Guitar 101

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  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Originally posted by exhausted
    edit: never mind. i answered a question no one asked.

    Had something on your mind, eh?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by mccreadyisgod
    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.
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Yeah, I read your post... I'm just giving you a hard time.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    K so teles are built in the usa or mexico. The USA ones have general percieved general quality.
    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 always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • exhausted
    exhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by MissYouAllDay
    K so teles are built in the usa or mexico. The USA ones have general percieved general quality.
    Humbuckers are a form of pickup that reduces the hum from amp/guitar. A normal tele comes with 3 single coil pickups?

    no, two single coils.
    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.
    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.
    1 more thing. Some teles have a flat top some have curved. I think the flat ones look kick ass whats the difference?
    part showiness, part sound, part feel.
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    No, a normal Strat comes with 3 pickups:
    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?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • PearlJamDowner
    PearlJamDowner Posts: 171
    That was your 2nd post...hhahahah..liar
    im messed
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    K I understand the difference now.

    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 always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    You aren't from out of town, are you?

    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.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Yah I just went to the fender site looked at some guitars and some pictures and figured it all out. Here is the picture of the tele thats winning the race to make me a poor man.

    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 always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    American and USA both refer to United States-manufactured guitars (Corona, California). What is the model name of that second guitar? Oh, and you don't need to frame web links, this board is html-enabled...

    I would still recommend trying a few different arrangements before you make a purchase. And the Schecter PT model is still available at a better price than the Fenders:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031104212656150131025216567343/g=home/search/detail/base_id/46135

    I remember you mentioning that one...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Looks pretty good but I'd rather spend 2x as much for the quality knowing I will be playing this guitar for a very long time.

    It says on musicians friend the American HS (the second model) goes from twang to jazz. Knowing that the humbucker is at the neck will this guitar still produce awesome deep raunchy sound if I want it too?

    And is it possible to put a pick guard on that HS? It comes without one.

    These 2 guitars are nearly Identical in features so it's the feel and playability I will be going for (and looks).

    I am gonna try a american at a local music store soon.

    man PJ community rocks...
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Well, my recommendations would have to be based on a musical style... what kind of stuff do you want to play? Do you want to play Metallica, or the Strokes? For really good deep, raunchy distortion, I like a humbucker at the bridge. Distortion on a neck pickup tends to sound really muddy and ill-defined. Those guitars you are looking at are more for twangy country-rock and electric blues, so if that's what you want, those are your guitars. As for the pickguard question... you could probably get a standard Tele or Esquire pickguard and rout out the hole for the humbucker, but unless you or a friend has a jig saw or band saw, that might not be the easiest thing to do. A qualified guitar tech could probably do it for you, for a modest fee...

    Really, you gotta try before you buy... looking at $600+ for a guitar, make sure you get the right one.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • MissYouAllDay
    MissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    I wanna play a really broad range of things. Like I will obviously be playing ALOT of PJ. I want something that would make Seven Nation Army sound awesome and rearview mirror....and DTE. That muddy distortion on the neck sounds like it would be great for DTE actually.

    What does the twang of the bridge single coil sound like when distorted? pretty cool?

    I see eddie using his tele for a wide range of songs so that makes me think its a pretty versatile instrument.
    (well I guess he uses that SG that the rest of the world owns now but you see what I eman)

    and 600$+ in Canadian is 1000$+
    ouch, but it must be done. Guitars are way too cool and fun to play.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
    I miss you already, I miss you all day
  • casper leblanc
    casper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    Originally posted by MissYouAllDay
    I wanna play a really broad range of things. Like I will obviously be playing ALOT of PJ. I want something that would make Seven Nation Army sound awesome and rearview mirror....and DTE.

    You'll need more than one guitar I'm afraid. Or buy a hell of a lot effects, or line 6, whatever. Even the most versatile guitar has limits...
  • mccreadyisgod
    mccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Ed has almost always played double-humbucker guitars, with the exception of a few with P-90 single coils that have higher output. His Schecter Tele has two humbuckers, as do most of his SG's. The Pete Townshend SG and one or two of his SG Specials have P-90's. You won't find P-90's on a Tele, unless you build one custom. A Fender Tele Sonic has fatter single coils, similar to P-90's, but they can be hard to come by these days.

    A distorted single coil can sound pretty sweet, just not as meaty as a humbucker. Typically a bit thinner. Mike plays his '59 Strat with stock single-coils for most of his blistering-hot leads, so...

    Try a standard Strat, a standard Tele, and a Gibson or Epiphone Les Paul. If you find someone with a Tele or Strat with humbuckers, give that a play too. Explain to the folks at the music shop what you want, tone-wise, and see what they recommend.

    Really, the debate between humbuckers and single-coils rages in here for months... everyone has a preference.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.

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