14 Best Telecaster Guitars in 2022
- 1. Fender American Professional II Telecaster (Best Value) Shop on Sweetwater ...
- 2. Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Broadcaster Relic (Best Overall) Shop on Sweetwater ...
- 3. Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster (Editor’s Choice) Shop on Sweetwater ...
- 4. Fender Player Telecaster (Best Under $1000) Shop on Sweetwater ...
- 5. Fender American Ultra Telecaster ...
- 6. Fender American Performer Telecaster ...
Full Answer
Which Fender Telecaster is the best?
The Best Telecaster Alternatives
- Fender Player Series Telecaster
- Squier Affinity Telecaster
- Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 2
- ESP LTD TE-1000 Evertune
- G&L Tribute ASAT Classic
- Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder PT. The Fender Player Telecaster is a Mexican made guitar that is almost identical to it's American counterpart at half the price.
Are Squier Telecasters any good?
Yes, this guitar is an excellent choice if you are a beginner, as it has a straight neck, leveled frets and produces an excellent sound, making this guitar worth the buy! Overall, the Squier Affinity Telecaster is a great guitar for a beginner or just someone looking for a cheaper axe to throw around.
What are Telecasters good for?
telecasters are good for funk. A lot of funk guitarists play telecasters. Some famous funk guitarists who play telecasters are Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Derek Trucks (probably the most famous for this guitar), Bootsy Collins (Bootsy’s bass lines are very funky), George Clinton, Prince, Sly Stone, Rick James, etc.
What is great blues guitarist played a Telecaster?
The specific Telecaster he played was given to him by Jeff Beck, who had used the guitar extensively with The Yardbirds. And prior to Beck playing with The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton played a Telecaster during his time with the band. He later did the same for a brief time with Blind Faith.
What are the different levels of Telecaster?
Here's a rundown of some of the various Telecaster models you'll find in the current Fender range:American Original 60s Telecaster Thinline. ... American Professional Telecaster Deluxe Shawbucker. ... Classic Player Baja Telecaster. ... Parallel Universe Volume II Tele Magico. ... Deluxe Nashville Telecaster.More items...•
Who makes a good Telecaster?
The best T-types at a glance:Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster.Schecter PT Fastback.Fender Vintera 50s Telecaster.G&L Tribute Asat.Squier Classic Vibe Thinline Telecaster.Chapman ML3 Pro Modern.Fender American Professional II Tele Deluxe.Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 2 24 HH.More items...•
What should I look for in a Telecaster?
Basic Telecaster FeaturesSolid body - usually ash or alder.Bolt-on neck - made of maple.Maple or rosewood fretboards (maple is more common)Nitrocellulose lacquer (vintage Teles), polyurethane or polyester finish (modern Teles)2 single-coil pickups (one in the bridge position and one in the neck position)More items...•
What is the best Telecaster for country music?
Gretsch 6120 The Telecaster has been the best country music guitar in terms of popularity for a long time. However, that doesn't mean that country guitarists only like to use one model of guitar!
How much should I spend on a Telecaster?
The Quick Answer. Telecaster electric guitars cost between $200 and $2500. Fender Telecasters are the most expensive, ranging from $850-$2500, with the most popular Fender American Professional II Telecaster costing around $1700. Squier Telecaster are more affordable versions which range from roughly $180-$500.
Is Telecaster or Stratocaster better?
Telecaster is much more versatile, whereas Stratocaster offers a broader palette of tones. Telecaster is easier to play and tune, whereas Stratocaster is more comfortable to hold. Telecaster has one piece that extends right below the bridge pickup, whereas the Stratocaster bridge that has a two-point tremolo system.
What type of music is a Telecaster good for?
Like the three-pickup Stratocaster which followed it in 1954, the Telecaster is a versatile guitar and has been used in many genres, including country, reggae, rock, pop, folk, soul, blues, jazz, punk, metal, alternative, indie rock, and R&B.
Can you play rock with a Telecaster?
Teles are the most versatile guitars ever. If you get one with humbuckers, it can handle metal. Otherwise, it can go anything from blues to country to rock on the basic neck and bridge single coils.
How can I make my Telecaster sound better?
Here we present 25 tips that will help turn your guitar into a tone machine.Flip your control plate. ... Upgrade your bridge plate. ... Brighten up your neck pickup. ... Try top-loading. ... Strat-style neck pickup adjustment. ... Change your saddles to sound better. ... Change your tuners. ... Swap saddles for better intonation.More items...•
Why are Telecasters so good?
Maybe that's because the Telecaster has a reputation for attracting players of technical renown. The tight attack and quick response these guitars are known for can hew the rough edges off a sloppy technique in short order. This puts them in high demand for the precision of modern music styles.
How can you tell a fake Telecaster?
0:162:35I got a fake Fender Telecaster! How to spot a fake Fender - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut you take a look at the logo. The Fender logo just doesn't look quite right it's a it's a veryMoreBut you take a look at the logo. The Fender logo just doesn't look quite right it's a it's a very black. Black. That's not normal and the font for a Telecaster. Does not look quite right somebody's.
What guitar did Kurt Cobain play?
The Fender Jag-Stang is an electric guitar produced by Fender and designed by Nirvana guitarist/vocalist Kurt Cobain. It was intended as a hybrid of two Fender electric guitars models: the Jaguar and the Mustang....Fender Jag-StangBodyBasswood or Alder on reissuesNeckMapleFretboardRosewoodHardware12 more rows
Why are Telecasters so good?
Maybe that's because the Telecaster has a reputation for attracting players of technical renown. The tight attack and quick response these guitars are known for can hew the rough edges off a sloppy technique in short order. This puts them in high demand for the precision of modern music styles.
Does Yamaha make a Telecaster?
The Yamaha Pacifica Tele-Style guitar is a rocking guitar that matches the feel and play-ability of a real Telecaster but at an affordable price! It's a Solid Top Electric with Tele-Style pickups, Two pots (Volume and Tone), and three-way pickup switch.
What guitar did Kurt Cobain play?
The Fender Jag-Stang is an electric guitar produced by Fender and designed by Nirvana guitarist/vocalist Kurt Cobain. It was intended as a hybrid of two Fender electric guitars models: the Jaguar and the Mustang....Fender Jag-StangBodyBasswood or Alder on reissuesNeckMapleFretboardRosewoodHardware12 more rows
What guitar does Bruce Springsteen play?
Bruce Springsteen primarily plays Fender Telecaster guitars. Throughout his career, his single most known guitar is likely his Fender Esquire Telecaster hybrid known as “The Mutt” which is made up of 1950s era parts. The boss has also played a wide range of other guitars throughout his legendary career.
When was the telecaster invented?
The Telecaster design was born in 1950, and, although it’s undergone a variety of changes and modifications in its 70+ years lifetime, it’s still very much alive and well. There are loads of different versions on the market today which is why we’ve put together this guide to the best Telecasters out there right now.
When did Fender start making telecasters?
In 1952 , Fender settled on the Telecaster name and, as they say - the rest is history. As well as Custom and Deluxe versions, alongside many others, the Fender Tele is doing just as well today as it ever was.
What is a hum telecaster?
The Performer Telecaster Hum is the lowest price American-built model in the current Fender catalogue. What's "hum"? Well, this guitar features a humbucker in the neck position, just the way Keith Richards likes it. We should point out that the American Performer Telecaster is also available in a traditional, two single coil layout at the same price.
What is the sexiest guitar ever made?
The '70s Telecaster Custom is one of the sexiest electric guitars ever made. Slung low around a cadaverous Keith Richards' shoulders it became a sought after classic despite being made during Fender's worst decade for quality control. Some examples weighed over ten pounds and had unnecessarily thick finishes.
What is a wide range humbucker?
This is the Tele you buy if you like classic rock stuff. The Wide-Range humbuckers offer great note separation and clarity no matter how intense the distortion gets. Controls are more Gibson like with two volumes, two tones and a three-way pickup selector toggle switch.
What is a Noventa guitar?
Fitted with a single Noventa single-coil pickup (essentially a P-90 - Noventa actually translates to Ninety in a number of European languages), this guitar is a stripped-back rock and roll machine.
Is a telecaster a humbucker?
Favoured by country and metal players alike, the Fender Telecaster is a versatile beast. Whilst its original design utilised single coil pickups, there are versions out there with humbuckers, and a combination of the two. There’s a Telecaster for all budgets too - from entry-level Squier models made in the Far East, to professional, US-built Teles.
What is a telecaster guitar?
It’s really been a staple in the music industry for over 70 years now, and the Telecasters are an extremely versatile guitar that has been used for many genres, including rock, pop, country, jazz, folk, blues, punk, metal, alternative, RnB, and reggae. The design and features are relatively simple, but the Telecasters are magical instruments that can blend into so many different styles of music. Over the years our team at Guitar Lobby has owned and tested dozens of them, and in the rest of this article, we’ll be sharing the best Telecaster guitars at each price point.
What frets does a player telecaster have?
There are some changes that upgraded the guitar; the Player Telecaster has an added 22nd fret, all-purpose fretboard radius, and a set of old-school bent-steel saddles. One more added fret might not sound like much, but having that extra high note makes a world of difference and it gives you so much more sonic choice at the top of the range. The set of old-school bent-steel saddles and the new fretboard radius provide a long-sustaining tone and helps with accurate intonation.
What is a Noventa Telecaster?
Key Specs and Features: Noventa Telecaster has a simple Alder Telecaster body with a maple ne ck – providing a solid base for a great sustain and full guitar tone. The unique stripped-down body features a stylish half pickguard, and the half pickguard does a great job of showcasing the beautiful Alder body. The bridge part is also quite unique, and it’s a 3-Saddle Custom “Cut-off” Vintage-style Tele bridge with Brass Saddles that are completely unique to this guitar. Another unusual feature is the vintage-style tuners. Overall, Noventa Telecaster has a mixed vibe of both modern and vintage. The design is certainly modern and different from any other preexisting Telecasters, but there are hints of vintage with the features like the vintage-style tuners and cut-off bridge.
What is the Squier Classic Vibe 50s?
Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s is a celebration of the original 1950s Fender “black guard” Telecasters, and it’s a chance to experience the original Telecaster at a bargain price. You can even get the Butterscotch Blonde finish, which was the original 1950s Telecaster finish color. To anyone looking to get into playing the guitar with a Telecaster, the Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster might be a great place to start your guitar journey.
What is the Fender 75th anniversary?
Key Specs and Features: Fender 75th Anniversary Telecaster has the classic Telecaster body and neck – an alder body with a maple neck. The standard alder body serves as the blueprint for most of the Telecasters today due to its ability to produce a balanced-sounding blend of lows, mids, and highs. The neck on this guitar is also top-quality: classic maple neck with a maple fingerboard.
How much does a Squier Telecaster cost?
My Review: If you’re looking for the ultimate cheap Telecaster, nothing will beat the quality and the price of this monstrous Squier Telecaster! The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster has a true Tele, feel tone with great specs and electronics – for under $250. Compared to the Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Tele, the Affinity Series Telecaster has a resonant alder body rather than a pine body. Many guitar players want a Telecaster in their collection, but the $1000+ price point of Fender Telecasters can be too daunting for your first Telecaster. That’s what Squier Telecasters are here for, and the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster is the perfect introduction to the world of Telecasters and a great value for the super affordable price!
What is the finish on a Fender Performer Telecaster?
Key Specs and Features: Fender Performer Telecaster’s choices of finishes are very unique; finish options range from Penny, Vintage White, Satin Sonic Blue, and Honey Burst. The new finish options give a refreshing look to the classic electric guitar and breathes new life to the massively popular guitar. Fender Performer Telecaster has the classic Alder body with a bolt-on maple neck with a 9.5’’ radius maple fingerboard, and there are a total of 22 jumbo-sized frets, finished with a synthetic bone nut.
What wood do telecasters use?
Generally, entry-level instruments will have fewer options here and typically rely on lower-end woods, while more advanced builds will include a wider spectrum of woods such as alder , ash, or mahogany.
What is Tele twang?
A major part of that traditional Tele twang is due to the blast-proof anchor of the ashtray-style bridge, which enables body resonance and pickup transference. These come in a variety of styles: flush-to-body, fully covered, half ashtray, and beyond. Saddle setups come in a similar variety, from vintage-style brass barrels to steel, and even a Stratocaster-inspired modern style.
Where are Fender guitars made?
The next step up in the Fender family from the Squier line are instruments made in the company's Ensenada, Mexico facility or, in some instances, those built in Japan. Made in Mexico or MIM Teles are known as workhorse guitars. Many include features like shielded pickup and electronics cavities in alder bodies, string-through-body saddle styles, sealed tuners, and a variety of heights and materials for fret choices. Nowadays, the main MIM Tele is called the Fender Player Telecaster, but on the used market here on Reverb, you'll also find many labeled as the "Standard Telecaster."
Is a Telecaster a good guitar?
It's a relentlessly reliable and undeniably versatile instrument, and no matter your playing style, budget, or creative tastes, a Telecaster is always a safe bet when deciding which electric guitar is right for you.
Is Squier a lower end guitar?
Squier is Fender's lower-end brand, but don't let the price tag fool you into thinking these guitars aren't excellently playable instruments. While some guitar designs with complex tremolos or switching systems mean more corners to cut, the brilliant simplicity of the Telecaster means Squier has the ideal palette for a tailored instrument at an accessible price.
What is a classic telecaster?
The classic Telecaster is a workhorse of a machine, and everything about it is simplicity and power.
Where are telecasters made?
Telecasters are manufactured in either the USA, Mexico or Asia.
What pickups does the Fender Deluxe Nashville have?
The Fender Deluxe Nashville is a beast of a guitar. It ships with a pair of gorgeous noiseless single-coil pickups in the neck and bridge position built using alnico V magnets and shielded wire, which guarantees that any unwanted hum is non-existent while retaining that vintage Tele punch – and definition, for ultimate tonal clarity.
What pickups does the Alnico 5 have?
It comes with a pair of Player Series single-coil pickups for that crisp, articulate sound. The alnico 5 magnetic pole pieces provide a rich and balanced bass response, a punchy mid-range, and crystalline bell-like ‘highs’.
What is the most expensive telephony?
The American Elite by Fender is the most expensive Tele on the list, and for the price, you pretty much get the best technology out there (the fact it’s called American should be obvious enough, but if you’re in any doubt, this is made in the USA).
What is a Fender modern player?
The Fender Modern Player is a superb mid-range guitar and gives you the best of old and new: modern hardware and electronics, but an authentic vintage tone associated with the Tele.
What is the fretboard on a guitar?
The fretboard itself is maple, so it should survive plenty of action and will sustain notes for a reasonable amount of time. The neck is also bolt-on, so if damaged you can replace it easily, and there are some well-made brass saddles which allow you to refine the instrument’s intonation to meet your taste.
What is a Telecaster guitar made of?
This DIY Telecaster guitar kit features stellar materials. The body is made of mahogany, whereas the neck and fretboard are constructed of high-quality maple. Also, it has chrome hardware, and its fret style is standard.
Who Wins the Best Tele Kit Shootout?
In our opinion, the best overall brand is FretWire (thefretwire.com) with their two top options – the Ash TL and TL Thinline Style guitar kits. Both kits have a lot to offer, but the Ash TL is the best Telecaster DIY guitar kit at the moment.
Why is the guitar kit so convenient?
This guitar kit is convenient for several reasons. For example, the assembly is rather straightforward. The wiring is simple, and the nut slot depth setup is quick and easy.
How many pieces are in a Tele guitar?
The body comes in three pieces, but all of them blend in very well. The holes are accurately drilled, and all the Tele guitar kit instructions are clear and easy to follow.
What are the tasks you need to do on a guitar?
On top of that, there are several tasks you may need to perform on your guitar. These include cutting, sanding, drilling, painting, gluing, staining, etc. All these jobs require a lot of time and patience, depending on your skill level. Another potential hindrance is the lack of necessary tools for the job.
How to get the final product on a guitar?
To get the desired final product, you might need to do some patching and sanding on your guitar. Plus, you’ll need to add some holes to mount the bridge and pickguard.
Do all guitar kits have the same quality?
With numerous guitar kit manufacturers to choose from, not all of them offer the same level of quality and durability of components.
What is the most popular telecaster?
Let’s kick things off with the real thing: The Fender Player Series Telecaster is the brand’s most popular Telecaster in terms of sales because of its affordable price tag and high quality production.
What is a Telecaster?
Fender actually introduced what looks like the Telecaster in 1950, but called it the Broadcaster. It quickly set the bar quite high for electric guitars, which were still in their infancy. A year later, Leo Fender changed the name of the guitar to the Telecaster.
What is Squier Affinity Telecaster?
The Squier Affinity Telecaster gives your the iconic twang of a Fender Tele at a fraction fo the price.
How many frets does a Squier Telecaster have?
Similar to its Fender counterpart, the Squier Telecaster is extremely comfortable to play, which is critical when first learning an instrument. Instead of 22 frets, the Squier features the more traditional 21-fret setup. Classic pickups. The Squier features the traditional setup of two single-coil pickups.
What is a telecaster guitar?
It revolutionized the electric guitar industry and has stood the test of time over the past 70-plus years: The Fender Telecaster is an iconic design used across a bevy of genres, including country, rock and pop music. As a result of its popularity, the Telecaster, often known simply as the Tele, has attracted other manufacturers not named Fender ...
How much does a telecaster guitar cost?
Telecaster-style guitars range in price from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars. Some of the more rare pieces, like the Tokai Breezysound Telecaster, have become collector items over the years, increasing the price even more substantially.
What guitars have a thinner neck?
Over the years, companies that make Telecaster-style guitars — in addition to Fender — have updated the guitar with a more modern, thinner neck, allowing for easier chording and soling. Playability also comes down to the weight of the guitar.
What to look for when buying a Telecaster?
The phrase T-type usually denotes two things – a flat-topped single-cut design, and/or an electronics layout mimicking that of the original. Traditional-leaning T-styles will often sport dual-single coil pickups, alongside a three-way blade switch and master volume/tone controls housed in a metal control plate.
What pickups are used on a Jazzmaster guitar?
There’s an element of Jazzmaster in the body shape, not to mention the Mastery bridge and vibrato tailpiece; but that’s combined with a Tele-style control plate and, most distinctively, an elegant German carve around the front edge of the body. The custom wound pickups are a humbucker in the bridge and a P90 in the neck – both vintage-voiced. These, alongside the comfortably chunky neck with a profile described as ‘59 LP,’ introduce some Gibson into the guitar’s smorgasbord of influences. But the neck is maple, with a Fender-style 25.5-inch scale length. If every other T-type is just too ‘T-type’ for your liking, this might be the mashup you need. If you like the sound of that, but have a few suggestions, Vuorensaku offers a number of custom options.
What is a T54?
“Twang ” is the calling card of this T-style from Maybach. Decidedly vintage in spec, the T54 has a string-through sugar pine body, maple neck, a 7.25-inch-radius maple fretboard, and a single-ply pickguard. The single-coil pickups, though, bear some modern influence: they’re Amber Twangtones designed to prevent the assertive tone typical of traditional Teles from being too harsh on the ears. Non-locking Gotoh SDS-510 tuners are the only piece of modern hardware on this otherwise proudly old-school take on the T-style electric.
What is Friedman's T style electric guitar?
Friedman’s relic’d T-style electric is a professional workhorse with thoroughbred DNA. If you play alt-country, alternative rock, punk rock or power pop, it’s tough to think of a better (or more bullet-proof) blue-collar guitar than the Vintage-T with which to take care of business as the years of sweat and toil on the road roll by.
Is a garden telecaster versatile?
While the common or garden Telecaster itself is notoriously versatile, its design has inspired many guitar makers to give the formula a twist of their own – each geared to a specific type of player.
Do 70's Telecaster Deluxe have humbuckers?
More modern-leaning designs might be fitted with humbuckers instead, mimicking the 70’s Telecaster Deluxe’s control layout (which itself takes some cues from a certain other singlecut’s electronics), and some might even do away with the scratchplate-centred construction entirely, leading to a sleek, minimalist look. Compared to their S-type siblings, T-style guitars are also more likely to sport hardtailed bridges rather than vibratos, but there are some exceptions.