Your #1 Telecaster

[pageophile]

I picked this one up recently, a 2020 AO 50’s limited edition, which has pushed my ‘99 52 reissue out of the #1 tele spot for now. Lightweight and resonant with a chunky neck, it covers all the tele moods. This AO is every bit as nice as my CS ’56 Mary Kaye strat.

 

[richinmusic]

Custom build, not ordered by me, but made by a luthier apprentice who sold this to me for cost of parts. After a brief phone conversation about music, goals, tastes, and some cosmic stuff, he was convinced that this was already mine. He was right. I used to be a Strat guy who had some Tele options for session work. This has become my #1 guitar ever.

 

[professortwang]

I am thankful to have have eight really nice Teles. But for the past six years, my partscaster "Belle" has been my #1.

View attachment 982664

View attachment 982665

View attachment 982666

Where did you get that cool sticker?

 

[cocoboudin]

Let’s talk about your #1 Telecaster. What makes it your workhorse? Any upgrades? Please give details and show a pic of available. Thanks!

The sunburst one is my workhorse. I have a set of Dimarzio Twang King in it. It’s not a Fender but it satisfy me and to me it’s a great player.

 

[Ronhar]

My #1 is one I built myself!
It's a chambered, torrefied alder body, and comes in at 7 lbs on the nose. The maple top was lots of fun to stain. The neck is all torrefied maple with Evo gold frets and black MOP dots. I'm a sucker for some nice flame maple and aluminum guards
View attachment 982877
View attachment 982872 View attachment 982873 View attachment 982874

Awesome color.

 

[burntfrijoles]

This homebrew Tele Thinline is getting a lot of time in the rotation right now...

That’s a nice color combo!

 

[Lone_Poor_Boy]

Awesome color.

LOL! Love your avatar.

 

[Ronhar]

This one - it is my actual guitar. Great color, plays well, smooth creamy sound.

View attachment 983690

Love that color and finish.

 

[Ronhar]

Another one in the rotation...

View attachment 985353 View attachment 985355 View attachment 985356

This would look great at a Happy New Years gig. Especially with a tux!

 

[Jazzman1955]

My 2019 American Performer Limited Edition Raw Ash Telecaster has entered my collection of keepers, and gets serious daily play. It is resonant and responsive with great pickups and pot/ switch array. Great modern C neck, about 7 lbs. 3 oz midline joined 2 piece swamp ash body. Mods are notched- lip toploader or string through option bridge, Gotoh compensated brass saddles, 4-way switch, and black pickguard

 

[McGoldTopp]

 

[CV Jee Beez]

my first home brew turned out killer...

everyone who has played it wants to keep it...

the black 83 beside it is a killer Tele as well....

View attachment 982542 View attachment 982543

I like the swallow tail control plate.

 

[CV Jee Beez]

Hands down my #1. The 2016 CS Caballo. I bought it new in 2018. I first saw it behind glass one year earlier and asked for it to be taken out. I played it through a Friedman Runt 20 (tiny combo amp) and I liked it immediately but, it went backing the glass display case.

It feels perfect in my hand and instantly comfortable.
It can get great tones in all 3 pickup positions.
Cosmetically, it's something I would order if ordering custom.

 

[Ronhar]

Let’s talk about your #1 Telecaster. What makes it your workhorse? Any upgrades? Please give details and show a pic of available. Thanks!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the tour of your teles. Some really great stuff out there. I did notice some were almost stock and some were super modded. Many were the old standby blackguard butterscotch/cream. I also noticed very few had reversed control plates. I thought that mod was more popular. I have three Teles but none are Fenders lol. Anyway long live the perfect Tele quest.

 

[tolstoi]

I have touched plenty of Teles, but this is the one.* I didn't like silver, but the guitar won me over (and I've grown to like the color, which ranges from a pure silver into some shimmery blues depending on the light and shadow).

This guitar is impossibly good; it does everything well. I sold it once, but I was able to correct that mistake.

'67 Firemist Silver, Closet Classic light wear aging stuff...this guitar is just alive.

Thanks for looking.

---

* My friend owns the other #1 that I want, but it's going to take some time on that one.

 

[Kost1978]

Hi guys, I rarely write here, but I'm always reading.

My #1 Tele is a 2002 Standard MIM that got LOTS of changes during the years!
Right now it has:
-Fender USA bridge with Wilkinson (quite dirty...) brass saddles;
-SD Quarter Pound in bridge position and Tonerider Rebel90 in neck position;
-CTS pots, orange drop cap, Gibson knobs.
The neck during the years got a beautifull yellow look, it was really white when I bought it. And it's getting quite reliced, because of the numerous gigs.
All in all a great workhorse!

 

[Elessar]

Hi guys, I rarely write here, but I'm always reading.

My #1 Tele is a 2002 Standard MIM that got LOTS of changes during the years!
Right now it has:
-Fender USA bridge with Wilkinson (quite dirty...) brass saddles;
-SD Quarter Pound in bridge position and Tonerider Rebel90 in neck position;
-CTS pots, orange drop cap, Gibson knobs.
The neck during the years got a beautifull yellow look, it was really white when I bought it. And it's getting quite reliced, because of the numerous gigs.
All in all a great workhorse!
View attachment 998264

Kost, I like the saddle and neck wear. A clear sign that the guitar is well-loved and well used!

What's your pickguard sticker? I know it's probably something I should recognize, but I don't.

Spencer

 

[dannyh]

The last couple of years it's been this guitar, a parts guitar, roadworn body with a Baja neck, pickups are Lollar Vintage T's, saddles are some brand of compensated brass saddles I had in a drawer. I think the bridge plate is from a Hwy 1...a true parts caster lol. I've never had a Tele I liked better. It's been a blackguard, then a white guard, then back to black...It's a goodern.

 

[Echo79]

2016 Fender American Elite. My #1 overall. All stock, it has the gen 4 N4 noiseless pickups and at first I was like “meh”, but after some time I’ve come to like them. And the playability… unbelievable.

 

[Echo79]

^ More about the N4 pickups: they’re a compromise. You give up a little (IMO) tonal purity and “magic” for a tele that can be easily used in higher-gain scenarios. That suits me, may not suit you.