All Rights Reserved. The neck has a 50s U-shaped profile, and the fretboard has a vintage-correct 7.25-inch radius. What do these guitars cost? I'll ask him to pay a visit here. The bridge is a point of interest, too while theres only three brass-barrel saddles, theyre intonation-compensated. Hardware: Chapman String-Through bridge, Hipshot Grip-Lock open tuners
Asian versions are often slightly cheaper too, so would perhaps suit a beginner guitarist, looking to get a feel for whether they take to the Telecaster or not before spending a load on a more expensive, American or Mexican made model. Modern versions often use alternative woods such as pine. Note: while the best Teles are undoubtedly made by Fender, in this article wealso consider the best telecaster copy (in other words, alternative non-Fender telecaster brands that make Tele style guitars). Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on December 02, 2016: 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. These are wired in a standard Telecaster Deluxe format, meaning individual volume and tone controls for each pickup. It's a terrific platform, and is very good for the $ straight out of the box. That gorgeous sunburst finish on these guitars is not something one normally gets on instruments in this price range. He loves nothing more than to pick one up and pluck some strings.
If you know already you are going to heavily modify your Telecaster, then the Affinity would probably be preferable. Play them both, and decide for yourself. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The Affinity from Fenders budget arm Squire is the best budget telecaster on the list. Product Round-up & Reviews Best Telecaster, G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Bluesboy. So it was a hit from the day it was born and remains one today. There isn't much excuse! 7.25-radius fretboard not for everyone.
nut fender stratocaster 43mm slotted telecaster brass guitar piece The October 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now!
Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + High performance specs throughout The 12 Fingerboard radius is great for bending notes without fretting out, and the locking tuners give you increased tuning stability and make restringing much easier. Noiseless pickups These single coil pups are completely hum-free while retaining all the twang you need for a classic tone. The classic Telecaster is a workhorse of a machine, and everything about it is simplicity and power. At just three hundred and ninety nine dollars, this guitar is as affordable as you could possibly want, and you wouldn't feel bad, should you so desire, modifying it later on. The Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Custom is an Alder body guitar rather than ash or agathis. The Fender Modern Player is a superb mid-range guitar and gives you the best of old and new: modern hardware and electronics, but an authentic vintage tone associated with the Tele. Price: $1,099.99 / 899 While this doesnt mean big bends are out of the question, the guitar wont take to a lower-action shred setup as well as something like the flatter-radiused Player Plus Nashville Telecaster. Decidedly vintage in spec, the T54 has a string-through sugar pine body, maple neck, a 7.25-inch-radius maple fretboard, and a single-ply pickguard. The Tele is typically fitted with two single-coil pickups: a bridge pickup and a neck pickup, which give it that famous bright twang. Additionally, if single-coils arent your style, theres the equally semi-hollow and comparatively-priced 70s Telecaster Thinline, fitted with a pair of wide-range humbuckers. Well, the pickups here are Schecters UltraTrons, a powerful take on the BroadTron or FilterTron style of humbucker. The neck is also bolt-on, so if damaged you can replace it easily, and there are some well-made brass saddles which allow you to refine the instruments intonation to meet your taste. For the money, its hard to beat. Every guitar would be a great place to start with the instrument, or a great guitar to take out into the clubs for live performance. Did Mike McCready just smash a $15,000 Custom Shop Strat on stage?
telecaster All the Telecaster guitars discussed on this page are traditional duel single-coil Teles, except for the ESP LTD TE model, which features a humbucker in the neck position.I am personally familiar with the quality of these brands and have seen these guitars at sale prices, brand new, at less than five hundred dollars. The Player Plus standard range of features might be a bit divisive, however these are guitars designed for the modern-minded player. The single-coil pickups, though, bear some modern influence: theyre Amber Twangtones designed to prevent the assertive tone typical of traditional Teles from being too harsh on the ears. Today, with so many manufacturers making a Telecaster, there are instruments that fall in all price range. Still waiting to take up the guitar? Given the decade in the name, this entry is best for those wanting a classic Telecaster feel and sound. Keep an eye out for the FSRs on the used market, they are an incredible value.
Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on June 12, 2019: Well thanks very much, alocsin! The body is double bound, which gives it a much more expensive look. If you don't mod, then this agathis body Tele will play and sound great! The November 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! The latest iteration of Charvels So-Cal Style 2 is an interesting update to the rock and metal-focused T-type. No other guitar has a pickup combined with a bridge like this. However, the slim-C profile and rolled fretboard edges will likely be very comfortable no matter your preferences unless you need a baseball bat neck. People with smaller builds will most likely find a smaller radius more comfortable to play with; if size isnt an issue (pardon the pun), youll be fine with a larger radius. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Best of both worlds for Telecaster Deluxe and Les Paul fans The neck here is thin and nicely rounded, with mid-sized frets for comfort, Hum-free single-coil pickups give you the twang you need, 12 Fingerboard radius is great for bending notes, Characteristic twang from the bridge with three brass saddles, Superb selection of single-coil bridge pickups, Thick soft V shaped neck offers great playability. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Wallet-friendly price tag Some players might prefer a more traditional feel. A Tune-O-Matic-style bridge isnt very common in T-types, but itll provide familiar ground for those used to palm-muted chugging on Gibson-styled instruments. So, Whats the Best Telecaster for the Money? Very traditional, perhaps too much for some. Electronics come in the form of two Fishman Fluence Open Core PRF-COC humbuckers these have Fishmans proprietary voice-switching tech, meaning you can toggle between PAF-style vintage clarity and pummelling high output instantly. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Ever since it launched in its original Esquire and Broadcaster incarnations, the Telecaster body style has inspired guitarists of all genres from country to punk to classic rock to avant-garde-noise-jazz, its hard to think of a style of guitar playing that doesnt feature any T-type players at all. It comes with a pair of Player Series single-coil pickups for that crisp, articulate sound. Interested in buying one? Neck Pickup.
More modern-leaning designs might be fitted with humbuckers instead, mimicking the 70s Telecaster Deluxes control layout (which itself takes some cues from a certain other singlecuts electronics), and some might even abandon the scratchplate-centred construction entirely for a sleeker, minimalist look. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Great-sounding electronics The raised sides of the bridge also make. This is quite a rare design, thats been thought up specifically for fast chord changes and extra comfortable playing. Seems obvious enough only Fender owns the right to call a guitar that name. Telecasters are manufactured in either the USA, Mexico or Asia. I have two Fender FSR Mexican Teles that are my stage guitars, a limited edition Copperburst made exclusively for Guitar Center, and a Black Paisley. If youre looking for the best Fender telecaster to buy, this is way up there. Non-locking Gotoh SDS-510 tuners are the only piece of modern hardware on this otherwise proudly old-school take on the T-style electric. The gorgeous looking Bluesboy by G&L is an instrument of fantastic quality. The design is supremely functional and simple. There are some little things that aren't expensive to do which can make this guitar even better. Overall, although the American Elite looks reasonably similar to the Fender Modern Player (see above) with its black polyurethane finish, the quality of pups, fingerboard, and neck is far superior. Through a blackface-style clean amp, youll get a gorgeous mixture of Tele-like clarity and old hollowbody depth, but plug into an overdriving Vox or tweed and youll immediately appreciate how gloriously alive this guitar feels at stage volume, its almost like grasping with a giant pickup as every physical noise is amplified. + Authentic vintage appointments Parchment dot position markers, Gold Squire logo. Scale Length: 25.5/648mm, + Innovative design This affordable Tribute version features two made-in-California G&L MFD single coils, a medium-C profile maple neck and a medium 9-inch radius fretboard. Youre in the right place. When it was possible again he went straight to work with G&L and Music Man. Telecasters come in a variety of body woods depending on the particular model and manufacturer. The best aspect of here has to be the specially designed pickups by ESP. For half that you can find good used ones. While the classic take on the Telecaster itself is notoriously versatile, its design has inspired many guitar makers to give the formula a twist of their own, each geared towards a specific type of player. The September 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! These guitars are presently selling at under four hundred dollars. To add to that, the thick soft V neck has a 9.5 radius maple fingerboard with 21 vintage style frets makes it useful for those of us with small hands and gives you that classic bright sound and fantastic note sustain. Clear rock and metal focus not for everyone. Build: Alder body with bolt-on maple neck, 9.5-inch radius rosewood fretboard with 22 frets These guitars are truly a professional's instrument. For the low price tag, it does a respectable job at playing and sounding like the real thing. Build: Alder boy with bolt-on maple neck and fretboard, 7.25-inch fretboard radius with 21 frets HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Framed in a classic boxed-steel bridge, the G&L-designed alnico pickups deliver a crisp attack with complex harmonics while individual brass saddles offer modern levels of intonation refinement. Price: $6,046/ 4,550 Hardware: Six-saddle hardtail bridge, Grover non-locking tuners Theres also the interesting addition of a kill-button on the top horn for some interesting spluttery, glitchy effects, which, combined with the aggressive humbuckers, make this an easy road to distorted chaos. For the price, you wont be disappointed with this Tele clone. Build: Hollow steel body with f-hole and perforated back, bolt-on 62 profile maple neck with 9-inch radius rosewood fingerboard, 21 narrow-tall 6105 frets You can get a 3 pickup telecaster, but theyre less common see the Fender Modern Player below for an example of one. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on June 07, 2018: @Ronzhd - I've simply never seen those to have a go at them myself. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on December 03, 2016: Very cool, Dave. These pups are constructed using Alnico V magnets and shielded wire, which guarantees that any unwanted hum is non-existent while retaining that vintage Tele punch and definition, for ultimate tonal clarity. So any G&L guitar is just as much a Fender as guitars that say Fender on them. Agathis is a soft wood.
Build: Alder body with bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret 12-inch radius maple fretboard
telecaster Metal-focused specs not for everyone. If only the best will do, then it has to be a Fender American Elite. Price: $589.99 / 349 Build: Basswood body with roasted maple neck, 13.5 fretboard radius and 24 jumbo stainless steel frets What are the drawbacks to agathis as a guitar tonewood? These bargain Telecaster guitars by Squier cost only two hundred and fifty bucks new. Construction specifications are a nice mid-point between painstakingly vintage-correct and ultra-modern the 9.5-inch radius fingerboard isnt overly flat nor overly curved, the C-shaped neck isnt a gigantic hand filler but it also offers some resistance for those who need a neck to actually grab onto rather than something ultra-slim and speedy. The idea is you'll be spending countless hours with the guitar neck in hand, of course. The bridge pickup is still the great twang master style pup folks generally want a Telecaster for to begin with. Hardware: Aged nickel Maybach three-saddle bridge, Gotoh SDS-510 machineheads Electronics: 2x Amber Twangtone single coils, 3-way blade switch, master volume, master tone The number of people raving about what an amazing value this guitar represents is large indeed. More expensive versions are most likely going to have a body made from ash or alder like the original, for bright, long sustaining notes. Just remember youll need some extra savings to be able to afford one. The original necks were made from a single piece of maple, and occasionally mahogany. Four hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. ESP LTD TE-254 Distressed 3 Tone Burst features: Squier's Classic Vibe series is a step up from the Affinity and Standard series but still priced below five hundred dollars. The PT Fastback is Schecters own take on the Tele Deluxe-style T-type, with a fairly standard layout two humbuckers, and a Les Paul-style control arrangement. Doesnt bring anything massively new to the table. That said, there is no reason why a beginner shouldn't start with something good enough to keep forever. Electronics consist of a pair of V-Mod II DoubleTap humbuckers, which take after wide range humbuckers but arent as, well, wide. There is another very important thing to know, and that is when a guitar feels good in your hands, and you can play well with it, then you can change the sound considerably if you feel the need to. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Warmly voiced pickups The slim, C-shaped maple neck is easy to handle, The 6-saddle hardtail through body bridge means restringing (or fine intonation adjustment) is fairly straight-forward. So the problem comes only for people who love to modify their guitars often. + Versatile pickups Different models come with various fretboard radiuses. Suprised Vintage Icon, and Vintage tele's didn't show up on here. This guitar is all about helping the beginner. Scale Length: 25.5/648mm, + No-surprises vintage approach It's got a humbucking pickup in the neck position, and this means the guitar will be more of a blues Tele, something like what Keith Richards or Ron Wood would play. For a start, it comes with a custom shop vintage-style single-coil pickups for a full, bright tone, like the original. A budget model Tele which is equipped with premium stuff down the road can sound better than the best guitars Fender produces from their custom shop. This telecaster copy is selling for a similar price for the Squier too (see above), so its very affordable considering the technology you get. This also meant that if it gets damaged, it easily replaceable which cant be said for set-neck guitars such as the Les Paul. The ESP LTD line of instruments punches above its pay grade all across the board, and they absolutely have some great Telecaster style guitars available. Its still a standard two-point vibrato rather than something like a Floyd Rose, however, the shred-keen might have already noticed the 24 frets that the instrument comes equipped with, deepening the lower cutaway rather dramatically to allow for full fretboard access. It features a 60s C Vintage Standard neck profile and is available in four retrolicious finishes: Two-Tone Tobacco Burst, Trans Butterscotch, Trans White and Vintage Natural. If youre a fan of grunge music and guitars that look beaten up, then this thing is definitely for you, you could see Kurt Cobain smashing up one these during a live set. Electronics: Two Fishman Fluence Open Core Classic active humbuckers, three-way blade selector switch, voice selector switch, Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut Handles gain well the TE-254 works particularly well with distortion and extra gain. Build: Poplar or sassafras body (depending on finish), bolt-on maple neck with 9.5-inch radius and 22 frets. Aesthetically, its the most out there on the list, with its baby blue lacquer and gleaming white, 3-ply pickguard, so its guaranteed to get you noticed on stage. G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Ash Body Guitar. Theres a single piece alder body for tonal warmth within a convenient, lightweight package. The thin U shape neck is comfortable, and the extra jumbo frets make string bending easy and pleasing. I try to only write about instruments I am familiar with. Our purpose with this article is to look at some of the very least expensive Telecaster guitars available. @ Daniel - absolutely. + Killswitch is interesting if you like it, discrete if you dont Suhrs Classic T has all the hallmarks youd expect from a T-style. There's no need to do that, however, as this is outstanding right out of the box. Our picks of the best T-style electric guitars that are available today, from Fenders own range to Tele-inspired boutique models. What do these G&L Telecaster guitars cost? The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster combines vintage-style specs with a few modern appointments, features include an alder body and outfitted with tried and true Telecaster single-coil pickups. It is truly hard to imagine there ever being a lower-priced Telecaster than this. Price: $1,579/1,469 Electronics: Two Fender revoiced 50s Telecaster single-coils Originally named the Broadcaster, Leo Fender released the worlds first Tele in 1951 with little idea his design would still be kicking butt 70 years later (he had to rename it due to copyright reasons when Fred Gretsch (of Gretsch drums) informed him he had a drum kit with the same name! The Tribute Series ASAT Classic is dripping with Leo mojo at a price attainable for every working musician. And absolutely, Fender made in Japan is going to be as good (or better) than US production, and almost always at a lower price. And Squier is a brand produced by Fender. Despite the 1970s origins of the Telecaster Deluxe, The American Professional II take on the guitar is distinctly forward-thinking the ergonomic carves have been deepened to make playing even easier, and the neck is supremely comfy, in part due to its sleek satin finish. For all the world this guitar looks just like the original Fender Telecaster guitars from the early 1950s. These guitars are extremely good right out of the box, and need no upgrades to be used for any situation. Chapmans ML3 Pro Modern aims for ultra-high performance at a reasonable price-tag. There is little to find confusing with a Telecaster, but there is ever so much to utilize and love. You just can't go wrong with a Tele. The body material is alder. + Affordable given the featureset and build quality Upgrade this excellent platform as you progress in playing to reward yourself, and you'll keep getting better and better. Another Chapman-specific twist here comes in the form of a judiciously-carved top, a good ergonomic touch for the more enthusiastic player. It has a full-sized scale length too, which, like its sibling the Stratocaster, gives you plenty of neck length to work with as opposed to say the Les Paul which has a much shorter scale length. Most notably, theres a vibrato something fairly rare in the world of Tele-alikes. Both under $500 and both play every bit as well and are as well made as my 1983 USA Tele. For example, vintage Teles have a 7 inch fingerboard radius, whereas modern versions usually have a 9 inch radius. The best aspect here has to be the warm, rich tone that the Bluesboy kicks out. Unusually for this list, theres a set-neck rather than a bolt-on and while Telecaster purists might miss that bolt-on snappiness, this is more a guitar designed for the modern rock and metal player than it is for any Telecaster purists. This isnt a cheap telecaster knockoff though. If youve encountered thinline T-style guitars before and think you know what to expect here, think again. Decent enough electronics and tonewood for the money. Price: $2,799/2,449 With that in mind, the neck itself is a lovely, thin U shape build, so even petite guitarists shouldnt struggle to finger chords comfortably. Electronics: Seymour Duncan Sentient humbucker, Seymour Duncan Pegasus humbucker, master volume/tone knob and 5-way blade switch If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a commission. It has weighty, chunky adjustable saddles especially on vintage telecasters where theyre made of brass which gives you a distinctive sound with a load of bite and output. The Neck T is designed to dial in clarity and warmth, while the bridge T serves up recognisable Tele twang and bite without piercing highs. Price: $489.99 / 339 There is no need to merely take my word for gold regarding these guitars, I'm in at least 30 guitar groups on Facebook, and I read online guitar forums daily. G&L guitars are made both in California, and Indonesia. It's a great guitar to start playing with, and some of the finest players who've ever lived used one their entire careers. What you'll find out, however, is the low prices don't get you a cheap guitar, they get you a guitar which is a huge value for the money, as the cost of labor in Indonesia is far less than it is in the USA. Hardware: Three-saddle hardtail bridge with intonated brass barrel saddles, standard Fender staggered tuners There's no way to predict whether those prices will be up or down tomorrow. READ MORE: Stratocaster or Telecaster: Understanding the Basic Differences. Stevie Ray Vaughan once stated the truth of it all when he said something about how you shouldn't fixate on gear so much. Because the neck of a guitar is hugely important to the player, it is paramount a body buys a guitar their hand feels the most comfortable with. G&Ls ASAT design was Leo Fenders own update to his Telecaster format. The fretboard radius is a rather flat 12 inches, which might turn off those who prefer a more curved, vintage-correct board. Squier Affinity Series Telecaster sells for around two hundred dollars today. Electronics: Player Plus Noiseless Tele (bridge and neck) and Strat (middle) pickups, five-way blade selector switch, volume, tone (middle and neck), push/pull bridge tone (adds neck pickup to positions one and two) The Telecaster was designed to be easily manufactured. Thanks to these pups, the overall tone this instrument brings is aggressive and full when used with distortion, but capable of producing those classic twangy clean notes youd expect from a high-quality Tele. There are a few types of telecasters out there, but they all share the basic design features. Well, I can at least remain a student. The Indonesian guitars are significantly less expensive than the made in USA variety. Build: Basswood body, set-through neck with 13.77-inch radius roasted maple fretboard, 22 jumbo stainless-steel frets Twang is the calling card of this T-style from Maybach. Ebony fingerboard This feels like velvet and ensures youll be able to solo at high speeds. Zing Instruments is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. Unless youre into it, the semi-hollow build is prone to feedback. Theres a pair of vintage-voiced Tele pickups to that end, and a three-brass-saddle hardtail bridge. Price At a similar price to the Squier we mentioned above, you get some fantastic technology here. A number of classic features meet modern convenience for instance, the bridge has brass barrel saddles for a classic Telecaster sound, however it has six of them rather than three for better per-string intonation. While theyre not as flaming hot as some metal-focused pickups, the more restrained output comes with some extra versatility at lower gain levels. Traditional-leaning T-styles will often sport dual single-coil pickups, alongside a three-way blade switch and master volume/tone controls housed in a metal control plate.
+ Extra-versatile electronics Hardware: six-barrel-saddle bridge, G&L tuners Build: Basswood body, bolt-on maple neck, 12-16 compound radius Indian laurel fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets and synthetic nut The set neck means that access to all 24 frets is a breeze, and the Seymour Duncan pickups are the moderately-wound Sentient and Pegasus. Neck: Maple, C-Shape (Polyurethane Finish), Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5 inches, Radius (241 mm), NECK: Maple, C-Shape, (Polyurethane Finish), FINGERBOARD: Rosewood, 9.5-inch Radius (241 mm), BRIDGE: 6-Saddle Strings-Thru-Body Bridge, PICKUPS: 2 Alnico Magnet Single-Coil Pickups, Fixed Bridge design: traditional boxed-steel bridge with individual brass saddles, Nickel Color Tuning machines: Deluxe sealed, Ash Body, Maple Neck, Bolt-On Neck Construction, Maple Fingerboard, Traditional Flat Mount Bridge, 42mm Nut Width, 25.5" Scale, 22 XJ Frets, Vol/Tone/3-Way Switch, Passive ESP Designed LS-150N(neck), & LTS-120B(bridge) Pickups, Tuning Keys: Vintage-style tuning machines, Bridge: Vintage-style string-thru-body Tele bridge with 3 threaded steel barrel saddles, Pickups: 2 Custom single-coil Tele pickups with Alnico V magnets (neck & bridge), Pickup switching: 3-Position Blade: Position 1.
The fingerboard is made from ebony, for a seamless, gliding touch and beautiful chiming highs. You can practically steal used individuals of these for about three hundred dollars. Build: Sugar pine body with maple neck & 7.25-radius maple fretboard. Electronics: Two V-Mod II Double Tap humbuckers, individual volume and tone controls. Hint: if youre buying a second-hand Tele, you can work out its origins (year and country of manufacture) using our Fender serial number search tool. The Tele bridge is one of the things that make it undeniably a Tele. Overall, for the price, there is a lot of quality on offer here and chances are you wont be disappointed. The elegant gold and black two-color headstock logo lend a touch of class to this instrument. In this article, were going to walk you through the key things you need to think about before you part any cash. We provide insight and opinion about gear, artists, technique and the guitar industry for all genres and skill levels. Yes, it looks white from here. Modern-minding players might find vintage-correct build a little unwieldy. Compared to their S-type siblings, T-style guitars are also more likely to sport hardtailed bridges rather than vibratos, but there are always exceptions. The American Elite by Fender is the most expensive Tele on the list, and for the price, you pretty much get the best technology out there (the fact its called American should be obvious enough, but if youre in any doubt, this is made in the USA). However, weve got a sneaking suspicion that if youre intrigued by a guitar with 50s in the model name, a speedy shred setup isnt what youre after. The neck itself starts off as a modern C shape at the headstock and becomes a broader D shape towards the neck heel. A three-way pickup selector lets you toggle between the two pickups (or both if you put it in the middle position).
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