What type of Telecaster should I buy?

jodi

I want to buy a Fender Telecaster. Have a Strat and want a different sound.

Does anyone know the big difference between a Mexican Tele and an US Telecaster?? Mexican is about 600 Dollars, US is 1200 dollars.

Who wants to give me some advice?
Thnks!

sandoz

all i can say, it's that i have a tele fender from mexico (paid 450 €)
the sound is clear and just beautiful and she is perfect to play the most of the pearl jam's songs !

chris01

I think its just material-wise they're different (type of wood, electronics, i dont know specificly). Obviously the quality of sound is going to be different too, ive never heard them being played together so i dont know if they're very different.
Ive played a Mexi and it sounded great.

So basically if you have money to throw around by the 1200 one, if you dont, go for the cheaper option, lol.

J.D.

The biggest difference is in the electronics, the pups especially.

The good thing is that Tele pups are very easily swapped out if you decide to upgrade.

The best thing to do is head down to your local shop and play both of em'. Then decide if it's worth the extra for the Amreican. IMHO the Amreician is worth it if you can afford it. Good luck.

Pacomc79

There are minor differences but it can have major effects on what you want to do with it.

electronics, tuners, shielding, etc. You can literally spend years looking for the right guitar.

I can say that the Japanese guitars are a very good value. I would go jap over mexi.

Ultimately you must hear and play to decide. It should look awesome to you, feel fantastic (though it will grow on you usually you know from the moment it's in your hand) and then it should resonate with the sound from your soul.

jodi

think I'm just gonna play both types and than decide what to do.
I can afford an American Tele, but don't want to 'waste' money.
Japanese? ok, will give it a try too.

thanks for the reactions, really appreciate this!

Pacomc79

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-50s-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar-Bigsby-Japanese_W0QQitemZ7414576698QQcategoryZ38083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


here's one of my fave's jodi.

To me butterscotch blonde is one of the best tele colors, and I love the bigsby tremolo.

here's some more.

http://search.ebay.com/fender-telecaster-mij_W0QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQssPageNameZWLRS

oh, and if you want a nice versatile choice the keith richards style with the humbucker at the neck is a good decision.

He_Who_Forgets

Pacomc79 wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-50s-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar-Bigsby-Japanese_W0QQitemZ7414576698QQcategoryZ38083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


here's one of my fave's jodi.

To me butterscotch blonde is one of the best tele colors, and I love the bigsby tremolo.

here's some more.

agree 100%. looks great with that bigsby.

chris01

I prefer that 'blonde' colour of a tele too, it looks so natural.

I dont like the tremolo though, its too big and ugly to me. Tele is going to be my next guitar too, dunno when im getting it though, could be some time.

sammicus

I have a mexi made 69 thineline telecaster reissue. It is a semi hollow body. it sounds great. Stone has been using a semi hollow tele for some of the songs on the new album. of course his is a lot nicer than mine i'm sure. and really, this one is pretty pricey at around $1300, but the American Vintage 1952 Reissue Telecaster is the best tele fender offers right now in my opinion. get it once and you have a sweeet axe for the rest of your life. mike, ed, and stone all use them ( and mike uses a real 53). If you can find a 52 around somewhere you should try it, awesome. Also check out the 69 thineline, it runs around $700 new.

All Those Yesterdays

Pacomc79 wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-50s-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar-Bigsby-Japanese_W0QQitemZ7414576698QQcategoryZ38083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


here's one of my fave's jodi.

To me butterscotch blonde is one of the best tele colors, and I love the bigsby tremolo.

here's some more.

http://search.ebay.com/fender-telecaster-mij_W0QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQssPageNameZWLRS

oh, and if you want a nice versatile choice the keith richards style with the humbucker at the neck is a good decision.

Pac, I agree on the looks of the 50's tele with the tremolo, the problem is that bridge is all screwed up to be used with the tremolo. Can't get to the screws to adjust the saddles. On a friends we tried flipping the bridge but that didn't work so we replaced the screws with allen heads, and ground down an allen wrench to get it to fit in the distance allowed. We spent hours setting that thing up then it seems ther is always something new with that guitar and problems. That stupid bridge set up is a joke for sure! Sorry folks just being honest. There have been other problems that I can't think of at this time.

The other odd thing is (And I'm a big tele fan) that for some reason the playability on all non american teles (even the high end jap teles) just isn't as good as the american deluxe. But you can grab a strat made in mexico and it plays great. Not sure what the deal is. Don't want to stray anyone away from a tele, but I'd suggest a couple year old american deluxe. The resale ain't bad.

samquigley

I've had a couple of Mexicans and three or four Japs come and go and, while the Japs were definitely superior to the Mexis, none of them played as well as my American Standard. Come to think of it, none of my guitars have even come close in terms of action and intonation, tuning stability, etc. I have all of my guitars set up professionally, so I'm not talking about "out of the box" playability, either. I've bought a lot of teles with a view to customising them but if they don't set up great, I just sell them on. The Am. Std. is the only one to have lasted, going on 8 years now. Having said that, it's the only Am. Std. I've played, so it could've been a total fluke. See that? I give you a whole bunch of seemingly useful information, then with a single "fluke" remark, render it completely useless.

enharmonic

Mexican tele's will do jobs that American tele's don't want.

mccreadyisgod

1972 Fender Telecaster Deluxe reissue. That will be my next Tele.

Or you can buy mine that's for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7414752626&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

jodi

Pacomc79 wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-50s-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar-Bigsby-Japanese_W0QQitemZ7414576698QQcategoryZ38083QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


here's one of my fave's jodi.

To me butterscotch blonde is one of the best tele colors, and I love the bigsby tremolo.

here's some more.

http://search.ebay.com/fender-telecaster-mij_W0QQfromZR8QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQssPageNameZWLRS

oh, and if you want a nice versatile choice the keith richards style with the humbucker at the neck is a good decision.

butterscotch blonde is very nice!
always liked the natural look on a guitar too.
the guitarshop I usually go too isn't that big, so I’ll go to a bigger one.
gonna try all sorts. American, Mexican and Japanese (if they have them)

An American the luxe is a very cool guitar.
you're all right if you say it depends on the person and the feeling a guitar gives. iyou have to grab it, play it and have a good feeling.

Thanks for the info and the advice!!

chris01

So given that its set up correctly the order (from 'worst' to 'best) is :-

Mexi - Jap - American, right?

Puck78

jodi wrote:

I want to buy a Fender Telecaster. Have a Strat and want a different sound.

Does anyone know the big difference between a Mexican Tele and an US Telecaster?? Mexican is about 600 Dollars, US is 1200 dollars.

Who wants to give me some advice?
Thnks!

1200 dollars instead than 600 = consumerism

jodi

chris01 wrote:

So given that its set up correctly the order (from 'worst' to 'best) is :-

Mexi - Jap - American, right?

I think so. Didn't know there where Japanese Tele's, but I give it al a try and make a judgement on these particular guitars.

Like is said here, it depends. Every guitar is different. Mexi, Jap or American.
Elements and stuff will be better on a more expensive guitar, but the sound and feeling is subjective.

StoneG82

mccreadyisgod wrote:

1972 Fender Telecaster Deluxe reissue. That will be my next Tele.

Or you can buy mine that's for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7414752626&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

I have a black deluxe and I can't say enough good things about it. It's great.

It's built like a tank, too. Really heavy. Makes my SG seem like a wimp.

One Song Glory

Helpful thread, I'm buying a Tele sometime next month but haven't quite gotten into specifics yet. Right now I have a Fender acoustic and a Squier Strat but I want me a Tele!