are tele's brighter then strats?

[RockNRoling]

I was playing my US tele last night and i could not get over how much it seem to cut through everything. My strat (with texas specials) is never that bright. Is that an internal problem with my strat or are the Delta Tones, just that sweet sounding?? The Tele also seemed a lot louder too....

You guys have been a great help, and I thank you all!
RYAN

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

Most people, IMO, would say that most Teles are brighter than most Strats.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

It's the lead pickup that's so bright on a Tele, BTW.

The neck pickup is usually pretty mellow...usually mellower and lower in apparant output than a Strat's neck pickup. The mellow quality is mostly because of the metal cover that covers the Tele neck pickup polepieces, IMO, and creates a tone that's muffled compared to the tone of neck Strat pickup with exposed polepieces and plastic pickup cover.

For that reason, my favorite setting on a Tele for playing chimey chords or chords in general is usually the two pickups combined. It's my favorite anyway...at least for rythym.

One reason the lead pickup is so bright on a Tele is probably because the Lead pickup on a Tele is screwed directly to the steel bridge assembly.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

Another reason is the greater angle of the tele bridge pickup.

The extra loudness you perceive is probably due to the fact that teles are essentially solid blocks of wood. Strats have a massive electronics/pickup rout and trem cavity, which makes them practically an acoustic guitar compared to a tele. As a result, strats have more chambers to resonate with, and produce harmonically complex, airier tones. teles lack those cavities, and therefore the tone produced is much dryer and more immediate sounding.

 

[Hellion]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

I haven't noticed much difference in brightness, but my Strat sounds breathy and whispery in comparison to my Tele, which sounds full toned and round. I have a friend that loves Teles and says they sound like a "Strat on steroids". I'd have to agree. There was a comparison made by someone (could have been Danny Gatton, but I don't remember the name) who said "Teles punch and sing while Strats sting and scream" in regards to the attack of the note and sustain thereafter on each guitar.

 

[beandip]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

If you wanna try and get a brighter tone out of your strat, Put a SSL-5 or Quater Pounder staggerd in the bridge, and two SSL-1's in the neck and middle positions. Your strat should cut through better. Also, make sure you arnt scooping the mids too much.

 

[Tom M]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

You could also add baseplates to the Strat pickups to give them a little more oomph.

Teles seem to have more treble and more low to them. Strats are quieter and chimey, Teles are barky and loud.

 

[Boston Joe]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

Another reason is the greater angle of the tele bridge pickup.

The extra loudness you perceive is probably due to the fact that teles are essentially solid blocks of wood. Strats have a massive electronics/pickup rout and trem cavity, which makes them practically an acoustic guitar compared to a tele. As a result, strats have more chambers to resonate with, and produce harmonically complex, airier tones. teles lack those cavities, and therefore the tone produced is much dryer and more immediate sounding.

Best Tele I ever used was on a recording project some time back-- it was equipped with a Parsons/White string bender; the chambered body really added some really nice Strat resonance, undertones and complex harmonics.

 

[Bludave]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

I have 3 Strats and 2 Teles. The Teles are considerably prighter when using the bridge PUP. One Tele I have has a Strat PUP in the neck. This tends to make it more Stratie than stock Teles. IMO a stock TELE playing the neck PUP is a suprisingly good Jazz sound. Very mellow, and very little treble bite.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

I1m not a Tele scholar but the ones I played were definietly brighter and rawer sounding than the Strats I played. I mean the bridge, I did not fiddle much with the neck p-up.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

My Tele's are the most revealing guitars I own. They will reveal everything I play into them. I LOVE Tele's. But I'll tell you, you have got to get your touch together because if you don't know how to shape a note and create a pleasing tone with your picking and fretting hands, a Tele will not help you out one bit! Every uneven pick scrape, every muffed note, everytime your two hands are not in sync...you will hear that fluff with glass clear clarity.

But the opposite is also true: if you've got the touch, and know how to shape a note, that will come through just as clearly.

Kinda like playing a sax or violin...gotta get your act together or it'll sound awful. Because YOU are what you're gonna hear.

Lew

 

[Falstaff]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

Another great thing about Teles is that you can use the tone knob to get some nice changes in tone, especially on the bridge pickup. A lot of guys say there's a 'sweet spot' in there that gives the best balance between warmth and twang.

 

[sweet_lou]

Re: are tele's brighter then strats?

How do hardtail strats fit in?