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Greetings all,
I am window shopping in preparation for my next guitar purchase. I am in the early stages of eyeballing the Fender Performer Telecaster, Professional II, and the ASAT Alnico. Anyone have any thoughts on value/cost? I am interested in a classic tele sound.
Thanks!
Integral to the classic Telecaster sound is the original three-barrel bridge with brass saddles. Let that guide your decision.
Double Post
I've played Teles for decades and no matter what you do to a Telecaster, it's still a Telecaster.
In my experience the "real Tele sound" is really more about the amp than the guitar. Any Telecaster with a decent bridge pup into a DR or Princeton will generally do the job.
Never buy a Tele without trying it plugged in. You're listening for that "sizzle" that a good one has.
My #1 performing Tele is a Mexican parts-o-caster so that's a reference point for you.
Agreed on the three saddle, I can't say for sure if it really makes that huge of a difference that just tweaking a tone knob one or two numbers wouldn't compensate but a three saddle just has a very nice vibe and feel to it. Anybody who tells you "need" compensated saddles - just use your ears and decide. There are decades and decades of recorded hits long before the "must have" compensated saddles came on the scene. Besides, they are actually harder to intonate than straight ones in my experience. Again, my Parts-o-tele has straight saddles and I ever seem to get any complaints.
All that said my favorite recipe for a Telecaster is as follows:
a) A light body, provenance unimportant.
b) C shaped one-piece neck from Mexico, maple no rosewood or you're just a commie wannabee.
c) Brass three saddle un-compensated with round barrels
d) Through-body strings, no top-loaders
e) SD Jerry Donahue bridge pup
f) Any old neck pup
g) 250 cap
h) Reverse the Hot Dog plate.
i) Standard wiring
k) bone nut
A good tele is like a Top Fuel Funny Car. Fast, loud and dangerous.
Chuck
Don't shop spec sheets.
Pick up a bunch of them and play! Pick the one that plays and sounds best regardless of specs.
If that doesn't work, pick the pretty one.
check out the American Professional II Teles. I just got one in Mystic Surf green. really love it. awesome guitar.
I have steel Broadcaster style saddles on my Tele style guitar and love the sound of it- so there's some room for variety here.
I agree with OA about the importance of the amp, though for me it is a tweed Deluxe. I didn't even like Teles until I came upon a great tweed Deluxe clone. Now they're my favorite guitar through any good amp.
I like a lively, somewhat microphonic Tele- something that you can't use straplocks on because you'll hear them rattle through the amp. A guitar that you can't hide behind.
I have my own car analogy regarding Teles (especially combined with a tweed Deluxe or other small cathode biased amp with no negative feedback)- I see it as kind of the guitar equivalent of a flathead V8 through glass pack mufflers- not very powerful, but a nasty bark.
If possible, you should play some guitars and pick the one that speaks to you.