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[Old Gold]

I'm really interested in getting a telecaster...
However, I've already got a Mex Fender Strat, so I'd be content with a budget knock off to update as the money comes along (pickups, better bridge etc). Also, I don't suppose there's such a thing as a thinline telecaster copy on the market? That would be spiffing, what.

Any recommendations?

I had a telecaster, but I sold it after I got my strat. No doubt others will disagree, but I found that the neck and bridge sounds were pretty similar on both guitars, but the tele of course couldn't do the strat's "in between" tones. The only tone I couldn't get on the strat was the middle position on the tele, which I never used anyway.

So I sold it, but no doubt I will buy another at some point, either a 52 reissue or one of the ones with bigsby trems, very cool.

As for your needs, how about these, both here:

http://www.petercooks.co.uk/clearance.php



Squier, £195



Fender £383

Or how about this, £179:

http://www.coda-music.com/squier.html

[Old Gold]

Really? I tried out a standard tele in R n B a month or two back, and found the sound I got out of it was noticeabley more twangy than the smoother strat sounds. I'd also like a back up guitar to my strat now that it looks like I'll be gigging quite frequently.

Those suggestions look pretty cool, except I would prefer the single coil/ash tray bridge set up of the standard. Whats the deal with squiers? Decent?

Edit: might be worth pointing out that my humbucker sounds are covered by a LP Standard, so I'm happy in that department.

Originally Posted by SpanishArmada

Really? I tried out a standard tele in R n B a month or two back, and found the sound I got out of it was noticeabley more twangy than the smoother strat sounds. I'd also like a back up guitar to my strat now that it looks like I'll be gigging quite frequently.

Those suggestions look pretty cool, except I would prefer the single coil/ash tray bridge set up of the standard. Whats the deal with squiers? Decent?

My strat has texas special pickups and a light swamp ash body, so it's pretty twangy by strat standards.

I think Squiers are as good a "copy" as you can get for the price, though if you can afford a wee bit more then might be worth getting a mexican so you've got "the real thing". Peter Cooks are doing Mexicans for £279 which is a great price for a genuine Fender Telecaster IMO.

Oh and it was the mention of the Thinline that made me think you wanted humbuckers.

[Old Gold]

Hah, yeah... sorry about that. I should have been more specific. Finding a knockoff of the 69 style thinline may be slighty impossible.

But thanks for the advice Dusty. You are a bit of a guru.

Looks like I'm gonna be selling the ol' aria pro II...

I had a fender telecaster squire and the only thing that resembled a genuine telecaster was the shape. The parts and craftmanship were well below par. It's good for some things, but not if you want it to sound like a tele, even upgrading the pickups did little to revive the squires sound.

I'd really reccomend avoiding anything with the squire logo on, unless you intend on abusing it physically and tonally, in which case they are perfect.

i've been looking at the made in korea fender lite ash teles recently, they look like good value for money. Look out for semi-hollow g&l ASAT classics on ebay, the tribute models are supposed to be good, you can get them new for around 400 if you're lucky.

[Old Gold]

Yeaah, I played a japanese telecaster in January and was mightily impressed by it. Not sure how to go about finding one though... mexicans seem far more readily available.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/G-L-Tribute-AS...QQcmdZViewItem

not semi-hollow, but still a good price.

i beleive one of the guitarists from death cab for cutie uses the usa version, although his has the pickups replaced.