Should everyone own a telecaster?

[JamesPaul]

I've managed to get by with a Vintage Stack Tele neck pickup in my test bed Bullet S-3 and a '72 Tele Deluxe neck on my mutt Lead II. Who knows what the future holds, but for now I'm good with no Telecaster.

[Sambuccashake]

I have always thought Teles were the exact opposite of what I look for in a guitar but as time has gone (ie. the older I get) the butterscotch blonde tele is becoming the one I crave the most.

[Mincer]

Play everything, buy local, and you'll end up with guitars you want to keep

It is increasingly more difficult to find well-stocked guitar shops around. If you do, many times they don't have more esoteric models. Certainly you can find a Tele, but even then, you are limited to a few higher end ones, as they don't tend to sell quickly.

[ColeJustesen]

While I don't an actual Telecaster, I do have two guitars inspired by them. It took me awhile to actually give them a go, but I am happy I did.

Cole

[devastone]

I've developed a taste for a tele, don't own one right now though. I'd probably try to find an old ESP Vintage Plus one, thinner "D" neck and jumbo frets, the stuff that feels good to me.

I did have one of the older MIK PT Schecters and it was a nice guitar, not sure about the new MII ones (not trying to start a where made debate, just haven't tried one).

[ErikH]

I've owned my fair share of Tele's. A few of them were great but in the end, I just can't get along with them. I even assembled one thinking that might help but no. Parted it out and it morphed in to my Tao Turquoise Warmoth Strat.

[Securb]

I have two that I use for hard rock and metal. However, I know a lot of forum bros a Tele would never vibe with. Especially those devotees to pointies.

[ColeJustesen]

I think one of those older ESP models would be great! I was looking at Tokai guitars too, but they didn't have the neck radius I prefer. I really have come to like compound radius guitars, or ones with at least 12".

The GJ² guitars, even the Korean made Inspiration models, had a compound radius fretboard and each guitar were setup in Grover's shop and PLEK'd. The Inspiration Hellhound models can be had new for around $500 and are an excellent deal. I personally would take the Inspiration Hellhound over the American Special Tele I had. They did make American versions, but honestly the playability are close with them. The difference being in wood quality and the pickups.

I haven't played many Squier guitars, but I did try a Classic Vibe years ago and remember it playing well. If the Affinity series are as nice as the Classic Vibe, then you will have a nice guitar. The only thing that would deter me about the Squier at that time was the amount of polyurethane they used on the neck. I remember it feeling tacky; that could have changed over the last few years though.

Cole

[alex1fly]

Should everyone own a Tele? No, despite what some pockets of the internet tell you.

Are you personally interested in exploring an iconic guitar that set a standard for amplified music and that's been used in nearly every style of music since the 1950s? That's a different discussion altogether, and perhaps what you were intending

+1 on playing as many as you can. Shopping online based on price point and manufacturer only gets you part of the way. There are some great Affinities out there and some dud American Fenders. Teles are about vibes. IMO.

[UnderTheFlame83]

[UnderTheFlame83]

[LLL]

No.

The Telecaster will forever be tainted by (yes, he uses an Esquire - same difference) the likes of one no-talent assclown named Bruce Springsteen.

It is because of said no-talent assclown that I have never, and will never, pick up a Tele or similar.

[CaptainWhizz]

My code phrase for telling my wife when I’m feeling suicidal is “I’ve been thinking about buying a Telecaster”.

[Securb]

Those are kinda plain if I were to grab something off the rack it would be a Richie Kotzen Tele

[JB_From_Hell]

If I could only keep one guitar that wasn’t my Falbo 8 string, I’d have a really, really hard time picking between my Tele Plus and my PRS CE24. They don’t sound or feel the same, but either one is perfect for whatever I need to play.

The PRS is much more ergonomically inclined, but I have zero complaints about the Tele... other than the sunburst finish.