NFTD - New First Tele Day

[voggin]

2010 American Standard. Black wouldn't have been my first choice, but I wanted a maple board and I got a ridiculous deal on it.

I had never gotten along with teles, but I played a friend's a month or so ago, and I was actually getting some great tones. However, I was really "on" that night, and I chalked it up to that. Then I played a really nice Mexican at my local store, and again I was able to get a good sound, even though there was no magic in my playing. I went to go get a used mex, but the only used ones had rosewood, and for some reason I had gotten it in my head I wanted maple. Anyway, on Wednesday the guy at the store said he had this one. Was the store's rental, and I guess they felt it had made them enough money. Haggled a little, and here she is!

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Nice!

'Grats!

 

[rgand]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Very nice looking guitar. I also like a maple neck on Teles. For some reason, they seem to sound better with the type of sound you expect to get. Congrats.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Awesome... happy NG Day! :fing2:

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Nice! Welcome to the Telecaster family! I hated Tele's for a long time, I was most definitely a Stratocaster guy! One day I was at my local music shop looking at amplifiers & the amp I wanted had this ridiculous tie died, blue swirl, painted Tele plugged into it so I just went ahead & used it?

A hour later I walked out with the amplifier & my very first Tele! I've bought a few more since & I absolutely love them now!!! I'm not sure what it was that changed my mind, perhaps a combination of growing up, changing music styles, broadened horizons, & being able to afford better amplifiers but whatever it was I'm happy as hell I didn't grab a Strat off the wall? Now that I've got a bunch of VOX AC's & some other very nice amps I couldn't imagine life without having @ least one!

B.T.W., AC-15's /AC-30's & Telecasters go together like peanut butter and jelly!!! If you haven't had the chance yet, you've got to try to get some playing time on a AC!!!


View attachment 65416

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Congrats! I really like it!

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Can't go wrong w/ Blk & Maple!!!

 

[Securb]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I love it. I am a black and maple guy myself. The big question is how long before you start modding it and what mods have you done already in your mind.

 

[voggin]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I love it. I am a black and maple guy myself. The big question is how long before you start modding it and what mods have you done already in your mind.

Thanks everyone!

As to mods, I tend to play it for a few months before I decide. I really like the neck pickup, and the bridge is what I think of when I think "tele". So I don't see a pickup swap any time soon.

I have been thinking about a black pick guard, though.

I really like the tone bypass on the tone knob. There's a little detent when it's full up, that is supposed to bypass the tone altogether. It's amazing how just engaging the tone knob a smidge really tames it.

The neck on this is a real beauty. The edges are slightly rolled.

 

[rgand]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I agree that a black pickguard would make it pop. A simple mod I did to mine that I really liked was to turn the control plate around so the switch was at the rear. If you do that, remember to rotate the switch in the plate so it works correctly fore and aft.

 

[sosomething]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I would never knock anybody's rosewood Telecaster... but every one I've owned and every one I will own has a maple fretboard.

Here's my current baby, fresh from a refret:

 

[rgand]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I would never knock anybody's rosewood Telecaster... but every one I've owned and every one I will own has a maple fretboard.

Here's my current baby, fresh from a refret:

View attachment 65422

Beautiful. This brings back good memories. My first Tele was blonde with a black pickguard and maple fretboard.

 

[voggin]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I would never knock anybody's rosewood Telecaster... but every one I've owned and every one I will own has a maple fretboard.

Here's my current baby, fresh from a refret:

View attachment 65422

I love the look of that Duncan mini bucker in a tele. I have no idea how it might sound, but I think it looks uber cool. Too bad I like the neck pickup in mine so much, or that would be the first on the list mod.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Congrats! I actually always really dug the black Tele with the white guard and a Maple neck! Enjoy!

 

[dystrust]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I love the look of that Duncan mini bucker in a tele. I have no idea how it might sound, but I think it looks uber cool. Too bad I like the neck pickup in mine so much, or that would be the first on the list mod.

My favorite pickup for Tele neck position. Unlike you I've never been able to stand a stock Tele neck pup, so I've tried just about everything else. Strat pickups worked well for me, as did P-90s, but full-sized 'buckers were just too bassy and loud compared to the bridge pickup. I had a chance to play one of those '52 Hot Rods a couple years ago, and knew I had to switch up my Tele. These days I'm using a Hot Stack for Tele paired with a SM-1 in the neck position.

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

The black looks great Holmes.

Enjoy her in good health.

Happy New Guitar Day.

~LD

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

@

My favorite pickup for Tele neck position. Unlike you I've never been able to stand a stock Tele neck pup, so I've tried just about everything else. Strat pickups worked well for me, as did P-90s, but full-sized 'buckers were just too bassy and loud compared to the bridge pickup. I had a chance to play one of those '52 Hot Rods a couple years ago, and knew I had to switch up my Tele. These days I'm using a Hot Stack for Tele paired with a SM-1 in the neck position.

I definitely have to agree with you about the full sized humbuckers sounding too bassy, to my ears they kind of "muddy" up the guitars tone as well, not what most of us want from a Tele? I also have to agree with the general consensus that Tele's should have Maple necks, Rosewood seems to seal some of the "Tele Twang"?

When I put a Phat Cat in the neck of my Telecaster it was like I just invented the wheel! They actually have a lot of the characteristics of the stock neck pickups but with more balls & a lot more clarity! Honestly I think they sound just fine without being modded @ all, I just can't seem to leave any Fender alone....

 

[rgand]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

I think they sound just fine without being modded @ all, I just can't seem to leave any Fender alone....

It's just an affliction some of us have.

 

[voggin]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

It's just an affliction some of us have.

Especially with Fenders. They have that whole '50s Hot Rot aesthetic (The Cadillac symbol on the custom shop, the whole hot rod colours thing) that makes you want to mod them like an old '50s car. I can't imagine cutting a hole in something like a 335, but I can totally see it on a strat or tele.

I know the "pickups under the pickguard" thing was probably a cost saving measure for Leo, but it opened up the whole modding universe for his guitars.

 

[rgand]

Re: NFTD - New First Tele Day

Especially with Fenders. They have that whole '50s Hot Rot aesthetic (The Cadillac symbol on the custom shop, the whole hot rod colours thing) that makes you want to mod them like an old '50s car. I can't imagine cutting a hole in something like a 335, but I can totally see it on a strat or tele.

You got that right.