PRS style. Could tweak it a little more Flying V-ish.

 

[ChicknPickn]

I confess to being a little perplexed by the question. But then, I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed. When one can buy a Squire Affinity Tele for mighty cheap, why not go that route?

 

[loopfinding]

That looks like a functional head stock for tuning stability. Yet doesn’t look silly to me like PRS style. Could tweak it a little more Flying V-ish.

or more vaguely non-reverse firebird-ish? the early ones from the 90s look very classy with the truss rod cover and the vintage buttons.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

My Danelectro is a bit of a Chameleon, because of its ( stock) wiring and pickups, and semi-hollow body.
It can sound like a few different style guitars depending on using Overdrive/ distortion, or just running things clean.

Clean, on bridge or neck pickup settings it can sound like a Tele ( bright and twangy), but maybe not quite the output. It will snarl a bit, though, with an OD, at low Gain

I played in a Classic Country band about 10 years where I played my Tele most of the time, but would sub the Dano a bit, just to play something different- and lighter!

 

[Si G X]

View attachment 976139
Ibanez Talman

yeah for all intent and purpose it is a telecaster.

There's also those Jazzmaster shaped telecasters.

 

[Peter Graham]

I don't have any Telecaster guitars at all now. But I have a Samick Humbucker guitar LK-45, and an old Strat copy and a Yamaha PAC012.
I read somewhere that some guitars can mimic Telecaster tone. So I tried with my Samick LK-45, and some effects on my GX112 amp.
And it kinda sounded like a Tele on the bridge pickup, but not quite. I might be just mishearing it from the hypnotic mental state.

But wondered, is there non tele guitar that would sound like real tele both for the bridge and neck pickup - the growl?
Which make and model would it be? Could it replace Telecaster and make believe people that it could be a real telecaster?

It's probably a 'right tool for the job' situation, isn't it? You can gouge wood with a screwdriver, but you're much better off using a chisel. If you want a guitar to sound like a Tele, get a Tele.

 

[Si G X]

Well, humbuckers will never get you there, unless you're into some of the older Gretsch pickups. The Filtertrons for example are very lightly wound and so deliver a lot of highs. Otherwise, you may want to sit down with a P90 loaded instrument and see how close that gets you.
But, the Tele sound is unique, and getting even close will probably get you back into some other brand's "T" style guitar.

P90's sound more like humbuckers to me... or lets say I think it's easier to 'fake' a humbucker tone with a P90 than it is 'fake' a telecaster tone.. especially if we are talking bridge position pickups.

 

[Red Ryder]

Any guitar with tele pickups and string through body.

 

[billy logan]

@bettyseldest What is the pickup situation in that instrument in the photo in post #4 above?
Or I suppose the first question should be "What IS that guitar?!???"

I'm interested hidden pickups, like Brad Paisley's stealth neck pickup in his Esquire

As to Telecaster tone from a different type guitar ... I got nuthin'

 

[Si G X]

@bettyseldest What is the pickup situation in that instrument in the photo in post #4 above?
Or I suppose the first question should be "What IS that guitar?!???"

I'm interested hidden pickups, like Brad Paisley's stealth neck pickup in his Esquire

As to Telecaster tone from a different type guitar ... I got nuthin'

It's a Line6 Variax ... a modeling guitar. (doesn't use traditional pickups)

 

[brookdalebill]

My Cabronita pushed my avatar Tele out of the #1 spot.
It sounds like a Tele, but it’s a little clearer, and fuller sounding.
It doesn’t looks as cool (IMO), but it out-Teles everything I’ve played so far.

 

[gitold]

View attachment 976139
Ibanez Talman

My Talman Prestige is the best Tele I’ve ever owned.

 

[wulfenganck]

Neither a PAF-type humbucker nor a P90 will replicate a Telecaster sound, you'll have to go for a singlecoil.
Now, my main guitar is a Music Man St Vincent which has 3 mini-humbuckers; also the wiring has a neck + bridge combination, which does have some twang to it. But still, it's not a singlecoil, so there is too much bass. BUt it's the closest I can get to a Telecaster sound.

 

[arlum]

The Ibanez Talman is the only one I can think of that comes close tonally. I guess if you were going for Tele tones but wanted an offset body the Talman would be the way to go. That said ..... audiences that love Tele tones usually also expect to see Tele body shapes. If this is for your use in your bedroom you should certainly pick the one that appeals to you most but, if you're going to be playing on stage a true Telecaster would be the only way to go.

 

[teletail]

You could use an electric drill for a hammer, but I don’t recommend it. You want to pound a nail? Buy a hammer. You want to sound like a telecaster? Buy a telecaster.