Tele Bridge Pickups

[CeeBee]

Teles were always too expensive for me being a tightwad when it comes to buying guitars, and I wasn't impressed by them. I first encountered a real one in 2005 when my nextdoor neighbour kindly lent me his for couple of days. I normaly do not like country music, and would neve have imagined playing it, but after noodling around on the thing I came up with this song, out of the blue in about half an hour. Inspired by the Tele no doubt. The start of homerecording as well.
https://www.soundclick.com/music/songIn ... ID=6359310

At the moment I am building a frankencaster using an old neck and building a new body out of paulownia, a light hardwood. Shaped to fit the human body and light enough not to break your back.

[einstein magoo]

Closest thing I have to a Tele. Friend of mine worked at the Gibson Custom Shop for a couple years, then moved over to the Fender Repair Shop they used to have in Nashville, closed since then. In his spare time he built a few teles, and this is the one he built "for me". I didn't ask for it, I'm sure it was just something he built then decided he needed to offload when he got into some financial straights, so told me he built it "for me". I felt kinda sorry for him cause he was in a bind for dollars, so I bought this, knowing I would likely never use it for anything. He's a good craftsman, and this is built well. Now he's out in California somewhere working for Guild.

I think it's a really nice looking guitar, and it plays well, and has a great variety of tones. Problem for me is it's just too small! Dimensions are correct for the outline of the body, but it is pretty thin, and has some carve out belly cuts and stuff that makes it just awkward for me to strap on. I look like Leslie West with a Junior on my belly with this thing strapped on!

Anyway, one of you skinny little fuckers may like this. This pic was taken July 4, 2016 and the guitar has been in a soft case since then. I think I got it somewhere around 2009 or so when it was freshly built. Anyway, here's the little fucker now...

[Greg_L]

I have 3 teles ..... I hate the sharp edges of the body against my right arm and rarely play them.

Teles are unfinished boat paddles for a canoe made of shit.

[JD01]

I have 3 teles ..... I hate the sharp edges of the body against my right arm and rarely play them.

Teles are unfinished boat paddles for a canoe made of shit.

So, you don't like Teles that much then?

[Greg_L]

So, you don't like Teles that much then?

I'll have to get back to you on that.

[rayc]

Cool song Chris...Soundclick has changed a bit.
Lovely lead part too.

[Armistice]

I don't personally understand the big companies that build seriously expensive Fender knock offs. Build your own if you want, fine, small guys doing custom builds because that's what their customers want, fine, but when you see Suhr doing Teles and Strats and PRS doing Silver Sky strats and they're more expensive than the most expensive shop model by Fender I have to wonder why?

That said, I own a Fender stratocaster knock off by Levinson - but seeing it has different/less knobs and an extra switch they're sort of developing the concept a bit more rather than just doing their own copy.

There's a law of diminishing returns that cuts in steeply at pretty low value these days on electric guitars - it wasn't always that way but it is now.

I like nice guitars but I've never wanted to get the uber custom gold hardware super special versions of anything.

[Lt. Bob]

when you see Suhr doing Teles and Strats and PRS doing Silver Sky strats and they're more expensive than the most expensive shop model by Fender I have to wonder why?

cause they're quick and easy to do ...( no trial and error needed as they've been tweaked to perfection long ago) ...and hoover in some money

[Greg_L]

I don't personally understand the big companies that build seriously expensive Fender knock offs. Build your own if you want, fine, small guys doing custom builds because that's what their customers want, fine, but when you see Suhr doing Teles and Strats and PRS doing Silver Sky strats and they're more expensive than the most expensive shop model by Fender I have to wonder why?

Because corksniffing goofballs keep buying them. If no one bought them I really doubt PRS and Suhr would be building Fender clones.

There's also the problem of shapes. There are only so many ways you can shape a guitar that works functionally and ergonomically. And unless you want some pointy metal axe, you're gonna want it to look like a guitar. Any single or double cut design is gonna resemble one of the classics in some way. And if you stray too far then you niche yourself right out of business.

[Armistice]

I don't personally understand the big companies that build seriously expensive Fender knock offs. Build your own if you want, fine, small guys doing custom builds because that's what their customers want, fine, but when you see Suhr doing Teles and Strats and PRS doing Silver Sky strats and they're more expensive than the most expensive shop model by Fender I have to wonder why?

Because corksniffing goofballs keep buying them. If no one bought them I really doubt PRS and Suhr would be building Fender clones.

There's also the problem of shapes. There are only so many ways you can shape a guitar that works functionally and ergonomically. And unless you want some pointy metal axe, you're gonna want it to look like a guitar. Any single or double cut design is gonna resemble one of the classics in some way. And if you stray too far then you niche yourself right out of business.

Yeah, the point about shapes is a valid one - only so many ways you can do it I guess. And guitarists are generally deeply conservative in their tastes.

[rayc]

I've liked the Bo Diddley rectangle since I saw him in 76...it looked & sounded cool in Armidale Town Hall - fab gig with about 200 seated piunters.

[JD01]

I don't personally understand the big companies that build seriously expensive Fender knock offs. Build your own if you want, fine, small guys doing custom builds because that's what their customers want, fine, but when you see Suhr doing Teles and Strats and PRS doing Silver Sky strats and they're more expensive than the most expensive shop model by Fender I have to wonder why?

I think part of it is that while everyone lusts over 60 year old Fenders, Paul Reed Smith is happy to state that the best PRS guitar is one that was made last week. You own a PRS don't you? Leaving aside style and the perception of players that use them - they're objectively great guitars that are very well made. I liked my PRS and it was a really basic one.

[Greg_L]

There are a ton of PRS guitars on my local Craigslist right now. I guess blues lawyering is in a recession right now and they need quick cash.

[Lt. Bob]

I've liked the Bo Diddley rectangle since I saw him in 76...it looked & sounded cool in Armidale Town Hall - fab gig with about 200 seated piunters.

opened for him around that time.
He had red LEDs in that guitar that spelled out BO DIDDLY and at soundcheck every time one of the waitresses would walk by he give them a come hither look and flip a switch so it would flash BO DIDDLY at them ....... lol

[muttley]

Late to the party here guys, I've been settling into retirement life with Wifey and TBH since she stopped work I didn't realise I had so much to do round the place. More on that later.

On the Tele bridge pickup thing I'm not sure what has been mooted so far but by far it is the narrow and tall nature of the coil the heavy baseplate and surrounding metal bridge plate that affect the induction but most significantly they typically use 44awg wire which is about as thin as you get. They did that to get the number of turns they needed on such a small bobbin.

On the pickup front, even though I am now officially retired I am still making and winding for friends and mates if anyone still needs a few.

[WhiskeyJack]

a guitar that works functionally and ergonomically.

[Greg_L]

No thanks

[rayc]

Noddy Holder from Slade used a Telecaster for quite some time...he used to get a HUGE sound from it....

[Armistice]

OMG Slade.

Bit of hard work getting the audience involved. Always thought the second song, Look Wot You Dun, was one of their finer moments.

Last cover band I was ever in, way back in the day, I was allowed to do lead vocals on three* songs, one of which was Gudbuy to Jane - not even sure how that got into the set, now. Hardlly a huge hit.




*I'm trying to remember what the other two were - Get Off Of My Cloud was one, but the other one is lost in the mists of time...

[rayc]

OMG Slade.

Bit of hard work getting the audience involved. Always thought the second song, Look Wot You Dun, was one of their finer moments.

Last cover band I was ever in, way back in the day, I was allowed to do lead vocals on three* songs, one of which was Gudbuy to Jane - not even sure how that got into the set, now. Hardlly a huge hit.




*I'm trying to remember what the other two were - Get Off Of My Cloud was one, but the other one is lost in the mists of time...

Yeah, look at the TV studio audience - teen girls who're into the band but too shy shy.
I've always been bummed that they faded out Born To Be Wild because it was getting really good.
GTjane was extremely popular though from a fabulous LP...the other absolute cracker is their version of Move Over. The only time a cover of Janis was better I think, but then again the Slade version is rougher & more like Big Brother may have done it while the Boogie band on Pearl were, well, polite.