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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → What Telecaster to buy?
Dear all,
I'm looking for a Telecaster and wonder what kind of Tele that is best for bluesrock. I have many guitars, but no Telecaster and haven't even tried one. So I'm in total darkness regarding pickups and setup for Telecasters. Any help/tip is most appreciated.
Keep rocking and happy easter!
Andre
Go out and try a bunch...they will all sound and play different,.good luck in your search... Or You can always build one yourself & save some bucks..
I was heavily considering the Fender '52 RI tele but now I'm leaning towards the Nash T-52. In all my reading I've found that the Nash blows the Fender outta the water.
Logan
For not a lot of money try the Fender Baja tele. Custom shop designed but Mexican made. Kind of a modern take on the 52 with 9.5" radius neck and medium jumbo frets. Still tempted by a 52 Hot rod one though but the Baja is a third of the price and 90% of the guitar IMHO
Check out Tab Benoit and his '72 Thinline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV9Ea8Yq5h8
For not a lot of money try the Fender Baja tele. Custom shop designed but Mexican made. Kind of a modern take on the 52 with 9.5" radius neck and medium jumbo frets. Still tempted by a 52 Hot rod one though but the Baja is a third of the price and 90% of the guitar IMHO
I own a Baja myself. The Broadcaster bridge/Twisted Tele neck pickup combo gives you some options you don't get with an off-the-rack Tele; then you've got the S-1 switching option (a series/parallel option similar to the switch on some EBMM models) for quite a tonal variety. The so-called "soft V" neck is my favorite feature, though; I like beefier necks, and the Baja is the first Tele where I've really liked the neck (most of 'em feel spindly to me). You can own a Baja for a third of the price of a '52 AVRI, and spend the difference on gear! 
Definitely not for everyone because of the price and humongous neck size, but I LOVE my new Gigliotti. Easily worth selling a few guitars to afford.
Totally second this one! I love mine. My only gripe with Fender is they plaster their finishes on way too heavy. But the Bridge pickup is awesome 51 broadcaster pickup, and the twisted tele neck pickup is only in Custom Shop guitars, this one is made in mexico but is exactly made just like the usa Custom shop twisted tele. They are the most sought after neck pickup around for telecasters.
If your going expensive I agree with the Nash Teles they get the finishes right. I don't care if they are nitro or poly if they are too thick they rob tone. I like to build my guitars now that are bolt on necks and you can save a ton plus get the features you want!
For not a lot of money try the Fender Baja tele. Custom shop designed but Mexican made. Kind of a modern take on the 52 with 9.5" radius neck and medium jumbo frets. Still tempted by a 52 Hot rod one though but the Baja is a third of the price and 90% of the guitar IMHO
BTW the best part of the Baja is the neck shape. I love that baseball bat! The S1 switch and 4 way switching was kind of cool too, but I wanted a better volume pot with more control so I bought an RS guitarworks super pot to replace the S1 switch.
I can thoroughly recommend the Fender '62 re-issue I have. It's a Japanese model and the overall quality is very good indeed - I just love the binding on it. Only issue I've had is with the bridge which I didn't like, so swapped it out with a Wilkinson.
Grab a 52 Thin Skin. They're a factory special run. They came with Nocaster pickups. IMO they're the best Tele pickups Fender currently makes.
Or as others suggested, build one yourself. I just put this one together using Slider's Vintage Pickups. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6836 … 3838_b.jpg
Happy Hunting!
FMT-HH is the one...well maybe not, - but great concept to have a flamed maple top with pair of humbuckers...wherever did Fender get that idea from? 
Nice!
Grab a 52 Thin Skin. They're a factory special run. They came with Nocaster pickups. IMO they're the best Tele pickups Fender currently makes.
Or as others suggested, build one yourself. I just put this one together using Slider's Vintage Pickups. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7198/6836 … 3838_b.jpg
Happy Hunting!
Grab a 52 Thin Skin. They're a factory special run. They came with Nocaster pickups. IMO they're the best Tele pickups Fender currently makes.
I usually keep pretty close tabs on all things Tele, but I must have missed this one. Any idea who has 'em? (Can't find on Fender's website...)
Spider wrote:Grab a 52 Thin Skin. They're a factory special run. They came with Nocaster pickups. IMO they're the best Tele pickups Fender currently makes.
I usually keep pretty close tabs on all things Tele, but I must have missed this one. Any idea who has 'em? (Can't find on Fender's website...)
They were only sold by Wildwood and Daves Guitars as a LTD Ed. only about 150 or so each year. They usually come out sometime over the summer. If your looking to buy a new one I suggest calling either of those shops to inquire. Used ones come up for sale from time to time on ebay or are traded in at guitar shops so you have to search for one. They made them with single coils and also some came with a full size humbucker in the neck, same as the Telebration 52 Hot Rod Tele's. All were butterscotch color. The first release (2005?) had a 7.25 radius neck but all runs afterwards came with 9.5 U shaped necks. Pretty much the same necks as the 52 hot rods.
Let me know if your looking for one and I'll see what I can find.
Let me know if your looking for one and I'll see what I can find.
Thanks, Spider, you're the best! Not really in the market right now, just curious mostly. Besides, my Baja (my No. 1) hasn't gotten jealous over any of the subsequent additions to my harem, but I suspect she'd draw the line at another Tele! And, anyway, after having just purchased The One for Joe to sign in Omaha, it will be quite awhile before I'll be able to indulge any GAS pains...
Don't claim to be a Tele connoisseur but tried a few trough the years and am blown away by my Nash TC-63 (with Lollars) every time i play it.
Really should check out a new Standard 2012. The Baja is the same guitar and more with the 4way switch and the S-1 switch, but The american Standard has the same pickups in it but made in America vs. mexico and they sheild the inside of american models where the Baja isn't sheilded at all.
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