Guitar 101

MissYouAllDay

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.

mccreadyisgod

Well, now... here's an interesting question...

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.

exhausted

teles.

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.

MissUAlready

In my experiences with both here are my opinions/ideas

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...

mccreadyisgod

Originally posted by exhausted
go to fender.com and surf their current line.

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

MissUAlready

have you seen the Teles with Bigsbys on musiciansfriend? the red one looks JUST like stones off of SVT

mccreadyisgod

I would love to have a Bigsby Tele... I never use a whammy, I just think they look so cool...

MissUAlready

BTW... what happend to this forum?? I used to be on it ALL THE TIME a couple years ago... and then I came back and it was changed and my moniker was deleted... I had a couple thousand posts back in the day... now I get to start all over....

exhausted

Originally posted by mccreadyisgod
I would love to have a Bigsby Tele... I never use a whammy, I just think they look so cool...

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.

exhausted

Originally posted by MissUAlready
BTW... what happend to this forum?? I used to be on it ALL THE TIME a couple years ago... and then I came back and it was changed and my moniker was deleted... I had a couple thousand posts back in the day... now I get to start all over....

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.

MissUAlready

yeah... this one is styled just like Harmony Central... which is nice... cause HC is my home away from home... in a sense

MissUAlready

Originally posted by exhausted


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.

doesnt is come with the stuff to do it? like the 5 way selector etc etc...

mccreadyisgod

Originally posted by exhausted
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.

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.

exhausted

Originally posted by MissUAlready
doesnt is come with the stuff to do it? like the 5 way selector etc etc...

yes, but that's not the point.

exhausted

Originally posted by mccreadyisgod
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?

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.

MissUAlready

I had a Les Paul with a Bigsby... I never had problems... I loved it... but then my dumb ass sold it... but I still have my American Deluxe Strat...

I agree on the Gold Gibson color... Id give a testicle for a Gibson GoldTop

mccreadyisgod

I had an Epiphone '57 reissue goldtop that had '57 humbuckers. I can't believe I sold it, but I guess it had been in it's case for a few months at the time. Still, it was an Epiphone, I can always get another. I hear they aren't using '57 pups in the new reissues, though, so maybe I should just save up for a Gibson RI. Well, at $2400, maybe not... the Les Paul Classic is available with a gold finish:
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.

MissUAlready

Im wondering what the big difference between the classics and the standards is? Ive never been able to figure out how Gibson justifies the rather large price increase...

exhausted

edit: never mind. i answered a question no one asked.

mccreadyisgod

I know the Studio models don't have binding, which saves money. I believe there are differences in pup options, and finishes, and wood choices. Some are overpriced just because of the legacy and the exclusiveness...

I went to the Gibson website to find out (no real luck) but I love the cover page image:
http://www.gibson.com

MissUAlready

I figured as much with the studios...

what I cant figure out is that the classics and standards are so distantly priced...