Guitarists: what gives the Telecaster it "twang"?

[nostatic]

I think you're conflating the difference between tele and other brands vs. tele and strat. The construction methods and materials between tele and strat are essentially identical. Scale length is the same and bridge design is comparable. So you're left with the electronics.

[Sonic dB]

One other thing that we have not touched on: location of the pickups related to the string length. Big difference in pickup location on Tele vs. Strats therefore affects the tonal quality of where the pickup finds the note along the string.

again...its not just one thing, but more related to the construction of the instrument.

[Sonic dB]

but curiously enough...play a Tele and a Strat unplugged with no amplification...do they sound "the same"? Nope.

[Sonic dB]

Just measured my 92 Tele deluxe plus vs. my 02 Fender Clapton Blackie Strat from the bridge where the strings enter from the body to the top of the nut...

Tele: 26.25"
Strat: 26" on the nose

[Sonic dB]

This Thread is Useless without Clips!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnQYoRYedF0

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by nostatic

pickups and the wiring

ding, ding, ding,...we have a winner!

[Les Paul]

And the ghost of Jeff Buckley

[Sonic dB]

ok whatever...but play an unplugged strat and an unplugged Tele, same setup same strings and no way do they sound the same...

simply put: it is not just pickups and wiring.... it is the design

but im blue in the face now and it is time to go...unless you think an unplugged strat and unplugged tele sound exactly the same, then you have a winner.

[nostatic]

well, you can be blue in the face all you want. And if the un-countoured tele body putting a crease in your arm is telling your brain that the sonic differences are mostly in the construction, then more power to you. I'm willing to bet that if you listened blindfolded to unamplified teles and strats you'd have a hard time picking out which was which. Plug them and you'd likely get it 100% right. Would be an interesting test...

[Sonic dB]

no need to toss out insults Nostatic... again I agreed to disagree in a nice way, hope you agree.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/60194-strat-sound-vs-tele-sound.html

Interesting quotes here:

"Seems to me what distinguishes a Tele-sound is the twang that you get from the bridge pickup mounted directly in that huge metal bridge plate. And what distinguishes a Strat sound is that quack you get from the middle pickup combined in parallel with either of the other two pickups. "

AKA "position of pickup and mounting when played plugged in"

"The solid body and unique bridge construction (including that wonderful tele bridge pickup) has alot to do with the tele sound. The hollow chamber behind the pickups of a strat with the springs in it contributes towards the strat sound. A hardtail (no vibrato) strat has more of a tele bite"

AKA "Construction of the instruments"

Toss in the link I posted earlier regarding scale length and how it affects guitar tone in general
(original post by me was relevant to Tele scale length in general... and not in comparison with Strat...more
in comparision with Les Paul's which is shorter and affects tone)

So what gives the Tele it's sound?

Unplugged: guitar construction, scale and materials affect sound differences and tone. +player
Plugged: all of the above + pickup position, type of pickups, wiring. Player, amp, room, drugs

peace

[nostatic]

Where's the insult? You were the one that was blue in the face

I'm still willing to bet that blindfolded with someone else playing it would be tough to tell the difference between a tele and a strat. Yes, the construction differences will impart some tonal characteristics to the instrument. But I'd say that at least 90% of the difference between strat and tele is electronics. Most people can't hear the other 10%.

[Sonic dB]

and a little blue-balled too...

anyone could tell the difference when they play my strat vs. my tele...it
is pretty obvious... i wish i could record this accurately and post sound samples...maybe i will give it a try later...

[stuartj]

Well, how is it you can take a Strat and shove two big high out put humbuckers in it- and it still sounds like a Strat?

[Nathans_Dad]

Man, I hate you guys. I watched that G.E. Smith video and now I want a tele...Man, he just sounds SWEET on that thing.

My wife is already rolling her eyes at me...I have already bought 2 guitars in the last 3 months...

[frogger]

Rick, it sounds like you have GAS.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by stuartj

Well, how is it you can take a Strat and shove two big high out put humbuckers in it- and it still sounds like a Strat?

it doesn't. It sounds like a strat with humbuckers

[Sonic dB]

I watched that G.E. Smith video and now I want a tele

well GE Smith will do that to ya...

I remember him on Sat. Night Live, some guitar players I used to know hated him because of
his posturing and posing for the cameras, with those odd facial expressions.

Good guitarist though...

GE Fusiioning it up



Making pop history with Hall & Oates



w/ Dylan

[Victor]

Originally Posted by stuartj

Well, how is it you can take a Strat and shove two big high out put humbuckers in it- and it still sounds like a Strat?

Your fingers. You just have "strat tone" in your fingers. . . .

Oh, and a tele sounds like a tele mostly because of a combination of the following stuff:

* The pickups (config. and positioning)
* The bridge, saddles, string through body design etc
* The playing style. Ive seen/heard country pluckers make a Les Paul Custom sound like a tele

As someone else has pointed out, the only difference between a strat and a tele (disregarding cosmetics) are the bridge and pickups. Edit: and, of-course the wiring.

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally Posted by Sonic dB

well GE Smith will do that to ya...

I remember him on Sat. Night Live, some guitar players I used to know hated him because of
his posturing and posing for the cameras, with those odd facial expressions.

Good guitarist though...

Man that is me EXACTLY. I couldn't stand the guy on SNL because he was always mugging for the camera. I always thought he was a good guitarist, but I just couldn't get past the act. When I saw him in that video just sitting down like a normal guy talking about how and WHY he made the guitar he did, I gained about 1000% more respect for him...

I guess GAS is Guitar Acquisition Syndrome? LOL, yeah I have it bad...

My problem is I just think they LOOK so damn cool, I actually have thought about just how cool it would be to have multiple guitars hanging on my wall in my office, just as art...

[WolfeMacleod]

I can answer this question also.

Several statements here are correct.

The bridge pickup being mounted in the bridge instead of the body is one factor. The metal of the bridge interacts with the magnetic field.
Second, and largest factor: Telecaster bridges use a copper plated steel "reflector" plate on the bottom. This plate also serves as a ground for the pickup.
The plate takes the magnetic field from the bottom of the pickup and redirects it upwards. It either scatters the field, or focuses the field upwards..I forget which, because it's been a few years since I did a magnetic dust test to visualise the magnetic field.
This, coupled with the metal bridge, is what gives you the Tele Twang. Adding a metal base-plate to the bottom of a strat pickup will do largely the same thing.

Some excellent Tele Twang

200 Telecaster reflector plates. The main culprit..