telecaster, a metal guitar?
- Thread starter nkjmartin
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Lewguitar
Guest
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
I wouldn't show up at an audition for a heavy metal band with a telecaster but it'll sound just fine. ( I wouldn't show up at all myself! ) Jimmy Page recorded most of the early Led Zep stuff with a tele. For modern heavy styles a full size humbucker would probably punish a Marshall a little more convincingly than a Hot Rails...but the Hot Rails would work. Lew
I wouldn't show up at an audition for a heavy metal band with a telecaster but it'll sound just fine. ( I wouldn't show up at all myself! ) Jimmy Page recorded most of the early Led Zep stuff with a tele. For modern heavy styles a full size humbucker would probably punish a Marshall a little more convincingly than a Hot Rails...but the Hot Rails would work. Lew
kill your scene
New member
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
Well, if you show up for any audition (metal or otherwise) and they judge you completely on your choice of guitar, you're probably dealing with image-obsessed bigots who you don't want to be playing with anyway.
As far as heavy metal tone goes, your best bet is any guitar with humbuckers. There are several options as far as Fat Teles go. If you're looking to update your existing single-coil Tele, the Hot Rails will work, but probably not as well. You can get really dirty metal tone, but it won't be quite as fat as Metallica. You have to keep in mind that it's hard to achieve tone as fat as Metallica's in the first place. The Hot Rails should definitely push you in the right direction, though.
Also, don't just look at your guitar and pickups.... look at your amp. Typically, guitar amps utilizing all tube technology have a warmer, larger sound that solid states. You have to pay extra and deal with the finicky nature of tubes (get ready to pony up the cash for set of EH's every now and then) but it's worth it for sound. That's probably the single greatest piece of advice anyone can offer you.... get the best amp possible.
Well, if you show up for any audition (metal or otherwise) and they judge you completely on your choice of guitar, you're probably dealing with image-obsessed bigots who you don't want to be playing with anyway.
As far as heavy metal tone goes, your best bet is any guitar with humbuckers. There are several options as far as Fat Teles go. If you're looking to update your existing single-coil Tele, the Hot Rails will work, but probably not as well. You can get really dirty metal tone, but it won't be quite as fat as Metallica. You have to keep in mind that it's hard to achieve tone as fat as Metallica's in the first place. The Hot Rails should definitely push you in the right direction, though.
Also, don't just look at your guitar and pickups.... look at your amp. Typically, guitar amps utilizing all tube technology have a warmer, larger sound that solid states. You have to pay extra and deal with the finicky nature of tubes (get ready to pony up the cash for set of EH's every now and then) but it's worth it for sound. That's probably the single greatest piece of advice anyone can offer you.... get the best amp possible.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
Actually, he mostly plays les pauls. See him live and he practically destroys a les paul after every song, those poor goldtops :yell:
But yes, I think the tele can be used for metal. What I love about the tele is that it's a stripped down guitar. No glitz, no glamour and the tone is magical. When I play live, I don't want all these fancy guitars where people expect me to be a guitar god, I want a beat up, simple instrument that screams mojo.
kaknight said:
Actually, he mostly plays les pauls. See him live and he practically destroys a les paul after every song, those poor goldtops :yell:
But yes, I think the tele can be used for metal. What I love about the tele is that it's a stripped down guitar. No glitz, no glamour and the tone is magical. When I play live, I don't want all these fancy guitars where people expect me to be a guitar god, I want a beat up, simple instrument that screams mojo.
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Lewguitar
Guest
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
When I play my '54 Tele I sound more like me then when I play any other model of electric guitar. The Tele is just so transparant sounding. They are hard work at first ( a Tele won't do any work for you...you have to do it all yourself!) but once I got used to it, the Tele became my favorite electric guitar. I'd like to find another one from the 50's. Lew
the_Chris said:
When I play my '54 Tele I sound more like me then when I play any other model of electric guitar. The Tele is just so transparant sounding. They are hard work at first ( a Tele won't do any work for you...you have to do it all yourself!) but once I got used to it, the Tele became my favorite electric guitar. I'd like to find another one from the 50's. Lew
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Stevo
Tonus Maximus Pacificas
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
Teles have a really tight bottom end and that is a good thing when you use high-output pickups. Yes the tele can rock with a hot rails
I had that set up in my last band and I loved it for harder rock.
tele hot rails tune
Teles have a really tight bottom end and that is a good thing when you use high-output pickups. Yes the tele can rock with a hot rails
I had that set up in my last band and I loved it for harder rock.tele hot rails tune
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Lewguitar
Guest
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
I'll tell you the truth: If I still knew all the songs (which I don't anymore!), I could use just my '54 Tele, and a DS-1 through one of my 50's Fender tweed amps and get every tone on the first Led Zep album...and then some. And I wouldn't need a Hot Rails pickup either! Lew
Stevo said:Teles have a really tight bottom end and that is a good thing when you use high-output pickups. Yes the tele can rock with a hot rails
tele hot rails tune
I'll tell you the truth: If I still knew all the songs (which I don't anymore!), I could use just my '54 Tele, and a DS-1 through one of my 50's Fender tweed amps and get every tone on the first Led Zep album...and then some. And I wouldn't need a Hot Rails pickup either! Lew
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: telecaster, a metal guitar?
You can always try to fit a square peg into a round hole, but really...a Tele is the wrong guitar for the occasion. There's no two styles more opposite than country and metal, and Teles are primarily twangy country instruments. I could take some flack for that, since Teles CAN be used for anything, however, without a humbucker, the only highgain sound you'll get out of a Hotrail/Tele is hot, midrangey twang.
If I were you, I'd swap that Tele for something like a Schecter, Jackson, or other guitar that's more suitable to the style you like. Teles are easy to sell, so you could be shopping for your next guitar within a couple weeks. Just my two cents.
You can always try to fit a square peg into a round hole, but really...a Tele is the wrong guitar for the occasion. There's no two styles more opposite than country and metal, and Teles are primarily twangy country instruments. I could take some flack for that, since Teles CAN be used for anything, however, without a humbucker, the only highgain sound you'll get out of a Hotrail/Tele is hot, midrangey twang.
If I were you, I'd swap that Tele for something like a Schecter, Jackson, or other guitar that's more suitable to the style you like. Teles are easy to sell, so you could be shopping for your next guitar within a couple weeks. Just my two cents.
