Conference napalm::guitar

    
    I own a 1971 Telecaster. I love it. I modified mine quite a bit
    to get it to where I like the way it plays and sounds. I replaced
    the stock pickups with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders, replaced
    the stock Fender tuning machines with Sperzel Locking tuners, 
    replaced the nut with brass, and replaced the jack plate with an
    aluminum one. A stock Telecaster leaves something to be desired.
    The pickups are underwound, producing lots of treble, but a somewhat
    weak bass. The stock Fender tuners slip, and they go out of tune,
    like any guitar with non-precision tuners. 
    
    Telecasters in general are not the most versitile guitars in the
    world. They are great for getting the country twang, and can produce
    enough treble to emulate a slide pedal guitar. Lots of people use
    them for playing slide. The neck on a Telecaster is rounded a lot
    more than a Strat, and is fatter than a Strat as well. All I can
    suggest here is that you go try some Tele's in music stores and
    decide if you like the neck or not. 
    
    There is a note a ways back about building a Telecaster with Humbuckers.
    A Telecaster with humbuckers and coil cuts would be much more versitile
    than a stock Telecaster. You can buy parts from companies like Stewart
    MacDonald, Warmouth, Schecter, Allparts, etc, and build a Telecaster
    from parts. Bodies are available routed for any pickup combination
    you would want, in any wood you want. Necks are available in any
    type of woods and radius you want.
                            
    There are several differant alternatives. You could get a new Tele,
    buy a used one, or build one from scratch. Either way, I think you
    will end up modifying a new or used one before you are satisfied
    with it. I am not up on prices on new Telecasters, but for a used
    one in good condition I would expect to pay about $300 to $400 unless
    it is pre-cbs, in which case it would be worth a lot more. You could
    probably build one from components for the same amount. 
    
    Good luck whatever you decide.
    
    Mark Jacques
    
    
    

    
    Many thanks for all your advice - I guess you're right in saying
    that there's really no substitute for trying one out. I was indeed
    aware of their popularity amongst country artists, but I've also
    seen them used by several blues guitarists, which is more in keeping
    with my personal tastes.
    Or would you recommend something else ?
    
    Cheers,  Dom

    I have a '73 tele thinline...the semi hollow bodied one with two
    humbucking pickups...a great blues guitar....
    
    Tele's with single coils are nice too...I like 'em but I'm a dedicated
    fender man...
    
    I'm going to build a tele later this year from a kit...
    
    dbII

    My Tele is a '57-8 with original pickups/electronics. It buzzes
    a little... No shielding... cloth covered wiring you know... I may
    do something about that one day but I'm in no hurry. It plays like
    a dream come true.
    
    Jim
    
    

    I finally bought a [used] tele and I love it.  The tone knob
    seems to have a "notch" about halfway through.  Is this normal?
    It is functionally fine.  Non-active pu's.  Doesn't bother me,
    just thought I'd ask.
    
    	joe.

Is the tele rather new?

Doesn't Fender's TBX tone control have a notch in the middle?

dbii

    
    
    
    	Yupper.....   My (ahem) new strat has one of those TBX things..
    from 0-5 (the detent) it's a reguler old tone pot (and affects the
    middle and bridge pickup.. this is new) and from 6-10 it's a mids
    boost, like there we're 10 billion different tone posssiblities on a
    strat already, right???  I don't know if the teles have got em though.
    
    Steve
    "serious" about wood...

    It's an '87 - '88 tele.  TBX, what's that stand for??
    
    	joe.

	Whatdya pay?

	ccb_never_played_a_tele_but_certain_to_like_it

    
    Steve's got a strat, na-na-na-na-na!  Steve's got a Strat,...
    Steve's got a strat, na-na-na-na-na!  Steve's got a Strat....
    
    J.  Who_loves_his_new_home_made_Jackson

    
    So,SO .........Wassamatta wit a strat...???
    
    
                        Kevin
                   (port side strat-cat-to-be)
    
    

    
    
    Oh, my God! (Who is not Greg, any more due to conceding)
    2nd reply from Kevin in one day!!!!  I guess he know how to type 
    after all!  ;-)
    
    J.

    
    By the way, Steve!  Plugged in the home made Jackson last night 
    and sucker smokes!(Not literally, thank God! 8)  )  Great tone out 
    of the EMG!  I love the neck!  Until now, I thought my Ibanez had 
    a fast neck, I've been converted!  But then, I might be a little
    biased too...(Just a   I     I  -----  -----  I      I----   !
    	       		   I     I    I      I    I      I       !
    		      	   I     I    I      I    I      I--     !
    			   I     I    I      I    I      I       !
    			   L___  I    I      I    L___   L____   0
    
    
    J.
    

    
    
    
    	J., really cool, congrats on the good building job!!!
    
    
    Steve

    
    RE:-.1
    
    Woodfiller was to me as bondo is to a mechanic!  ;-)
    
    J.

    I tell you, I played a new Telecaster this weekend. Maple fingerboard. 
    I played both USA and Japanese versions. I think the frets were better 
    (fatter) on the USA version. I prefer fatter frets.
    
    My fingers flew! I really liked it. 
    
    What's all this talk about it being exclusively a blues/country guitar?
    
    The solo on "Stairway to Heaven" was done on a Tele, and many, many
    rockers play telecasters for both rhythym and lead work. Its body is
    more comfy for me to hold than the Strat...tho the Strat can get more
    kinds of sounds, I think.  
    
    Supposedly on the newer Teles the bridge pickup produces "newer" sounds
    while the neck pickup produces the old Fender sound. I'd say that's a
    good combo. I dunno; I really don't know electrics very much; just what
    I can tell from playing them.
       

    just saw a vid of early Zep (Mar '69) and Pagey was still using a Tele
    as his stage axe (the tune was Dazed and Confused).  Did the violin
    bow thing on it too.

    
    I bought an album the other day called, "Blazing Telecasters," recorded
    live in a Washington, D.C. nightclub.
    
    The album is by Tom Principato and features Danny Gatton.  The cover
    is very pretty:  Two telecasters, one blonde, one black, leaning
    against an old tweed amp.  The rear cover has an older Fender
    diagram of a Telecaster.
    
    The playing is not very "blazing."  It is nice music, though, bordering
    on outright country.
    
    Since my appetite has been whetted for some real Telecaster music, I
    was wondering where I can find records/albums/tapes/CDs by:
    
    Danny Gatton
    James Burton
    
    Also, can we add to the list of Tele players?  I'll start:
    
    Roy Buchanon
    Steve Cropper
    Danny Gatton
    James Burton
    Albert Lee
    Albert Collins
    ****************************************
    
    Brian

    A couple more:
    
    	o Keith Richards
    	o Bruce Springsteen
    

    Country music fans all remember Waylon Jennings' 1953 Tele in its
    tooled-leather cover.
    
    One of my earliest influences on electric was the late Don Rich;
    his "killer" Tele sound and clear-as-a-bell harmony was a vital
    part of Buck Owens' sound.  On the band's solo albums, Don plays
    some nasty chicken-pickin', one bluesy string-bender ("Sad Is The
    Lonely"), some nice gut-string work - and this doesn't count his
    excellent fiddle work and vocals!
    
    Another formidable west coast guitarist was Roy Nichols, who was
    for a looooong time the anchor to Merle Haggard's Strangers. His
    lead in "Working Man Blues" is a classic.  In addition, he cut some
    *incredible* twin-lead instrumentals with pedal steel guitarist
    Norm Hamlet.  (Come to think of it, Hag himself is no slouch on
    the Tele, either!)
    
    Ditto the remarks on Albert Lee and James Burton ... does anyone
    know if Frank Reckard or Ray Flacke were Tele users?  They sure
    sound like it!
    
    						--Eric--

    Frank Reckard used a Les Paul JR with P90's, I believe
    
    - Dave

    
    	I recently bought a Fender James Burton Signature Telecaster. Nice
    guitar-- wicked cool lookin'! (Black w/gold paisley) It's set up with
    3 Lace Sensor pickups, so it's kind of a cross between a Strat & a
    Tele, although it really doesn't sound like either.
    
    
    Brad Page
    

	Syd Barrett used a Tele on a number of old Pink Floyd cuts....

	Nothing else in the world sounds like it.

    Ray Flacke is a Telecastist.I reckon that's where Ricky Scaggs got all
    his electric training,as Flacke played on Highways & Heartaches,and
    when I saw Scaggs live,*HE* played all of the guitar stuff & more!!!
                                                              

    
>    "The playing is not very "blazing."  It is nice music, though, bordering
>    on outright country."

re.18  Brian....

    I was kinda dissapointed in the "Blazing" also,I also have "Unfinished
Buisness" which had some nice cut's on it,but not for everday digestion.
I really kinda of liked Principato's tone and playing in "Blazing". I'd
rate it more GB than Country.... Gatton shows off some nice swing and jazz 
chops on "Unfinished Buisness"on a couple of tunes.His tone could be considered 
very painful at times also,however this could be part of his "sound" or my
age......
     Danny is supposedly putting out a new release with some major label 
I've heard,it's possible you can find it under the "white boy blues" 
section at Tower Records in Boston,whenever it get's released,it has been
acclaimed to be a "well produced record",which some of his other stuff 
doesn't seem to be....
    When I think of tellie players,Mark Knopler comes to mind.......

							Rick

    I thought Mark Knopfler (sp?) uses mainly Strats ??
    
    To me the definitive Tele-player is the fore-mentioned **Roy Buchanan**
    He could make his tele laugh, cry, talk, or whatever he wanted it to
    do.
    
    Mark

    	I agree with you Mark on Roy B,As far as Knopler is concerned
    he does most use Strats and has for the most part,however I remember
    reading a GP interview that he used a Telecaster on "Sultans of
    Swing". I was kinda suprised myself,I'll have to find and reread
    the article.....as I've never seen him without some sort of "strat"
    
    							Rick

    How about Zoot Horn Rollo (Bill Harkleroad) the master of glass-finger
    and steel-appendage guitar with Capt. Beefheart's Magic Band...
    
    						Brian 

    Dave Davies uses Tele Elites.  Townshend uses Teles from time to time.
    When I saw The Smithereens, Pat Nunzio (or whatever?) was using a Tele.
    Also, the rhythm player/lead singer from Hoodoo Gurus...I've seen
    pictures of Jeff Beck sitting in front of a wall of Telecasters.
    
    Great guitar.  I play one, must be great ;^) HA!
    
    	joe.

    I believe Townshend uses Shechter Teles, very nice too. Whatsisname
    from Green on Red swears by his only guitar, a Squier Tele. 
    
    Another Tele (or it sounds like it to me) merchant from a few years ago
    is Dean Smith, who appears on Beefheart's 'Bluejeans & Moonbeams' lp.
    does anyone know any more about this guy?
    
    Bob

re: I believe Townshend uses Shechter Teles, very nice too. 

Yeah with humbuckers, you can see him play a black one in the video for
eminance front or whatever that song is...

dbii

    
    
    Can anyone date a telecaster (Ser. 900384) for me. It's a 
    recent issue Japanese model.
    
    

    
    	Another style of Tele that you occasionally see is the Telecaster
    Custom; this was the Tele that came stock from Fender with a humbucker
    in the neck position. It's an odd looking humbucker, a bit fatter &
    wider that usual.
    
    	I've seen Keith Richards, Pete Buck (of R.E.M.), Todd Rundgren
    use this particular model frequently. I've got one myself; it has a
    real distinctive sound, different from both the standard Teles and
    the usual modified humbucker-in-the-neck-position Teles. I think it
    must be due to that odd-style humbucker Fender used.
    
    
    Brad Page
    

    There were actually three types of Tele Customs; in the 60s they were
    regular Teles but with bound bodie; then in the early 70s it was a Tele
    with a humbucker in the neck position, a few years later it went to
    dual humbuckers and a Gibson-like four knob control setup.
    
    							Brian

    
    	The one I have, and the others I mentioned, were all Tele
    solidbodies, not bound bodies, with the fatter-style Fender
    humbucker in the neck position, and the "Gibson-style" 4-knob
    configuration, with the pickup selector switch located in the
    upper left, just like a Les Paul... the configuration of these 
    Teles is quite different than the standard Tele.
    
    	
    Brad Page
    

Tsk.  Dave Gilmour owns the very first one.  48' Broadcaster, ser# 0.

    
	I'm having a problem with my tele than (I hope) someone may be able
to shed some light on. 

	About a month ago the pickup selector switch went bad. I ordered 
another that turned out to be of a different type than the original. Through
trial and error, I figured out the correct wiring. 

	The problem is that whenever I play a chord, not only do I get  the
chord but also a "crackling" type of sound (hard to describe). It's not:

	1. A loose connection (I checked them all)
	2. A bad cord
	3. either pickup (does it on both)
	4. a grounding problem 

	I can't remember whether this problem predated the new switch or
not, so if anybody has any ideas on what the problem might be, or other ways
to isolate it, I'd love to hear them. I have to use the guitar at a band
audition on Tuesday!

    
    	Try work a bit with the selector when playing on the strings.
    	If the cracking varies with this action, it's propably bad con-
    	tacts in the selector switch. I know it's new, but it could've
    	been stored for a longer period and have builded up layers on
    	the contact surfaces - so use a contact spray, and it should be
    	okay. Try to get the type that both clean and lubricate - af-
    	ter blowing in spray, wait a moment and then work well with it,
    	to remove the loosened dirt/layer...
    
    	Poul
    

        Sandy's new bass had the same problem - intermittant contact on
        the pickup select  switch  with associated crackles and buzzes.
        I just took the  switch  apart,  cleaned  and  retensioned  the
        spring contacts and lightly sprayed  them with contact cleaner.
        I could have got away with  just squirting some contact cleaner
        into the switch and operating it a  few dozen times, but I like
        to see how things work...
        
        If you need help with this, Tom -  let  Sandy (SMURF::S_FRASER)
        know and I'll take a look at it.
        
        Andy
        

    
    
    I guess you have already tried this.........
    
    
    A new cable? The only reason I suggest this is that I had exactly the
    same syptoms, I figured it couldn't be the cable coz it had moulded ends
    so how could they go bad???      
    
    I was wrong.
    
    J
    
    Oh yeh and the cable only went 'bad' after I had stripped and re-built
    my guitar.........so I spent ages checking what I had done before I
    tried a different lead!!!!!!!!  

    Did you check to be sure that the output jack on the Tele was tight? 
    I've had similar problems with guitars when the output jack got loose
    in the body (or bent up so it didn't hold the input plug of the cord
    well).
    
    Greg

    You said that it happens when you play a chord. I had that problem
    when my strat's electronics weren't thoroughly grounded. The motion of
    my hand -- when I strummed a chord -- across the pickguard caused
    static electricity which made a pronounced crackling sound. You had
    the tele apart? Maybe you upset a ground connection. Is there a
    shield under the pickguard? To me, this sounds like the problem.
    
    --ron

    I'm thinking of getting a Tele+....  Any comments.
    
    Thanks,
    
    RJ

I'm niot sure what a tele + is but I played a tele a while back that had a
"humbucker" made of two red lace sensors in the bridge position and a red
lace sensor in the neck position. The action/playability was typical of a
fender, which is to say not as good as I've felt, not as bad as I've felt, but
quite acceptable. The sound was very hot, this particular guitar screamed.

FWIW dbii

    I believe you'll find that the Tele+ has a TBX tone control on
    it. Basically, from 1-5 it acts as a normal tone control. From
    5-10 it enhances the highs. It's the same as a Strat+. It's 
    pretty useful for rolling off the treble on the bridge pickup.
    
    I'm not sure if there are any other special features of the 
    Tele+.
    
    -Tom

    I believe the tele+ also has a small toggle switch which allows the
    bridge sensors to be run in/out of phase.

    
    	
    	I believe the dbx tone control is stock with the standard models
    	as well - not just the Strat/Tele+'s.  My Std Strat has it.
    	The deal with the pluses has to do with the pickups (I thought).
    
    	fwiw,
    	-pat

    re: pat
    
    Yes the american standard tele has the TBX tone control. As I recall,
    the tele+ has lace sensors (two red at bridge, one blue(?) at neck.),
    It has a roller nut, and locking tuners on headstock. 

    I bought the Telecaster Plus.  Crimson Frost, I'd call it Crimson
    sunburst but what do I know.  Has lase sensors, 2 red bridge, 1 blue
    neck.  Hasn't got the locking tuners or roller nut, those are on the
    Delux Plus.  This thing screems!!!!!!!
    Thanks for the comments.
    
    Robert  

    I'd like to replace the stock white pickguard on my American Standard
    Telecaster with something a bit more exciting. Maybe one of those 
    pearly looking things I've seen. Anyone know a good source for tele
    replacement pickguards so I can add some excitement to my life?
    
    jim who_loves_the_sound_of_a_stock_tele
    

    Chandler used to make a lot of replacement pickguards.  Don't know if
    they specifically did Tele ones or not.
    
    Greg (who always thought those tortise-shell pattern ones looked cool
          on Tele's)

    I have a catalog from Suncoast Music Distributors.  They list, for a
    Tele:
    
    	Solid black
    	Solid white
    	Black/white/black (layers, I assume)
    	White/black/white
    	Tortoise
    	Cream
    	Red/white/red
    	Blue/white/blue
    	Gibson 5-layer: b/w/b/w/b
    	Mirror
    	British flag
    	Dixie flag
    	Brushed silver
    	Brushed gold
    	Checker board
    
    Prices were about $19 to $33.  IMHO, a good way to go would be to get
    some clear plexi, use the old guard to get the shape right, and then
    put the graphic of your choice underneath.  Tie-dye, flowers, a-bomb
    explosions, train wrecks, trucks, a picture of your SO, a picture of my
    SO,...
    
    Suncoast: 813-822-4949.  Usual disclaimer.

    
    I have a Chandler catalog from about four years ago and the selection is
    very impressive. And they have templates for almost every model guitar
    ever made (slight exageration). Ask 'em for a catalog might cost a buck
    or two. But they have (had) color pictures of all the choices of
    material that they offered.

    --rjb

    I bought a pearloid (a/k/a 'mother of toilet seat') replacement
    pickguard for my Am. Std. Tele. at MacDuff's music in Shrewsbury.
    I believe they got it from All-parts or some such place.  It cost
    me $30.
    
    I have a Chandler catalog in front of me now and you can buy Tele
    pickups in a myriad of colors, etc. for anywhere from $22 to $45.
    
    The white pearloid is $40 and there's a cool black pearloid or blue
    pearloid for the same price.  The gold swirl is very impressive at
    $45.
    
    	joe.

From:	AMPAKZ::RAVEN1::JERRYWHITE "Toto, we're not at DEC anymore ...  18-Nov-1992 1229" 18-NOV-1992 12:30:30.78
To:	AMPAKZ::MSDOA2::BLAIR
CC:	JERRYWHITE
Subj:	'78 Tele Questions

	Greetings from the other side !  8^)

	I recently bought a '78 Telecaster.  It has the standard pickup
	layout (lipstick looking thing in the neck, slanted single coil in 
	the bridge).  BUT, it has a 5 position pickup selector switch, PLUS
	a micro switch between the volume and tone control which *sounds*
	like it's doing some sort of coil tapping.

	My questions are, does anyone have any idea what's going on during 
	position 2 and 4 on this pickup selector (I can pretty much figure 
	out 1-3-5), and what's this micro switch doing ?

	Send ideas, suggestions, Christmas cards to:
	AMPAKZ::RAVEN1::JERRYWHITE

	Thanks !


	Jerry ...

    Perhaps 2 and 4 is for using the pickups in parallel and series? And
    the mini used for coil cuting on the back pickup?
    
    							Rick
    

    Having just explained how I feel about the new Strat and Tele books by
    Duchossoir in the Strat and Near Strats topic, I thought I'd also
    mention that in The Fender Telecaster is just about if not every wiring
    schematic ever used in a Tele.

    And detail? It even has close up photos of 8 different knobs showing the
    variations in knurling patterns and crowns between '50 and '75. And
    tables of serial numbers ranging from #0017 (from an 11-50 Broadcaster)
    to #412357 (from an Apr-72 Telecaster). THAT'S DETAIL.

    I own a relatively recent vintage American Standard Telecaster which
    I'm quite fond of. I've replaced the standard pickups with a set of
    Barden pickups. In general I like the tone it now has, but would like
    to get a bit more twang out of the treble pickup.
    
    I'm considering replacing the bridge. The stock one has a heavy gauge
    chrome plated base plate with six individual saddles made from some
    grey colored mystery metal.  I was thinking of substituting the more
    traditional brass saddle bridge.
    
    Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Anyone have any
    idea on what type of change this replacement might cause?
    
    jim
    

    Here's a naive little question for all you Telecaster experts:
    
    Can anyone give me the deal on the selector switch on a Standard
    Telecaster? If the Tele only has neck and bridge pickups, are the
    *three* selector switch positions for neck/bridge/both? 
    
    This might seem like an obvious query, but I'm sure I read somewhere
    that Fender introduced some sort of blend feature that modified the
    pickup selection issue, though I don't suppose this feature was/is used
    on all models.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Dom 

    re -1
    
    Modern Teles do in fact offer in fact   bridge/bridge+neck/neck as
    the three positions. This was not always the case as the early
    Teles did not combine the two pickups.
    
    jim
    

    Re: -1, -2
    
    To be more precise, the earliest Teles were bridge only, neck only,
    neck only with treble cut.
    
    							Brian

    re -1
    
    I guess I would have called it, 
    
    		bridge only, neck only, and mud only    :+)

    ...and that's the way my Tele works: bridge, neck, neck w/no top.  Like
    Strats, you can get intermediate positions.  I use bridge+neck a lot.

    
    Saw a fun looking Tele in a magazine: '69 Reissue Thinline.  A
    semi-hollow thing with an f-hole on top.  They liked it.   
    
    Anyone seen one in a store in the Boston area?  Anyone played
    or owned one of these?  
    
    Dave

    Seen two of these babies, both at Mr C's in Marlboro.  These are
    Japanese made (and thus fairly inexpensive) and look nicely made.
    

    RE: -2
    
    This counrty dide at Berklee (gawd, can you imagine?!?) had a 57'
    original of these pupies.  Great sound, but wonder if the new ones
    maintained the tone...or even somewhat-even-resembling?!?

Haven't seen a new one. I own an older one...

dbii

    Re: .67
    
    57?  No way...Thinlines are a post-CBS beast.  Nice mother-of-toilet
    seat pickguards...
    
    Some in the 70s even came with humbuckers (gag).
    
    							

    Brian's right. The Telecaster Thinline was introduced in 1969. The
    first ones had the same two pickups as regular Telecasters. The later
    ones had humbuckers. I'm pretty sure Fender has reissued both versions.
    I've played one with single coil pickups and I liked it a lot.
    
    Mark

I have a '73 or so that has the two humbuckers. They're kinda interesting as
pickups go, the one at the neck is fat and warm, the one at the bridge has
an edge that approaches a single coil,but has the punch that comes with a
humbucker.

Didn't Bob Segar play one in the  video for "breakdown/shakedown" or whatever
that lame song he did for Bev Hills Cop II was...

dbii

    Can any of you Tele people tell me the differences in contruction vs.
    tone??
    
    Yeah, I could go out and play 900 of em and compare...but before I 
    embark down that avenue, I was wonderng if anyone could tell me in
    basic terms the "tones" produced by the various models:
    
    - Ash body
    - Thinline repro with "F" holes
    - solid Rosewood body and neck model
    
    any others??

    
    Buck, there was an issue of GP? a while back that featured a Tele
    shootout. Worth looking at if you're in the market.
    
    

    My personal experience is limited to the traditional type. I've owned
    two: a '68 that was overly bright sounding and had a microphonic neck PU
    and the mongrel '54 that I own now that is very fat sounding with tons of
    sustain but has a Seymor Duncan '54 vintage replacement bridge PU.

    Can't tell you about any other types. I've heard the rosewood one is
    H E A V Y.

    --Ron

    
    The article I saw was a Tele comparison in a GP mag called 
    "Guitar Gear", that is still being displayed.  Another one in 
    there that looked interesting (but expensive) was the 
    Fender Country Artist.   
    
    Dave    

buck I dunno about the thinline re-issues but I have a early 70's thinline
with the two fender humbbuckers and it has the coolest "woman tone" (geez I 
hate that term, dunno why) from the neck pickup of any guitar I ever used.

The bridge pickup is quite bright but has all that nice mid that comes from a
humbucker..

I like it, I don't play it much but I wouldn't get rid of it (this week!) :-)

dbii

    
    		I recently became the proud owner of a '77 tele deluxe.
    Truly a finely crafted instrument. It has a strat style headstock
    and tilt adjust on the neck. My problem however, is that I'm getting
    a brush burn on my arm where it touches the edge of the body. I can't
    seem to put it down so, after an evenings jam my arm is all broken
    out in guitar heat rash! Any body got any suggestions?
    
    						New to the conference
    						Jerry C	

    
    Re: Rash burns.
    
    This is kind of simple, but when I play my Les Paul I try to wear a 
    long sleeve shirt.  I don't have a rash problem, but I am trying to 
    protect the LP's finish from my sweaty body.  I suspect just covering 
    your arm might help; however, it could be a little warm if you don't have 
    AC (maybe some sort of pad taped to your forearm would do the trick).
    
    Al

    
    
    Seems to me that I've seen guitar covers that might help.  No, I'm not
    suggesting that you put it back in the case...  Someone manufactures
    these things made out of naughahyde or some soft material that protect
    the edges and back of the guitar while you play.  Don't know how they
    attach, and personally wouldn't put something like that on my
    instrument, but maybe ...

	I've never done this myself, but you could try putting some talc on 
your arm before you start playing.

		Ian G.

Speaking of tele's I fell in love (GTS!) yesterday. A neck through, custom
shop flame top red tele, creme edge binding, two dimarzio humbuckers, the 
fender trem system with a roller nut and locking tuners...just about as
pretty as you can get....sigh....List $1600...

dbii

    Another sad story of GTS: I've been harassing the local 
    retailers lately in a search for a Telecaster type guitar. 
    
    I've briefly tried:
    
    The American Standard
    '62 Reissue
    G&L ASAT Classic
    '7x Thinline Reissue
    '52 Reissue
    James Burton
    JD Special
    Jerry Donahue 
    
    They're all pretty nice, except that I 
    didn't care for the James Burton, since it seemed
    kind of dead sounding.  The "photo-flame" finish on
    the '62 Reissue actually looks pretty nice!  Still hoping
    to try a '69 Thinline. 
    
    So far my favorites: 
    
    '52 Reissue - I'd probably have them take out the 
    capacitor that makes it "sound like" a bass in the front
    switch position, and maybe put in a six point bridge.  
    
    Jerry Donahue - this one has a cool 5 way switch and I think a 
    Strat front pickup that seems to make this a far more versatile 
    guitar than the others.  Also, the wood is really amazing
    (Bird's eye maple neck). 
     
    
    Anyone else tryed one of these? Opinions? 
    
    Dave     
     

    So I folded and bought a Jerry Donahue Teley down at
    the Guitar Center.  The thing is nice, nice, nice. 
    But it put a serious hole in my wallet! 
    
    I've become a little obsessed with this kind of 
    guitar.  The other night we went out and saw
    Toni Lynn Washington at Johnny D's, and the 
    guitar player had a cool looking Custom Teley
    with a replacement front pickup that looked something
    like a soap bar, but I'm not sure.    
    
    Anyways, this guy sounded great, deep in the blues 
    tradition, through a black face Super Reverb.  
    Excellent combination.  No pedals, no effects. 
    Classic tone.   
    
    Dave
    

    The latest Fender flyer shows something called the Tele Jr.  This is a
    set neck Tele, all mahogany, with two Duncan P-90s.  I like this idea a
    lot.  The G&L ASAT Special is along these lines, but I don't think the
    Special's pickups are quite a "phat" as P-90s, and it's still traditional
    maple bolt-on an ash body.  This new Fender sounds more like an LP Special
    with 25.5" scale and Tele ergonomics.  Oh, and of course it comes in a
    very Gibson-ish tobacco sunburst finish.
    
    This could be a very happening little axe.  If any spots one of these,
    I'd like to hear about it.
    

    
    What type of pickup is a P-90? Single coil? Humbucker? 
    
    How do people describe the sound of a P-90 relative to
    the other types?  
    
    Dave
    

    P-90s are fat soapbar style single coils with six polepiece screws
    across the center.  They're typical on 50's Gibsons, like the early
    Les Pauls (these were white) and later Juniors and Specials (these were
    black), but you also find em on some 40's archtops (I think) and into
    the 60's on some SGs and Firebirds.  They're high output, approaching
    that of a humbucker, but with more of a clear, bright, fat tone.
    
    Several years ago I bought former noter Ted Mariani's '57 LP Special
    (unfortunately since traded away during a momentary lapse of reason).
    This guitar was a slab mahogany body and set neck, with a pair of
    P-90s; quite similar to the new Tele Jr.  All I can say is this was an
    amazing guitar.  At 8.5 on the volume knob, either pickup, you got
    this perfect rhythm tone; big and clear.  Then kicking the volume just
    that little bit up to 10 was like firing the afterburners; amps would
    weep at the sight of it.
    
    If Duncan did a good job with their P-90 copies, and there's every
    reason to believe they did, this should be a great guitar.
    
    /rick_the_p90_fan
    
    ps oh, of course, being high output single coils, these are susceptible
    to noise, hum, and other nasty side effects.  It's something you gotta
    be ready to deal with
    

    Those soap-bars are kickin'!
    
    I was dinking with a gold top the other day that had soaps in 
    it.  A smokin' sound (but the guitar was too heavy :-).
    

    Another guitar with P90's to consider is the Hamer Specials. These
    have 2 Seymour Duncan P90's. I've heard some good reviews on these
    guitars. I almost bought one a year or so ago that was listed in the
    want-ads. The guy was asking $175 for it w/hsc!! Needless to say, by
    the time I got in touch with him, it was gone.
    
    I'd kill to have my 1967 Firebird I back. It was non-reversed with
    2 P90's with black covers. A great sounding guitar for it's day. Too
    bad I was too young and stupid to realize just what I had. Around 1970
    I had the bug to buy a new guitar and amp. I was 15 yrs old, had a 
    part-time job and managed to save some money. I ended up buying an 
    Ampeg Dan Armstrong (clear) guitar with an Ampeg B22X amp (one of the 
    biggest, heaviest *combos* ever made). What a waste. If I only knew
    then what I know now. 
    
    Mark

    I had a les-paul with those SD SOaps in 'em...  Didn't seem to grab
    me the same way this particular LP did, but they were still hot
    pickups!!
    
    jc (WHo'll stick with DiMarzio PAF-Pros)

    
    
    My Telecaster requires that the pick guard be removed to
    adjust the truss rod.  So far no need to do so, but is 
    this the way they all are?  Is this a draw back?  Seems
    like kind of a poor design to me.  Reminds me of a 
    Renault in which you had to turn the center rear view 
    mirror side ways in order to bring down the sun visors. . .
    
    Dave
      
    
    

    re .-1
    
    that's the way some Fenders (and Fender copies) are. I agree it's
    a poor design.

    I got this in mail from Ron Burati recently; I just know he would want
    me to post it :-)  /rick
    
    
    I've been trying to tell people this for years. I said this in guitar
    notes several times to nothing but total indifference and deafening
    silence. Now I feel _completely_ vindicated. 

    The Encore page (GP) shows a very nice (no...gorgeous) '53 Tele. Says
    owner Vincent Gallo (in case you don't recognize his name, it's usually
    after the words "courtesy of" below many photos of exceptional vintage
    guitars):

    "I've owned Super 400s, L-5s, D'Angelicos, Strombergs, every fine
    archtop you can imagine. I used to turn my nose up at factory guitars.
    Even now I can look at Teles, Esquires and No-Casters all day and
    they're no big deal. I went to a show recently and saw five black-guard
    Teles and wouldn't have bought any of them. But once I heard a friend
    playing in a Pizzaria. He had a Tele with very heavy strings --- .013
    through .058 --- and a Gibson GA-50 amp. It was the  best jazz guitar
    sound I've ever heard in my life."

    --rjb
    

    Well, Santa finally came.  I picked up the Fender Telecaste B-Bender
    Saturday afternoon.  Played it Saturday night.  Incredible steel sound
    when bending.  It's a little heavier than a Tele, more like a Les Paul.
    I guess thats cause all that extra metal in this thang.  It's made in
    the USA and was only $700 with case, one of those new kind.
    Now I'm going to have to get the video of Will Ray B-Bender
    techniques.
    
    I now have 2 guitars, an ASAT Clasic and Telecaster B-Bender
    I feel like a LUCKY MAN.
    
        Later,
        Robert Johnson
    

so tell us more, l what exactly is the BENDER Thing all about..

(I had a tele till Fred Waible took it off my hands!
Miss it, love teles, mine was usa standard, and stock.
Wondering what the Bender stuff is..)

So Fred, how is the tele behavin ?

    Its some sort of thing that hooks to the b string and then to the
    front strap hook.  When you bend the neck down it will bend the be
    string up a whole step.  This is not the Hipshot that attaches to the
    guitar its built in to the back.  Will Ray of the Hellecasters used the
    hipshot model but maybe using one of these now.  I heard they were all
    sponsored by Fender now.  The guitar player for Diamond Rio plays with
    a B-Bender and also has a G-Bender.  This connects to your belt buckle
    and when you move the guitar away from your body it bends the G string.
    
    later
    rj

sounds scary!

    The original B-bender is the Parsons-White, developed by Gene Parsons
    and Clarence White and first installed in Clarence's 50's Tele.  It's
    a complex mechanism of springs and levers located in a channel routed
    into the back of the guitar, connecting the forward strap button to the
    B-string.  Pull down on the guitar, up goes the B.  A variation on this
    was developed by Paul Glaser that connected to lever arms sticking out
    of the neck plate.  This is the double bender used by the guy in
    Diamond Reo; pull down on the guitar and get one bend, push the guitar
    away from you and get another.  You can do the bends simultaneously,
    but it's tricky to do "musically".  The Hipshot attaches to the back of
    the guitar behind the bridge, with no permanent modification to the
    instrument.  Bends are achieved by hip pressure on a lever.  The cool
    thing about these is you can easily customize them to bend any number
    of strings and intervals.  The Hipshot was used extensively by the
    Hellecasters, at least for their first two records.
    
    It looks like the new Bender Tele uses a cost reduced variation of the
    Parsons-White design.  This is a good thing.  I've tried all of the
    above Bender designs and this one is clearly my favorite; it just feels
    and works better than the others.
    
    /rick
    

o.k. I still don't get, why would we want to do this ?

Guess I'd have to use one, but I can't pickup on the application!

Color me dense..

re:  <<< Note 704.98 by ASABET::pelkey.ogo.dec.com::pelkey "Professional Hombre" >>>

>o.k. I still don't get, why would we want to do this ?

Why, so you can imitate a pedal-steel guitar, of course!  :-)

-Hal

    
    The Fender catalog lists this as a "Custom Fender/Gene Parsons B-Bender
    System" and shows the hardware on the back of the guitar.
    
    It's different. 8-)
    
    Kevin
    

    The bender on this guitar is called a Parsons/Green.  I dont know what
    the difference is other than the Parsons/White comes from the custom
    shop and cost about $500 more.  They only come in black, white,
    sunburst, or red.
    
    later,
    rj 

    One obvious difference; on a Parsons/White they route a channel for
    the forward strap button to slide up and down.  On the Parsons/Green
    there's a bent metal arm that sneaks around from the back and sits
    where the strap button would normally be.  Also, they cover up the
    mechanism in the back of the guitar with a solid metal plate :-(
    One of the cool things about the Parsons/White is they're usually
    covered with plexiglass, so you can see the works.
    
    I expect the Parsons/Green is still functionally pretty close to
    the original; would love to try one of these out.
    

oooohhhh,,, Pedal Steel,,,,  Hmm, never thought of that,,,

Cool!

    Although benders are usually installed on Teles, you do occasionally
    see them on other types of guitars.  Jimi Page has some Parsons/White
    equipped Les Pauls, for example.  You can supposedly hear Jimi's use
    of the bender on the Zep track "All of My Love".