A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

[PFDarkside]

If you’ve been here a while you probably know I love orange guitars. When the Fender Elite Series was announced I was intrigued, all the specs minus the pickups were killer, and reports were that even the N4 were much improved over the previous generation Fender Noiseless. (Plus who are we kidding, this is a pickup forum, maybe 25% of my guitars have stock pickups.)

I loved the Autumn Blaze Metallic color, and it turned out to be a launch year only color. I’ve been hunting for a good deal on this color for a while.

Earlier in the year I was watching a HSS Strat (like new) that had been listed for a long time. Eventually the seller dropped the price quite a bit and I offered even lower. Seller accepted and I had my Strat. Fast forward and I’ve got a saved search of “Autumn Blaze” on a Reverb. Just before my birthday a Tele showed up. He was dropping the price almost daily, you could tell it needed to be moved. Same deal, offer a price and a little negotiation, and it arrived yesterday. Happy Birthday to me!

I haven’t even had a chance to plug in the Tele yet, I got it all setup with my strings of choice last night. Now time to give it a go to see if the N4s are staying or going.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

The neck is very cool on both, compound radius from 9.5” - 14”, .82” C to .89” D profile, Medium Jumbo frets, sculpted heel and locking tuners. Nice satin finish with a gloss headstock. It feels and plays great.

On the body, the Tele has a belly cut with binding and Pearl pickguard. Flashy, but not excessively so. The Strat is typical Strat. I love the parchment and aged plastics, and the rubberized volume tone are awesome. The S-1 switching is OK on the Strat, mostly the standard 5-way is where I’ll live no matter what pickups end up in it. The S-1 switch itself is nice, so I might simplify it, using the S-1 for coil splitting the bridge and/or adding the bridge to the neck position. The “passing lane” switch is like a typical Blower switch, just Humbucker straight to Output Jack. This is going to stay, you can effectively have any rhythm sound setup then press the switch for the biggest tone available.

So far the N4s sound pretty good in the Strat, as good as the Dimarzio stacks I have in another guitar, and he Shawbucker is a pretty good PAFish bridge. I might try a 59/Custom Hybrid/Stk-S4m/Stk-S7, but I’ll stick with the stock for a while longer until I can play with the band more.

Tele impressions as I get to play it more.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

The neck sounds like I'd really like it. Compound radius and medium jumbo frets is awesome, and I'm a big fan of those smooth heel joints. Nice score!

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Bet that Tele has a saucer full of secrets to discover.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

The neck sounds like I'd really like it. Compound radius and medium jumbo frets is awesome, and I'm a big fan of those smooth heel joints. Nice score!

The only bummer is that because of the neck heel, you’d have to drill another hole to mount to a non contoured heel body. As a whole it’s a great next step from the American Deluxe series.

Bet that Tele has a saucer full of secrets to discover.

 

[Mincer]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Never seen that color before- I really like it!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Yeah, I was really drawn to it. It seems they came from different batches/runs, the Tele is a little darker than the Strat.

Here it is compared to Candy Tangerine and a bright orange.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

I totally dig!

-Especially since it doesn't have the vintage radius!

 

[d1dsj]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Very nice pair indeed, BUT you have the Clone I always wanted! Enjoy.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

OMG, I totally love those! GORGEOUS colors. Both of them.

I especially love the Tele with its belly cut and binding. Brash looking, but elegant at the same time. I am waiting on pins and needles to hear a report on that one...playability, feel, tone, etc.

Very nice score. Indeed!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Wait a minute...

You're an orange freak, but no Gretsches? Gretsch is known for their many different oranges.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Teleme about the tele pelease

 

[RorySquier]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

The colour is awesome! It really gives the guitar an aura of awesomeness.



;>)/

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

I totally dig!

-Especially since it doesn't have the vintage radius!

Thanks! Unsurprisingly the cowboy chord area feel like the Fender necks I’m used it, instantly familiar. The compound radius actually feel completely natural I don’t even notice it. The D shape by the 12th fret is noticeable and different than my other Fender necks, but it’s nice. It kind of makes you want to move to thumb behind, but thumb over still feels good.

Very nice pair indeed, BUT you have the Clone I always wanted! Enjoy.

Thanks! The Clone is still an amazing looking guitar, Candy Tangerine is killer with the flame neck.

OMG, I totally love those! GORGEOUS colors. Both of them.

I especially love the Tele with its belly cut and binding. Brash looking, but elegant at the same time. I am waiting on pins and needles to hear a report on that one...playability, feel, tone, etc.

Very nice score. Indeed!

Thanks! Something I love about Fenders is how easy they are to setup. Within an hour of unboxing I had it set up with 10-52s, intonated, action and relief all dialed in. I’ve been on vacation so I’ll get some plugged in time this week.

Wait a minute...

You're an orange freak, but no Gretsches? Gretsch is known for their many different oranges.

So true...

The colour is awesome! It really gives the guitar an aura of awesomeness.



;>)/

I agree!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Oh man, the neck on the Tele is sweet. I put some time on it today. Awesomely smooth satin, rolled edges, perfect fretwork, it feels and plays great.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Oh man, the neck on the Tele is sweet. I put some time on it today. Awesomely smooth satin, rolled edges, perfect fretwork, it feels and plays great.

Can you please tell me if you had to choose between the strat and tele, which would you go for and why? I'm basically between these 2 models.

I have a LP and J.Custom with fishmans, looking to get a great single coiler as the last guitar

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Can you please tell me if you had to choose between the strat and tele, which would you go for and why? I'm basically between these 2 models.

I have a LP and J.Custom with fishmans, looking to get a great single coiler as the last guitar

I’m Strat all day, so you can’t take my opinion with out a grain of salt. I’d take a Strat as my main guitar all the time. The HSS is super versatile, big rock tones in the bridge and more traditional single coils in the neck and middle. If you went with the SSS you’d have a straight up traditional Strat. The Noiseless Tele pickups are pretty good, the bridge is more muscular than a Strat bridge but not as big as the HSS Humbucker. There are a lot more tones available in the Strat because of 3 pickups and S-1 switches, but the Tele tone is a different thing. If you can, you’ve got to try them both out.

I’m not sure if that helps at all, feel free to ask follow up questions. One interesting thing, I usually prefer Rosewood fingerboards, but on these necks the Maple just feels great.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Thank you. I had a feeling you'd pick the strat. I too like strats and logically I think as the last guitar in my 3-guitar unit it's probably the best choice. But the elite cherry burst tele is so sexy and that bridge tone is to die for. I was able to play the satin pearl one in a shop but there wasn't an elite strat. I'm going to Tokyo next month (I live in Japan) so I think I'll go to a big shop and A/B them - but I bet I'll end up with the strat. Probably SSS as I have the 2 HH guitars

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Oh man, the Mod Shop has Autumn Blaze Metallic on the Jazzmaster!

 

[Nagisa]

Re: A Nice Pair - NGDs (or NGsD, or something like that)

Man you just love that color don't you.