Tbe problem is, once you have both, you need a les paul...and after that you’ll need a 335...after that a good ibanez to schreed and at the end a good rickenbaker to get some beetles sound...🤣🤣🤣. Cheers
This is painfully true. I recently built a strat. Now I literally NEED to build a tele. That old saying, the perfect number of guitars is always: 1 more.
You are right. I already had two acoustics and an Epiphone Les Paul and am running out of space for guitars. I had the impulse to get a Strat so I went to my favorite pawn shop and tried a few out and surprisingly a $90cad Silvertone Strat copy was the nicest feeling and sounding, Im now running low on floor space hahaha. Can never have too many guitars, just not enough space.
@@RobertBakerGuitar I did and resigned almost immediately, les pauls are the most uncomfortable guitars I've ever played, the way the sharp edges digs into you is horrible. I see why strats and some few teles have contours.
I have a Tele. Can't go wrong with it. Except I would also like a Strat. But until I can play better there is not much point in having more guitars it would be waisted cash.
You should try a Les Paul or SG for a second guitar. The humbuckers would give you more tones to explore with. Go to "Elevated jamming tracks" UA-cam channel for lead guitar practice.
Teles are the best guitars I've ever played. Strats feel like toys and Les Pauls feel unnecessarily bulky. Teles are right there in the perfect sweet spot. I love them so much.
I have a very expensive PRS but my new Tele is far more fun to play. Oh, 2 strats and a Gretch (and a John 5 Tele) hang on my wall but I pick the 50's Tele everytime.
Agree v much. Sold a USA deluxe strat after buying a squier classic vibe tele. Much prefer the tele. It just feels right. I always go to the right position on the neck. The tone is pure. You just reach that telecaster age.
Nah. The position 2 and 4 are very unmistakable and quite a lot of that is down to how the guitar is made and its specifications. You can get close to the neck and bridge sounds but position 2 and 4 are unmatched. I think a lot of it comes down to how much you like THAT sound in particular. Because the rest can be somewhat mimicked (maybe not with the strat neck pickup).
Both of course, two of the best guitars ever made. When you feel “un inspired” you pull out the other guitar and become “wowed” again. Having both gives you an amazing tonal range.
ernest howard I did it the other way around but true. Then most get a LP or es 335 or sg style guitar after that. Any Gibson style for that matter usually come get third.
There is a work-around for the Tele bridge sound on a Strat, but it involves 'hardtailing' your Strat and then tapping a piece of brass tightly between the tremolo block and the wood of the body. I use a 3/4 inch thick brass pipe ring, sawn in half across the radius (which gives you two pieces). The increase in brightness and sustain is immediately noticeable, and these rings are cheap like borscht. I've done this with a 2004 Squire Affinity Strat and an 1974 Ibanez Strat copy, and the results are the same: a major increase in sustain in the G and D strings. So, the question is whether or not to 'hardtail'. I guess the only solution is to buy more Strats! ; )
The answer? BOTH! 😉 4:00: True, the neck pickup on the strat is awesome, but the bridge and middle positions on the Tele are kickass! I own both of them and I love them equally but I absolutely agree that if you can only pick one, the Strat is more versatile.
I am trying to learn guitar and I asked myself this exact question .... "tele or strat??" .... Answer: WHEN you get good on the strat, reward myself with the tele!! ... so now I have my goal!!
I recommend an srv strat. It costs a bit more (1,800$) but it's an American strat and is one of the best feeling guitars I've ever played. Definitely look into one and play one if you get the chance. I hope the search for the perfect strat goes well! 👍👍
@Brody Sodon About five years ago I picked up a Chinese-made Thinline and was amazed at how nice it played. The neck was straight, frets perfect, and it played smoothed as silk. This October I recently bought an (Chinese-made) Epiphone Limited Edition, Peter Frampton Les Paul Custom Pro. Very light, not top heavy, and no need to have it set up. Plays perfectly right out of the box and the damn thing stays in tune, even the B string. I am very surprised at the high quality of the Chinese guitars on the market. I had a Mexican-made Tele Squire in the 80s and it was junk.
I’m a Tele guy, although it took a while to get there. The first Fender I owned was a ‘62 Strat in about 1971, after several years with a Gibson SG. I didn’t like the bridge pickup on the Strat much, and in ‘74 I got a new Tele. It wasn’t all that great, and it took a ‘59 Tele to make me realize how great Teles could be. I love the 2nd and 4th positions on a Strat, wished I could get them on a Tele, so the ideal Tele for me has a Strat middle pickup, Tele neck and bridge pickups, and a 5-way switch. Best of both worlds.
Used to be a long time strat player. Then I got a tele and now it's my main. To be fair, the tele is American and the strat is Mexican. But still I'm more of a tele guy- it's just a solid straight-forward rock machine.
So last month i was deciding whether to pick up a strat or a tele, my brain says go for the strat, but my heart say go get that tele, so i pick the tele. A week later, i go through old album of my high school years, and found the reason i pick my tele, my first ever performing music in front of a crowd was with a telecaster (which was rented for a school performance), and i dont ever recalled playing a tele before 😂
Interesting video. Jeff Beck got over the problem of the arm contour on his Esquire by sanding it down. Lowell George liked the Tele bridge pickup so much that he put one in his Strats.
I have a Squire atm, so technically I feel like I need both, but I will need a strat every time! But of course, money will be the death of me haha! Really cool and in depth video as always!
Squiers are great man. I've modded my squire to my liking and it plays really well. If I bought a fender and did the same mods it might have been better I think when it comes to strats and teles (most of the fender line in general), you can take any guitar and make it play and sound good.
I've had both; but I sold my regular Tele and Tele Thinline. I guess they weren't versatile enough. I turned my 1979 Ash Strat into a Frankenstrat - blocked the tremolo cavity, added a series pickup switch, stripped the poly finish, put in 500K pots, made a Maple veneer pickguard...unrecognizable in looks and tone :)
I can live without a Strat. I can’t live without a Tele. I play the Blues & I know I know - Clapton plays a Strat - but I think the Neck pickup, when properly adjusted in height - is fantastic for smooth Blues, whereas the Bridge Pickup is great for Rock/Blues like The Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, also Funk. I would also describe the difference in sound between the two as: The Tele gives you Twang in the Bridge position. The Strat gives you Quack in the #2 position. Love my Tele.
I have a HSS strat and I like to think about her as a “smart guitar”, ‘cause you can do everything with it. Obviously love the tele, but as you say, It’s another world of sounds 😁
T West: also... ...nobody ever went to jail for breaking their guitar's neck. Guitars don't get jealous. And they don't complain if you're not playing with them on a regular basis. Yeah, I'm single too. 😂
Fender officially refers to the positions on the pickup switching as "1" for the bridge pickup, then counting upward as you head toward the neck. Thus, the bridge and middle position is "2", and the neck and middle position is "4".
I have both. Here’s part of the reason: my 2017 Professional Strat is wonderful BUT sometimes I plan drone style ( hit and let, say, the low E or A or D string ring )while I noodle on the higher note strings. With its floating bridge, if I do a bend while noodling, the drone string will drop in pitch. My November 2018 Elite Tele, on the other hand, does not have a floating bridge & there is no pitch drop from droned string(s). The tonal differences of the two being noted (no pun intended) they have their respective spots within the audio spectrum in addition to feel / playability. I miss my 1972 Tele ( traded like a fool) b/c of the pure clean treble tone it gave. It could buzz your ears with the bridge pickup even at low volume through my 1974 Fender SuperReverb. Could always find it in the mix with in your face treble.
I always thought teles look really ugly. Strat on the other hand is a much more elegant design. And as we know, how it looks is clearly the most important thing in a guitar
I love your passion for guitars ! I always loved the Telecaster but my guitar teacher was Les Paul guy and of course persuaded me to get a Les Paul, I found it to be an awkward guitar to sit and practice with bc of the weight, no body contours and the overall balance of the guitar had the neck always lifting up, it was a chore to sit and practice with it and that's probably why i never got good, lol But you are correct in saying Telecasters never go out of tune bc they don't , great video, Peace !
I've always avoided the Tele because i don't particularly care for country and i didn't want that stigma. Now 25 years later i want the quintessential hardtail single coil. I played my "Poor Man's PRS" for 10 yrs before i discovered that i could split the coils...Wow! So much closer to the sound I was trying to get but still missing the "funk" tone.
I feel the same way about the Strat bridge pickup. I solve the issue by putting a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickup in its place. Humbucker sound in single coil size. An HSS configured Strat would work too.
I'm more of a Tele man myself, but one thing I've always been curious about is which one sells better and is therefore more "popular". You'd have to look at sales figures across all Fender and Squier series makes/models to figure it out and I'm not even sure if they release that information, but it would be really fun to know.
Years ago I was working in the big city and had disposable income. I stopped at Guitar Center on my way to our weekly Jam Session and bought an American Standard Strat. I also ordered a Tele in the same color (Lake Placid Blue) but had to wait a week for it to come in to that specific store. I played the Strat for a week. The following Saturday, the Tele was in and the difference was astounding to me. Somehow, the Tele "*FIT*" me best. It was like putting on a comfortable, warm glove. I kept the Strat for alternate tunings and when I needed a whammy bar, but the Tele became my Main instrument. The other guitarist in the Jam Session tried both and preferred the Strat. My conclusion: It's very personal.
I have 2 of each. An original 1973 US Bullet, natural wood and a Corona 1980's Strat. with tilt neck adjustment. Tele no 1 is a twangy early type and the other one has Super DeLuxe pickups that makes it quite "Straty". I love all of them. They are different tools in the toolbox. You make good videos and some nice playing. Cheers, JohnnyH-DK
Your description of tele vs strat is spot on. I am fortunate to own both! The bridge pick up on the tele and position 2 on the strat are my go to sounds.
This is my stand on it too! It delivers on both fronts. My one gripe is the lack of comfort cuts. If it had the strat comfort cuts it would be near perfect.
Got one last week. Had the 3rd position switched to neck & bridge pickups, and 4th position switched to middle pickup, i never use the neck & middle pickups together
@@rocknrollcowboy1620 that's fair. Each person has their own flavor! I actually have come around to liking all the positions on that thing. It is my go to axe for most things these days.
I choose Tele but better if it has arm rest or contour. But for mellower stuffs I love Strat. Only one thing that I could not leave behind is a humbucker bridge pickup. Or at least single coil sized humbucker pickups.
Hey Rob...Finally I’m here after a months and months..I did checked Fender Players Series HH Telecaster.. OMG I loved it ❤️❤️❤️.. Those humbucker were smooth and creamy.. You have to checkout those Teles..
I like both but I prefer Strat, not only because of it's versatility but also for the floating bridge which allows you to play a bit more expressive (like Jeff Beck, Steve Lukather, Mike Oldfield, etc)
"Least helpful video ever posted on UA-cam " jajajajajaja awesome! Great playing man, that them tele bridge tone haunts my dreams, guess I'll have to get some soon
My opinion is to have both, i mainly use a strat but i also use a tele. They both have qualities that are so different that in my opinion i just need both
If you can only have ONE electric guitar, make it a Strat. (Possibly with some kind of noiseless pickups in it.) That way, you have one instrument that can do everything in some passable incarnation, from clean twang to high-gain power. Maybe not with perfectly authenticity, but good enough to get you through to any regular person’s satisfaction.
Really nice and relatable explanation! I'm a strat guy, just like what you said, to play Strat feels like home to me. That sweet, mellow and bell-like ring from the neck pickup!! But now I play more rhythm than solo lines, and one day I woke up and I want a Tele. Tele neck sound just feels perfect for playing rhythm, yeah that raw and gritty sound.
As it happens I am the complete opposite in my preference - while I have a preference for the sound and style of a Strat I always found the Tele a lot more comfortable to play, and with a balance that perfectly suited me. I never had the issues regarding non-contoured edges because I always played it standing, never sitting. And no matter how it sounds, it you aren't comfortable playing then you'll never get the best from either it or yourself.
None: I find Teles more comfortable too. I like Strats but the volume control is too close to the strings. I especially like my Squier Contemporary HH Tele because it has a "belly contour" on the back and a satin finish neck. (Also because I installed Dimarzio pups; Super Distortion in bridge, PAF "36th" in neck. John 5 configuration; two volumes, no tones.)
Swapped an American Strat for an American Tele. Absolutely love the Tele. (Got a Les Paul Jr. and a 335 in the meantime.) Will be getting another Strat. Just because... 😎 Want to look at other brands/models too, though. Lots of good instruments out there.
saw what you said about the thin strat bridge pickup, i have Lindy fralins on mine, he installs a baseplate to the bridge for that exact problem, I guess the plate makes the alnico rods more efficient by focusing the field, mine sounds badass
Watching this video. Man I love how that Tele sounds. MAN I LOVE HOW THAT STRAT SOUNDS. God I love that round, hollow, mid/bass on a strat. It just moves me every time I hear a nice one.
If you're a Beatles fan, like myself, a Casino is a "must have" guitar. John, Paul & George used them extensively on 'Revolver' & 'Sgt. Pepper'. All three played Casinos on 'And Your Bird Can Sing' with George & Paul whipping out some killer dual guitar lines. Paul used his to play the lead parts on 'Taxman'. Of course Lennon's epic performance on 'Revolution' may be the penultimate Casino moment.
When I was a kid, I'd watch dudes playing their Strats on TV and that made me want to play guitar....so that I could play a Strat! I do love Tele's (and other guitars) as as well, but after all these years, I'm still loving the Strat above everything else. I will concede that the Telecaster has a an awesome bridge pickup, but I get along fine with the Strat bridge....might give the Seymour Duncan Twang Banger a try some day.
diesel828 ...I tried a few..including a good old American Standard...but the Road Worn...as you say..had a feel of trusty old jeans...specifically where the neck was concerned.... I have to find better... Funny, when they came out, there were a lot of haters...suggesting that the scars a guitar bears...should have been inflicted by years of night-work in smoky bars...yet they had no problem with someone buying a vintage 64 Strat with someone else’s scars. Well, the prices of Road Worn fell off....at one point one could buy one one ebay for $399....not anymore though....these are serious instruments and enough people now know that....
I mean, I agree with you. But position 2 on a Strat is VERY close to the middle position of the Tele. The Tele just has more bass to it. Both tones are firmly in the swamp. Edit: on further reflection you just need to have both a Strat and a Tele
Love the Strat. I started on a Gibson V and then switched to a Strat... The rest is history. Like you I love my PRS, EVH Wolfgang, Ibanez Jem Jr etc however my vintage Strat is still my go to. Just had it refreted last summer and it's still playing like a million bucks. I have had a tele before and will probably buy another one. Gonna buy a G&L tribute legacy first though.
I don't like the usual Strat bridge pickup as well but after I installed a blender knob I started using the bridge a lot more. Just adding in a little bit of the neck pickup's warmth and dialing back to 8 or 7 on the tone knob makes the bridge something that I enjoy using. My absolute favorite tones come from 5th and 4th position though. That neck pickup is just in a great spot along the strings!
You need both. The question then is... Fender, G&L, ESP, parts build... I know, right!!! GAS is a terrible thing. And then there;s ampage... Don't get me started...Then pedals... FML...
As a Gibsontard I went with the Telecaster with humbuckers (I have a Gretsch for the uber-twang sound so I wanted something more in the middle of Gibson and Gretsch. Hence the humbuckers. It still sounds very much Fender-y but more warm basically.) The shape felt pretty natural immediately and looks good to me. I also preferred it being less featured.
i have a mexi tele with humbuckers. Grew up in a musical family so have played everything under the sun. i think the tele with humbuckers is the best of every world in one guitar. spilt coil certainly sounds closer to a true tele than a strat. plus she sounds great with plenty of over drive
I converted from strats to teles mainly because there´s no middle pickup to hinder my picking.This after playing acoustic guitar for many years.The rhythm pickups in teles work mostly fine for me.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Strat vs Tele - Why I Prefer a Strat [mostly]](/img/n.gif)
Do you need a Strat or a Tele?
Yes.
Michael Gray haha
Naaaah
i need a jaguar
@@lynxlosange9645 What, no jazzmaster?
Telecaster and handrail strat both.
If you have a Strat, you need a Tele.
If you have Tele, you need a Strat.
Fender, baby.
fender is king
Tbe problem is, once you have both, you need a les paul...and after that you’ll need a 335...after that a good ibanez to schreed and at the end a good rickenbaker to get some beetles sound...🤣🤣🤣. Cheers
Exactly.
Owning both works for me... 😎
This is painfully true. I recently built a strat. Now I literally NEED to build a tele. That old saying, the perfect number of guitars is always: 1 more.
How many guitars do you really need?
One more. Always one more.
Testify my brother!
One more
Are you the famous Simon Templar?
@@garygritter5701 I can neither confirm or deny... 😉
Are you the Gary that always wear a wig?
@@OhNoNotFrank maybe 🤔
i am just going to put it out there...
guitars are like pokémon
got to get them all!
*put
asdf asdf thanks. Dam autocorrect
filip karlsson *damn
You are right. I already had two acoustics and an Epiphone Les Paul and am running out of space for guitars. I had the impulse to get a Strat so I went to my favorite pawn shop and tried a few out and surprisingly a $90cad Silvertone Strat copy was the nicest feeling and sounding, Im now running low on floor space hahaha. Can never have too many guitars, just not enough space.
gotta catchem all
Needed a Tele, got one. Needed a Strat, got one! Their like Candy, I want more of Them! Thanks for sharing brother!
*They're like candy.
Steven mGyori or like potato chips, can’t stop at just one. Lol
G.A.S. - Less of a problem, more a way of life ...
They're
I own a Nashville Tele. It's a bit of both words.
What I really need is a droid that understands the binary language of moisture vaporators.
Old Sodd with or without a belly curve?
@John DiLoreto “But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters,”
Me too. And I just bought tickets for Star Wars 9.
Teles do speak Bocce
HMU, i got u
Title: Strat or Tele
Me: Immediately Thinks: Both
Robert: If you have to have just one...
Me: 🤔 can’t have a favorite child so how can I choose.
Lol
Sheer logic.
@@dugan6056 i agree
Every parent has a favorite, they just can’t say it out loud unless they are drinking wine with other parents.
Tele.
That was the moment that i bought a flying v
😂
Lol
Flying v with bigsby bridge
@@biggieford9772 even better, flying v with vintage 60s vibrola lmao
I was on the cusp of getting another Strat but am being drawn towards a Les Paul.
It's time to join the Les Paul army my friend. Gib up resistance is futile!!
I love them both too...
My sister plays a Les Paul with PAF pickups, a beautiful instrument. I have an ES335 and an SG, so my next guitar would be a gold top Les Paul.
@@RobertBakerGuitar I did and resigned almost immediately, les pauls are the most uncomfortable guitars I've ever played, the way the sharp edges digs into you is horrible. I see why strats and some few teles have contours.
@@RobertBakerGuitar can u explain what u were doing there at like 6:35-6:45?
I have a Tele. Can't go wrong with it. Except I would also like a Strat. But until I can play better there is not much point in having more guitars it would be waisted cash.
You should try a Les Paul or SG for a second guitar. The humbuckers would give you more tones to explore with. Go to "Elevated jamming tracks" UA-cam channel for lead guitar practice.
I said that and ended up with 6 in a short amount of time. LoL I'm trying out different styles before I invest big $$.
"waisted"? on a Strat?? WASH OUT YOUR MOUTH PAUL.
Before I get any of those, I need this Bob Ross shirt xD
Saw that, immediately felt the need to paint some happy trees and jam on my Tele.
You can get them at kohls! In the men's tshirts!
Beat the devil out of it 😂 😂
BrainBomb _1 I noticed that too, honestly I just feel stoned listening to Bob Ross talk.
Paint some happy trees on your guitar
Teles are the best guitars I've ever played. Strats feel like toys and Les Pauls feel unnecessarily bulky. Teles are right there in the perfect sweet spot. I love them so much.
For real
I have a very expensive PRS but my new Tele is far more fun to play. Oh, 2 strats and a Gretch (and a John 5 Tele) hang on my wall but I pick the 50's Tele everytime.
Agree v much. Sold a USA deluxe strat after buying a squier classic vibe tele. Much prefer the tele. It just feels right. I always go to the right position on the neck. The tone is pure. You just reach that telecaster age.
@@ejpurkis I really want to grab a Classic Vibe Telecaster. Will probably grab one soon
Agreed. Also, Teles are way better for jazz - the neck pickup works wonderfully there.
yes and the answer is tele. strat may sound “different” but , its optional. any single coil can mimic a strat, telecasters are a whole nother beast.
whole other
mimic but not replicate. A good strat has a very unique sound if you ask me
Nah. The position 2 and 4 are very unmistakable and quite a lot of that is down to how the guitar is made and its specifications. You can get close to the neck and bridge sounds but position 2 and 4 are unmatched. I think a lot of it comes down to how much you like THAT sound in particular. Because the rest can be somewhat mimicked (maybe not with the strat neck pickup).
First guy on UA-cam that actually says what he chooses instead of "decide on your own", thanks!
In the 50’s: blue telecaster
In the 60’s: sunburst strat
I prefer the body shape of the strat, but the bridge of the tell.
I like the body of a tele but the sound of a strat! We're fucked!
Someone needs to make a Strele.
Dugan tele’s sound too trebley, strat all day! Raw power
I thought my Tele bridge pickup to trebley for years . A mate of mine said" turndown yet volume pot A bit " and it worked. Fuck.
charvel san dimas is the answer.
Both of course, two of the best guitars ever made. When you feel “un inspired” you pull out the other guitar and become “wowed” again. Having both gives you an amazing tonal range.
Buy the Strat first. But you'll come back later and buy the Tele.
Exactly
true story
ernest howard I did it the other way around but true. Then most get a LP or es 335 or sg style guitar after that. Any Gibson style for that matter usually come get third.
I did and found I'm happiest with my '17 American Professional Tele. On the neck and middle setting.
And so on...And so on...
I haven't seen the video past 30 seconds yet but he's gonna say whatever one works for you I bet.
He said Strat based on versatility. I preferred the Telecaster as a kid. Still do now
Lol! I see this isn't your first rodeo watching guitar shootout videos.
There is a work-around for the Tele bridge sound on a Strat, but it involves 'hardtailing' your Strat and then tapping a piece of brass tightly between the tremolo block and the wood of the body. I use a 3/4 inch thick brass pipe ring, sawn in half across the radius (which gives you two pieces). The increase in brightness and sustain is immediately noticeable, and these rings are cheap like borscht. I've done this with a 2004 Squire Affinity Strat and an 1974 Ibanez Strat copy, and the results are the same: a major increase in sustain in the G and D strings. So, the question is whether or not to 'hardtail'. I guess the only solution is to buy more Strats! ; )
The answer? BOTH! 😉
4:00: True, the neck pickup on the strat is awesome, but the bridge and middle positions on the Tele are kickass! I own both of them and I love them equally but I absolutely agree that if you can only pick one, the Strat is more versatile.
I am trying to learn guitar and I asked myself this exact question .... "tele or strat??" .... Answer: WHEN you get good on the strat, reward myself with the tele!! ... so now I have my goal!!
Time for a little math lesson.
x = how many guitars you have
y = your new amount of guitars
x + 1 = y
My top 3 guitarists played Strats - Hendrix, SRV, and Jeff Beck - so I need a Strat. Do I also want a Tele? Damn right I do.
I recommend an srv strat. It costs a bit more (1,800$) but it's an American strat and is one of the best feeling guitars I've ever played. Definitely look into one and play one if you get the chance. I hope the search for the perfect strat goes well! 👍👍
I love the Fender Telecaster but prefer the Fender Stratocaster. In my humble opinion, the Stratocaster is the finest electric guitar ever made.
Teachering agreed
@longrider wait till i get my new white tele next month
Agreed
Teachering you’ve never played a Red Special
@I Have Crippling Depression go to my channel, i have two recent videos showcasing me playing the tele haha
I'm a Tele guy! Currently playing a Squier Vintage Modified 72 Tele Thinline. Rock On
its actually amazing how good even the cheap squier teles are . I have an affinity and would take it over my prs se singlecut any day of the week
@@todorkerev1707 damn that's some high praise
@Brody Sodon About five years ago I picked up a Chinese-made Thinline and was amazed at how nice it played. The neck was straight, frets perfect, and it played smoothed as silk. This October I recently bought an (Chinese-made) Epiphone Limited Edition, Peter Frampton Les Paul Custom Pro. Very light, not top heavy, and no need to have it set up. Plays perfectly right out of the box and the damn thing stays in tune, even the B string. I am very surprised at the high quality of the Chinese guitars on the market. I had a Mexican-made Tele Squire in the 80s and it was junk.
I’m a Tele guy, although it took a while to get there. The first Fender I owned was a ‘62 Strat in about 1971, after several years with a Gibson SG. I didn’t like the bridge pickup on the Strat much, and in ‘74 I got a new Tele. It wasn’t all that great, and it took a ‘59 Tele to make me realize how great Teles could be. I love the 2nd and 4th positions on a Strat, wished I could get them on a Tele, so the ideal Tele for me has a Strat middle pickup, Tele neck and bridge pickups, and a 5-way switch. Best of both worlds.
Funny, but I LOVE the Telecaster neck pickup.
And the contrast between neck and bridge is amazing for an easy voice change midsong.
I've recently fallen deeply in love with the tele bridge sound and am dying to get one of my own, thanks for the demo Rob
Used to be a long time strat player. Then I got a tele and now it's my main. To be fair, the tele is American and the strat is Mexican. But still I'm more of a tele guy- it's just a solid straight-forward rock machine.
So last month i was deciding whether to pick up a strat or a tele, my brain says go for the strat, but my heart say go get that tele, so i pick the tele. A week later, i go through old album of my high school years, and found the reason i pick my tele, my first ever performing music in front of a crowd was with a telecaster (which was rented for a school performance), and i dont ever recalled playing a tele before 😂
I don't like the Tele neck pickup either, which is why I routed the neck position on my partscaster for a P90!
Dude that's sick pics pls
Gordon Tubbs I did that to on my 2nd Telecaster Partscaster
Interesting video. Jeff Beck got over the problem of the arm contour on his Esquire by sanding it down. Lowell George liked the Tele bridge pickup so much that he put one in his Strats.
The Answer is always, more is more
I love the bridge pickup on the tele, the clean sound you can get from it is gold
I have a Squire atm, so technically I feel like I need both, but I will need a strat every time! But of course, money will be the death of me haha! Really cool and in depth video as always!
Squier are alright, very difficult to tell difference between squier and fender without looking at the logo... Both are factory instruments.
^true. Squiers are pretty great nowadays
Squiers are great man. I've modded my squire to my liking and it plays really well. If I bought a fender and did the same mods it might have been better I think when it comes to strats and teles (most of the fender line in general), you can take any guitar and make it play and sound good.
Both!!! Hey i,m an old timer junior! We used to say guitarist need a strat, a tele and humbucker guitar if some sort. Then you git everything covered.
Just bought both :D Had both in various forms over the years, but never together. Finally settled on the perfect pair
I've had both; but I sold my regular Tele and Tele Thinline. I guess they weren't versatile enough. I turned my 1979 Ash Strat into a Frankenstrat - blocked the tremolo cavity, added a series pickup switch, stripped the poly finish, put in 500K pots, made a Maple veneer pickguard...unrecognizable in looks and tone :)
Ha ha, did the same
I can live without a Strat. I can’t live without a Tele. I play the Blues & I know I know - Clapton plays a Strat - but I think the Neck pickup, when properly adjusted in height - is fantastic for smooth Blues, whereas the Bridge Pickup is great for Rock/Blues like The Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, also Funk. I would also describe the difference in sound between the two as: The Tele gives you Twang in the Bridge position. The Strat gives you Quack in the #2 position. Love my Tele.
Got them both, love them both. More tonality on the strat, great grit on the tele...
I have a HSS strat and I like to think about her as a “smart guitar”, ‘cause you can do everything with it. Obviously love the tele, but as you say, It’s another world of sounds 😁
I put a Strat neck pickup in my tele and a tv jones in the middle position.
I bought a Strat... and then I kept buying more and more strats and other guitars.
Now I still wonder why I’m single...
Cool. How many Strats do you currently have? They are my favorite guitar
T West: also... ...nobody ever went to jail for breaking their guitar's neck.
Guitars don't get jealous. And they don't complain if you're not playing with them on a regular basis.
Yeah, I'm single too. 😂
MGTOW
Must not have been getting enough humbuckers if you're still single 🤷🏼♂️
i sit here as both my strat and tele stare at me from across the room
Are they still stare'n?
Thanks, I just picked up the telecaster. This was helpful
Fender officially refers to the positions on the pickup switching as "1" for the bridge pickup, then counting upward as you head toward the neck.
Thus, the bridge and middle position is "2", and the neck and middle position is "4".
My first electric, was a Tele. Had both. Idk if it's because of that, but I prefer the Tele over the Strat.
My first was also a Tele, and I still use it because it's really great. But I generally prefer Strats
For me its the exact other side! 😂
Probably not. I first had a strat. Then I got a tele and like it so much more.
I have both. Here’s part of the reason: my 2017 Professional Strat is wonderful BUT sometimes I plan drone style ( hit and let, say, the low E or A or D string ring )while I noodle on the higher note strings. With its floating bridge, if I do a bend while noodling, the drone string will drop in pitch.
My November 2018 Elite Tele, on the other hand, does not have a floating bridge & there is no pitch drop from droned string(s).
The tonal differences of the two being noted (no pun intended) they have their respective spots within the audio spectrum in addition to feel / playability.
I miss my 1972 Tele ( traded like a fool) b/c of the pure clean treble tone it gave. It could buzz your ears with the bridge pickup even at low volume through my 1974 Fender SuperReverb. Could always find it in the mix with in your face treble.
Tele is must have for most everything. Strat for signature neck pickup tone. I have Mex both. Tele just continues to please.
I want a Mex Tele
Do You Need A Strat Or Tele?
No
I got a Mexican Tele too. I love it.
@@ivoncraig does it do cleans really well too? :) i am considering one myself
@@ivoncraig thanks for the feedback, i appreciate it!
I always thought teles look really ugly. Strat on the other hand is a much more elegant design. And as we know, how it looks is clearly the most important thing in a guitar
@Kitten Katt You calling the Jazzmaster ugly??
Both. And a Les Paul and a 335. I have a Tele Elite and a partscaster strat with vintage Bill Lawrence single coils.
I love your passion for guitars ! I always loved the Telecaster but my guitar teacher was Les Paul guy and of course persuaded me to get a Les Paul, I found it to be an awkward guitar to sit and practice with bc of the weight, no body contours and the overall balance of the guitar had the neck always lifting up, it was a chore to sit and practice with it and that's probably why i never got good, lol But you are correct in saying Telecasters never go out of tune bc they don't , great video, Peace !
The Tele is the most versatile guitar out there. Get a Tele first, then get a Strat. After that move on to Les Pauls and others
I've always avoided the Tele because i don't particularly care for country and i didn't want that stigma. Now 25 years later i want the quintessential hardtail single coil. I played my "Poor Man's PRS" for 10 yrs before i discovered that i could split the coils...Wow! So much closer to the sound I was trying to get but still missing the "funk" tone.
If you like comfortable try a Jazzmaster 😉
eN Wolf I agree with you. Along with Jaguars, Mustangs, and Jagstangs
Jazzmasters are heavy as shit
I totally agree with everything.....I am a strat guy but want a Tele ....
I feel the same way about the Strat bridge pickup. I solve the issue by putting a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickup in its place. Humbucker sound in single coil size. An HSS configured Strat would work too.
I'm more of a Tele man myself, but one thing I've always been curious about is which one sells better and is therefore more "popular". You'd have to look at sales figures across all Fender and Squier series makes/models to figure it out and I'm not even sure if they release that information, but it would be really fun to know.
I'd guess strat just based on what I see people playing.
Years ago I was working in the big city and had disposable income. I stopped at Guitar Center on my way to our weekly Jam Session and bought an American Standard Strat. I also ordered a Tele in the same color (Lake Placid Blue) but had to wait a week for it to come in to that specific store.
I played the Strat for a week. The following Saturday, the Tele was in and the difference was astounding to me. Somehow, the Tele "*FIT*" me best. It was like putting on a comfortable, warm glove. I kept the Strat for alternate tunings and when I needed a whammy bar, but the Tele became my Main instrument.
The other guitarist in the Jam Session tried both and preferred the Strat.
My conclusion:
It's very personal.
Everyone needs both but remember, a real telecaster has a 3 saddle bridge and no belly cut.
I have 2 of each. An original 1973 US Bullet, natural wood and a Corona 1980's Strat. with tilt neck adjustment. Tele no 1 is a twangy early type and the other one has Super DeLuxe pickups that makes it quite "Straty". I love all of them. They are different tools in the toolbox.
You make good videos and some nice playing.
Cheers, JohnnyH-DK
ok.. but why not neck strat pickup on tele? best of two worlds
I think I Fender may have offered that variation at one point. And then there is (or was?) the Nashville Tele which had a Strat middle pick up added.
@@93greenstrat yes..i know
.but middle pickup is not bridge pickup...the sound is very diferent
Your description of tele vs strat is spot on. I am fortunate to own both! The bridge pick up on the tele and position 2 on the strat are my go to sounds.
Got me a white blonde deluxe Nashville tele 👍🏻
Best of both worlds.
Love it so much.
This is my stand on it too! It delivers on both fronts. My one gripe is the lack of comfort cuts. If it had the strat comfort cuts it would be near perfect.
Those Nashvilles are beautiful to my ears.
Got one last week. Had the 3rd position switched to neck & bridge pickups, and 4th position switched to middle pickup, i never use the neck & middle pickups together
@@rocknrollcowboy1620 that's fair. Each person has their own flavor! I actually have come around to liking all the positions on that thing. It is my go to axe for most things these days.
Wallace Moss I’m getting the 3rd pos. Modded for neck and bridge as well 😁
I choose Tele but better if it has arm rest or contour. But for mellower stuffs I love Strat.
Only one thing that I could not leave behind is a humbucker bridge pickup. Or at least single coil sized humbucker pickups.
Hey Rob...Finally I’m here after a months and months..I did checked Fender Players Series HH Telecaster.. OMG I loved it ❤️❤️❤️.. Those humbucker were smooth and creamy.. You have to checkout those Teles..
Built 1 superstrat, so far at 4 Telecaster based gats. Single coils, filtertrons, humbuckers, bigsby.. both hollow and solid. so versatile
No need to choose: a G&L ASAT Classic S.
haha i've got a G&L ASAT bluesboy, sounds perfect.
G&L Comanche is my number 1. It's my all time favorite guitar.
Once you go G&L you never go back.
I like both but I prefer Strat, not only because of it's versatility but also for the floating bridge which allows you to play a bit more expressive (like Jeff Beck, Steve Lukather, Mike Oldfield, etc)
7 strats and 1 tele. Guess I’d choose a tele.
"Least helpful video ever posted on UA-cam " jajajajajaja awesome! Great playing man, that them tele bridge tone haunts my dreams, guess I'll have to get some soon
My ideal rig is a Tele, Es 335, a Guitar with P90’s and a Gretsch
Jackson Williams my man
My opinion is to have both, i mainly use a strat but i also use a tele. They both have qualities that are so different that in my opinion i just need both
If you can only have ONE electric guitar, make it a Strat. (Possibly with some kind of noiseless pickups in it.) That way, you have one instrument that can do everything in some passable incarnation, from clean twang to high-gain power. Maybe not with perfectly authenticity, but good enough to get you through to any regular person’s satisfaction.
My first electric was a strat, sold that for a schecter but I think id be happier with a tele. Love the look, tone and feel of fenders.
Just bought a 2001 American standard Strat.
Really nice and relatable explanation! I'm a strat guy, just like what you said, to play Strat feels like home to me. That sweet, mellow and bell-like ring from the neck pickup!!
But now I play more rhythm than solo lines, and one day I woke up and I want a Tele. Tele neck sound just feels perfect for playing rhythm, yeah that raw and gritty sound.
As it happens I am the complete opposite in my preference - while I have a preference for the sound and style of a Strat I always found the Tele a lot more comfortable to play, and with a balance that perfectly suited me. I never had the issues regarding non-contoured edges because I always played it standing, never sitting. And no matter how it sounds, it you aren't comfortable playing then you'll never get the best from either it or yourself.
None: I find Teles more comfortable too. I like Strats but the volume control is too close to the strings.
I especially like my Squier Contemporary HH Tele because it has a "belly contour" on the back and a satin finish neck. (Also because I installed Dimarzio pups; Super Distortion in bridge, PAF "36th" in neck. John 5 configuration; two volumes, no tones.)
@@lespauldisciple3349 : _"I like Strats but the volume control is too close to the strings"_
I hear you there; that can be so irksome!
@@lespauldisciple3349 : _"I like Strats but the volume control is too close to the strings"_
I hear you there; that can be so irksome!
I have both, and I go back and forth all the time. And you’re right, the bridge pickup on the Tele, and the neck pickup on the Strat 🥰🥰
Swapped an American Strat for an American Tele. Absolutely love the Tele. (Got a Les Paul Jr. and a 335 in the meantime.) Will be getting another Strat. Just because... 😎
Want to look at other brands/models too, though. Lots of good instruments out there.
saw what you said about the thin strat bridge pickup, i have Lindy fralins on mine, he installs a baseplate to the bridge for that exact problem, I guess the plate makes the alnico rods more efficient by focusing the field, mine sounds badass
Ended up with 3 tele's kind of by accident. Ha. Got my first strat ordered. Should be here Monday.
Got both!
I need a new Lester Paulos, but I don't have like 5k aud.
Watching this video. Man I love how that Tele sounds. MAN I LOVE HOW THAT STRAT SOUNDS. God I love that round, hollow, mid/bass on a strat. It just moves me every time I hear a nice one.
Silly guitarist, I need 4 teles an 2 strats.
you need a nylon string guitar and an epiphone casino.
@@commentfreely5443 you are exactly right. They're on my list as of now!
In Mr. Haney's voice (from Green Acres')...
"YOU DON'T HAVE A CASINO?!"
@@lespauldisciple3349 not yet, must aquire one asap!
If you're a Beatles fan, like myself, a Casino is a "must have" guitar.
John, Paul & George used them extensively on 'Revolver' & 'Sgt. Pepper'.
All three played Casinos on 'And Your Bird Can Sing' with George & Paul whipping out some killer dual guitar lines.
Paul used his to play the lead parts on 'Taxman'.
Of course Lennon's epic performance on 'Revolution' may be the penultimate Casino moment.
When I was a kid, I'd watch dudes playing their Strats on TV and that made me want to play guitar....so that I could play a Strat! I do love Tele's (and other guitars) as as well, but after all these years, I'm still loving the Strat above everything else. I will concede that the Telecaster has a an awesome bridge pickup, but I get along fine with the Strat bridge....might give the Seymour Duncan Twang Banger a try some day.
I have both. A Road Worn 60's strat, and a Reverend Eastsider T (it's a T-style guitar).
Road worn stuff is some of the best pieces Fender has made in the last 30 years...specially the first generation..
@@zeroceiling I do like the road worn. I thought I would hate the neck, but it was super comfortable, which is the main reason I bought it.
diesel828 ...I tried a few..including a good old American Standard...but the Road Worn...as you say..had a feel of trusty old jeans...specifically where the neck was concerned.... I have to find better...
Funny, when they came out, there were a lot of haters...suggesting that the scars a guitar bears...should have been inflicted by years of night-work in smoky bars...yet they had no problem with someone buying a vintage 64 Strat with someone else’s scars. Well, the prices of Road Worn fell off....at one point one could buy one one ebay for $399....not anymore though....these are serious instruments and enough people now know that....
I mean, I agree with you. But position 2 on a Strat is VERY close to the middle position of the Tele. The Tele just has more bass to it. Both tones are firmly in the swamp.
Edit: on further reflection you just need to have both a Strat and a Tele
I will take a tele every day!!,..I just prefer them.,
Love the Strat. I started on a Gibson V and then switched to a Strat... The rest is history. Like you I love my PRS, EVH Wolfgang, Ibanez Jem Jr etc however my vintage Strat is still my go to. Just had it refreted last summer and it's still playing like a million bucks. I have had a tele before and will probably buy another one. Gonna buy a G&L tribute legacy first though.
You need both, but tele got tone for days
I’ve seen loud rock guys use the Strat bridge pickup and...Tom Morello uses the Tele neck pickup.
I still agree with everything you said. 🤣
Tom also uses a Strat neck pickup disguised as a humbucker on Arm The Homeless
Playing a Strat when i’am watching your awsome video well i think that it speak for itself that i’am a Strat Guy!🤟🏽🎸🙌🏽
I don't like the usual Strat bridge pickup as well but after I installed a blender knob I started using the bridge a lot more. Just adding in a little bit of the neck pickup's warmth and dialing back to 8 or 7 on the tone knob makes the bridge something that I enjoy using. My absolute favorite tones come from 5th and 4th position though. That neck pickup is just in a great spot along the strings!
You need both. The question then is... Fender, G&L, ESP, parts build... I know, right!!! GAS is a terrible thing. And then there;s ampage... Don't get me started...Then pedals... FML...
As a Gibsontard I went with the Telecaster with humbuckers (I have a Gretsch for the uber-twang sound so I wanted something more in the middle of Gibson and Gretsch. Hence the humbuckers. It still sounds very much Fender-y but more warm basically.)
The shape felt pretty natural immediately and looks good to me.
I also preferred it being less featured.
i have a mexi tele with humbuckers. Grew up in a musical family so have played everything under the sun. i think the tele with humbuckers is the best of every world in one guitar. spilt coil certainly sounds closer to a true tele than a strat. plus she sounds great with plenty of over drive
I also hate the sc on strat’s bridge but I love tele bridge.
I converted from strats to teles mainly because there´s no middle pickup to hinder my picking.This after playing acoustic guitar for many years.The rhythm pickups in teles work mostly fine for me.