Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
- Thread starter Syris
- Start date
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Hey thanks for all the replies everybody! So far, the general vibe seems to be going towards the Tele. Hmm, then why is the strat so much more popular I wonder....?
Well, I play hard rock and blues. Which one is generally better for these types of music, or are they both equally versatile? Does it matter? Could always just get a distortion pedal right?
Haha, all you guys saying to buy both. I wish! I'm 16 and I work at Subway for $6.50 an hour. Haha, *dreams of having enough cash to afford both*.
Hey thanks for all the replies everybody! So far, the general vibe seems to be going towards the Tele. Hmm, then why is the strat so much more popular I wonder....?
Well, I play hard rock and blues. Which one is generally better for these types of music, or are they both equally versatile? Does it matter? Could always just get a distortion pedal right?
Haha, all you guys saying to buy both. I wish! I'm 16 and I work at Subway for $6.50 an hour. Haha, *dreams of having enough cash to afford both*.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
To be honest, both can do rock and blues equally well. It boils down to what you like better at that point. Back in the early days of the Tele and Strat, the Strat was rock and roll, the Tele for the country pickers. Keith Richards broke that rule and since then it's been whatever. Country guys play Strats, rock guys play Teles. Each one is different and each one has their own properties. Best thing you can do is get to the music store and play a bunch of each. Then choose.
To be honest, both can do rock and blues equally well. It boils down to what you like better at that point. Back in the early days of the Tele and Strat, the Strat was rock and roll, the Tele for the country pickers. Keith Richards broke that rule and since then it's been whatever. Country guys play Strats, rock guys play Teles. Each one is different and each one has their own properties. Best thing you can do is get to the music store and play a bunch of each. Then choose.
1ManGarageBand
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Tough question. If my 5 year old daughter asked me that I don't know what I'd tell her.
I've played telecasters for 50 years. Never owned a strat but have played a bunch of them. I've spent a lot of time and money trying to make a tele sound like a Les Paul (they're the prettiest of the bunch but they make the necks out of baseball bats).
A tele is harder to play, not as pretty, and is less versatile than a strat.
I vote for tele.
Tough question. If my 5 year old daughter asked me that I don't know what I'd tell her.
I've played telecasters for 50 years. Never owned a strat but have played a bunch of them. I've spent a lot of time and money trying to make a tele sound like a Les Paul (they're the prettiest of the bunch but they make the necks out of baseball bats).
A tele is harder to play, not as pretty, and is less versatile than a strat.
I vote for tele.
Last edited:
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Umm, how does that one work? haha. Harder to play, not as pretty and less versatile. Why do you give it your vote?
Umm, how does that one work? haha. Harder to play, not as pretty and less versatile. Why do you give it your vote?
1ManGarageBand
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Well . . .
In my experience you can express yourself better on a tele; theres more room to change the sound with your fingers. Its harder, but more rewarding. And, of course, a tele is more manly.
Well . . .
In my experience you can express yourself better on a tele; theres more room to change the sound with your fingers. Its harder, but more rewarding. And, of course, a tele is more manly.
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Hahaha, more manly huh? Is that because it's not as pretty, or because it's just so plainly designed?
How would you say it's harder to play, technically? Tension, action, neck shape, the way the sound reacts to your playing style? Details please!
Thanks man.
Hahaha, more manly huh? Is that because it's not as pretty, or because it's just so plainly designed?
How would you say it's harder to play, technically? Tension, action, neck shape, the way the sound reacts to your playing style? Details please!
Thanks man.
Curly
Moe's Bluesman
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Do you want to be like everyone else?
you're 16, so get off your lazy a$$, and get out there and play some strats and teles, and find out for yourself what's best for you.
I play both.
I think strats are easier to deal with, and get a 'comfortable' tone.
But I think if you can master a tele, you will be farther ahead in the long run.
I agree. The strat's more comfortable too.
the strat's more popular because everyone wants to buy one and sound like Clapton, SRV, Jeff Beck, or Hendrix.
Do you want to be like everyone else?
you're 16, so get off your lazy a$$, and get out there and play some strats and teles, and find out for yourself what's best for you.
again, I agree.
I play both.
I think strats are easier to deal with, and get a 'comfortable' tone.
But I think if you can master a tele, you will be farther ahead in the long run.
davedvdy
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
If you are confused after playing both of them, try to find an HSS Strat (they have a humbucker in the bridge). You will get a very versatile sound...
There really is no right or wrong w/this. Buy one and if you like the sound of both, save up money for the other
If you are confused after playing both of them, try to find an HSS Strat (they have a humbucker in the bridge). You will get a very versatile sound...
There really is no right or wrong w/this. Buy one and if you like the sound of both, save up money for the other
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Haha, lazy? I'm not lazy, I just dont have my license ang guitar center is 50 miles away :laugh2: Once I get my license here I come Guitar Center!
Haha, lazy? I'm not lazy, I just dont have my license ang guitar center is 50 miles away :laugh2: Once I get my license here I come Guitar Center!
calibre2001
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Telecasters are 'harder to play' simply because they only sound as good as the player.
Telecasters are 'harder to play' simply because they only sound as good as the player.
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Really? I like that. So it's not actually physically harder to play? It just takes more skill.
So as a metaphor;
Strat is the equivilant of the distortion channel on an amp. Wrong notes can kind of be blended into the background.
Tele is the clean channel where every thing you do wrong is blaringly apparant.
Does that about sum it up?
Really? I like that. So it's not actually physically harder to play? It just takes more skill.
So as a metaphor;
Strat is the equivilant of the distortion channel on an amp. Wrong notes can kind of be blended into the background.
Tele is the clean channel where every thing you do wrong is blaringly apparant.
Does that about sum it up?
Curly
Moe's Bluesman
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
so you're close to either Phoenix or Tucson ...
decide on a budget ... check out the Jimmie Vaughan strat, which is about $600 and will hold pretty good value. an equal guitar in a tele is harder to find - one is the James Burton, as long as you like red.
good luck, and keep us posted
so you're close to either Phoenix or Tucson ...
decide on a budget ... check out the Jimmie Vaughan strat, which is about $600 and will hold pretty good value. an equal guitar in a tele is harder to find - one is the James Burton, as long as you like red.
good luck, and keep us posted
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Cool, thanks Curly. I'm actually pretty much sold on the 62 US Vintage Telecaster Custom. Swap out the pickups with some Texas Specials to cancel out that buzz and I'm set. Well, hypothetically. Have to actually play the guitar before deciding on it!
It's $1400 but hey, you know that old saying, "Quality over Quantity" I'd rather wait and have a high end one, instead of getting a couple of middle of the road guitars.
I'll definitely get a pic on here when I get it.... in a few months
Thanks again to everybody that has posted helpful information and personal experience with these instruments.
Cool, thanks Curly. I'm actually pretty much sold on the 62 US Vintage Telecaster Custom. Swap out the pickups with some Texas Specials to cancel out that buzz and I'm set. Well, hypothetically. Have to actually play the guitar before deciding on it!
It's $1400 but hey, you know that old saying, "Quality over Quantity" I'd rather wait and have a high end one, instead of getting a couple of middle of the road guitars.
I'll definitely get a pic on here when I get it.... in a few months
Thanks again to everybody that has posted helpful information and personal experience with these instruments.
calibre2001
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
I agree with the others that a Strat is more comfy. To me its because of body ergonomics.
Syris, I don't agree with your analogy. Both guitars do require a certain skill to squeeze out the best, its just more with a Tele.
Usually Tele players switching to Strats find Strats as relatively weaker sounding, and less responsive to hand dynamics.
I agree with the others that a Strat is more comfy. To me its because of body ergonomics.
Syris, I don't agree with your analogy. Both guitars do require a certain skill to squeeze out the best, its just more with a Tele.
Usually Tele players switching to Strats find Strats as relatively weaker sounding, and less responsive to hand dynamics.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
If you think Texas Specials are noiseless you are sorely mistaken.
On a Tele, the noise cancellation will happen in the middle position, but on the neck or bridge alone, you will have some of the typical single-coil noise. On a Strat, it's positions 2 and 4 that will cancel, 1, 3, and 5 will not.
There's ways to get rid of that noise, or minimize to almost nothing, without going the noiseless pickup route but that's another thread, another topic, another site.
If you think Texas Specials are noiseless you are sorely mistaken.
On a Tele, the noise cancellation will happen in the middle position, but on the neck or bridge alone, you will have some of the typical single-coil noise. On a Strat, it's positions 2 and 4 that will cancel, 1, 3, and 5 will not.
There's ways to get rid of that noise, or minimize to almost nothing, without going the noiseless pickup route but that's another thread, another topic, another site.
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
Fender Texas Specials for a Tele have as much noise as any single coil. My best solution for the Tele type guitar so far was the Vintage Stacks on my Schecter. I put one DPDT mini-switch between the VOL and TONE pickup. Flipped down, coil split (taking out the lower humbucker coils on each pickup at the same time) completely noiseless all 3 setttings. Flipped up ... a bit louder and pretty standard tone ... noiseless on the middle setting only ... just like regular single coils. Best of both words.
Fender Texas Specials for a Tele have as much noise as any single coil. My best solution for the Tele type guitar so far was the Vintage Stacks on my Schecter. I put one DPDT mini-switch between the VOL and TONE pickup. Flipped down, coil split (taking out the lower humbucker coils on each pickup at the same time) completely noiseless all 3 setttings. Flipped up ... a bit louder and pretty standard tone ... noiseless on the middle setting only ... just like regular single coils. Best of both words.
Push to Shuv
New member
Re: Tele vs. Strat. Help! I can't decide.
I had a 72 tele thinline once and i would give anything to have that back. It was amazing. The only thing with the customs, deluxes, and thinlines is that the humbuckers are mounted differently with 2 screws on each side and if im not mistaken they are bigger than normal humbuckers which could make replacing them an issue if you dont like the sound.
I had a 72 tele thinline once and i would give anything to have that back. It was amazing. The only thing with the customs, deluxes, and thinlines is that the humbuckers are mounted differently with 2 screws on each side and if im not mistaken they are bigger than normal humbuckers which could make replacing them an issue if you dont like the sound.
Similar threads
