NTD: New Tele Day

[That90'sGuy]

Some of you are probably wondering... "didn't this guy just buy a Trussart? What's his deal?". Long story short, I tried doing some tracking with it (playing some lead on some recordings my friend is working on with me) and found that there was some playability issues I didn't initially pick up. There were two saddles that were buzzing when I'd dig in that I didn't care for and some of the notes just didn't resonate right. The Guitar Center guys were great to deal with and offered to do a full setup on it at no extra charge. Long story short, the guitar still had some issues that couldn't be overlooked. Expensive guitar + playability issues (regardless of how killer it sounded and looked) = return. Still my benchmark telecaster tone. Maybe when I can afford it, I'll buy one new from a dealer that will be a better example. I will say this though, Guitar Center was excellent to deal with (and you don't hear that every day). I had initially intended on keeping it and sent e-mails back and forth to James Trussart and he was a very responsive and nice guy that clearly stands behind his designs. Responsive guitar builders (especially ones that have been successful) are rare and James is a true class act.

So, long story short.... I went on the search for my "rebound" tele. It was heartbreaking sending back the best sounding tele I've ever heard. It had that twang, but also had this warmth and response I haven't heard from other guitars. I played several dozen telecasters from a few different local places. Some sounded really great, but they all had this high end presence that was borderline piercing. My objective was simply to find a warmer sounding telecaster that still sounds like a telecaster.

I went through a lot of stuff, everything from $200 Squier Classic Vintage Teles (hoping to find that magical one that would be a no brainer), to the custom shop La Cabronita, lots of American Standards and American Deluxes (I am pretty fond of the American Deluxes in general FWIW). Went onto TGP and found a seller about an hour away from me unloading a 2010 1963 Fender Relic Telecaster.

First thing that struck me about the post is that he mentioned it wasn't as bright as some of his other telecasters and I went "this could be it". Met the guy yesterday (good guy), played it, found it resonated well (I was afraid it was going to sound like mud) and the price was a grand less than what I paid for my Trussart. More money in my pocket w/ a guitar that plays right and sounds really good = epic win.

So, without further ado, here's my new Tele (and this one doesn't come with a return policy, so it's a keeper ):









Kinda understated, pretty classy, really resonant and lightweight (only around 7 lbs. like the Trussart). The electronics needed to be cleaned up a bit, but that's been taken care of already. Only thing it needs is Duncans (the stock Fender pickups don't have quite the clarity that I remember from that Trussart w/ those original Antiquity Is). I think this is the perfect base for Antiquity IIs. Hopefully with a quality set of Duncans, this guitar will sound so good that the difference will be almost negligible.

I'm really not much of a relic kinda guy, but the guitar feels right, plays right and the relic job was pretty tasteful. I thought the neck was going to be pretty slim (as is most 60's stuff), but it definitely has a medium C girth that feels good and doesn't get it in the way.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

CS Tele is always a nice thing to get
Cool one!

[JeffB]

Beyootifull slab.

For my tastes, i prefer this far more than the returned guitar

[the guy who invented fire]

Very nice!

I think that a mid 60's Tele can be a great Tele for a lot of players...they still have most of that Tele snap and snarl but they are not as in yo' face as a Blackguard or even a 50's Whiteguard.

[TheLivingDead]

Shweeeet.

[Funkfingers]

Now, if you were being really greedy, you could have the CS Relic and La Cabronita Teles.

One question, though. Why does a Sixties replica Telecaster appear to have solid brass rod saddles instead of the "threaded" steel type? Could this explain the T90sG tone?

[Sprinter]

Nice looking, Telecaster!

[Kam]

That's a beautiful guitar, man. Congrats!

You just can't beat a good Tele. You can beat on it and you can beat people with it, but you just can't beat it.

You should put a black guard on it and then we could be blackout Tele twins!

[FretFire]

Very nice man! I like the relic look, but not for the sake of it looking beat up. I like it because I don't obsess about protecting from dings and knicks. My "relic" tele feels like an old pair of jeans Glad you found what you were looking for!

[bluesbend]

Congrats on the new Tele!

[That90'sGuy]

CS Tele is always a nice thing to get
Cool one!

I share your love for fine Fenders.

Beyootifull slab.

For my tastes, i prefer this far more than the returned guitar

I gotta be honest, I still miss that Trussart. That thing really had a vibe unlike anything else I've played. To make things even harder, I had spoken to James about a week ago about possibly changing out the pots and knobs (the design was different on the older models verses the current). Long story short, I just got in the mail 2 knobs for that guitar and replacement pots. If that isn't stellar customer service, I don't know what is! I said James was a class act before this and now I'm convinced there's going to be one day that I'll be buying one of those new from a dealer and I'll pay full sticker price just to support him. The fact that he would send something like that to someone who bought a guitar used really reflects his integrity.

Are they polarizing? Yes. Are they some of the best sounding guitars in the world that double as true pieces of art? Absolutely. I've played A LOT of guitars in the past 15 years and I can't ever remember being more surprised by the sound of a guitar plugged in.

This is a really good guitar, but if this is any testament to the quality of the Trussart Steelcaster, I think that guitar was even more remarkable. For now, this guitar fits a tonal niche that I've been looking for as an affordable alternative. I did figure this guitar would appeal more to conservative guitar crowd though You can't really beat the classic look of it; that was certainly one of the appeals. The resonance and feel is rather excellent on this one (and I've played through several dozen teles recently), especially for a solidbody.

Very nice!

I think that a mid 60's Tele can be a great Tele for a lot of players...they still have most of that Tele snap and snarl but they are not as in yo' face as a Blackguard or even a 50's Whiteguard.

Yep, you get what it's all about C. I like jangle and I like twang, but if you can give me a little warmth and balance to add to that I'm sold. That's what the Trussart had and that's what this has (just in a much different configuration).

Shweeeet.

Thanks brotha!

Now, if you were being really greedy, you could have the CS Relic and La Cabronita Teles.

One question, though. Why does a Sixties replica Telecaster appear to have solid brass rod saddles instead of the "threaded" steel type? Could this explain the T90sG tone?

Bah, the La Cabronitas will be a passing phase The saddles are actually the threaded steel, the resolution just isn't the best on these photos (I had them scaled down so that they don't murder people's corneas like the last pics I had posted) I kinda like the threaded steel style, it kinda makes more sense just by having a "track" that the strings can kinda sit in place on. In a weird way, I feel like it's going to stay in tune better because of it (even though I know that's not really the case). This is one case where I like this bridge much better than the 6 saddle on the one example of a Steelcaster I had; the way the strings rubbed up against the springs didn't really make much sense functionally.

I've spent years buying and selling stuff. My intent (at least for right now) is to have just this for single coil duty and my Hollowbody Spruce for my humbucking fix. Two really good guitars with very different sounds and no fluff

Nice looking, Telecaster!

Thanks!

That's a beautiful guitar, man. Congrats!

You just can't beat a good Tele. You can beat on it and you can beat people with it, but you just can't beat it.

You should put a black guard on it and then we could be blackout Tele twins!

For years I couldn't decide if I was a strat or a tele man. This last month kinda sealed the deal for me. I don't like trems, I want simplicity (I don't like 5 way switches) and every position on the telecaster is unique and amazing (as opposed to all the different shades on the strat which kinda complicates things for my simple mind). Can the strat do more? Sure, but the telecaster just sounds better to me and having 3 really different tones kinda sorts out the tones in my head for different parts in a song (neck for leads, middle for rhythm jangle, bridge for some od crunch, etc.). Every sound has a specific purpose and it's just so darn punchy.

I am a fan of the white guard on the black though, been a classic look I've always liked

Very nice man! I like the relic look, but not for the sake of it looking beat up. I like it because I don't obsess about protecting from dings and knicks. My "relic" tele feels like an old pair of jeans Glad you found what you were looking for!

It really all comes down to the feel. I wanted to like some of the other stuff, but when I played this it really felt worn in. Not many guitars do that; the Trussart did it and this axe does it. I did feel cheated seeing all these little chips, dings and scratches and such in it from the get go, usually I like to be the one to get those on there

Congrats on the new Tele!

Thanks

[Powdered Toast Man]

With great Tele comes great responsibility.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

How is the neck on that sweet thing? Mine is big and all that.... but those 60`s are a bit slimmer....right?

[That90'sGuy]

With great Tele comes great responsibility.

Well, I've got a set of Duncan Antiquity II's on the way and some electronics/shielding paint from StewMac. So I'll get this thing tuned up and then.... the rock!!!!

How is the neck on that sweet thing? Mine is big and all that.... but those 60`s are a bit slimmer....right?

The 60's necks are generally considered slim profile stuff, but I find this '63 is a little bit thicker. I don't think it's quite as big as the 50's tele necks, but it's got more heft than I was expecting from the other 60's necks (which was a big plus). I thought I was only going to like really huge necks (being used to the PRS wide/fat profile for so long), but this neck feels strangely comfortable.

[Gunny47]

Congrats man! Looks sweet! The rosewood board teles are very classy axes. I played the same model (2010 or 2009 '63 Relic Tele) in sunburst and it was one of the best teles I've ever played. Nice medium/slimmer neck and great feel - nice wide tonal pallet too. Good luck with her! I gotta build a tele one of these days....

[ImmortalSix]

I can't ever remember being more surprised by the sound of a guitar plugged in.

Obviously, you haven't played the Phinn Guitars T2 Purpleheart

[o.p-i.v]

That is gorgeous. I keep getting tele gas, and this isnt helping

[gibson175]

yes fo sho!

[ImmortalSix]

CLIPS!