Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternatives?

[NegativeEase]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Man, I play a 40 yr old old Tele without contours, and when compared to modern Teles -it tends to be about 1/8" to 5/16" thicker than a modern Fender or Squire version.

Even so, playing the thicker plank of wood and lack of contours doesn't bother me. -It's sits at a playable angle.

Then again, I play my guitar at or below the waste for rock gigs, so the play angle isn't annoying like when a guitar is higher up above your waste and lacks contours.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Buy a Tele and a $29 belt sander from Harbor Freight. Problem solved!

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

get one of those contoured offset Tele bodies.... it's like a Jazzmaster and Tele had a baby -super badass.

View attachment 101785

That is interesting, too. Just not my preferred body shape but is a good conpromise. Thanks

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Buy a Tele and a $29 belt sander from Harbor Freight. Problem solved!

Is it that easy to carve body contours? I saw a few videos and they were professional-like work. Not talking about the re-paint.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Four inch disc grinder with a sanding pad
And be sure to clamp it down
Grasp grinder with both hands

 

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

You can get a lot of different tones from any one guitar......you could even get an Ibanez heavy metal guitar fit it with new pickups.....then depending on your amp/pedal setup you could easily get the tele sound!

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

The player series Fender Tele has a forearm and belly carve

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender/Modern-Player-Telecaster-Plus-Electric-Guitar.gc

I was looking at them but I don't think they have forearm and belly carve, at least from the pictures they don't look like. Can you confirm?

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Four inch disc grinder with a sanding pad
And be sure to clamp it down
Grasp grinder with both hands

That sounds easy but what about the rest of the story? Unmounting, repainting, finish, remounting, setup, adjust... it is not just about removing some inches of wood...
I dont want to have a fake relic guitar

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

You can get a lot of different tones from any one guitar......you could even get an Ibanez heavy metal guitar fit it with new pickups.....then depending on your amp/pedal setup you could easily get the tele sound!

Yes... I'm revaluating my original idea to get a good used Strat-like guitar and change pickups. I think it will be more affordable in terms of money and time.

 

[vinnie1971]

Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternatives?

Get a custom job like mine
The shape combines fender offset telecaster ( telemaster) with telecaster, strat and Firebird pickups

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Yes... I'm revaluating my original idea to get a good used Strat-like guitar and change pickups. I think it will be more affordable in terms of money and time.

If you want ill sell you mine

USA standard neck, jeff beck body, noiseless pickups with the S1 switch to use all pickup possibilities!

You can have it for £950-£1000 and i'll do you free delivery.

I'm going to put it up on ebay soonish so if your interested ill post u the link and you can see the pictures

it is SPOTLESS! and has been professionally set up!

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

I tell ya, the Schecter looks pretty sweet.
I’d start you search there. Good luck.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

I tell ya, the Schecter looks pretty sweet.
I’d start you search there. Good luck.

I'm eyeing that Schecter, as well.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Is it that easy to carve body contours? I saw a few videos and they were professional-like work. Not talking about the re-paint.

It really is that easy. It's the refinishing that is hard to get right. Your Strat plan is a much more sure bet. Start with a guitar that feels good and work to get the sound you want.

I am not a Strat guy but I'm guessing a hardtail model (no trem) might sound more Telecasterish to begin with?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

My RG2 hardtail does a fair Tele like sound
If I cut the neck Jazz pickup and put it in series with the bridge JB
I think they have to be out of phase as well

But the point is
The RG has the body contours and neck I like
Super lightweight

There are many ways to get that sound without the plank body

 

[donaldr]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

ESP USA: https://www.espguitars.com/products/20644-te-ii-hardtail/product_designs/new
LTD TE Series: https://www.espguitars.com/products?categories=te-series

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Get a custom job like mine
The shape combines fender offset telecaster ( telemaster) with telecaster, strat and Firebird pickups

Cool, I would love to have a custom built guitar exactly as it is in my mind, but no budget for that

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

If you want ill sell you mine

USA standard neck, jeff beck body, noiseless pickups with the S1 switch to use all pickup possibilities!

You can have it for £950-£1000 and i'll do you free delivery.

I'm going to put it up on ebay soonish so if your interested ill post u the link and you can see the pictures

it is SPOTLESS! and has been professionally set up!

Thanks, but way out of my budget

Also I was looking to the new Fender Ultra series and I am having a G.A.S. attack...

 

[maup]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

ESP USA: https://www.espguitars.com/products/20644-te-ii-hardtail/product_designs/new
LTD TE Series: https://www.espguitars.com/products?categories=te-series

Thanks, I didn't know about them, looks good although too much "metal" for me, I would like to try one but no shops has them around where I am.

 

[TrutheYashikawa]

Re: Absolutely love Telecaster tones but can't stand the flat plank body. Alternative

Thanks, I didn't know about them, looks good although too much "metal" for me, I would like to try one but no shops has them around where I am.

I'm also selling my Ibanez S-series 520 for £300 with a hard case!

You could replace the pickups, it is a fantastic guitar, i absolutely love the small body, they are light and have a fantastic neck for smooth playing!

I can probably do you that for £285 free delivery!