Keep reading for a complete rundown on all the currently available Telecaster models from Fender and its Squier division. This is also the best time to check the string heights at the nut and see if the nut needs to be replaced or shimmed. Eliminates string trees for better tuning. Brand new Yosemite single-coil pickups give the Fender American Performer Telecaster provide plenty of dynamic range and classic Tele tone. The two Telecasters are the American Original '50s Telecaster and American Original '60s Telecaster. If the neck has a back bow, the ruler will rock back and forth at the ends because the neck is bowed up in the middle. While they offer all the playability and reliability of other Teles, they also incorporate modern touches while keeping the price in reach of the newbie. You want this much relief in the neck. The jack, from the inside, sits against a rectangular claw with 4 small sharp points that dig into the wood of the body in the opening. It is a good idea to slacken the strings before you cut them off. Then fret the low E string at the 12th fret and play the note. The Fender Custom Shop has produced a number of Signature Telecaster guitars in its Custom Artist series that are handcrafted to the exacting personal preferences of famous Tele players such as Merle Haggard. The 72 Thinline Teles offer a unique departure from the standard Tele configuration. Telecaster” Albert Lee. Sperzel has been manufacturing staggered string posts since the late 1970s, allowing for better pull through the nut and reducing the use of string trees on six-in-line guitars with flathead stocks. This hot-rodded Tele sports a toneful poplar body and a fast maple neck. Arguably, no other guitar has enjoyed such diverse and widespread popularity among so many guitarists representing so many different styles. Pull the fifth string to the third key and cut it. The HSS pickup array with 5-way plus coil-split switching makes the Fender Modern Player Telecaster Plus decidedly different from your father’s Tele. Made in Fender's Ensenada, Baja California facility with collaboration from Fender's highly regarded Master Builders, the Classic Series Telecasters offers Custom Shop features and vibe at a more affordable price. Pull the fourth string between the second and first keys and cut it. For the most part, differences among Telecaster models and families usually involve the pickups, electronics, hardware, and finishes. Squier is a division of Fender and its Telecasters are based on Fender models, sharing many of the same design features at super-affordable prices. Very good. Each model is available with a rosewood or maple fingerboard. Similar in spirit to the Classic Vibe series, the Vintage Modified Tele delivers hotter tone and chop-shop looks without the customized price tag. Adjusting the string action on a telecaster is pretty simple. Squier’s Classic Vibe series Telecasters are based on traditional Fender models, but each incorporates modern touches, making it a unique instrument in the Fender/Squier product lineup. To measure the height of the strings at the nut, measure from the top of the first fret to the bottom of the string. protection from manufacturer defects. Line the six tuning machines so that the first string keyhole is set at 1:00, the second at 2:00, the third and fourth at 3:00, the fifth at 4:00, and the sixth at 5:00. The Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster has three Vintage single-coil Noiseless pickups. This is a much better option than trying the old trick of bending the intonation adjustment screw to angle the saddle in order to achieve better intonation, as pictured above. Based on a ‘50s Telecaster, it features Custom Shop pups and wiring for a wider range of tonal options at a gentle price. To avoid confusion and trademark issues with Gretsch Broadkaster drums, the guitar was renamed as the Telecaster. Here are the all important specs for this affordable workhorse that offers everything you'd hope for in a modern Telecaster: The classic looks, modest price tag and modern features of the Fender Special Edition Deluxe Ash Telecaster will appeal to any Fender fan on a strict budget. Before you straighten the neck you want to check how much relief there is first. Fender gives a selection of 1950s and ‘60s instruments distressed treatments to conjure up the appearance of road-hardened guitars in creating the Road Worn Series. Orders placed before 5 p.m. Fender's Player Series Telecasters are the newest members of the Fender Tele family. With this guide, we’ll walk you through those variations. Instead, he routed a pocket into the body and bolted the neck into it, making production faster and easier. A semi-hollow body serves up a vibrant bluesy voice, while a pair of humbuckers packs a punch sure to please even the pickiest tone freak. Deluxe Telecasters retain the look and feel of the original Tele design, but pack extra punch thanks to special pickups electronics and switching. The 3-tone sunburst finish and Alnico V single coils on the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Custom offer a mellow look with sonic punch. I also like to throw some lubricant on the areas of the E and B string that rests under the string tree to help prevent any dragging there and keep the string moving freely. Do this through your amp with the volume and tone all the way up and wide open. This meticulously re-created Fender American Original '60s Tele in Lake Placid Blue is the perfect choice for anyone looking for vintage Fender vibe. Pickup Config Facet Value H/H (1) H/H ... Big Bends Nut Sauce Guitar Lubricant 0.5cc Customer Experience Mr John Seppings. Fender’s most elite luthiers—designated as Master Builders—are given free rein in creating these lavish instruments. The original Telecaster neck was shaped using a single piece of maple without a separate fingerboard—another technique used to produce the instrument faster and more simply. We will use the fret rocker tool to check all the frets on the neck and make sure there are no high frets. USA Made Telecaster Guitars Made in USA, Japan, or Mexico. The string height at the 12th fret was 2 mm above the fret. No need for string tree hold-downs or their interference with vibratos. Take the .005″ feeler gauge with your left hand and slide it between the bottom of the E string and the top of the 7th fret. Squier Telecasters A step up from the Affinity series, the Squier Standard Telecaster offers the feel and comfort of a Fender Standard at an affordable price. They have historically included models that replicate the axes wielded by such artists as James Burton, Muddy Waters, G.E. Pull the third string nearly to the top of the headcap and cut it. You want to go through the guitar and find out as many possible problems beforehand so they can be properly fixed or addressed so you don’t waste any time going back to correct them. Transparency Act, Rock - Joe Strummer, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, John 5, Jim Root, Pop - Jeff Buckley, Prince, Andy Summers, James Burton, George Harrison, Blues - Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, Mike Bloomfield, Roy Buchanan, Country - Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Clarence White, Psychedelic Rock - Jeff Beck, Syd Barrett, Zoot Horn Rollo, Jazz - Jimmy Bryant, Mike Stern, Howard Roberts, Barney Kessel, Maple or rosewood fretboards (maple is more common), Nitrocellulose lacquer (vintage Teles), polyurethane or polyester finish (modern Teles), 2 single-coil pickups (one in the bridge position and one in the neck position), 7 1/2" fretboard radius (vintage Teles), 9 1/2" fretboard radius (modern Teles), Maple or rosewood fingerboard depending on finish color, Solid Agathis body; 1-3/4" depth like most Fender models, Maple C-shaped neck with rosewood fretboard, 3-ply parchment or 4-ply tortoiseshell pickguard, Body woods vary with model (polyurethane finish), Mostly maple C-shaped neck (gloss polyurethane finish), 6-saddle string-through-body bridge with bent-steel saddles, Maple, modern C-shaped neck with satin polyurethane finish, 5-position blade pickup switch with Strat-O-Tone, Vintage 6-saddle string-through-body bridge, 1-piece maple C-shaped neck (gloss polyurethane finish), 2 vintage-style single-coil alnico magnet pickups, Vintage 3-saddle strings-through-body bridge, 1-piece maple U-shaped neck (gloss polyurethane finish), Vintage-style Strat string-thru-body hardtail bridge, Lightly-tinted, maple U-shaped neck (gloss polyurethane finish), 1 Fender Wide Range Humbucking pickup (neck), Vintage-style string-thru-body Tele bridge, 1 Custom Shop "Twisted" Tele single-coil pickup (neck), 1 Custom Shop Broadcaster single-coil (bridge), 4-position blade switch with 2-position push-push S-1 switching (8 pickup settings in all), New V-Mod single-coil pickups designed by pickup guru, Tim Shaw, Solid alder body or ash body (2-Color Sunburst, Natural, Crimson Red Transparent and Butterscotch Blonde), Ash ('50s model) or alder ('60s model) body, '52 U-shaped neck ('50s model) or 60's C-shaped ('60s model), Maple fretboard ('50s model) or Rosewood ftreboard ('60s model), Pure Vintage '52 single-coil Tele pickups ('50s model) and '64 Gray-Bottom Single Coil Tele pickups ('60s model), Modern C-shaped maple neck with 22 jumbo frets, Featuring new Yosemite single-coil pickups and on the HS model, a new DoubleTap humbucker. One upgrade, that we highly recommend, is replacing the old claw and jack cup with the Electrosocket jack plate. It is best to start slow and a little higher to make sure you don’t go too low and cause the string to buzz on top of the first fret when played open. String Action. I also like to tighten up any loose screws or nuts at this point, especially on the tuning pegs which can cause tuning issues if they are not secure. Tele Players: a Who’s Who of Guitar Wizardry They evidence the wear and tear of countless gigs, including worn finishes, rusted hardware, and aged parts. Unveiled in late 2016, the American Professional Telecaster offers plenty of refinements including a new treble-bleed tone circuit and Tim Shaw's newly designed V-Mod single-coil pickups voiced specifically for each position, mixing AlNiCo magnet types to produce powerful, nuanced tones with that classic Fender sound. The next critical thing to check at the beginning is the string ground. Just try to set the intonation as close as possible. The ground wire usually runs from under the bridge plate through a hole drilled in the body to either the control or bridge pickup cavity, where it is soldered to the back of a potentiometer or other ground connection. Fender incorporated production techniques no other guitar builder had used previously. Introduced as a replacement for Fender's American Special Series, the Fender American Performer series is a wallet-friendly, Made in the USA line of guitars and basses. If there is too much relief, there will be a gap between the bottom of the ruler and the frets or fretboard near the middle of the neck. You also want to make sure that none of the frets are loose and popping up out of the fret slots. Fender is offering two distinct models of Fender American Performer Telecasters, a standard SS configuration and an HS configuration. Shortly after its introduction, a two-pickup version was built.It was soon renamed the Broadcaster later that year; the single pickup version retained the Esquire name. The cavities offered easy access for repair or replacement of the electronics. Each model features Fender's newest Yosemite single-coil design. Maybe you don't want to spend a lot, but you want your Tele to have the look and feel of a timeless guitar. Introduced in June of 2018 as part of the larger Fender Player series, they come in two standard models. We did this step already in the evaluation so most of the time the neck is already straight and ready to go, but if not, repeat the process we went through above until the neck is straight and there is a .005″ gap of relief between the bottom of the E strings and the top of the 7th fret. Or as a working pro you need a Tele that you can play night after night, show after show—a true workhorse. Today we are going to go through the basic setup of a Fender Telecaster guitar. The most common Tele bridge has 3 barrel saddles made out of brass or steel with each one holding 2 strings. Guitars with tilt-back head stocks use all one post height; our years of experience will help you determine the height you need. If a tonally pleasing compromise in intonation can not be achieved, then there are a couple of companies out there that make replacement saddles that are compensated in order to get intonation on a barrel saddle setup possible. You will then need to grab your truss rod tool and turn the truss rod nut clockwise until that gap is gone on the bottom edge of the ruler. If there are loose and uneven frets then they would need to be reseated and glued down. Utterly unique and of investment-grade quality, a Master Built Telecaster is an instrument to be treasured and passed down through the generations. It is one of the more straightforward instruments to adjust, but not free from its own special set of little problem areas or headaches that we will address in this article. The Fender American Original series, which includes Telecasters, Stratocasters, Offsets and more, was designed to offer guitars that reflected a "best-of" approach. The Fender American Professional Telecaster features brand new pickups, a new treble-bleed circuit, Modern Deep C neck, and a number of other refinements. So, Which Telecaster is Right for You? As long as there have been Teles, guitarist have customized them with hotter pickups, personalized paint jobs, non-standard pickguards—you name it. For the low E and A strings, you want to cut the string about 2 & 1/2″ behind the tuner. As with the original, the Strat headstock and alnico humbuckers in the Classic Series reproduction of the ‘72 Telecaster Deluxe give it visual and sonic distinction. Marshall Amplification was founded by Jim Marshall in 1962, and quickly became synonymous with increased volume and crunchy sound. If the nut slot is flat, then the string will rattle and buzz when played open. After the intonation is set, apply some of that nut sauce or lubricant to each strings notch in the saddle to help reduce friction at this contact point for better tuning stability. The Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Telecaster Custom will float your boat. Fender Telecasters No modification needed No cutting or changing your guitar. Then a fret level and crowning would need to be done to them before moving on. I like to polish up the frets and clean and oil the fretboard, if made of a hardwood other than maple, first. This guide will give you the information you need to help pick the right Telecaster for your music and budget. From here you can lower each slot until you feel each string is low and comfortable enough for your playing style. To learn what these specs and features mean, check out our Electric Guitar Buying Guide. The headstock has six single-side tuners, and the original design featured three innovative barrel-shaped bridge saddles that allowed guitarists to adjust the string height for better playability. With this guide, we’ll walk you through those variations. Put on all the strings and tune up to pitch. These include “King of the Tele” Roy Buchanan, “Telemaster” Danny Gatton, and “Mr. purchase from Musician's Friend (electric or acoustic, New or Open Box) includes two years of Repeat for all the strings until each strings saddle is in the correct position and proper intonation point. The only things I did was clean out the nut slots, with a nut file, and lube them with graphite and spent 20 minutes stretching the strings, tuned it an started playing. Do this for the rest of the strings cutting about 3 & 1/2″ behind the tuner of the D and G strings. If the fretted note is lower or flatter, then the saddle needs to move forward. Call or Chat for expert advice and to hear And it delivers the same bright single-coil twang that made the Tele an icon in the first place. The Esquire was brought back as a single-pickup version of the Telecaster in 1951. After adjusting the truss rod, clockwise to reduce relief and counter-clockwise to add relief, then reattach neck in the body with the screws and retune the strings in order to recheck the relief in the neck. These eminently affordable Modern Player Telecasters are aimed at entry-level players, but far exceed the usual standards of such guitars. They are threaded on to 3 screws located in the back of the bridge that can move the saddles forwards or backwards to adjust the length of the string in order to set the intonation. So in order to adjust the neck, you will need to take the neck out of the body to get to it. A good place to start is at the factory heights which are 1.5/64″ or .022″ for the Low E, A, D, and G strings, and 1/64″ or .018″ for the B and high E strings. It is also important to cut the nut slot in a slight downward angle. Using a strobe tuner is highly recommended in order to set the intonation as in tune as possible. Depending on the guitar and playing style, the action can be adjusted slightly lower or higher from this starting point. Check out our full selection of Classic Player Baja Teles. Pull the second string about a 1/2" (13 mm) past the headcap and cut it. The artist signature appears on the guitar and it usually includes unique specs that help serve up the artist's special tone recipe. One testament to its popularity and influence is the number of legendary guitarists whose nicknames reference the Tele. The neck pickup is usually attached to the pickguard by 2 height adjustment screws and the bridge pickup is attached to the bridge plate with 3. The American Professional Telecaster won't let you down. Smith, John 5, and Jim Root. Picture the headcap of the neck as the face of a clock, with the top being 12:00 and the nut being 6:00. Squier also offers the Affinity Telecaster as part of an economical guitar pack that includes an amp, gig bag, tuner, instructional DVD, and cable. The Road Worn ‘50s Telecaster has the look of a battle-scarred veteran updated with Tex-Mex pickups and 6105 frets. We hope to do this by responding to your needs and only offering the highest quality guitar parts at the best prices available. First, start by hitting the string open or the harmonic at the 12th fret. Use a small screwdriver to adjust the saddle. The easy way to install a nut, and accurate string height is built in. Our goal is to make the process of finding and selecting high quality guitar and bass parts easier for you. Fender's Esquire guitar was the first prototype for the Telecaster and was produced in limited numbers. How far away from the strings does the pickup need to be? A solid-body sister to the Thinline Telecaster, the ‘72 Deluxe features dual humbuckers that churn out thicker tone to satisfy modern-rock players. Retune the open note and check the fretted note again. They personally select each element from the wood to the electronics to the finish of these guitars that proudly bear the builder’s name. It was introduced in 1950 and renamed the Broadcaster shortly after. And make sure the strap pegs and neck screws are nice and secure. Squier teams a throaty Fender Wide Range neck humbucker with a bright, chimey Duncan-Designed single-coil bridge pup for the best of both worlds in the Squier Vintage Modified Custom Tele. Pickup height is measured by fretting the outer two E strings at the last fret and measuring from the top of the pole piece directly under that string to the bottom of the depressed string. You want the notes to ring loud and clear without any distortion or warbling, which can happen if the pickups are too close to the strings. Bodies were built using solid pieces of wood, referred to as blanks, and cavities for the electronics were made using a router. the latest deals. Nonetheless, these revolutionary techniques resulted in an affordable, versatile, and highly playable instrument. Recheck the action and tuning. Marshall amps were also popularised by trailblazing guitarists like Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. You want to check the nut slots to see if any are too low that strings might be resting or buzzing on the first fret when the neck relief was adjusted straight. This innovation also allowed the neck to be quickly removed, adjusted, or entirely replaced. 0% Financing Available, Fast/Free … With so many different Telecaster models to choose from today, many of these typical specs will vary on a model-specific basis. Custom Shop pickups and 8-way pickup selection delivers a ton of tonal options in the Classic Player Baja Telecaster. To see our complete current selection of Fender Custom Shop Telecasters and other Fender instruments, visit our Private Reserve Teles.