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. 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. Note: Clicking the above links will take you to further information, current prices and customer reviews on Amazon. These guitars shouldn't be thought of as beginner's guitars. It mostly attracted me because my brother is a guitar aficionado. Our picks of the best T-style electric guitars that are available today, from Fenders own range to Tele-inspired boutique models. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Hardware: Suhr locking tuners, Wilkinson 3-saddle bridge Electronics: 2x Classic T single coils, master volume, master tone, 3-way switch, Suhr Silent Single Coil System II Global trade benefits the working poor when it comes to products like these. Youll see its mounted on a metal bridge plate known as the ashtray design. If only the best will do, then it has to be a Fender American Elite. G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Ash Body Guitar. Theres a single piece alder body for tonal warmth within a convenient, lightweight package. Suhrs Classic T has all the hallmarks youd expect from a T-style. So the problem comes only for people who love to modify their guitars often. You have the classic string-through-body bridge of course to help with sustain, but here Fender have added block saddles to enhance the twang and bite. This guitar is all about helping the beginner. Squiers Classic Vibe range is, across the board, excellent value for money, and the Thinline Telecaster is no exception to that rule. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Modern update to the classic Deluxe format Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Wallet-friendly price tag The alnico 5 magnetic pole pieces provide a rich and balanced bass response, a punchy mid-range, and crystalline bell-like highs. Unless youre into it, the semi-hollow build is prone to feedback. All instruments listed were chosen from getting consistent rave reviews by persons who've owned and played them. Another Chapman-specific twist here comes in the form of a judiciously-carved top, a good ergonomic touch for the more enthusiastic player. So what makes it unique? Suprised Vintage Icon, and Vintage tele's didn't show up on here. The original necks were made from a single piece of maple, and occasionally mahogany. 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. This also meant that if it gets damaged, it easily replaceable which cant be said for set-neck guitars such as the Les Paul. Theres a pair of vintage-voiced Tele pickups to that end, and a three-brass-saddle hardtail bridge. If you know already you are going to heavily modify your Telecaster, then the Affinity would probably be preferable. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. So it was a hit from the day it was born and remains one today. Still waiting to take up the guitar? The Fender Deluxe Nashville is a beast of a guitar. Noiseless pickups These single coil pups are completely hum-free while retaining all the twang you need for a classic tone. There could come a time when those guitars are under five hundred dollars, but it is not today. 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. The choice of tonewood used in the body and fingerboard is superb too. Build: Ash body with bolt-on graphite-reinforced maple neck, 12-16-inch radius caramelised maple fretboard with 24 frets The idea is you'll be spending countless hours with the guitar neck in hand, of course. Twang is the calling card of this T-style from Maybach. 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. The five-way Strat-o-Tone switch gives you additional tonal options too. The elegant gold and black two-color headstock logo lend a touch of class to this instrument. Note however, that this premium guitar may cause your bank account to break out in a cold sweat. 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. So on the Telecaster-Les Paul spectrum, the PT fastback leans a little closer to the Les Paul end, but still puts its own spin on the format with its choice of pickups. Price: $6,046/ 4,550 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. Telecasters are manufactured in either the USA, Mexico or Asia. Doesnt bring anything massively new to the table. + Tonnes of ergonomic touches added Aesthetically, the guitar is pretty true to its roots, but for those looking for a Leo Fender-approved take on the timeless Tele, thats no bad thing. As for the design, its a single-cutaway body with no contours (in other words, flat as a pancake). Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Great-sounding electronics The Tele is typically fitted with two single-coil pickups: a bridge pickup and a neck pickup, which give it that famous bright twang. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Warmly voiced pickups The October 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! Some players dislike the sound of noiseless single-coils, or just dont mind the hum, but for others, theyll make this Tele even more versatile than most. The September 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! Maple is excellent if you want a bright tone, whereas rosewood will give you extra warmth and resonance and ebony is ultra-smooth, for seamless chord changes and arpeggios. Build: Alder boy with bolt-on maple neck and fretboard, 7.25-inch fretboard radius with 21 frets Very traditional, perhaps too much for some. Both under $500 and both play every bit as well and are as well made as my 1983 USA Tele. This is what is being described as distressed, and what that means is this guitar is aged or relic'd, in order to look as though it has survived many decades of being played in the club scene. This isnt a cheap telecaster knockoff though. This allows for the people at Squier to spend more time on details such as the finish and still sell you a guitar for a great price. The neck itself starts off as a modern C shape at the headstock and becomes a broader D shape towards the neck heel. Overall, for the price, there is a lot of quality on offer here and chances are you wont be disappointed. You just can't go wrong with a Tele. This US made classic has been reimagined for modern players, with a ton of innovation thrown in (e.g. Stevie said that most of anyone's sound comes from their hands. There are exciting new developments in terms of Telecaster guitars. Modern versions often use alternative woods such as pine. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on December 03, 2016: Very cool, Dave. 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. Electronics consist of a pair of V-Mod II DoubleTap humbuckers, which take after wide range humbuckers but arent as, well, wide. The second-best aspect here is the choice of tonewood used in the body and fingerboard. You've got a well-built budget model guitar that feels great in your hands, but the sound could be tweaked a little towards your preference? If you hadnt clicked already, the Bluesboy is going to be the best for blues artists, looking for warm, rich tones thanks to its meaty, warm humbuckers. Most notably, theres a vibrato something fairly rare in the world of Tele-alikes. 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. The Tribute Series ASAT Classic is dripping with Leo mojo at a price attainable for every working musician. 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. For the low price tag, it does a respectable job at playing and sounding like the real thing. Some players might prefer a more traditional feel. Another great thing about this model is its well-made ash body and maple neck. If youre looking for the best Fender telecaster to buy, this is way up there. 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. There isn't much excuse! Our purpose with this article is to look at some of the very least expensive Telecaster guitars available. Electronics: Two Fender revoiced 50s Telecaster single-coils That's absolutely impossible to predict, but there has never been a better time to get a top-notch Tele at a working person's price than right now. Hardware: Six-saddle string-through hardtail, locking tuners With that in mind, the neck itself is a lovely, thin U shape build, so even petite guitarists shouldnt struggle to finger chords comfortably. 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. The simple schematic of one volume, one tone control, and 3-way pickup selector has spanned the entire 60 years of the Telecasters existence: proving that a good thing should never be messed with. 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. Guitar.com is the worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. These guitars were the first to have a body made from a piece of solid wood (typically alder or ash) which is a light and well balanced closed-pore wood with a resonant, balanced tone that gives you sharp attack and brilliant sustain. ESP LTD TE Series TE-254 Electric Guitar, Distressed 3 Tone Burst. 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. There's no way to predict whether those prices will be up or down tomorrow. Also preferable would be any Telecaster of ash wood. Just remember youll need some extra savings to be able to afford one. Its also affordably-priced, costing a reasonable 569. It ships with a pair of gorgeous noiseless single-coil pickups in the neck and bridge position built 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. + Authentic vintage appointments 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. 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. So any G&L guitar is just as much a Fender as guitars that say Fender on them. Hardware: Kluson vintage-style tuners, 3-saddle vintage ashtray bridge with treble side shaved down for player comfort Electronics: Seymour Duncan Sentient humbucker, Seymour Duncan Pegasus humbucker, master volume/tone knob and 5-way blade switch The number of people raving about what an amazing value this guitar represents is large indeed. Agathis is in the same family of woods as is alder, but is far cheaper for the Squier builders in Asia to attain. Price: $489.99 / 339 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. 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). Product Round-up & Reviews Best Telecaster, G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Bluesboy. These are wired in a standard Telecaster Deluxe format, meaning individual volume and tone controls for each pickup. The fretboard radius is a rather flat 12 inches, which might turn off those who prefer a more curved, vintage-correct board. Here we are in 2019. Armadillo claims Evan Rubinson was removed from his role as CEO and President, rather than stepped down, Tony Hawk surprises fans at a London pub by jumping on stage to sing with a Tony Hawks Pro Skater soundtrack cover band, Derek Trucks on David Gilmour: Hes created his own universe. 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. 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. + Extra-versatile electronics + Killswitch is interesting if you like it, discrete if you dont If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a commission. And a huge lot of people buy those, and when they can afford to, they upgrade things like the tuners, and the pickups and nut. Price: $589.99 / 349 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) 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. Fender custom shop models use a variety of materials too. Price: $1,099 / 849 Electronics: Two G&L MFD single coils, three-position pickup selector, volume and tone controls These guitars are extremely good right out of the box, and need no upgrades to be used for any situation. + Locking tuners 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. 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. Build: Basswood body with roasted maple neck, 13.5 fretboard radius and 24 jumbo stainless steel frets The fingerboard is made from ebony, for a seamless, gliding touch and beautiful chiming highs. The best aspect here has to be the warm, rich tone that the Bluesboy kicks out. The series wiring makes this Tele sound fat like youre playing through a humbucking pickup even though its got single-coils. Now you know a bit about the design, well now turn to our buyers guide. Hardware: six-barrel-saddle bridge, G&L tuners Theres an LH-150 in the neck position and an LTS-120 in the bridge, both of which provide sonic versatility with a higher than average output. There are a few types of telecasters out there, but they all share the basic design features. As with most Teles, the neck remains bolt-on, so if you break or damage it while on tour, you can rest assured therell be no problem getting it fixed. The Vintera range is a great midway point if youve got a little more than Squier money in your guitar budget, but still want to keep things under control, the Vintera 50s Telecaster is a great option. Electronics: Two Schecter Diamond UltraTron humbuckers, individual volume / tone controls, push-pull tone pots for coil-splitting, three-way switch 7.25-radius fretboard not for everyone. Theres a lot of sustain, too, and no shortage of range from the Arcane pickups. Today, with so many manufacturers making a Telecaster, there are instruments that fall in all price range. 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. Similarly, the single-coils are also noiseless, making them an excellent choice for cranking up the gain. What are the drawbacks to agathis as a guitar tonewood? The Tele bridge is one of the things that make it undeniably a Tele. Scale Length: 25.5/648mm, + No-surprises vintage approach This is achieved thanks to the guitar having a classic humbucker in the neck position, a G&L Alnico humbucker in the bridge and a high-quality, solid swamp ash body. Nowadays, there are plenty of alternative designs out there. The modern neck tops it off, which is a C-shape 22 neck fret with a 9.5 radius fingerboard, so its a joy to play. Build: Sugar pine body with maple neck & 7.25-radius maple fretboard. Most notable here is of course the semi-hollow construction with an F-hole on the bodys upper wing leading to a lighter feel across the board, and even chimier, resonant sound. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on December 02, 2016: 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The fingerboard is made from ebony, for a seamless, gliding touch and beautiful chiming highs. It comes with a pair of Player Series single-coil pickups for that crisp, articulate sound. 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. The body is double bound, which gives it a much more expensive look. This telecaster copy is selling for a similar price for the Squier too (see above), so its very affordable considering the technology you get. These guitars are presently selling at under four hundred dollars. And absolutely, Fender made in Japan is going to be as good (or better) than US production, and almost always at a lower price. These bargain Telecaster guitars by Squier cost only two hundred and fifty bucks new. Interested in buying one? Hardware: Gotoh Custom 510 vibrato bridge, sealed die-cast locking tuners. Price: $756/569 Four hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. + Affordable The bridge is a point of interest, too while theres only three brass-barrel saddles, theyre intonation-compensated. That gorgeous sunburst finish on these guitars is not something one normally gets on instruments in this price range. 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 headstock features six, single side locking tuners on a thin headstock. It's a great guitar to start playing with, and some of the finest players who've ever lived used one their entire careers.
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