Recommendation for OK/cheap new Tele?

[Strung Up]

Been playing Strat's and various customs for so long now, I'm out of touch with my inner Roy Buchanan. Looking for a new cheap but decent Tele to hack around with pickups and decide if I want a real one. Looking in the 500-800 zone used.

I can't keep track of MIJ, Korea, Mexi, Custom Shop, underage Keebler elves in a hollow tree . . . recommendations?

 

[cvansickle]

I played a MIM Tele at Guitarget last weekend that, surprisingly, was very, very good. $399 new.

 

[MOJO]

Rob at Fret tech can put together a pretty nice one for that kind of coin

http://www.frettech.com/

 

[Mark C]

If you're into the Buchanan thing, just make sure it's an ash body, 1 piece maple neck with a three saddle bridge. Pop a duncan antiquity broadcaster pickup in there and it'll howl like a banshee!

 

[CitizenCain]

If you're going to hack around and swap pickups anyway, a MIM Std Tele should fit the bill nicely.

 

[gjf]

You could pick up a slightly used G&L ASAT or Hamer T51 for that type of money -- excellent guitars both and you would not lose anything on resale value, no pickup replacing necessary either

 

[mrfjones]

MIM 50's reissue. have 2 myself and they have never let me down.

 

[blong]

I really like the Highway one series guitars by Fender, and of course, a used G&L ASAT would be great. You can buy a very, very nice tele for $500-800. Look for a good G&L ASAT or check out the Fender Highway One Tele or Highway One Texas Tele, they are also good. You should be able to buy a Highway One tele for under $500 if you look and haggle enough. The Highway One Texas tele is a little more expensive, and the ASAT seem to be going for between $600 and $800 on ebay, so look for a good used one in shops.

Good luck on the search and keep us posted on your purchase.

Bob

 

[aeolian]

+1 for the Hiway One's. Most that I've played have great snap and decent body. Sometimes you can get a Korean Affinity at a steal that defies it's price. I had one I got for $120 at GC that I put a regular Fender vintage pickup in the bridge and a Duncan in the neck of. For banging around the house channeling Roy and Will Ray, it was great. Also nice for traveling. Nearly indestrutable but no great tears if it did get it.

 

[Hamer95USA]

Originally posted by gjf
You could pick up a slightly used G&L ASAT or Hamer T51 for that type of money -- excellent guitars both and you would not lose anything on resale value, no pickup replacing necessary either

Hey GJF,

Good call on the used Tele type guitars. I just bought my Hamer T-51 a few weeks ago.

Hey Strung Up,

If you want a cool Tele copy guitar, check out the Hamer USA T-51 guitars. They already come with Dunlop straplocks, Wilkinson HT-100 bridge, Seymour Duncan '54 and Broadcaster guitar pickups already installed. The necks are meaty with good frets and the body is southern swamp ash. Very little need to hotrod or retrofit this guitar. Here is more information on them:

T51 (1993 - 1997) - Single cutaway slab body (Telecaster style) of southern ash with a 22-fret bolt-on maple neck (25.5 inch scale length) with black dot markers. Hardware includes two Seymour Duncan single coil pickups (one mounted on the scratchplate) and Wilkinson HT100 bridge. Also available with a piezo-electric Fishman Power Bridge.

Here are some pictures of my6 '97 Hamer USA T-51:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/GuitarGeorge/8b8464c0
jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/GuitarGeorge/Pic056.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/GuitarGeorge/Pic057.jpg

Guitar George

 

[sears]

MIM standard and classic are plentiful in stores and you should play a lot of them to get a baseline. Used American and American Standard fit in your range. I have a Fernandes I adore.

 

[Tone_Terrific]

Squier standard tele is a great project base. Look at them hard before you reject the thought.

 

[forestryguy]

I'm still digging my Fender Lite Ash Tele, MIK. Very playable and cool sound for the $$$.

 

[Strung Up]

Thanks for the recommendations! Now I have a good idea of what models to look at when I deal with a couple of stores. Will check out Highway ones, MIM's (and a Hamer if I can find one).

Even though this is gonna be a beater, I'd rather hear the plank in person if it's not a custom-built, because some wood can sing and some can suck, regardless of the hardware.

BTW, this is likely going to have a CC pickup in it, which someone else was querying about in another informative thread. Must be something retro in the water. I'm working my way back to a Charlie Christian via the CC's offspring, P90's, which I've got in a few and love.

 

[tone4days]

i picked up a used tokai clone of a 52ri for $300 ... new pups (set of duncan vintage stacks), new pots, cap, 4-way switch and it is just a killer little axe that i dont have to worry about someone spilling beer on ... the tuners are even surprisingly solid/serviceable ... a new nut wouldnt hurt it and i bet a new bridgeplate w/brass saddles would make it damn near perfect ...

just my 2cents

good luck
t4d

 

[guitarmook]

Originally posted by Strung Up
Thanks for the recommendations! Now I have a good idea of what models to look at when I deal with a couple of stores. Will check out Highway ones, MIM's (and a Hamer if I can find one).

Even though this is gonna be a beater, I'd rather hear the plank in person if it's not a custom-built, because some wood can sing and some can suck, regardless of the hardware.

BTW, this is likely going to have a CC pickup in it, which someone else was querying about in another informative thread. Must be something retro in the water. I'm working my way back to a Charlie Christian via the CC's offspring, P90's, which I've got in a few and love.

I had a Charlie Christian pickup put into the neck on a MIM 50s classic tele... the 50s classic will give you a beefier neck, a nicer ash body, and the classic 3 brass saddle bridge that you can't get on a stock MIM tele... if you try a few 50s classics, you'll prolly find a nice one. I eventually moved that guitar, but it was a good one, especially for the price... I just have 4 other teles that are each better in a different way, and that one didn't get enough attention...

the pickup was from Pete Biltoft, Vintage Vibe guitars... very highly recommended - great service, and I was really pleased with the tone.

 

[pesocaster]

G&L Tribute series will kill the Mexi Teles.... and they come with US pickups.... something to check out...