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This seems to be a very common assesment of telecasters on this forum. I've played em and I love em, but I never quite got what people meant by this. Is it said because the light weight, single coils, etc. reflect more 'truly' what is being played than an LP style guitar? I notice that the crispness of single coil guitars make it hard to fudge mistakes, of course by the same token that means that they can be more 'versatile' because they reflect precisely what you are playing.

I was just wondering if this is why people say that. Seems like strats are potentially more versatile due to the 3rd pickup and whammy bar. Just wondering if people find tele's to be more 'versatile' than strats or if the statement applies to any guitar in that same vein.

I think people say that in meaning that the Tele is a nice guitar to use sometimes instead of a Strat for the same or similar sounds when playing blues, rock, or country and can also produce great rockin' rollin' tones with a variety of different pickups available....all in the same guitar.
On the same token, I can get nice Strat/Tele-like tones from my C-1 Schecter with split humbuckers (JB/Jazz pups), and then go straight to full-out hummers witha flick of a switch. So, there are definitely options out there one can consider.

Teles are way more versatile than LP's or strats. They have great cleans, excellent OD sounds, and decent high gain tones, even with the stock single coil pickups.

try a Thinline tele with some quality pickups and really hear versatile.

a parallel/split/normal switch on a humbucker guitar is the most versatile thing ever. From my experience, parallel HBs sound like a tele, coil splits sound like a strat, and humbuckers sound like they damn well should!

Especially if you use a dd

slade

They say that because Teles ARE versatile. I'm not a huge fan of them, yet I've been playing one primarily for the last 6 years. They work for just about every musical situation and I can name you players from almost every genre of music that use them. They're very utilitarian instruments, there isn't anything on them that doesn't need to be there and they're highly adaptable to every player.

interesting stuff... I knew this would be a popular thread

I'm intrigued by the idea of a tele with buckers in it, with the option to split. Doesnt really seem like such a useful idea in a mahogany/maple cap guitar, given the weight, etc.

I too love the simplicity of the guitar. I will never understand why people want 3 pickups in a guitar, and I absolutely despise whammy bars of any shape or form. They belong on the pedal board, dammit!

plus i love the look.... its so damned ugly! Not burst finish, no carved top, no binding.... just a flat pice of wood with a neck bolted onto it. It doesnt even have an attractive curvy double cut like a strat. I have no idea why the idea of ugliness strongly appeals to me but it does nontheless Functionality, I guess.

benjy why you do you specifically mention thinlines?

I think it's an inside joke...sort of like when people say that tele's are quot;a real man's guitarquot; or something like that (Of course I'm kidding! ).



it lets you do the talking and sounds good in alot more scenarios than other guitars IMO.

strats are more versatile, IMO

teles are more challenging, and you have to be up to the task to get the best out of them

I think a tele with a split bucker in the bridge is as versatile as you can get; I don't mean you'll like every sound you can get out of it, but it's possible to play so many styles of music on it. Most other guitars have at least one style they really can't do (semis - metal amp; industrial, I don't think LPs handle barre chords on the 6th string very well, etc) - a tele can get you a useable sound for almost anything.

they are good at recreating classic sounds, but not a whole lot more.

I don't know so much about the Tele being all that versitile. I play blues and the Tele fairly rips at some stompin' blues. I think Strats are probably more versitile, I just personally hate them. Les Pauls are nice. I've had about 10-12 LPs. I just have one Tele, and it's a keeper. If I was a speed metal guy, or some funk star I'm not so sure I would hold onto my Tele so tight. If you know what you're doing a ukelele (sp) could probably bring back disco. PS don't get me started on God or[I] Nietzche.


Originally Posted by MVIIf I was a speed metal guy, or some funk star I'm not so sure I would hold onto my Tele so tight. If you know what you're doing a ukelele (sp) could probably bring back disco. PS don't get me started on God or[I] Nietzche.

Stick a nasty 'bucker in the bridge and I'm sure you could thrash away at a tele... and John Frusciante (sp?) of the RHCPs uses a tele not infrequently.

Oh, and we've already had the big 'nietzsche argument' thread


Originally Posted by JimbojsrStick a nasty 'bucker in the bridge and I'm sure you could thrash away at a tele... and John Frusciante (sp?) of the RHCPs uses a tele not infrequently.

Oh, and we've already had the big 'nietzsche argument' thread

Point well taken.

Darwin quot;The Origin of Speciesquot; page 1


Originally Posted by MVIPoint well taken.

Darwin quot;The Origin of Speciesquot; page 1

Eh... what's darwin got to do with nietzsche?

Tele is one guitar where the tone control really makes a difference. You can cover a lot of ground with a Tele.

I don't know that Teles are inherantly more versatile than a Strat, but it does seem that the players themselves who play Teles are more versatile musicians. Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Roy Buchanan, Seymour...all these guys can/could play rock, jazz, country, blues, pop, etc. and do it with a level of virtuosity and authenticity that most players lack.

I think players who play Teles tend to be players who know how to shape thier tone with thier hands to a greater degree than most players...and that quality allows them to cover alot of ground.

Lew


Originally Posted by Curlystrats are more versatile, IMO

teles are more challenging, and you have to be up to the task to get the best out of them

I agree that a strat is more versatile,but I don't have anymore problem getting around on a Tele,then I do on any of my strats...The body sits differently on our body,but the neck feels very similar to me....

I do seem to change my playing style or how I approach things on a Tele though...Again probably do to the way the body feels and not having a middle pickup in the way of my picking hand...

I think this might explain about what Lew mentions as far as the shaping of notes and how we approach a Tele....I do feel like I'm playing in a different style,but I can't say as though I fight with a Tele by comparison...I guess if your chops are decent,you can play any instrument well...