Been bitten by the Tele bug lately, but there are a coupla inherent problems I've always had with the instrument: a) the pickguard - I never under stood why anyone would carve out a beautiful piece of wood only to cover it up with plastic. Rear-loaded guitars look cleaner, neater & classier all the way around. Don't you think? b) the metal bridge plate - same principle applies - more wood & less plastic/metal is so much more esthetically pleasing. So... is there a Tele out there that's rear-loaded with a standard bridge (preferably a string-thru-body) that's $700-ish or less?
As far as I know the only Fenders that come close to matching what you want are all humbucker equipped - guitars like the Flat Head Tele (which in my opinion one fugly guitar) and the American Deluxe with a flame or quilt top. Don't have a clue what they run used. Sounds like you are looking for something that looks more like an ASAT Jr. or 20th Anniversary ASAT but with alnico pups. But they would run ya more than you want to spend.
I'm selling this one in the Emporium right now. It's more than you are looking to spend, but I might be open to some trade bait as well. Don't let people tell you that guitars can't sound like a Tele w/o the bridge... this thing gets really close (I have several Tele's and an ASAT too) and does A LOT more as well: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=352426&highlight=1989
Radack - true enough zomby - nice instrument, but yeah...outta my range Gasp - not big on paisley, but that one is the nicest I've seen. Unfortunately outta my range as well GuitarTone - sweet looking guitars for sure & if they had rosewood boards on 'em they'd be heavily considered Structo - luv the flame & i may well have to build one myself. Thanks a ton for the input, everyone
+1 but harder to build. The Tele control plate is great for wiring access, too, but she ain't purdy. Don't be too quick to unload the bridge plate. It may actually do something useful in a Tele situation
Well, true for you maybe, but on the other hand ash or pine aren't exactly striking woods, and a lot of teles have opaque finishes anyway. Additionally, some might like the more stylized look that a pickguard brings, with it's additional lines. I know I do. I think guitars without pickguards look simultaneously bland and flashy, the opposite of what defines class for me. But it's just personal taste, that's why we have both kinds. Plus, some people would rather scratch a piece of plastic than their finish. Well, the taste thing applies here as well, but also you've got to consider the tele bridge design is probably the most important part of it's sound. The fact that the bridge pickup is attached to the bridge alters it's magnetic field, and as well probably contributes more sympathetic resonance due to the bridge pickup's mechanical coupling to the bridge. Slap on a regular string-through bridge and attach the bridge pickup to the body instead and you've just got a tele-shaped object that doesn't sound anything like one.
Bridge plate or control plate? I agree with uvacom. The "bridge" plate is very important to the whole Tele sound, for reasons he explained. The pickguard is to guard the finish against your pick. I love the look of the pickguard. I can't imagine a blackguard Tele without the guard. It's not just the Tele, either. I think Strats look bland when their look is "cleaned up" with rear-routing and no pickguard.
Thanks. Bit of an odd bird but I love it. USA Custom chambered ash body with ¼ sitka spruce top with a bit of bear claw, bound USA Custom maple neck with maple board, stainless frets, 1 ¾ nut Callaham bridge and hardware Schaller locking tuners Seymour Duncan Jerry Donahue bridge Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini humbucker in neck now (Alnico Pro 2 in the pic)
I think a Carvin TL60 is just what you described: https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog/guitars/index.php?model=tl60 Here's a bunch more: http://www.carvinguitars.com/isa/process/getGuitarsByModelID.php?model=tl60
Some antique cars have covered spare tires mounted to the outside of the body. Some famous old ocean liners have decks lined with life boats. Large jet airliners with their sleek wings have these big old engines hanging from them. Real Telecasters have these large pickguards and a somewhat flimsy looking stamped-out bridge plate. It's all magnificent in my book. And the back of the guitar is just beautiful too. I don't want two big plastic trap doors in the back of my guitar. The guitars pictured on this thread aren't real Teles to me. And they look like they are missing something. I used to hate Teles, and would look on them with disdain. Same was true with alcohol. These are acquired tastes. Careful with Teles. A real one if it somehow gets in your system can be mighty hard to shake. Perhaps you're safer with a tele-like object. Played a couple of G&L ASATs today. One had frets as big as the gutters on my house. I like those Nocaster necks. Just a big slice of original FENDER -- before everybody had their way with it.
