A tele is a much simpler instrument. It has 2 pickups and so then less possible pickup configurations, 3.
A strat has 3 pickups and so 5 pickup configurations.
A tele can have a very simple sound. It can be very harsh and "quacky" in the bridge position pickup.
Strats can have a deeper sound cause of their 3 pickups.
People often say teles sound "thin". Another way to put this is that they sound very clear.
To sum it up the tele is kinda like a less complex strat. Teles also can rarely be found with a tremolo on their bridge.
I prefer teles due to their awesome looks, simple controls, and their ability to produce a very simple "punkish" tone. Blues players play both, but the strat is THE famous blues guitar. Although I say they are simple, teles can produce a very nice tone for lead guitar playing and blues also.
A good example of a clean tele is the Hives. They play a clean tele on alot of their songs. Teles can sound nice distorted also. Very nice. SOme would argue that the tele sustains better. The strat is a VERY comfotable guitar. The tele has square edges and so is a little less comfortable for some people.
Those are some points to consider.
I miss you already, I miss you always
I miss you already, I miss you all day
Eh, sounds like Tele is the way to go. But I tried one out once... it's too boxy. Strat is much more streamlined.
I think the Strat is as close to a perfectly shaped guitar as you can get.
You can sit on the couch and play it and the cord doesn't dig into the sofa, it's comfortable to wear.
Strats and teles are very different guitars.
Go for the sound you want, and not the look. Because eventually , you'll have both!
Like missyouallday said,,,, a basic tele sound has that twanging grind to it.
A lot of country players use them for that, but it rocks out too. Listen to Keith Richards sound for a great tele sound. Bruce Springsteens tele sound is pretty distinctive.
You can get them with Humbuckers for a more powerful, Les Paul type sound, too.
A strat is more versitile in that you can get a lot of configurations and different pick up combinations,,, the 3 pickups themselves, or the "in between" pickup sound like a lot of blues players use.The switch uses the combo of 1 & 2 and 2&3. A LOT of players use strats with a single pickup in at the neck, single in the middle, and some sort of humbucker in the bridge for more lead power.
Plus you get the whammy bar if you want to use it.
Other than that,,, these days , there are only hundreds of variations on both guitars.
I wouldn't worry about the complexity, if that's an issue. Hell, even I can use a Strat!
Like I say,,,, think a bit about the sound you'd like to achieve first and foremost. Then get back to us and we can all pool our resources and confuse you even MORE!
Be kind, man
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
You can get a Tele with the standard 2 pickups. Or with 3 Strat pickups. Or with a humbucker in the bridge and a single-coil in the neck. Or a single-coil in the bridge, and a humbucker in the neck. Or with two humbuckers. Or with two P-90's. Or with 2 DeArmond 2000's.
You can get a Strat with 3 singles, 2 humbuckers, or 2 singles and a humbucker in the neck.
There are contoured Tele's with body-cuts and shaped tops that are more comfortable than a Strat.
There are so many options out there... sound, look, feel, etc...
Find the look you want, and the feel you want, and the sound you want, and then start looking for the guitar that has all three. Or find something close and modify. Or get the pieces and build it yourself.
...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
A strat is more versitile in that you can get a lot of configurations and different pick up combinations,,, the 3 pickups themselves, or the "in between" pickup sound like a lot of blues players use.
I would seriously own a Strat just for position 4...
...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
Yah, I went home for xmas and plugged my brothers strat into my tubescreamer plus, it was amazing. It sounded just wicked. I was very impressed. Strat will be the 2nd last guitar I ever buy.
Next on the list is: SG standard, Stratocaster sunburst, les paul or shecter tempest.
I miss you already, I miss you always
I miss you already, I miss you all day
It's going to look very similar to this one at Phils
Bill has 3 levels of destruction.
Church Gig - Under the bed, played at church once a month for 40 years.
Working Mans - well loved - gigged frequently for 40 years.
Louisiana Road House - as hard a life as your average blues man. Used to break in houses drug behind cars and rusted in the louisiana heat. Rescued from a fire.
S- body, Fralin Blues in neck and middle and a HD S90 in the bridge - special switching to allow all on at once pearl dots. Callaham trem graphite nut, sperzel lockers.
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
yeah I'm waiting on the quote feature to tell me how much those options will set me back.
I wasn't sold on the fralins, until last weekend. I a/b'd a custom shop thin line Tele, a American Series Strat and a Melancon (strat) with Fralins all strait in to a 1957 Fender Bassman.
The Fralins were fatter and fuller than either of the fenders, definately the way I want to go.
If they offer the S-1 system with the SCN's I may go that way because of the cost difference, but I'm not planning on ever selling this guitar so what's an extra couple hundred bucks to get it perfect right?
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
All I can say is that I love them BOTH. I'm also glad to see the pit is up and running. I recently got that Strat I was talking about endlessly in the old pit. '57 reissue. It's yummy. My '72 Custom Tele reissue, also yummy.
armanHammer
Posts: 471
Comments
A strat has 3 pickups and so 5 pickup configurations.
A tele can have a very simple sound. It can be very harsh and "quacky" in the bridge position pickup.
Strats can have a deeper sound cause of their 3 pickups.
People often say teles sound "thin". Another way to put this is that they sound very clear.
To sum it up the tele is kinda like a less complex strat. Teles also can rarely be found with a tremolo on their bridge.
I prefer teles due to their awesome looks, simple controls, and their ability to produce a very simple "punkish" tone. Blues players play both, but the strat is THE famous blues guitar. Although I say they are simple, teles can produce a very nice tone for lead guitar playing and blues also.
A good example of a clean tele is the Hives. They play a clean tele on alot of their songs. Teles can sound nice distorted also. Very nice. SOme would argue that the tele sustains better. The strat is a VERY comfotable guitar. The tele has square edges and so is a little less comfortable for some people.
Those are some points to consider.
I miss you already, I miss you all day
Can I have a 'hell yeah'? Tele's all the way (in comparison to strats that is): no bullshit, just plain and simple, straight forward rock & roll.
I think the Strat is as close to a perfectly shaped guitar as you can get.
You can sit on the couch and play it and the cord doesn't dig into the sofa, it's comfortable to wear.
Strats and teles are very different guitars.
Go for the sound you want, and not the look. Because eventually , you'll have both!
Like missyouallday said,,,, a basic tele sound has that twanging grind to it.
A lot of country players use them for that, but it rocks out too. Listen to Keith Richards sound for a great tele sound. Bruce Springsteens tele sound is pretty distinctive.
You can get them with Humbuckers for a more powerful, Les Paul type sound, too.
A strat is more versitile in that you can get a lot of configurations and different pick up combinations,,, the 3 pickups themselves, or the "in between" pickup sound like a lot of blues players use.The switch uses the combo of 1 & 2 and 2&3. A LOT of players use strats with a single pickup in at the neck, single in the middle, and some sort of humbucker in the bridge for more lead power.
Plus you get the whammy bar if you want to use it.
Other than that,,, these days , there are only hundreds of variations on both guitars.
I wouldn't worry about the complexity, if that's an issue. Hell, even I can use a Strat!
Like I say,,,, think a bit about the sound you'd like to achieve first and foremost. Then get back to us and we can all pool our resources and confuse you even MORE!
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
You can get a Strat with 3 singles, 2 humbuckers, or 2 singles and a humbucker in the neck.
There are contoured Tele's with body-cuts and shaped tops that are more comfortable than a Strat.
There are so many options out there... sound, look, feel, etc...
Find the look you want, and the feel you want, and the sound you want, and then start looking for the guitar that has all three. Or find something close and modify. Or get the pieces and build it yourself.
I would seriously own a Strat just for position 4...
Just getting used to my Mexican 70's strat and thats the posiotion I like the best also.
Next on the list is: SG standard, Stratocaster sunburst, les paul or shecter tempest.
I miss you already, I miss you all day
Why not both?
I would very much love to have a Trussart Rusty Tele similar to stones.
do a closet classic treatment. don't do a beat to hell one.
yeah I'm getting the church gig deal. It's for my new band
Paco Mac and the Holly Rollers. Coming to a mantra style WOW for Worship CD near you.
That my friend is easy money. 10 words, 3 chords and they pay boo coodles
http://www.philsguitars.com/images/eightofour/IMG_3330_2.jpg
It's going to look very similar to this one at Phils
Bill has 3 levels of destruction.
Church Gig - Under the bed, played at church once a month for 40 years.
Working Mans - well loved - gigged frequently for 40 years.
Louisiana Road House - as hard a life as your average blues man. Used to break in houses drug behind cars and rusted in the louisiana heat. Rescued from a fire.
S- body, Fralin Blues in neck and middle and a HD S90 in the bridge - special switching to allow all on at once pearl dots. Callaham trem graphite nut, sperzel lockers.
yeah I'm waiting on the quote feature to tell me how much those options will set me back.
I wasn't sold on the fralins, until last weekend. I a/b'd a custom shop thin line Tele, a American Series Strat and a Melancon (strat) with Fralins all strait in to a 1957 Fender Bassman.
The Fralins were fatter and fuller than either of the fenders, definately the way I want to go.
If they offer the S-1 system with the SCN's I may go that way because of the cost difference, but I'm not planning on ever selling this guitar so what's an extra couple hundred bucks to get it perfect right?
Actually, #4 is neck and middle. 2nd from the top.
I have seen Atlantis.
Texas blues, sure...
But Chicago blues... That's Tele territory there.
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