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Guitar 101
MissYouAllDay
Posts: 939
Hey all, my first post
I was wondering if someone could tell me the difference between a strat and a tele. I am gonna buy a black telecaster but am lost on what I'm looking for. I want a black fender (unless a 1985 schecter pt appears in my local music store). What's the difference between the 8 billion different fender telecasters? Like theres the american, and the custom... etc etc. So just let me have it!! all your guitar/tele info!
Also what is the difference between humbucker pickups and all the hardware end of it. I am prepared to aread a 500 word reply here guys
seriously anything would help. I currently play a fender accoustic with a fishman pickup.
I was wondering if someone could tell me the difference between a strat and a tele. I am gonna buy a black telecaster but am lost on what I'm looking for. I want a black fender (unless a 1985 schecter pt appears in my local music store). What's the difference between the 8 billion different fender telecasters? Like theres the american, and the custom... etc etc. So just let me have it!! all your guitar/tele info!
Also what is the difference between humbucker pickups and all the hardware end of it. I am prepared to aread a 500 word reply here guys
seriously anything would help. I currently play a fender accoustic with a fishman pickup.
I miss you already, I miss you always
I miss you already, I miss you all day
I miss you already, I miss you all day
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Okay, so the first Fender electric guitars were the "No-caster", or a no-name guitar that became dubbed that after the "-caster" guitars showed up. Followed closely by the Broadcaster, which looked like a Tele, then the Telecaster. The Stratocaster showed up soon after, but the Tele design was the original.
The standard Tele configuration is a lipstick pickup (pup) in the neck position, and an open single-coil in the bridge. A standard Strat has three pups, all open single-coils, with the bridge pup at a slight angle. The body shapes are obviously different, but are more personal preference than any true advantage between the two. And the headstocks are different. Teles typically do not have tremelos (or whammy-bars) but some are found with Bigsby tremelos. Strats usually have a string-through tremelo bridge.
Most of the Tele models are standard configuration, but with slight differences in quality. Generally, USA Custom Shop are the best, followed by USA Standard, then Mexican Standard, and finally the Asian-made and Squire models. Get at least a Mexican, if not better. Reissues are nice if you want a vintage tone, but the cost of a Custom Shop '52 Tele Reissue is astronomical. Unless you really want one, get something cheaper for now.
Some Teles featured one or two humbuckers. The '72 and '72 thinline have one and two humbuckers, respectively. Humbuckers have higher output, are less twangy, and don't hum with electrical interferance, like with florescent lighting. Some new models, like some Custom and Custom specials are built with 'modern' humbuckers, for more modern (heavy) tone. Some Teles had three single-coils in the same configuration as a Strat, I think they were called Texas Special Telecasters. Very twangy, for blues or country-blues.
Strats are also usually the standard configuration, in varying degrees of quality. Same as the Teles. Some Strats have one or two humbuckers, just as the Teles do. Really, pick which one you want (I assume the Strat is your preference), decide if you want humbuckers (try them with and without at the local music shop), and then pick a guitar. If you have any other questions, let me know... we're all more than happy to help.
upmteen different models ranging from cheap mexican-made ones to better quality mexican and japanese re-issues of "classic" models to standard US built models to custom shop built models.
go to fender.com and surf their current line.
basically, differences in price due to differences in build quality and the quality/types of woods and components used.
single coils: typically lower output, more sparky, honky sound. subject to 60 cycle hum.
humbuckers: generally higher output, darker and more compressed sound. no hum.
early teles have FAT U Shaped necks... ie the butterscotch blonde teles that stone and mike use...
later teles have a C-shaped neck which is slimmer and "faster" playing...
teles are a no frills guitar with a single volume comtrol, a single tone control and a 3 way toggle switch for the pickups...
they are truley beautiful sounding instruments...
Strats are quiet versatile... like McIsGod said with the tremolo (which is actually a vibrato) check out mikes usage of the whammy bar on TB 2000's "EvenFlow"
the strat isnt as twangy or country sounding as the tele... is also has TWO tone controls for the neck and middle pickups... and the more modern strats have a 5 way pickup selector for more tonal options...
these guitars with both serve you well in whatever musical genre you pursue... and alot of the options are up to you... such as neck shape...body woods... roseweood or maple fretboard... etc etc...
Yeah, that web site is pretty good, I go there every once in a while and drool...
http://www.fender.com
I've been eying this particular one for quite a while, now... it just looks so damned tasty.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/107887
And since you mentioned it:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=guitar/search/detail/base_id/46135
every time i've seen someone play one, they've had a horrible time keeping it in tune. probably more to do with the nut and keys than the bigsby though.
i'm still tempted by a 52 reissue but i don't like the vintage wiring and it seems pointless to me to buy a vintage reissue and then modernize the wiring.
pj is off sony so they've moved the forum. and it's all new software/database so it's all gone.
this one's way better imo.
doesnt is come with the stuff to do it? like the 5 way selector etc etc...
Well, I would never use the Bigsby, it would just be window dressing, so hopefully it would stay in tune more reliably. But I agree. I personally prefer a stop tail-piece... what did you use on the JazzBastard?
I hear ya on the vintage wiring, and modernizing a classic... I guess you could justify it if you just love the look. That Butterscotch is a pretty sweet color. My fav is Gold Bullion (ie vintage Gibson) but that Butterscotch is a close second. Oh, and honeycomb... I love honeycomb finishes. So doggamned expensive, though.
yes, but that's not the point.
it's a wilkinson tremolo bridge. it was already routed for that when i found the body in the warmoth thrift bin.
i've set it up so that it's blocked though. i don't use trem. my strats are blocked too.
I agree on the Gold Gibson color... Id give a testicle for a Gibson GoldTop
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=guitar/search/detail/base_id/82274
Then you get a pair of '57 pups, or a pair of Burstbuckers.
I went to the Gibson website to find out (no real luck) but I love the cover page image:
http://www.gibson.com
what I cant figure out is that the classics and standards are so distantly priced...
Had something on your mind, eh?
i went on this big rant about how fender diluted their name with shitty off-shore built guitars and gibson stayed the course and at least kept the off-shore stuff under a different tag.
Humbuckers are a form of pickup that reduces the hum from amp/guitar. A normal tele comes with 3 single coil pickups?
I am a bit confused on this bit...so you get a tele...it either comes with humbuckers or 3 single coils? Is that right? And why would a guitar have either 1 or 2 humbuckers. Liek what is the difference between 1 and 2 humbuckers soundwise.
If this will help explain things to me I wanna play rock music. Like classicy stuff like pearl jam. All I know of guitar hardware is I have a fishman pickup/pre-amp. I know what it does it just gets the guitar sound sends it to my little pre amp box and then to the amp. (on my fender acoustic)
1 more thing. Some teles have a flat top some have curved. I think the flat ones look kick ass whats the difference?
Well again, all you can give. Be appreciated
I miss you already, I miss you all day
no, two single coils.
generally, two single coils. there are the odd models with humbuckers or 3 single coils but they aren't the norm.
just different sounds etc. etc. you'll have to try them to decide what you prefer.
part showiness, part sound, part feel.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/44503
A normal Tele comes with two pickups:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/44506
USA-made Fenders use higher-quality wood, better hardware, and are manufactured with a better fit and finish. Mexican-made Fenders are made to similar standards, but not quite up to the same level. They are probably a 9/10 compared to an American-made. The two plants are just across the border from each other... and the pickups, at least, are the same or similar.
Humbuckers have more output, meaning they are louder, and the tone from a humbucker is generally heavier in the low- and mid-range, whereas single coils generally have a more treble-sounding output. This treble-bias gives single-coils that 'twangy' sound. Humbuckers sound meatier, more classic-rock (Led Zep, the Who, etc.).
Here's the two Tele models with humbuckers I mentioned in my first post. The '72 Tele:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/40884
It has a single-coil in the bridge and a humbucker in the neck. The '72 Thinline Tele:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/40883
It has two humbuckers, one in the bridge and one in the neck. Both of these are flat-top guitars. There really isn't much difference between a flat-top and arch- or carved-top guitar, other than looks, preference, and playability.
Here's a carved-top Tele with two humbuckers that I would kinda like to have:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031103201820150131025216164859/g=home/search/detail/base_id/107887
Typically, the pickup in the neck position will be warmer, less trebley, and slightly higher output, due to it's relationship to the strings at that spot. This gets you really warm clean tones, like for jazz. The bridge pickup has better definition, and is my favorite pickup for dirty, or distorted (overdriven, whatever) tones.
Anything else?
Now onto the neck versus bridge pickup. Do both pickups go to the amp at once or do you switch between either one at any given time? Now I assume the neck pickup is the metal thing the strings run through thats actually on the neck (yes I mean the neck at the fat end of the guitar) am I wrong here? And the bridge pickup is by the action?
I hear theres 2 nobs on a tele. A tone and volume. What exactly does the tone one do? By brother has a strat and it has 2 nobs for tone as previously discussed. I realize they change the sound but in what way?
Also there is a switch somewhere that instantly affects the sound right? Like an on/off type deal. What is this switch and what exactly does it do.
Thanks alot for all the help so far guys it's awesome. I swear I'm makin some progress here
I miss you already, I miss you all day
In a standard two-pickup arrangement, the pickups can be sent to the amplifier in three ways: Just the neck pickup, just the bridge pickup, or both together. There are guitars with more complicated wiring, but on a Telecaster, that's how it's wired. You choose the pickup(s) via the switch that is right next to the volume and tone knobs.
A tone knob affects the EQ of the output. When the tone is all the way up, it has more highs and more lows. When the tone is reduced, so are the lows and highs, leaving only the mids. The highs are more affected than the lows.
http://www.fender.com/new_repository/fender_guitars/images/0137502_xl.jpg
(is there html on this forum)
I understand the whole pickup thing. There are just a few remaining questions. It is clear that the american deluxe Tele is made in USA. But is the "plain" american tele made in the USA or mexico. May seem like a stupid question but american tele could be describing its design not its manufactoring location.
So yah I dunno which ones cooler that one above or this other one with a humbucker/single setup also. Man I can't wait to hear how these things sound!!
<a href="http://www.fender.com/new_repository/fender_guitars/images/0118600_xl.jpg">(but in black)</a)
well thanks for not getting too frustrated with me guys. I'm impressed that you guys can completely educate me on electric guitar pickups and stylings in 1 night.
I miss you already, I miss you all day