What the hell is happening to me?

[That90'sGuy]

I play an assortment of stuff, but I have a lot of light music, so I think my bandmates will love that I'll have a guitar that offers sweet jangly brilliant tones. Not to say my warm humbucking tones aren't good, just that they're different.

I'm liking the Tele more than the Strat because a) the thicker neck b) I like how the standard only has two single coils. Honestly, I have a hard enough time choosing two pups that are perfect for the guitar, never mind three different ones that will all compliment each other. There always seems to be atleast one selection that's off, which drives me nuts. The Tele seems very simple, just the way I like it. Only two pickups to give me the right amount of sounds I need, 3.

Give me a bright (but not overly bright) sweet tone - often played with distortion, a middle tone that is great for rhythm (clean), and a tone that is warmer than the rest that isn't muddy for a bluesy type tone. Besides that, I don't care about out of phase, and other crazy things. To my playing and creativity, it clutters things. I like the basic sounds each was meant to produce. I'm now realizing I can't fully have everything in one. However, I think the Tele is a great workhorse guitar (barebones, the way I like it) and it offers the type of cleans I have in my head while offering good rock and roll tones (don't play a lot of metal or hardcore to warrant anything else).

 

[Closed Eye]

You know, I'm 21; I love excessive feedback, heavy metal type stuff, and more avant guard kind of fthings. but recently I've gotten out of that phase. I loved boatloads of distortion and tons of feedback and massive walls of amps. But now, I'm looking for something small (50 Watts), in a combo, with jangly cleans, and a tight, "mild" distortion.
I never used the neck pickup, and now I'm finding myself using it more, and I'm starting to get into the blues for real (not just to be a 'great' guitarist or as a means to an end, but because I actually like playing the blues). I really like chunky palm muting and bass heavy kinda stuff, but my own amp's bass control is set at 4!
I'm slowly gaining an affinity for handmade pedals and odd assortments of effects. Not really for any practical reason, but just to mess with differant sounds. I used to look for a delay because "such and such uses it and I need it to play this song" but now I could care less. I'll substitute something I've already got in my effects chain and jam on the part rather than hit it note for note because I'm not trying to be that guitar player; I'm trying to be me. I find my developing playing style to be somewhat different than my listening tastes.
My taste in guitars goes between pointy and traditional. I don't really want a Mesa or an American Stratocaster (played one...hated it) but these lower priced Korean-made guitars (Yamaha anything) or reissues (Fender Tele thinline) are really impressing me. I'm drawn to mid-market guitars, it's the sound I like and the sound I'm used to.
I recently played Fender Tele Thinline and I found myself really liking it. The price was right and the guitar was right. I'm not sure if it's made in America or not, but the price is similar to that of un-American guitars...and that makes me happy.
If the me now talked to the me a year and half ago I would've kicked my own @$$.

 

[That90'sGuy]

If the me now talked to the me a year and half ago I would've kicked my own @$$.

Haha... that's great I got a good laugh out of that.

I definitely feel like that sometimes, going from stuff like Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam to playing stuff that country boys often use.

 

[BluesNRock87]

chris, i read the title of the thread and thought 1 thing, than iread u post, and here is what i say:

chris, there comes a time in every boys life when he becomes a man, its called PUBERTY. maybe u are maturing to like tele's, starts, who knows?

im 17, and i have been gassing for either a start or a tele (highway 1 or usa, no mexi junk) since my 15th b-day, prbly the strat since i was like 8 and heard my first jimi cd. i know what u mean, something about the tele is so pure, yet it has ability to get down, dirty, and funky, i dig it. the strat is similar, though not so pure. hopefully i will get my amp this spring, and after that a strat or a tele (highway 1 w/ duncans ?????) will be on the way !!!

 

[That90'sGuy]

i think in a lot of ways, we're probably very similar. i know you're definitely getting into a lot of the same type of stuff i am (starting funk, jazz, blues etc) where regular rock just sounds a bit too simple. maybe there's something in the air in ct?

 

[butnut]

and i have been gassing for either a start or a tele (highway 1 or usa, no mexi junk)

Don't think that made in USA is superior to MIM or MIJ Fenders...sure, there are nice vintage US made guitars, but a lot of Mexican and Japan Fenders blow away the US stuff. I see no difference between my MIM Jimmy Vaughan and the US Strats I've seen. I got a keeper...at a great price. I hang at TFF and a lot of Fender players swear some of the MIM reissues/classics even beat the custom shop Fenders they own. More recently, a guy there traded his JV Strat and amp for a USA Strat, took it home and decided it sounded and played terrible compared to his JV...traded it back. The older MIJ Fenders are highly sought for their exteme attention to vintage specs and build quality. You can buy a USA fender, but the Mexican produced Fenders really have stepped up quality. All Things Strat has a tour of the Mexico plant...first class high tech facility, I was really suprised and impressed. The real test is to play a US and Mexican Fender and decide...you may walk out with a great guitar, and a lot of spare cash in your pocket. :13:

 

[Gearjoneser]

I've seen some Jimmy Vaughan strats, black and white one's
go for around $325 used. That's an absolute steal, and also
leaves you plenty of money for top notch pickups like Duncan
Antiquities or Fralins. Then, you have Custom Shop tone, for
"beginner guitar" dollars.

 

[Hoss]

a tele is a "must have" in anyones collection...imho...

i can't wait to get a new one!!!

 

[nuntius]

i want a tele too

gotta love the chunky neck

 

[That90'sGuy]

If you want quality, go with USA Custom Guitars. I know I'm gonna go there for my Tele. The woods there are hand selected and beat out Fenders mass produced stuff.

 

[Luke Duke]

To my ears strats sound thin compared to a tele. All a tele needs is some qp's or a2pros and it's rockin in my book. Mine has qp's and does straight up rock well. The QP's love gain.

Gearjonser made some great points. The best thing out of the 90's IMHO are the boutique amps. Damn I love my Z!!!!!!

Luke

 

[BluesNRock87]

maybe something is in the air in ct, (nitrogen, oxygen, and about 300 other things.....)

im not trashing the mim/mij teles, but i like buying made in usa gutiars for some reason, it feels patriotic and i feel it doesnt support sending jobs overseas......i have played some mim/mij gutiars i abosultly loved, and would buy them if i wanted them, but something about the highway 1 i really like, and even more than the highway 1 i love the american series, especially the deluxe (a bit too pricey). something about them just feels right when i pick them up.

 

[butnut]

maybe something is in the air in ct, (nitrogen, oxygen, and about 300 other things.....)

im not trashing the mim/mij teles, but i like buying made in usa gutiars for some reason, it feels patriotic and i feel it doesnt support sending jobs overseas......i have played some mim/mij gutiars i abosultly loved, and would buy them if i wanted them, but something about the highway 1 i really like, and even more than the highway 1 i love the american series, especially the deluxe (a bit too pricey). something about them just feels right when i pick them up.

It's kool. But just so you know, the only thing American on the Highway series is the neck and where it's assembled. It has the same Alder body, hardware (bridge, tuners etc) and electronics (pups, pots etc) as the MIM Std. guitars. Lot of guys buy 'em for the thin finish and good price, but end up changing pups (Duncans are good :13: ) and tuners, bridge etc...if you add it up, maybe an American std. would be a good choice. I support American goods too, but I don't go out of my way just because...price is a factor in a lot of my choices. But if the guitar speaks to ya, you should get it.