I´m planning to buy a Telecaster as my next guitar and I never had one before. A friend of mine tried the new American Standard and liked it a lot. What is the differece between a Standard and Deluxe? What else should I think of? I want the classic telesound for blues, country twang and jazzier sound. I have no experiences playing a Telecaster. I´ve only used strats.

My price range is $1000 - $1400. I know it´s a good thing to check used guitars. But I need all information I can get about Telecasters.

Planning to go to San Francisco this summer and it´s a really good deal for me to buy the stuff while in the states.

I really like the 52' U.S. Vintage RI Teles, for the 50's type of tones.

And the Melancon guitars are GREAT for the $$$.

Dude, check out the Baja Tele. They run around $800. They are awesome! It is like a '52, but with more options. Just a great instrument all around.

Another option if you want the traditional Tele route is the James Burton Standard. Around $700.

In the price range you mentioned, you can easily buy a '52 reissue too. Much prefer that the the Standard and Deluxes.

I don't like the Standards and Deluxes at all. The necks are too thin for me. Just lame. I hate the American Standard necks....

One thing to make sure is that you like the vintage sized neck & frets. The one thing that bugged me about my 52RI was the tiny frets. Otherwise it was a great guitar, but the tele I built from parts was WAY better!

My faves are the Custom Tele, that binding looks sweet and I really like the rosewood fretboard, and I also really like my GE Smith Tele. It's a perfect beast if there ever was one. The Baja tele is pretty cool too, especially for the price.

Highway 1 tele,thin finish,great sound.

Joe Strummer tele is really cool too,mine has a killer set of pickups -the relic job is a bit cheesey though.

A friend of mine recently bought a new Tele, so we did a fair share of demoing. The 52' (of which I have one) was out of his price range and he ended up going for a US Standard with an Ash body. I'm not sure of the pedigree of it but it has a neck like the 52'. Anyway, we both found that of the standards the ash ones sounded much better than the alder. Some of the alder sounded quite ok but some sounded a bit cheap.

They are toward the upper end of your price range, but he Nash's are nice guitars, if you don't mind the relic look.

Do you mean "Deluxe" as in "Tele Deluxe" - like with two humbuckers? Or, American deluxe telecaster?

Anyway, for your available dollar amount, you should be able to find something really nice.
You just have to play a lot of them as they are very inconsistent these days. Plenty of good ones out there though.

One thing I don't like about the 52 reissues is the big neck, small frets and 71/2" radius. Personally I much prefer my American Deluxe Tele, the neck is finished nicer than the Standards, it has a body carve which is much more comfortable to hold against your stomach. I'd recommend playing a few Deluxes until you find one that suits you. You can try mine if you're still looking in June when you visit SF

quote:

Originally posted by klasaine:
Do you mean "Deluxe" as in "Tele Deluxe" - like with two humbuckers? Or, American deluxe telecaster?

I was thinking American Deluxe Telecaster. I don´t think i want the humbuckers.

quote:

Originally posted by jaydee:
One thing I don't like about the 52 reissues is the big neck, small frets and 71/2" radius. Personally I much prefer my American Deluxe Tele, the neck is finished nicer than the Standards, it has a body carve which is much more comfortable to hold against your stomach. I'd recommend playing a few Deluxes until you find one that suits you. You can try mine if you're still looking in June when you visit SF

Kewl. I saw that there were both American Standard and Deluxe but didn´t really know the difference.

I just have to check a few things about my trip to SF in June. I got the dates for the conference and that´s a start. I thought I make a stop in Dallas / FW and visit some friends as well.

OK, let´s see if i got it right so far:

American Standard - thin neck and strat bridge (at least the new ones) good or bad?

American Deluxe - better neck, body carve against stomach

52 reissue - thick neck, small frets.

Baja Telecaster - V-shape neck

Melancon guitar - good price, any dealers on the west coast?

I don´t want humbuckers and prefer maple fingerboard but if I find a good one with rosewood I don´t really mind.

My advice ...BUY ONE!!
Seriously, Go to some dreaded big box music center and try a bunch and buy it somewhere else...I've got a '62 re-issue I love, and I love the '52 re-issue...but some/many/most(?) others leave me cold...you might be the opposite...I like the slab/block-y body w/o the body carve and the 52 neck better,...when you pick it up you know, you know?

I guess you are right dirty murphy.

It´s interesting to hear comments about different models and I learn a lot from that. It might help when I pick one out.

The '52 reissue is hard to beat IMO, if you cna dig small frets and vintage radius.
If not, consider the HotTod edition, those rock!
The GE Smith model is killer too.
If all else fails, buy a Nash tele made by Nash, you will never regret it. Best playability and tone $ for $.
Throw in some more and snag an Old World by Lovepedal, yummy.

+1 on the 52RI, the thick neck feels right and I think it adds girth to the sound. They are making them better than they have in decades. I sold one a while back and I regret it. Everything about it was great, body, neck pickups. It's one of the only guitars I bought new and felt it needed no mods.

I had a 52RI.

Swamp ash body + Thick neck + Nitro finish = Great Telecaster.

Try to get one that is loud when played unplugged.
The nitro gets better with age.

I'd go for a G&L or a Nash if you are not set on an actual Fender. Way better pickups and fretwork than a regular Fender. Maybe a used Fender Relic or Custom Shop could be found around San Fran? Go for an ash body regardless. IMHO it ain't a Tele if it ain't made from ash!

Don't forget to check out the G.E. Smith Telecaster. I've heard nothing but incredible things about them.