Metal tele => Blues tele?

shark

shark

New member
I have a rather silly dilemma going on... so I could use some help :)

I play mainly metal, and at the moment I have 2 guitars set up to play metal, one of them a schecter hellraiser and the other is a tele. I'm planning on having a custom guitar build (which also will be used for metal). As a result of that, I 'm considering selling my tele (2 metal guitars is enough for me).

Although I like metal, I also like to play some blues and pop (maybe some classic rock) from time to time. But with the current gear, it doesn't sound that great (Engl powerball, guitars tuned to B standard, SD distortion in the bridge)... so I was thinking to buying myself a small blues amp, and a guitar "fitted" to play some blues, pop, rock... My first thought was to buy a strat (I like the single coil sound), but since the tele plays rather nice, maybe it's possible to convert it into a blues/pop/rock guitar... What would you do? sell the tele, or keep it and put some other pups in it? (it is routed for 2 humbuckers, made of ash with a graphite neck... some of the tones I like: Eric clapton, BB king, Mark knofpler, Gilmour...)
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

P-Rails.

Humbucker, P90, single coils. You'll have two guitars for "metal" and a Telecaster for "everything." :smokin:
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

Keep that Tele.
With a different pickguard, you could put single coils in therem or any other combo...mini neck-single bridge, two minis, two fullsize, etc.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

Those P-rails sound like a good idea, but I 've read on the forum that the single coils, are not that great, and since the tones I like come from single coils...

Changing the pickguard is not an option since it's a clear one, and if I'd go with another color, I 'd have to change the entire look of the guitar. I'd also have to change the bridge if I want single coils to fit, and have to redrill the hole to fit a slanted single coil, so putting single coils in it is nearly impossible...

Maybe I 've answered my own question with this post :D
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

i wouldnt say the single sound out of the p-rails isnt good....it may not be a classic strat singleish tone, but very useable.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

More guitars are always the answer. Get a strat or another tele, and keep your existing stuff as is.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

shark said:
I have a rather silly dilemma going on... so I could use some help :)

I play mainly metal, and at the moment I have 2 guitars set up to play metal, one of them a schecter hellraiser and the other is a tele. I'm planning on having a custom guitar build (which also will be used for metal). As a result of that, I 'm considering selling my tele (2 metal guitars is enough for me).

Although I like metal, I also like to play some blues and pop (maybe some classic rock) from time to time. But with the current gear, it doesn't sound that great (Engl powerball, guitars tuned to B standard, SD distortion in the bridge)... so I was thinking to buying myself a small blues amp, and a guitar "fitted" to play some blues, pop, rock... My first thought was to buy a strat (I like the single coil sound), but since the tele plays rather nice, maybe it's possible to convert it into a blues/pop/rock guitar... What would you do? sell the tele, or keep it and put some other pups in it? (it is routed for 2 humbuckers, made of ash with a graphite neck... some of the tones I like: Eric clapton, BB king, Mark knofpler, Gilmour...)
Click to expand...

Just put humbuckers in it that can do both.

One of the hardest sounding players I've ever heard played a '99 MIA Strat with a Little '59 set :eyecrazy:
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

If it was my guitar, I would totally drop a set of phat cats in there
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

I've said this before and I'll reiterate: You can play any kind of music on any guitar. And for those silly souls who will inevitably want to respond with "Dude, let's see you do Sepultra on a classical!", don't bother. Led Zeppelin played more genres of music than any other band I can think of using ALL types of guitars. Teles are one of the most versatile instruments to be had. Think John 5.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

The P-Rails might not sound 100% like a Fender single coil on the "rail" mode but it sounds more like a Fender single coil than a normal split humbucker.

Other good options would be:

Phat Cat neck / CustomCustom bridge; two 59's; 59n / Custom 5b, two Phat Cats like Phil was saying...but the P-Rails, with the volume and tone knobs replaced with push-pulls, will get you more sounds than any of those combinations will.

I actually never thought about how sweet a normal Tele would be with P-Rails until this thread. You got two knobs so you can get all 4 tones out of it, the 3-way for bridge, neck and both...just a basic guitar with all your different pickup options switchable from the push/pulls..

The only thing cooler would be one of those 72 Telecaster Deluxe Reissues cuz they have four knobs and a 3-way. That will probably be my next guitar if BrentRocks sells his H170 before I can get it...
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

shark said:
I have a rather silly dilemma going on... so I could use some help :)

I play mainly metal, and at the moment I have 2 guitars set up to play metal, one of them a schecter hellraiser and the other is a tele. I'm planning on having a custom guitar build (which also will be used for metal). As a result of that, I 'm considering selling my tele (2 metal guitars is enough for me).

Although I like metal, I also like to play some blues and pop (maybe some classic rock) from time to time. But with the current gear, it doesn't sound that great (Engl powerball, guitars tuned to B standard, SD distortion in the bridge)... so I was thinking to buying myself a small blues amp, and a guitar "fitted" to play some blues, pop, rock... My first thought was to buy a strat (I like the single coil sound), but since the tele plays rather nice, maybe it's possible to convert it into a blues/pop/rock guitar... What would you do? sell the tele, or keep it and put some other pups in it? (it is routed for 2 humbuckers, made of ash with a graphite neck... some of the tones I like: Eric clapton, BB king, Mark knofpler, Gilmour...)
Click to expand...

Keep the Tele. Put a HB in the neck and a Jerry Donahue in the Bridge. I would recommend a Duncan Firebird Mini Hum for the neck. This with the JD will ba a very versatile guitar. IF you wanted to do metal with it too, you could put a hot rail in the bridge. That works I have a Tele called the Twistedcaster (check my gear for a pic) setup this way. I am not a metal guy at all, but this guitar can do it if I needed to.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

+1 on P-Rails.

Having the P-Rails on my John5 Tele made a huge difference sound-wise. It had made it more versatile than it was to begin with. I only have the series and the P-90 sound, and that's more than enough to have fun with.
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

But seriously

567073.jpg


+

2(
p_rails.jpg
)

=

the ultimate guitar
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

Darn, I just had myself convinced that I needed to sell the tele, now I'm doubting again :D

Thx for all the suggestions though, I 'll definately check out the P-rails and Bludave's suggestion.... maybe in a few weeks, you 'll see a thread with pics from a blues tele :D
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

Well I come from a different mentality than you. I don't like a guitar that can only be used for one style. To me it's limiting and annoying. So I like things that are versatile.

You can have your cake and eat it too, however. Get the Tele with true single coils (pick either the Custom or Quarter Pounder, whichever you prefer) but tappable so that you can possibly still use it for blues/whatever.

Or a simple compromise: low output neck, high output bridge. The Hot Rodded Combo is basically that very thing (not saying get it, I'm just using it as an example).
 
Re: Metal tele => Blues tele?

I'd like the tele also to be versatile (I would like it to do some blues, pop and maybe some classic rock). That's why I 'm probably going to test the P-rails.

As far as the "metal" guitars go, I use them in a metalband, so I want them to be good at "metal"... they can also do other styles, but they are best at "metal" and that's how I like it :)

I would only use the tele for some bedroom noodling, so some versatility would be nice :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top