KVR Audio

Magic Russ · Post by **Magic Russ** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 8:47 pm

If we include tele copies ...

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 11:44 pm

Mister Natural wrote: Mon Jan 26, 2026 1:42 am re: Tele - sold mine last year as I sorta never picked it up, always reaching for my Strat or Parker first. It was fully tweaked-out with Duncan 1/4pounder at the Rutters bridge(https://ruttersguitars.com/rutters-bridge), Fender "vintage" noiseless at the neck, custom wiring harness & locking tuners. Sounded fantastic but could not bond with it as a daily driver. It was beautiful and very similar to my first electric guitar(also white w/maple board) circa 1975. Just decorative eye-candy in the living room for a couple of years until a local jazz-teacher guy who seemed happy with my sell price in the end.

I went through tele after tele till I found the right one. This is my sixth. It's still extremely heavy only stays in tune for two hours and has some serious fret sprouts. But my god the tone when I'm playing tele covers.

As for the Parker. It's in the shop with contact issues. I haven't seen it in three weeks and the sales guy is in love with it. I'm thinking of selling it. I loved it when it was new and that faded about two years in. It may make my final six. I was hoping for a LP in the final six. I gifted my Samick LP copy so I t wont be that one.

mountainmaster · Post by **mountainmaster** » Tue Jan 27, 2026 4:26 pm

I have a Tele from the Fender Japan factory. While it is a good quality guitar, those Japanese pickups have a rather thin and uninspiring sound. I was almost ready to sell the guitar but decided to try a pickup swap first.

The new pickups I chose are Mojotone Broadcaster Quiet Coils. They are easy to install. No soldering required!
It made a world of difference. They fatten up the tone without sacrificing the typical Tele twang. Now this is one of my favorite guitars.

Last year I further modded the Tele with a Certano T-Bender.

It is great fun, although the learning curve is a bit steep.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Tue Jan 27, 2026 4:57 pm

You just described my dream Tele.

chalaby · Post by **chalaby** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 8:46 pm

Danny Gatton was incredible!

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 8:52 pm

I have Danny Gatton's old Tele sitting right next to me!

CapnLockheed · Post by **CapnLockheed** » Sun Feb 01, 2026 9:43 pm

Danny Gatton.....period.....end of story.

have Danny Gatton's old Tele sitting right next to me!

This one?

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Sun Feb 01, 2026 10:23 pm

I wish. It's a similar butterscotch that the Fender Custom Shop built for him, with Ron Ellis pickups.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Mon Feb 02, 2026 4:32 am

Uncle E wrote: Sun Feb 01, 2026 10:23 pm I wish. It's a similar butterscotch that the Fender Custom Shop built for him, with Ron Ellis pickups.

I love me a butterscotch blackface. Nothing says workin man's guitar like that kind of tele.

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Mon Feb 02, 2026 5:04 am

Uncle E wrote: Thu Jan 29, 2026 8:52 pm I have Danny Gatton's old Tele sitting right next to me!

For only $26K you could have a Tele owned by Roy Buchanan sitting next to it!

https://reverb.com/item/89993132-fender-roy-buchanan-owned-1978-81-fender-telecaster-custom-natural-w-original-hardshell-case-and-signed-check

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:47 am

I searched and didn't find a single picture of Roy playing that guitar.

lfm · Post by **lfm** » Tue Feb 03, 2026 5:02 am

Some inTELEgence for all aficionados, as Bukovac puts it

A nice selection of licks....

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Wed Feb 04, 2026 2:07 am

lfm wrote: Tue Feb 03, 2026 5:02 am

A nice selection of licks....

I like how he describes the flat pole tele. Back then I think they were still using ceramic's on the bridge. Later tele's had a pronounced mid tone some say too pronounced due to the introduction of staggered poles and alnico. My tele with la brea pups have only slightly raised poles for the middle two strings. I think mine has the perfect blend of tone. YMMV

lfm · Post by **lfm** » Wed Feb 04, 2026 7:22 pm

I don't get why he did not lower amp a little for Custom so comparing tone with same level of breakup?
- impossible to say anything with so much more breakup

Most of the time I can hear differences he talks about, but not sure what I like better.
- he just reject either as crap and will sell off, kind of
- differences are withing what tone controls do, I'd say, at least on amp with more controls than Deluxe has
- not to mention a pedal of any sort, he often mentions boost pedals

I see boost pedals as a kind of parametric eq that favour some frequencies that works for that guitar and amp.

But he spent 30 years never letting go of a neck, so he knows what works in his job....

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Thu Feb 05, 2026 6:08 am

I've really been digging Molly Miller in the last few months...like Julian Lage, she often plays a Tele, really knows how to present herself/band and connect with an audience, can really let loose, and also dial it back down.
Molly Miller - I think she got her Tele off LA CraigsList

And Julian Lage (not a Fender and has a P90 at the neck):

Favorite Tele riffs, leads and songs