Tele vs Strat
 

So as the past owner of at least 4 stratocasters, I have developed a serious jones for a tele. As I cruise Craigslist, pawnshops, and seedy guitar stores looking for a reasonable tele , I noticed that there are about 50 strats to the tele. I made a comment to this effect to a couple of folks who run such establishments and they agreed - both adding that people don't like to part with telecasters.

Am I on to something or are there simply far fewer telecasters?

Thanks,
Larry

I think the answer is yes. ...........As the current owner of a very fine strat.....I am also drawn to the tele side..........I haven't ever played one......................why? what is happening to me?



PS: I think the link to porsche content must be the similarity in body style.....the compound curves

I have both: a pre-1970 Strat and a fairly new 2009 Tele Deluxe (with split S coils). I find the tele to have a smaller neck with a more shallow radius and less compounding as you near the body. The Strat's a Strat. . . You know'em and love'em. The tele (out of the box) has more of the twang that built country, but dial down on the tone and crank up the amp and you can coax just about any sound from it. I find the maple fretboard to be a little faster fretting and with a good set up, no fret buzzing. Not unlike the CD system in our Porsches (mandatory Porsche reference). Are there fewer? Maybe. Only because Fender doesn't get too much demand for them. People inherently go for the Strat or for the LP. I guess that after all that, the question is: "What type music do you play?" Combine that answer with your amp rig and that'll go a long way in helping you decide. Just remember to bend'em like Clapton.

I had a 1969 Tele and a newer American-made Strat with a humbucker. I sold them off (lost interest in playing guitar eventually) but the Tele was the last to go, I just loved the feel of the body, the Strat was too thin and 'ergonomic' for me. Apples and oranges, though; they're both great guitars.

I have a nice USA strat and a cheap Korean tele thin line copy, and I do actually prefer the tele. I have been thinking I would part with a couple of my other axes to get me nicer tele.

So long story short I really do also prefer the tele also.

My first guitar purchase was a MIJ re-issue of the '69 tele thinline -- you know the semi-hollow mahogany one with maple neck and single coils I bought the tele when a friend opened a used guitar store in Albuquerque. Of 100 or 150 guitars -- including many strats -- I kept watching players pull down that tele to try it out. I love that guitar, was playing it last night through my pawnshop-prize Musicman 212 65.

Been thinking about selling off some of my other guitars to help fund the 911 restoration. But not my strat which I love too. Not the old Vantage. Not the...

I don't think I've had more than a couple of Tele's go through my pawnshop in 25 years. But then I see very few American Fender's of any kind either. Not located in a large market area.
Jim

I agree. apples and oranges but you should own both.

I have a 2005 American Tele and love it. I also have a Highway 1 strat. I prefer the tele over the strat, at least for now. I am keeping both though :D.

Thanks! I am absolutely not dissing the strat. The right one can sing, cry and moan. I just found it odd that finding a tele is such a chore.

Larry

How about this guys rig?;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301670451.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1301670464.jpg

Last I saw this guy, he was a teenager or maybe 20 in up in Santa Fe. Blond pony tale. Screamin' blues tele. Never seen him play a strat.

YouTube - Alex Maryol Santa Fe Band Stand 2010

Not be the best recording quality. Just search for Alex Maryol.

I have no facts to back this up... however I would guess that they simply make a lot more strats... Strats and Les Paul's being the standard RnR guitars.

For what it is worth G&L makes (made?) a Tele... although probably even harder to find than a Fender Tele.

There is a music shop in Portland, near Kells and the Saturday under the bridge market... have you checked there? They had a lot of nice vintage stuff when I stumbled in there.

Teles rule. The only thing on the planet that is potentially cooler than a Telecaster is an Esquire :)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4923.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4903.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4710.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4591.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4712.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_7...0/IMG_4363.JPG

No.. it's that people are trading them in or selling the Strats to buy Tele's...:D


Tele is by far my favorite over the Strat.. I have three Strats, and don't realy play any of them.

Tele had a raunch that a strat just won't do...

Wolfe,

Thanks. You don't know how often I hear thinks like that. I need me some of that tele goodness.

Larry

Look for a G&L ASAT with the fatter, more potent pickups. Almost like a more focused P-90. I want one!

Sorry but a tele with humbuckers is not a tele IMHO (now I'm sure someone will post pics of the factory tele with the big chrome pickups and the F hole)

For that matter if you flip your strat to middle/back pickups doesn't sound almost exactly like a tele?

And didn't the guy from "The Band" play a strat body with tele pickups?

Friend of mine had the G&L tele. Really nice guitar.

I used to have an Lake Placid Blue American Standard Tele. I really miss that guitar.