When to 'Let Go'

[wickedmartini]

I have a Telecaster that I picked up about 10 years ago. I had always wanted one and when I walked into a local music store and picked this one up I knew I had to have it. The neck is everything I look for in a neck in terms of shape and feel. It just feels solid and right. The problem is that when I plug it in I can never seem to get what I want from it. It's great clean and in those blue and dirty situations but it just doesn't 'have it.'. I have dropped a ton of differnt pickups in it over the years, changed pots, nuts, bridges, tuners, etc. But still I only tend to break it out in limited situations. I wish all of my guitars felt as good as this Tele but I guess I'm on the verge of giving up. Am I expecting too much from it? Maybe expecting a Tele not to be a Tele? I don't know. Just wondered if any of you guys have ever run into a situation like this and when you think it's time to trade it in and move on. I'd hate to see it go but I'm thinking I could pick up something that I would play a little more or sell it and use the cash for one of my project guitars. Any thoughts?

 

[loudriver23]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Tell me more of this "IT" that your Tele lacks. This is a tough one, as finding a wonderful neck is a rarity in my mind. Sure there are a lot of guitars with decent necks, but when you have one that feels great, like home it's tough to give that up.
You mentioned that perhaps you were asking the tele to be something other than a tele, that could very well be at the heart of the issue. You've already claimed that the guitar is great with clean, blues, and some classic rock settings. So with the addition of country music that's pretty much the Tele's sweet spot without too much modifications. If you're trying to head bang, and need to do some whammy bar dive bombs maybe this guitar isn't a perfect fit for you.
On the other hand if you love the neck, maybe a body replacement might help get you some more IT.
As for me I'm pretty patient, and am willing to throw money at guitars I believe have potential. However if I had a guitar that just didn't have IT, I'd have no problem in selling it whatsoever.
I only have 1 guitar that has sentimental value to me, and fortunately it has "IT" in spades.
So, bottom like, if you're willing to take one last gamble, try a replacement body, maybe even a thinline, or try different wood like mahagony. If not, I say ditch it now, and find another guitar that has so much IT, your other guitars get jealous and starved for your attention.
Good luck, let us know what you end up doing.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

i think that if you do get a replacement body, get it routed for humbuckers so you have more tonal options to try.

 

[ES350]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

I give maybe a month or two with minor tweaks; then it goes in the 'recycle' bin. If it doesn't work, it's just a waste of time...

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Yeah man I was about to suggest you try humbuckers in it --- get a Little 59 or something if you don't want to cut a new guard and then you're on your way.

I had this happen to me with my Strat --- I loved how well built and solid the guitar was, and the neck was perfect, but I was always fighting the uphill battle when I was plugged in. I put a cheater pickup, ahem, I mean humbucker in it and I've played it live more frequently.

Also, I think you may need a new amp.

This also happened to me, where I thought I was just never going to sound like I wanted to, but then I got a new amp that really set me free.

-Hunter

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

I can usally tell right away if it's a keeper but if I buy one and with1in a few weeks to a month it's not cutting it I cut it!

 

[wanmei1]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to lay to rest one Fender Tele.........
( make sure you salvage the strings. )

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Have you thought of maybe getting a good aftermarket strat (or whatever style yu like) body and trying the neck on it?

 

[wickedmartini]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Thanks for all of the feedback guys... To answer a few questions...

It just sounds flat--for lack of a better term. No matter what I do to it it always has this muddy quality to it. It's like it's on the verge of getting somewhere but it never quite gets there. Muddy, flat and inarticulate. Right now I have a DiMarzio Fast Track T in the bridge. Not even sure what's in the neck at this point. I have thought about saving the neck for another project but I think if I'm going to move on, I'm going to move on and get rid of the guitar altogether. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I bought a Tele because I wanted a Tele and maybe I'm expecting it to be a little more versatile than a Tele should be.

 

[loudriver23]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Have you thought of maybe getting a good aftermarket strat (or whatever style yu like) body and trying the neck on it?

If you're getting rid of the Tele, Lucid's suggestion is a great one. An HSS strat can cover about any musical genre you can imagine. If you need more crazyness from the trem, maybe get something with a true Floyd Rose.
I think ditching a lack luster axe is looking like the right call for you.
Cut bait and try again in a different spot.

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

My very first thought also was to get a new body, preferably a Strat shaped one and screw the neck in that.
Another option would be to get a new guitar and have a luthier shape that neck to mirror your Teles but that might be too far fetched...

 

[Bludave]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Thanks for all of the feedback guys... To answer a few questions...

It just sounds flat--for lack of a better term. No matter what I do to it it always has this muddy quality to it. It's like it's on the verge of getting somewhere but it never quite gets there. Muddy, flat and inarticulate. Right now I have a DiMarzio Fast Track T in the bridge. Not even sure what's in the neck at this point. I have thought about saving the neck for another project but I think if I'm going to move on, I'm going to move on and get rid of the guitar altogether. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I bought a Tele because I wanted a Tele and maybe I'm expecting it to be a little more versatile than a Tele should be.

I have a few Teles, and they are all setup a little different. My "Vintage" style Tele is setup with a Vintage 54 N & a Jerry Donahue in the Bridge. Its a Classic Rock/Blues/Country dream guitar (although I don't know how to play Country). My second Tele I like to use for slide. It has a little more bite. This has a Tex Mex Strat Pickup in the Neck & a Tex Mex Tele pickup in the bridge. I can do Rock & blues with this as well. My other Tele can do everything from classic Rock to Metal. It has a Firebird Mini Hum in the Neck and a Hotrail in the bridge. For Classic rock stuff I find the hotrail to be a little to midrangy but other than that this guitar kicks some serious booty! Another Tele I have has 2 Pearly Gates in the guitar. Its a set neck black out Tele. Great guitar and it has great tones considering it has 2 HB in her. Same kinda vibe. I can do blues to Metal, but In all honesty it really does not sound at all like a Tele should.

What I think it sounds like to me is your pickups may need to be addressed. you said you were not sure what was in it! Has it sounded lacking with everything? What is it not doing that maybe your other guitars are?

As others has said. If it feels right, don't give up on it yet. You describe the guitar as mudyy. Well muddy & Telecaster just don't usually come together in the same sentence. Most Telecasters I have played and heard for that matter are anything but muddy. Usually a Tele is crisp & bright by comparison to other guitars. I would look at putting some real Tele pickups in there and then see where it takes you. Try a 54N & a JD. Its a good combination for a very Traditional sounding Tele.

 

[Hellion]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

I'm thinking that if your Tele is sounding muddy to you, you might have the wrong pickup in the bridge. Teles are supposed to "punch" then "sing". I'd recommend a Quarter Pound Tele in the bridge position. You'll get plenty of definition, plus a little extra oomph from the bigger magnet.

 

[jimijames]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

It just sounds flat--for lack of a better term. No matter what I do to it it always has this muddy quality to it. It's like it's on the verge of getting somewhere but it never quite gets there. Muddy, flat and inarticulate. Right now I have a DiMarzio Fast Track T in the bridge. Not even sure what's in the neck at this point.

Hmm, the only real solution to "flat,muddy, and lifeless" that I can think of is a set of vintage-sounding single coils. Sure, they're a bit noisy, and maybe a bit treble-y, but they are the furthest sounding thing from flat and muddy. You might not like them at first, but it's worth a try. They have some of the best half-grit sounds I've heard. In fact, give me a tele with a bigsby and a marshall or an AC-30 with a dirt pedal anyday - it's a really versatile instrument with low(er) output pickups in it. If you still really want to do metal, I'd get the tapped telecaster pickup that seymour makes and throw a forum single in the neck. That'd be a sweet axe.

 

[wanmei1]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Seems to me if you've got a "dull and muddy" Tele then chances are it's the body wood.

Maybe a different body would do it.
Have you done an A/B comparison with another Tele ?

It's pretty hard to get dull and muddy out of a Tele as short of a lawn mower, it cuts through like nothing else. ( so bright and sharp sounding.)

Re the neck shape....
People tend to obsess about neck profiles but I feel that if your any sort of a player, you'll soon get used to a different neck profile.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

What do you want it to sound like?

I had a 65 Esquire. That guitar was so incredibly comfortable to play, it had a wonderful clean sound, but I couldn't get it to do "rock." I'd tried different pickups, I'd tried tons of stuff, and I eventually gave up on it. Shortly thereafter I picked up a MIJ Tele, and I went through the same things. Since it wasn't an old guitar and it was "just" a MIJ Tele I didn't have any problems messing with it.

I came across the Harmonic Design pickups- that gave the guitar a good cross between a LP Jr and a Tele- I switched out the volume pots for 500k pots. It's a rocker. I sorta wish I had that old Esquire back...

 

[alex1fly]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Thanks for all of the feedback guys... To answer a few questions...

It just sounds flat--for lack of a better term. No matter what I do to it it always has this muddy quality to it. It's like it's on the verge of getting somewhere but it never quite gets there. Muddy, flat and inarticulate. Right now I have a DiMarzio Fast Track T in the bridge. Not even sure what's in the neck at this point. I have thought about saving the neck for another project but I think if I'm going to move on, I'm going to move on and get rid of the guitar altogether. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I bought a Tele because I wanted a Tele and maybe I'm expecting it to be a little more versatile than a Tele should be.

Haha, replace "Tele" with "Strat" and that's exactly what I've been feeilng about the Strat I've had for 6ish years. Sentimental value, I *want it* to be awesome, but just doesn't do it for me no matter what. Haven't gotten rid of it, but I don't play it.

 

[jerryjg]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Haha, replace "Tele" with "Strat" and that's exactly what I've been feeilng about the Strat I've had for 6ish years. Sentimental value, I *want it* to be awesome, but just doesn't do it for me no matter what. Haven't gotten rid of it, but I don't play it.

Arent you going to advise him to put DiMarzios in it? hahah

 

[buckethead]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

I vote firewood I know it sucks!

Better yet mount it on the wall:beerchug:

 

[wickedmartini]

Re: When to 'Let Go'

Thanks again guys. I think it just might be time to move on. I'll start shopping after the holidays. I still have a project strat in the works. I am hoping that will bring some immediate gratification once it's done.