The Country Music Stereotype

[solsurfr]

I'm wondering about that stereotype about the Tele and Country Music.

Is it still accurate? How many of you guys don't play country? Or feel that the tele is the best country music guitar out there still? Or feel that the tele is the best guitar out there for all types of music and why?

I'm pretty excited about getting my first tele but my style is more rock/blues based so a part of me is wondering if a tele would fit the bill. A friend of mine swears on Tele's as being the most versatile guitar out there. He's an amazing musician and from what I've seen he can certainly back it up.

Thoughts?

[Sven]

I have a Muddy Waters tele. I feel like it has alot of versatility. I even used it for a cover gig.

[NeoFauve]

I don't play country, but I like the classic stuff and some of the new stuff that's shunned my today's Nashville and consumers of Faith Hill.
I think the Tele is the best guitar for that steely, classic country sound AND it's really versatile.
On some lower end models the pickups might be limiting, but I think from the MIM Classics up through the line Teles can do all kinds of stuff.

[rockntommy]

Versatile?
Check out that Zep clip below from Marcondo then check out most of the classic country tunes, then check out the Pretenders then check out The Rolling Stones then.....ahhh you get the idea.
A tele should be in everyones arsenal!

[Sven]

Or feel that the tele is the best guitar out there for all types of music and why?

Well, Teles are great, but I sure couldn't agree that they are the best for all types of music. My ES-335 will get just as much twang as my tele, but it will do jazz too, which the tele is not convincing for. Then there's just too much Les Paul rock that a tele won't do, but a 335 can.

[solsurfr]

Well, Teles are great, but I sure couldn't agree that they are the best for all types of music. My ES-335 will get just as much twang as my tele, but it will do jazz too, which the tele is not convincing for. Then there's just too much Les Paul rock that a tele won't do, but a 335 can.

Yah, so far I've been playing my LP Standard at most gigs and rehearsals. I dig all kinds of sounds and as a result no 2 guitars I own are the same. A tele would round out my arsenal perfectly, but I hoping that I can go from balls out to super bright with it. I'm sure it can go bright but I'm unsure about the bottom-end bite. I ordered an '04 Tele Deluxe with SCN Pups. I can't wait to try it out!

[pbradt]

Can you tell?

[solsurfr]

Can you tell?

Awesome clip. Is that you? What model tele is this?

[pbradt]

Awesome clip. Is that you? What model tele is this?

Shit no, it's not me. If I was that good, I'd be on someone's tour bus this summer.

I didn't say it was a Tele. What do YOU think it sounds like?

[melody]

Well, Teles are great, but I sure couldn't agree that they are the best for all types of music. My ES-335 will get just as much twang as my tele, but it will do jazz too, which the tele is not convincing for. Then there's just too much Les Paul rock that a tele won't do, but a 335 can.

Well seven i can tell ya that my tele will do jazz very well. as well if not better than your 335, a 335 with twang?? what did you swap out the bridge and pups??the only way i know how to get the tele twang is with a tele

[Old Tele man]

I play chordal jazz on my '68 Tele...that's quite aways from "Country."

[photoweborama]

I think my Tele works for most everything, but I consider it more of a lead guitar than rhythm. I can play really punchy rhythm with it, but at times, it just stands out too much. I prefer the Strat for rhythm and since I can put the pickups in series, it has a really heavy sound also.

I just got a humbucker-based guitar and it will fill in nicely for heavy rock rhythm stuff. Or should I say a hunbucker....

I don't play any country so I don't think the stereotype of it being an exclusive county guitar will hold water.

[solsurfr]

Shit no, it's not me. If I was that good, I'd be on someone's tour bus this summer.

I didn't say it was a Tele. What do YOU think it sounds like?

My guess is a tele with non-factory PUPs. The tone sounds a little warmer with a little dirt mixed in like a Les Paul or something. My bandmate can play like this (better play like this since he graduated from berklee) and he can get that same rockabilly-type tone with his am. std tele.

Spill it. What is this dude playing :ahem ? I saw a clip on msn video of a jazz guitarist playing one of those guitars with no body and just sounded off-the-hook. He was playing a similar progression as this clip.

[pbradt]

I'm going to let a few more folks guess before I reveal the instrument.

As for the player, those who really know music will know who it is. I'll get around to that, eventually.

[Mikey]

It's Lee Roy Parnell.

[pbradt]

It's Lee Roy Parnell.

That's whose record it's on, but Lee Roy did not play that part of that song, he played the following part.

Good guess, though.

[SteveB334]

is it a gibson hollowbody of some sort?

[pbradt]

is it a gibson hollowbody of some sort?

Nope. Lots of people have guess that over the years, though.

[InstituteOfNoise]

Hey Solsurfer... nice talking to you again, eh?

Tele's are too darn versatile for their own good! That's why I own 3 and may pickup a fourth soon. I've got a traditional one, one with P-90's and the latest with a HB pup in the neck and a Lil 59 in the bridge.

I do see quite a few guys using Les Pauls over the last couple of years for Country stuff, with the occasional Gretsch, but Teles do dominate. You can get more sounds out of a Tele than a Strat in my opinion.






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[solsurfr]

Hey Solsurfer... nice talking to you again, eh?

Tele's are too darn versatile for their own good! That's why I own 3 and may pickup a fourth soon. I've got a traditional one, one with P-90's and the latest with a HB pup in the neck and a Lil 59 in the bridge.

I do see quite a few guys using Les Pauls over the last couple of years for Country stuff, with the occasional Gretsch, but Teles do dominate. You can get more sounds out of a Tele than a Strat in my opinion.

YO! AZ...waaazzzuppp! Definitely more country twang in a tele than any other guitar. A strat has a distinct sound but a great one at that. This will be my first tele and I've been partial to les pauls most of my playing years with a good smattering of Strats. A tele seems to be a must have in the aresenal though so I'm gonna get one!

[fezz parka]

Can you tell?

Sounds like a Les Paul or some sort of Gibson...And sounds like JP now that I've listened a couple of times...Listened a couple of more times. Has a woody hollowbody type sound. More single coily than humbucker, ES-295 ? Nah, it's the neck pup of a Tele.

[Dale]

Hey AZ. You are everywhere. I have 3 right now as well. Bigsby, Fat and dual bucker. They cover a lot of ground.

[moonpie]

Well,,,,,, I think any guitar can sing country, or jazz, or rock, or blues, or............

We're fortunate to live in a time when musician's can afford different instruments.


But BB wouldn't look or sound right with a Tele.....and Muddy wouldn't look or sound right with a PRS.........I associate Clapton with a Strat......and Jeff Beck with a Tele........and Steve Cropper with a Tele.......and Hendrix with a Strat.........


whatever conveys YOUR emotions to another pair of ears..... is the only way to speak with YOUR voice......


I sound pretty much the same no matter what guitar I'm playing.......
:rolleyes:

[pbradt]

Fezz, you're closest but still just the slightest bit off.

It's 1952 Telecaster, middle setting, through a 1959 Fender Vibrolux. The only effect is slapback, post-recording.

[pc]

(Never missing a chance to self-promote AND to educate):

Not a country tune among 'em, but Telecaster galore

Click on any song except "Superstition" and "Sunshine Of Your Love" (the Str@ tunes). Telecaster baby. Nuttin but Telecaster.

Funk? Yep.
Blues? Yep.
Soul? Yep.
Classic Rock? Yep.
Fusion Jazz? Yep.
Belaboring the point? Yep. But I love that guitar.

[InstituteOfNoise]

Hey Dale! I'm starting to think were related, but how many forums we share! Your as bad as me! Motojunkie turned me on here. I see Rick Gomez is here too.






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[fezz parka]

Fezz, you're closest but still just the slightest bit off.

It's 1952 Telecaster, middle setting, through a 1959 Fender Vibrolux. The only effect is slapback, post-recording.

Missed it by that ---much!

[pbradt]

Missed it by that ---much!

Hey, you're the only guy who knew the player...besides me.

So few of us really know what's goin on, no?

[dafack01]

I associate Clapton with a Strat......and Jeff Beck with a Tele........and Steve Cropper with a Tele.......and Hendrix with a Strat.........

I happen to associate Clapton with a hippie-painted SG (or a Les Paul). I refuse to believe that Clapton put out all of that crap after his heroein binge. Bluesbreakers, Cream, Dominoes (I know he played a strat there, but hey) era Clapton is where it's at.

P.S. Not to be nitpicky, but Jeff Beck played an Esquire. :)

Who is Steve Cropper and who does he play for, BTW???

P.P.S. I also beileve that a Tele is more versatile guitar than a strat. With a strat, you have 5 settings of quack. It's just a guitar with variations on quack. With a tele, you have a (MUCH better) bridge pickup twang (very agressive, too), middle pickup spank, and the bridge pickup punchy, jazzy sound. Plus, the Tele bridge will go well with a multitude of neck pickups to fine tune to choice.

[moonpie]

aw, man.....

You didn't go there, did you?????????

[juniorspecial]

I thought this was the Country Music Stereotype:



Record Producer at audition:

"Say, you're pretty good on that guitar there! Really lickity-split! Man, that music just flows out of you. But, uh, don't you know any chords besides G, C and D?

Country Guitar Player:

"Jesus! You mean there's more!"

:lol :lol

[moonpie]

I thought this was the Country Music Stereotype:



Record Producer at audition:

"Say, you're pretty good on that guitar there! Really lickity-split! Man, that music just flows out of you. But, uh, don't you know any chords besides G, C and D?

Country Guitar Player:

"Jesus! You mean there's more!"

OK,,, that's it Junior.........


My Capo and me.....we're coming to kick your ass.....
We'll be needin' directions and a place to stay if you plan to put up a fight :lol[/QUOTE]

[solsurfr]

aw, man.....

You didn't go there, did you?????????

Go where?

[pbradt]

Who is Steve Cropper and who does he play for, BTW???

Who is STEVE CROPPER?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!

Don't we have a minimum age in here?

[fezz parka]

Don't fret Pete, we both probably have socks older than Dustin...

[moonpie]

Don't fret Pete, we both probably have socks older than Dustin...

that is so cool Uncle Fezter.......I've been telling people for a long time that Muscle Shoals wasn't the ONLY place to spew forth some pretty good tunes

[MIKEH]

That's a great pic of Booker T and the MG's. Stax rules!

[Motojunkie]

I used to play a Tele in a full on metal band. I had a guy come up to me at a show once and ask me why I was playing the Tele, and not the Ibanez that I had for a back-up. He said that the Tele just didn't look right - "you shouldn't play a country guitar when you have that awesome Ibanez right there". So, I asked "how does it sound?" - to which he answered - "AWESOME!" I was pretty bewildered at this point. He went on to talk about how great a guitar the Ibanez is, and how it would be much better for a metal band.....

It was pretty funny that he couldn't get over the shape (or look) of a guitar - even if it sounded great. I made it a point that I would play my Tele exclusively after that - just to be different.

Hi AZ, it's about time you showed up.

[solsurfr]

I used to play a Tele in a full on metal band. I had a guy come up to me at a show once and ask me why I was playing the Tele, and not the Ibanez that I had for a back-up. He said that the Tele just didn't look right - "you shouldn't play a country guitar when you have that awesome Ibanez right there". So, I asked "how does it sound?" - to which he answered - "AWESOME!" I was pretty bewildered at this point. He went on to talk about how great a guitar the Ibanez is, and how it would be much better for a metal band.....

It was pretty funny that he couldn't get over the shape (or look) of a guitar - even if it sounded great. I made it a point that I would play my Tele exclusively after that - just to be different.

Hi AZ, it's about time you showed up.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[dafack01]

Don't fret Pete, we both probably have socks older than Dustin...

I'm not THAT young! So who is he?