Tele (Nocaster) guys: tell me about your acoustic

[shark_bite]

Starting to think about getting in the market for something acoustic, since there seems to be a lot of that on the horizon. Figure I'm looking at playing folk-country-blues sorts of things on it.

I would have put this in the acoustic section, but I really want to get the perspective through the lens of Tele guys, Nocaster players in particular. God knows we're a little extreme on our neck preference, but pretty ardent about that too. I know I am.

What I'd like to hear about is stuff I might not already know about. Sure there's Gibson, and a J45 or a SJ or AJ might be a good starting point... but what about some of the other brands from way back in the day? I'm thinking in particular right about Greg V's Harmony Sovereign. I'm sure there's other stuff like that floating around...

[bluesjuke]

Personally I play a Martin HD 28V (vintage series).
The neck is certainly smaller than my Nocaster but still full in my hand though it's a V neck.

Killer tone and way beyond the every day HD 28.
If you ever get a chance play the two side by side and it is easy to hear it.

[TubeeTuberton]

Personally I play a Taylor 414ce. Love it. Even over my band mate's 614 and 914.

[jpervin]

I have 2 Teles and an Esquire, but no acoustic.
Maybe I should get one of these...

[musicofanatic5]

To me, the acoustic gtr equivalent of a Tele is a Martin dreadnaught (D-18). Not necessarily for similar neck profile (is that what you're looking for?), but for the intent required of the player to get the inst to cooperate.

[shark_bite]

Originally Posted by musicofanatic5

To me, the acoustic gtr equivalent of a Tele is a Martin dreadnaught (D-18). Not necessarily for similar neck profile (is that what you're looking for?), but for the intent required of the player to get the inst to cooperate.

The neck is obviously part of the equation, but I like your take on that. I figure it this way... if you know I play a Nocaster, you know the following:

-Vintage style guitars are my preference, not modern
-Vintage style tone is my preference, not modern
-Simplicity is king
-I'm used to playing a versatile instrument rather than a one-trick pony
-Big necks don't intimidate me
-Big tone doesn't intimidate me

[HHB]

modified Yari DY45 from 1984. It's a D18 style dread. I've had huge frets, Waverlys, fossilized nut and extendered saddle installed. It's got the V shape neck, wish it was bigger LOL. I also remove the frets from 15 on up from the top and plan down the remaining fretboard for more volume. Top it off w/ a Fishman Rare Earth humbucker.

[Singin' Dave]

Yep - if you like Teles, a D-18 or D-28 Martin Dread is pretty much the acoustic equivalent as far as traditional no nonsense tone machines.

[zombywoof]

I have been playing a Tele since the 1960s but not sure how that relates to my acoustics.

My acoustics are a 1956 Gibson SJ, 1960 Gibson J-200, two mid-1930s Kay Krafts, and a late 1950s Harmony Sovereign.

Ya might like the Harmony. Ladder braced, big box jumbo built with a surprisingly good quality wood including a solid one piece mahogany back. She be a loud one and a pretty versatile guitar - a great strummer and responsive enough for fingerpicking. Has the most resonant low end I have ever heard. Nice full round neck. Just make sure you have enough scratch stashed away for a neck reset. Plus, it has that great reverse snobbery thing going for it.

[germs]

cheapo A/E import from an online big box retailer.

wide neck, but a decent cutaway and pretty decent electronic w/ an onboard tuner.

most of my playing is done on electric, so the acoustic is just for real impromptu, informal stuff - camping, bonfire, travel, friends over, etc.

[BirdsInFlight]

Originally Posted by shark_bite

The neck is obviously part of the equation, but I like your take on that. I figure it this way... if you know I play a Nocaster, you know the following:

-Vintage style guitars are my preference, not modern
-Vintage style tone is my preference, not modern
-Simplicity is king
-I'm used to playing a versatile instrument rather than a one-trick pony
-Big necks don't intimidate me
-Big tone doesn't intimidate me

Martin dreads are cannons. The great ones are magical but Martins vary greatly and the truly great ones can require that you wade through tons of guitars before you find one that's really special.

A great D28 or D35 is a flat pickers dream. The D28 is designed to cut through a band while the D35 is designed to be a bit more subdued and is better for solo acoustic playing.

Gibson acoustics to my ears often sound thunky. Great for classic steel string acoustic blues but sometimes I can't help but find the tone of many Gibson acoustics to be dead. That isn't to say they don't have their place because they absolutely do and are adored by many.

I really don't know what to tell you. There's no one acoustic out there that does it all like the Tele so far as I'm aware. My personal favorite in the $2000-2500 range is the Taylor GS series, the GS5 in particular.

[musicofanatic5]

Originally Posted by BirdsInFlight

Martin dreads are cannons. The great ones are magical but Martins vary greatly and the truly great ones can require that you wade through tons of guitars before you find one that's really special.

A great D28 or D35 is a flat pickers dream. The D28 is designed to cut through a band while the D35 is designed to be a bit more subdued and is better for solo acoustic playing.

Gibson acoustics to my ears often sound thunky. Great for classic steel string acoustic blues but sometimes I can't help but find the tone of many Gibson acoustics to be dead. That isn't to say they don't have their place because they absolutely do and are adored by many.

I really don't know what to tell you. There's no one acoustic out there that does it all like the Tele so far as I'm aware. My personal favorite in the $2000-2500 range is the Taylor GS series, the GS5 in particular.

If the D-18 is the acoustic equivalent to the Tele, I would suggest the J-45 as the acoustic equivalent to the 335.

Slightly off topic but I have never met a flat picker whose dreams include a D-35. Except for maybe Tony Rice (and his amazing, former Clarence White 28), it's pretty much D-18, period.

[twangbanger]

Taylor 714 w/ onboard fishman. don't know how it relates w/ the tele but it works for me.

[pedalcr8z]

I've owned plenty of Martins, Collings, Taylors. Nothing I have ever touched sounds like this. Grand piano like sustaining bass, equal string to string volume and all frequencies even though it's a literal cannon.

[EthanB]

Originally Posted by musicofanatic5

To me, the acoustic gtr equivalent of a Tele is a Martin dreadnaught (D-18). Not necessarily for similar neck profile (is that what you're looking for?), but for the intent required of the player to get the inst to cooperate.

Complete agreement. I can switch from my tele to my martin dread and it's like the same guitar.