I saw a video yesterday from Guitarist magazine , two new Vintage brand models , on one, the top half is Sunburst Strat and the bottom half is butterscotch Tele ! 🤪
Player series is great. Great sounds out of both guitars. I was going to ask when you last trimmed your nostril hairs, but then I figured out it was cat hairs on my phone screen. Not sure why I told you that.
I have one of each. My strat is my favorite guitar, though I did swap out the pickups & put locking tuners on it. The Telecaster is a double humbucker one, only changed it cosmetically with different pickguard & chrome pickup rings. They're both great and easy to play
Perfect timing, actually. I was just about to get another guitar, but I couldn't decide between these exact two. Edit: Definitely leaning more towards the Strat. Unfortunately, the one I want is not in stock right now, but when it is, that's definitely what I'll be buying.
Yup, I got it right! Always been a fan of the strat but lately I've been liking the quack of a tele and that's what my next guitar is gonna be. Thanks for convincing me on that Landon! 👍
Practiced with Tele 1st time since getting ..... I can't say enough about playability, feel, tone .... Beautifully done...rivals my 10 year us tele. Tuning stability is excellent. Ended up buying 2... Can't put an down . The tone is pure 60s tele...
The current MIM Fenders, specifically the Player Series as will know it now, are going to be future classics. The same thing that happened to 80's and 90's MIJ Fenders will happen with these for sure.
One additional advantage of Player Strats for lefties is that they are routed HSH so modifying one for an HSS or HSH is easy. Other than Custom Shop there are no HSS or HSH Fender options for lefties, so buying a Player Strat and a set of either HSS or HSH pickups is an affordable option to get something other than SSS.
Thank you! Just the video I asked for! I was actually quite shocked. Teles always sound more immediate and BIG to me vs the Strat which typically sounds more hollow and “light” to me. I failed and flipped them around to my surprise. Think the Strat actually sounded fuller to me in this clip. Guess I’ve decided...not what I expected. Do you have any tuning issues with your Strat when using the trem?
Do you find a difference in playability while seated? I play seated 100% at home practicing. I rented the strat from L&M and it was sliding all over the place on my leg. Maybe due to the contours? Could probably raise my leg with a footstool. Does the Tele do the same or does it sit better? I am going to rent a Tele before I choose between the two.
I recently purchased the Player Strat based in part on your excellent deep dive vid for that model. A good chunk of $$ on my budget but I LOVE it! Someday I want to Ikea-Lego-Build a Tele as you have done ~ what could be more custom than picking out all the parts and putting them together yourself? Thanks Brandon.
The middle position was the giveaway for me. I own a player series Stratocaster but eventually I’d love to pick up a Tele as well. Looks and sounds awesome.
This is one of those videos that generates a ton of "wait, the more basic guitar with so much less going on actually sounds better than and has more tonal range than the one with more stuffs? But...how?" It's ok folks, the Tele world has room for more, come on over :)
I'm lucky to have a couple great by Fender Strats, one's a MIM HH Blackface and the other a 60th Anniversary Commemorative with some of the best features in a Strat I've come across... and Modern Player Tele Plus... not your typical Tele, more of a Nashville style setup SSH with 5 way and a splitter switch. There are so many variations of Strats & Teles it boggles the mind! Great videos! 😎🎸🤘
Do you have any issues with the tuning because of the trem on the strat? I'm thinking of getting a hss one as my first guitar but watched some videos saying beginners should avoid trems.
I like them both. Since I got the offset tele, I can't believe how good the tele truly is. But I also have a player series strat. Man, it sound great. So the answer is yes. Although, still wish I would have gotten the butterscotch or even blond tele
I have the strat .it's a solid well made guitar .very impressed with it . I grab it alot more than my american pro 2 because I feels exactly like my old american standard. The neck and playability are as good as any u.s. made strat I have played and owned barring customshop stuff. The pick ups are ok for now but I will slap a set of fat 50s in it .this guitar don't need much to rival a u.s. production strat .....pick ups string tree and better trem block and it will hang with any strat. The neck pocket is tighter than my pro2 .I am just amazed with these at this price
Great guitars but what turns me off straight away are these few things, Pau Ferro fingerboards, instead of rosewood. I have 2 USA Strats, one Highway one and a Clapton signature and both have the vintage bridges. Other than that the Players are superb and I bought a set of used player pickups and put them in my 80s MIJ Fender Strat replacing the dull and lifeless ceramics and the guitar sounds incredible now. If you crab live with the 2 point bridge and 22 frets then grab a Player, you can put block saddles on the Tele! These guitars are great value for money.
The strat is gorgeous. Always my guitar since I saw Buddy Holly and Hank Marvin play them. I will always know a strat from a tele. Theres no sound like a strat. It has so much soul.
X is a no-brainer be it clean or dirty... Telecasters are easy to detect simply cuz the bridge pickup's fatter than the Strat PU whereas its neck PU's fatter than the Tele neck PU which has more highs because of the 43-gauge wire which is thinner than the standard 42-gauge used for the Strat pickups and Tele bridge PU's. Another note about the Telecaster bridge pickup is the metal plate on the bottom expands the magnetic field contributing to its fatness or 'twang'. The attributes of the Strat pickups would be the obvious in-between quacky positions: bright on 2 and deep on 4.
I actually got it wrong, thought Y was the Tele. Just a couple of times thought it sounded a little 'twangy'. Preferred the tone of X, thinking it was the Strat. This is good news though, cos I think I'm gonna get one - a Player Tele I mean. That all made no sense at all. Cheers
I'll be honest, I think my MIM (same 3-color sunburst as yours) sounds a little better than my American Pro with V-Mod pickups, which sort of pisses me off, but I digress. The Player pickups seem to have more note separation and clarity, but a tad less output. I guess a pickup height adjustment can fix that though. Neck-middle position is my favorite. It's got a great funk tone. I agree with you on the value. I think Fender did a really good job revamping their models and keeping the cost low. They're very affordable, premium sounding instruments. The only thing I don't like about the Player teles is that they come with block steel saddles instead of the brass barrell saddles. I prefer brass on a tele for that classic tele quack but I suppose that's a simple and cheap enough mod do switch out myself
I love both. I just got a brand new 2022 Player Tele and I’ve also have a 2002 Standard Strat. Both play fabulous and not a single flaw. My next purchase may be one of the American Vintage models.
Any chance you can do this for the American Professional II Tele vs Strat? Planning on getting both a Tele and Strat but not sure which of them should be the Player or American Pro II. After watching this, I'm might go for the Player Tele and then eventually get the Pro II Strat coz of the push-push config to utilize more pickup combos. What do you think?
I tried and liked the player series and classic vibe tele, but I took the classic vibe home because of the neck :) If you can't afford the player series I think the squier classic vibe range has got your back.
@@landonbailey Ah, apologies, it's Chicago Music Exchange. www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-player-telecaster-daphne-blue-w-3-ply-mint-pickguard-cme-exclusive
I've got a Player Series Telecaster and a Vintera Telecaster Deluxe. The Vintera does feel a little bit higher quality in terms of neck and overall build. I'll gig with both of them once lockdown is over, as they're both solid guitars.
@@landonbailey it's glossy, but not sticky like some of the Squier Classic Vibe necks I've felt. Not as smooth as the satin finish on the Player obviously, but it doesn't slow me down when I switch to it. Made me want to try a Vintera 50s Tele Modified.
I have a Squier Classic vibe Tele. I wish it had a satin neck, and I much prefer the neck pickup on your Tele. But for $399 I can’t really complain. I did replace the nut with a Tusq nut, but other than that I’m going to keep it the way it is. It’s a good value for the money.
YES! Cool. I have a butterscotch Player Tele with these diy “Plus-Deluxe” upgrades - Vintage Fender bridge and tuners, Wilkinson's compensated saddles, Mojotone ’52 Quiet Coil pickups, Lucky Dog gnarly knobs, angled-switch cover-plate, and a three string tree to stop the g-string ring behind the nut. It's a great guitar. I love the satin back/glossy top of the maple neck. For me it just blows away anything else under a grand. And I prefer it to the American series which I can afford to buy if I wanted to.
Watching this again now because I’m torn on a tele. I absolutely love my player strat I got this summer. I’ve tried a couple of different player teles and I just can’t love the neck. It doesn’t feel bad, but feels off to me and I can’t put my finger on why…. Well, I probably can, it’s made to put your fingers on… gonna check out the player plus and vintera series and see if I like the feel better.
Thanks for the demo. I guessed it immediately after the neck tones. I have that same model of Strat but in silver, and my Tele is a Baja. I agree the mexican range are the best value by far! Just got the Baja and I've set the action pretty high on it so i can play slide as well. I literally can't put it down! I'm going to bed at 2:30 instead of 1. I'm practicing 2 hours a day instead if 30 min.
For the fan of both Tele and Strat but with the budget for one only Fender branded guitar, you might get a Tele Nashville Deluxe. Standard awesome Tele neck and bridge pickups with a Strat pickup in the middle. If you dislike the Tele body shape and want offset instead, there's the new Squire Paranormal Tele with the Jazzmaster body. Has a middle pickup rout stock under the pickguard so you can add your own middle Strat pup, but then you lose the Fender brand and hardware.
So let me ask for your recommendation. I picked up the acoustic guitar in April of 2020 but now thinking about an electric. I don't know much about electric guitar but I like telecaster better, ready for this, because I dislike the shape of strat. Call me silly but it is what it is. I know that guitar is for me so I don't want a entry level tele but then I don't want to spend 2 or 3 car payments on a tele yet. So what do you recommend that I should get for my first tele? One caveat, from YT watching, I learned that string thru body guitar is better. Right? TIA.
I would start with a Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster from Squier or a Player Series Tele from Fender. My first guitar was a made in Mexico Standard Telecaster, which is the equivalent of the Player series these days. No regrets and I still have it today. cheers
@@landonbailey I have an idea. You bought lots of guitars and done review. Perhaps, you are willing to part with one tele for a decent price? Just a thought.
I find the two point trem on my 60th anniversary 50's Classic Player is excellent . I have it floating . If a string goes slightly off during heavy bending ,it's only a little friction at the nut ,so a gentle pull up & wiggle on the bar brings everything back to pitch. The vintage 6 screw on my Hendrix Strat works well but it feels different and not quite as predictable. Please get some of those little springs that go down the trem arm hole , that 80's floppy arm is giving me an OCD episode lol
I was wrong! I thought X was the Strat. I have a Vintera 50s Tele. It is the easiest playing guitar I have ever played. I got it from Sweetwater and everything was set up perfectly. I also have a 90s era American Strat, but it never played as well. Thanks for the comparison.
I have 4 tele's all with different pickups, my Mexican has the standard tele pickups very distinct sound that i sometimes struggle with. If you like the player necks the american profession are a step up, very nice get the humbucker in the neck is a great mix of tones and can also be split.
I Just Bought A Player Telecaster For My Birthday (June 24th Like My HERO JEFF BECK!!!!). I, A Lifelong Stratocaster Man, ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOVE IT!!! You Need Both, Though, To Truly Be Fulfilled.
Looks like I bought the wrong guitar. I liked the warmer fuller sound of Y. Tele is a bit shill to my ears in comparison, but alas , I own a Player Tele.
Do you find the Tele neck thicker? I have a 2018 Mexican Standard Strat and a 2019 Player series Tele and find the neck on the Tele a bit thicker, even though the dimensions are listed the same.
I put Seymour Duncan Quaterpounder set in my Mexican Telecaster, yes it lost a bit of that twang but I can play anything on that guitar and it sounds killer. Mexi pickups lack that little something the player series pickups don't.
I’m upgrading from my beginner guitar this Christmas and I have to pick from so many guitars I like it’s not even funny but it’s either going to be a tele, strat, jaguar, or mustang but I’m leaning more on a jag
I have an Orange Player Series Tele. I bought mainly because it is 7.6 pounds. Love the pickups.... love the guitar. I liked you X guitar better in each clip and hoped it was the tele...lol. It was. Wish you would do the same test with the Mustang. I am debating on getting a Duosonic or Mustang and the p90's seem pretty interesting.
Great video as always Landon, just a bit of an idea but why don't you do a video on swapping the tuners on those two guitars bc I can image the locking tuners would do a lot more for the strat bc of the vintage style trem system 👍
I’m quite intrigued as to why you’d buy more guitars - over and above having something to show on the channel. Your builds look great, why would you want even more? How many Teles do you own now? Maybe a video on guitar acquisitiveness would be interesting: most of us have it to some extent. My Tele (just the one...) is a Baja Player 50s which I think is a little nicer (I suspect) than the new non-Baja series. More interesting pick-up, vaguely vintage vibe. Custom Shop-designed supposedly. It’s about as much Tele as I need. Re your comparisons, I could identify the guitars but To my ears I think there should be an even greater difference between the two. The Tele sounds Tele-ish but the Strat sounds insufficiently Strat-ish. The neck pick-up clean should be Frusciante-like. Well, you did ask!
Hi Landon, I own an American Performer Strat which I purchased from Sweetwater, great guitar and mine is a 2019. Mine has an Ash body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. Do I hear any difference in tone from ash to alder? No... honestly if you blindfolded me I couldn’t tell. I also own a Butterscotch Blonde American Professional, Like you I also love that guitar. My only ‘issue’ with them are the neck or should I say neck choices. I really wish Fender gave more choices regarding that. The Performer series gives you a modern C profile and professional gives you a deep C, now I don’t hate them however I like the scale and shape of Gibson necks better. For me the 60’s style slim taper neck feels the best in my hands, especially for playing leads. The Fender necks being thinner from shoulder to shoulder sometimes gives me the feeling that the string is going to bump off the side of the neck ( Low E & high E string ). Aside from that I too have no other gripes. I am a Union worker here in the states and that’s mostly why I choose to do my best to buy American made ( Gibson / Fender ) I’ve heard time and time again how good the MIM line is and I’ve tried a few pre-Covid at the local guitar shops and sure.... they felt pretty good, I won’t lie. Anyway, that’s my story, sorry this comment is so long winded lol 😆 PS - I dig your videos and I’ve learned a few things building them..... thanks. I just built a Gibson SG Tribute here and I’m in the process of building a custom Strat Professional which I’m putting a custom Warmoth neck on with the shape and scale I prefer 🤙 Thanks and keep on making your videos, maybe in time you can also do some other brands as well aside from Fender, that maybe cool too.
I have a player Tele and a MIM Thinline Tele. They are fantastic and just make me want to pick them up and play. I agree with the satin neck too.So I wire wooled (is that a term?) the Thinline neck to take the gloss off. It just stops the neck getting sticky as you play/sweat. I keep looking out to buy more Teles, but there is some resistance to this in the home.....
They sounded very much the same, that's impressive to know that you can almost get the tele sounds on that strat. I like both but the strats have more options and the tone on that coil changes the game a bit
Dude!!! I literally just asked youtube THE EXACT question: are there any comparisons between Player Tele's and Strats... 🤣🤣 Landon to the rescue 👍👍 well done
I only got to try a couple Vinteras before covid shut everything down. I don't find the new Fender lines make it up here very fast. I liked the ones I played though.
I have a player strat and the whammy bar always hits the tone knobs when screwed in properly. Can’t figure out if it’s bent or if the hole is off ... chances are it’s the bar, I’ll replace it and get back to ya :-)
@@landonbailey Help bro! Ah shucks it’s too late... I went online to buy a new whammy bar... I ended up getting one but unfortunately it’s not all I got. I picked up the new Fender American Professional II in Sienna Sunburst... I just couldn’t resist. It will be the little brother to my 2016 FAP HSS also in Sienna Sunburst. Love my Fenders :-)
@@landonbailey yes exactly! One of the two will be my first electric. I love the tone of the Tele by far, but in person I've been able to play a lot smoother and easier on the strat for some reason. I still think I'm a Tele guy, but I'm leaning Player Strat because I can always get a better Tele when later when I'm a better player!
Yeah I you've sold me on a Tele, but I have to settle for a Squire Affinity model due to a serious lack of funds. Can anyone tell me if that Telecaster is easier to fret than a Bullet Strat? My hands don't work so well due to disability but I don't want to give up. Banging my 💀 trying to decide whether to buy the Affinity Tele or save the bucks and stick it out until I know that I'm getting my dexterity and strumming down. Any opinions? And yeah, I got them right by tone.
@@bentleydesh6993 Thanks much for your input. With limited strength and movement, I may be limited, but I've never been one to give up easily. Am I correct in believing that you refer to my current Bullet Strat, or are you suggesting a Bullet Tele?
@@nocturnalmadness9517 i was comparing the bullet and affinity teles. Im not sure which bullet would have more comfort, but I would guess they have the same nut width ( strat and tele)
I'd take the Fender over the other Fender for sure!
Legit...
they are both better than each other. what? :P
@@landonbailey Yes ... equally the same better wise.
I saw a video yesterday from Guitarist magazine , two new Vintage brand models , on one, the top half is Sunburst Strat and the bottom half is butterscotch Tele ! 🤪
Goodaay Shane! I think that Shane leans to the Tele side. As does Lando.
Do you get them right? What's you fav, Tele or Strat?
Fender Player Series Telecaster:
Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/vXx1N
Amazon: geni.us/FenderPlayerTele
Thomann: bit.ly/2ZU7GZR
Fender Player Stratocaster
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/16RJm
Amazon geni.us/PlayerStrat
Thomann bit.ly/2NW8Xtv
TimeStamps:
0:00 - Hello
2:22 - Walkthrough
5:04 - Blind Tone Challenge
5:49 - CLEAN Tones
8:10 - DIRT Tones
9:54 - Blind Tone Challenge Results
10:24 - Summary - Pros and Cons
17:43 - Goodbye
I've got 3 teles,now I want four.Why the locking tuners on the tele? Mine never goes out of tune !
@@Wildman9 People mainly buy loocking tuners for fast string changes. Not for it hold in tune better, though for some they'll actually help with that.
ua-cam.com/video/Ua8IPrEVTy0/v-deo.html
I preferred strat! Literally i dont have:)
Duh.just seems like over kill to me.
I'll give you the short answer: You need both
solid answer
That’s what I was afraid of...
Player series is great. Great sounds out of both guitars. I was going to ask when you last trimmed your nostril hairs, but then I figured out it was cat hairs on my phone screen. Not sure why I told you that.
ewww!
Lol
I could guess immediately, nothing twangs like a tele, and the strat sounds so smooth. The finish on those guitars looks so nice!
I have one of each. My strat is my favorite guitar, though I did swap out the pickups & put locking tuners on it. The Telecaster is a double humbucker one, only changed it cosmetically with different pickguard & chrome pickup rings. They're both great and easy to play
nice mods!
Perfect timing, actually. I was just about to get another guitar, but I couldn't decide between these exact two.
Edit: Definitely leaning more towards the Strat. Unfortunately, the one I want is not in stock right now, but when it is, that's definitely what I'll be buying.
The strat is so good and comfy.
Good choice!
Yup, I got it right! Always been a fan of the strat but lately I've been liking the quack of a tele and that's what my next guitar is gonna be. Thanks for convincing me on that Landon! 👍
Glad to help!
The Radiohead riffs always make me happy
what is the name of the radio song he plays for the dirt tone?
@@KieranRegan He plays "Just" , then "Black Star" during the dirt comparison :)
@@kleincomplex there is also an 'airbag' inspired one on the clean bridge one
Woaaaaaaaah I own a strat and tele and I would’ve put my LIFE on the line that x was the strat, I’m- I’ve failed
I’m a Strat guy but I LOVE a Tele. I’ll proudly play either. Mexican ones are incredible.
Practiced with Tele 1st time since getting ..... I can't say enough about playability, feel, tone .... Beautifully done...rivals my 10 year us tele. Tuning stability is excellent. Ended up buying 2... Can't put an down . The tone is pure 60s tele...
sweet!
The current MIM Fenders, specifically the Player Series as will know it now, are going to be future classics. The same thing that happened to 80's and 90's MIJ Fenders will happen with these for sure.
agreed!
One additional advantage of Player Strats for lefties is that they are routed HSH so modifying one for an HSS or HSH is easy. Other than Custom Shop there are no HSS or HSH Fender options for lefties, so buying a Player Strat and a set of either HSS or HSH pickups is an affordable option to get something other than SSS.
I don’t own a Tele yet but I seem to be a Tele person . Love the sound every time I hear one. And I think the player is just right
Thank you! Just the video I asked for!
I was actually quite shocked. Teles always sound more immediate and BIG to me vs the Strat which typically sounds more hollow and “light” to me.
I failed and flipped them around to my surprise. Think the Strat actually sounded fuller to me in this clip. Guess I’ve decided...not what I expected.
Do you have any tuning issues with your Strat when using the trem?
hey cool! No I haven’t had any tuning issues, but I all used lubricant on the nut, which helps
Landon Bailey awesome, thanks again for helping me decide. Great video.
I prefer teles even though they hurt my forearm a bit when playing standing. Wish they had an arm contour, but then I guess they wouldn’t be a tele.
i gotta admit, for the straight tones i liked the tele better. but the only real reason i want a strat is *position 4*
The SRV position
Karla Hernandez the John Mayer Position™
Try position 2 for clean tone with an tube amp may be something you will supprise too
Do you find a difference in playability while seated? I play seated 100% at home practicing. I rented the strat from L&M and it was sliding all over the place on my leg. Maybe due to the contours? Could probably raise my leg with a footstool. Does the Tele do the same or does it sit better? I am going to rent a Tele before I choose between the two.
I always use a strap, even when sitting. so I don't have that issue
I recently purchased the Player Strat based in part on your excellent deep dive vid for that model. A good chunk of $$ on my budget but I LOVE it! Someday I want to Ikea-Lego-Build a Tele as you have done ~ what could be more custom than picking out all the parts and putting them together yourself? Thanks Brandon.
cheers!
The middle position was the giveaway for me. I own a player series Stratocaster but eventually I’d love to pick up a Tele as well. Looks and sounds awesome.
Thank u so much for this blind audition, now I’m sure that I definitely prefer the Telecaster🤠
cheers!
Tele bridge and strat neck, just can't be beat hence you need both
This is one of those videos that generates a ton of "wait, the more basic guitar with so much less going on actually sounds better than and has more tonal range than the one with more stuffs? But...how?" It's ok folks, the Tele world has room for more, come on over :)
I know im late, but something to note with the shiny finish on the necks. Only the front is like that, the back is still satin.
I'm lucky to have a couple great by Fender Strats, one's a MIM HH Blackface and the other a 60th Anniversary Commemorative with some of the best features in a Strat I've come across... and Modern Player Tele Plus... not your typical Tele, more of a Nashville style setup SSH with 5 way and a splitter switch. There are so many variations of Strats & Teles it boggles the mind! Great videos! 😎🎸🤘
cheers!
Either seems to be a winner and great value. Always great content; the humor is a plus as well. 😂
Do you have any issues with the tuning because of the trem on the strat?
I'm thinking of getting a hss one as my first guitar but watched some videos saying beginners should avoid trems.
no issues, but I’m also not a big trem user
I could tell the Tele right away. The neck pickup is buttery smooth. But the Strat has other advantages. I can see why you have one of each.
Should swap the tuners between the strat/tele as the strat would take more advantage of it.
I like them both. Since I got the offset tele, I can't believe how good the tele truly is. But I also have a player series strat. Man, it sound great. So the answer is yes. Although, still wish I would have gotten the butterscotch or even blond tele
Thank you sir even though I already know I’m saving up for a Tele thank you for some content to watch at night
No worries!
I have the strat .it's a solid well made guitar .very impressed with it . I grab it alot more than my american pro 2 because I feels exactly like my old american standard. The neck and playability are as good as any u.s. made strat I have played and owned barring customshop stuff. The pick ups are ok for now but I will slap a set of fat 50s in it .this guitar don't need much to rival a u.s. production strat .....pick ups string tree and better trem block and it will hang with any strat. The neck pocket is tighter than my pro2 .I am just amazed with these at this price
I haven't had any complaints with my lefty Player Strat but it's my first electric guitar.
Great guitars but what turns me off straight away are these few things, Pau Ferro fingerboards, instead of rosewood. I have 2 USA Strats, one Highway one and a Clapton signature and both have the vintage bridges.
Other than that the Players are superb and I bought a set of used player pickups and put them in my 80s MIJ Fender Strat replacing the dull and lifeless ceramics and the guitar sounds incredible now. If you crab live with the 2 point bridge and 22 frets then grab a Player, you can put block saddles on the Tele! These guitars are great value for money.
ya I only like the maple fretboards
The strat is gorgeous. Always my guitar since I saw Buddy Holly and Hank Marvin play them. I will always know a strat from a tele. Theres no sound like a strat. It has so much soul.
The Blackstar riff was the best.
Your funky take on 'Airbag' might have saved my life.
X is a no-brainer be it clean or dirty... Telecasters are easy to detect simply cuz the bridge pickup's fatter than the Strat PU whereas its neck PU's fatter than the Tele neck PU which has more highs because of the 43-gauge wire which is thinner than the standard 42-gauge used for the Strat pickups and Tele bridge PU's. Another note about the Telecaster bridge pickup is the metal plate on the bottom expands the magnetic field contributing to its fatness or 'twang'. The attributes of the Strat pickups would be the obvious in-between quacky positions: bright on 2 and deep on 4.
I actually got it wrong, thought Y was the Tele. Just a couple of times thought it sounded a little 'twangy'. Preferred the tone of X, thinking it was the Strat. This is good news though, cos I think I'm gonna get one - a Player Tele I mean. That all made no sense at all. Cheers
👍🎸
I'll be honest, I think my MIM (same 3-color sunburst as yours) sounds a little better than my American Pro with V-Mod pickups, which sort of pisses me off, but I digress. The Player pickups seem to have more note separation and clarity, but a tad less output. I guess a pickup height adjustment can fix that though. Neck-middle position is my favorite. It's got a great funk tone. I agree with you on the value. I think Fender did a really good job revamping their models and keeping the cost low. They're very affordable, premium sounding instruments. The only thing I don't like about the Player teles is that they come with block steel saddles instead of the brass barrell saddles. I prefer brass on a tele for that classic tele quack but I suppose that's a simple and cheap enough mod do switch out myself
Telecaster makes me think of the English and strat makes me think of American
actually sounds pretty accurate
Huh?
I love both. I just got a brand new 2022 Player Tele and I’ve also have a 2002 Standard Strat. Both play fabulous and not a single flaw.
My next purchase may be one of the American Vintage models.
nice!
Any chance you can do this for the American Professional II Tele vs Strat? Planning on getting both a Tele and Strat but not sure which of them should be the Player or American Pro II. After watching this, I'm might go for the Player Tele and then eventually get the Pro II Strat coz of the push-push config to utilize more pickup combos. What do you think?
ua-cam.com/video/x5uY9BPJwIo/v-deo.html
I kind of did with this video, but I've been thinking of doing the Tele VS Strat only video too. cheers
During the blind test, "it's too easy. quite clear :)". After seeing the result, "uh oh"
😆
I tried and liked the player series and classic vibe tele, but I took the classic vibe home because of the neck :)
If you can't afford the player series I think the squier classic vibe range has got your back.
I need both! Cool video!
I got a CME exclusive Player Tele for $574 within the last year. It's freaking awesome.
what is CME?
@@landonbailey Ah, apologies, it's Chicago Music Exchange.
www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/fender-player-telecaster-daphne-blue-w-3-ply-mint-pickguard-cme-exclusive
I've got a Player Series Telecaster and a Vintera Telecaster Deluxe. The Vintera does feel a little bit higher quality in terms of neck and overall build. I'll gig with both of them once lockdown is over, as they're both solid guitars.
is the back of the Vintera neck glossy?
@@landonbailey it's glossy, but not sticky like some of the Squier Classic Vibe necks I've felt. Not as smooth as the satin finish on the Player obviously, but it doesn't slow me down when I switch to it. Made me want to try a Vintera 50s Tele Modified.
I have a Squier Classic vibe Tele. I wish it had a satin neck, and I much prefer the neck pickup on your Tele. But for $399 I can’t really complain. I did replace the nut with a Tusq nut, but other than that I’m going to keep it the way it is. It’s a good value for the money.
ya the CVs are great for sure
I had the same sticky neck issue with my classic vibe. I got some very fine sand paper and sanded the neck and it plays like a dream :)
YES! Cool. I have a butterscotch Player Tele with these diy “Plus-Deluxe” upgrades - Vintage Fender bridge and tuners, Wilkinson's compensated saddles, Mojotone ’52 Quiet Coil pickups, Lucky Dog gnarly knobs, angled-switch cover-plate, and a three string tree to stop the g-string ring behind the nut. It's a great guitar. I love the satin back/glossy top of the maple neck. For me it just blows away anything else under a grand. And I prefer it to the American series which I can afford to buy if I wanted to.
I have both. 2018 Player MIM Tele and a 2005 USA Strat and both are butterscotch black guards. 🎸🇦🇺🤘
Watching this again now because I’m torn on a tele. I absolutely love my player strat I got this summer. I’ve tried a couple of different player teles and I just can’t love the neck. It doesn’t feel bad, but feels off to me and I can’t put my finger on why…. Well, I probably can, it’s made to put your fingers on… gonna check out the player plus and vintera series and see if I like the feel better.
All i needed was the Affinity Tele i just bought 😁 save that monaay for sweet pickups
Thanks for the demo. I guessed it immediately after the neck tones. I have that same model of Strat but in silver, and my Tele is a Baja. I agree the mexican range are the best value by far! Just got the Baja and I've set the action pretty high on it so i can play slide as well. I literally can't put it down! I'm going to bed at 2:30 instead of 1. I'm practicing 2 hours a day instead if 30 min.
I watched the video again and would respectfully ask to change my answer, Guitar Y is absolutely the telecaster, thank you very much.
🎸😝👍
For the fan of both Tele and Strat but with the budget for one only Fender branded guitar, you might get a Tele Nashville Deluxe. Standard awesome Tele neck and bridge pickups with a Strat pickup in the middle. If you dislike the Tele body shape and want offset instead, there's the new Squire Paranormal Tele with the Jazzmaster body. Has a middle pickup rout stock under the pickguard so you can add your own middle Strat pup, but then you lose the Fender brand and hardware.
ya those Nashville Deluxe look cool!
So let me ask for your recommendation. I picked up the acoustic guitar in April of 2020 but now thinking about an electric. I don't know much about electric guitar but I like telecaster better, ready for this, because I dislike the shape of strat. Call me silly but it is what it is. I know that guitar is for me so I don't want a entry level tele but then I don't want to spend 2 or 3 car payments on a tele yet. So what do you recommend that I should get for my first tele? One caveat, from YT watching, I learned that string thru body guitar is better. Right? TIA.
I would start with a Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster from Squier or a Player Series Tele from Fender. My first guitar was a made in Mexico Standard Telecaster, which is the equivalent of the Player series these days. No regrets and I still have it today. cheers
@@landonbailey I have an idea. You bought lots of guitars and done review. Perhaps, you are willing to part with one tele for a decent price? Just a thought.
22 frets is a big upgrade in my book ;-)
Also love my affinity but I hate that ultra thin neck - that is only think that is bad about that lovely squier.
I find the two point trem on my 60th anniversary 50's Classic Player is excellent . I have it floating . If a string goes slightly off during heavy bending ,it's only a little friction at the nut ,so a gentle pull up & wiggle on the bar brings everything back to pitch. The vintage 6 screw on my Hendrix Strat works well but it feels different and not quite as predictable. Please get some of those little springs that go down the trem arm hole , that 80's floppy arm is giving me an OCD episode lol
I was wrong! I thought X was the Strat. I have a Vintera 50s Tele. It is the easiest playing guitar I have ever played. I got it from Sweetwater and everything was set up perfectly. I also have a 90s era American Strat, but it never played as well. Thanks for the comparison.
nice! I want to check out a Vintera some day
I have 4 tele's all with different pickups, my Mexican has the standard tele pickups very distinct sound that i sometimes struggle with. If you like the player necks the american profession are a step up, very nice get the humbucker in the neck is a great mix of tones and can also be split.
Edit American Performer :)
in an interstellar burst, i am back to save the you-neeeeeeh-verse
with some funk!
Honest question: do you still think the Mexican line is Fender’s best value after that dirty price increase?
everything went up in price, so yes
@@landonbailey sad stuff
Had a mex strat and the build quality was a 9.5 out of 10, needed a set up but otherwise was great. Great channel here.
hey thanks!
I’d go for seven string player electric harmonica
I Just Bought A Player Telecaster For My Birthday (June 24th Like My HERO JEFF BECK!!!!). I, A Lifelong Stratocaster Man, ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOVE IT!!! You Need Both, Though, To Truly Be Fulfilled.
nice! what colour is it?
@@landonbailey
It's Butterscotch. There's Just SOMETHING About That Color! 👍
The blind challenge actually helped me decide, going to go buy a telecaster tomorrow. Think telecaster has a slightly better sound
nice!
Looks like I bought the wrong guitar. I liked the warmer fuller sound of Y. Tele is a bit shill to my ears in comparison, but alas , I own a Player Tele.
I like the Tele more
It took a couple of samples but I picked x as the tele and liked it a bit better on the dirty.
I like the tele...classic looking in butterscotch
Since the strat is good for beginners and pros , ill choose the strat , btw white on white mapleneck looks cool ☺🤘
cheers!
Actually the Tele’s better for beginners. Not as many bells and whistles and is just a pure rock and roll machine
Always appreciate your thoughts, thank you man!
My pleasure! I usually have one or two thoughts a week! :)
I have both guitars. They’re both fantastic axes.
Player models are great!
Do you find the Tele neck thicker? I have a 2018 Mexican Standard Strat and a 2019 Player series Tele and find the neck on the Tele a bit thicker, even though the dimensions are listed the same.
I didn’t notice a difference
I put Seymour Duncan Quaterpounder set in my Mexican Telecaster, yes it lost a bit of that twang but I can play anything on that guitar and it sounds killer. Mexi pickups lack that little something the player series pickups don't.
I’m upgrading from my beginner guitar this Christmas and I have to pick from so many guitars I like it’s not even funny but it’s either going to be a tele, strat, jaguar, or mustang but I’m leaning more on a jag
nice! have fun
I have an Orange Player Series Tele. I bought mainly because it is 7.6 pounds. Love the pickups.... love the guitar. I liked you X guitar better in each clip and hoped it was the tele...lol. It was. Wish you would do the same test with the Mustang. I am debating on getting a Duosonic or Mustang and the p90's seem pretty interesting.
Very cool! I'll do something with the Mustang :)
They're just the Baja Series rebranded to The Player Series MIM. Helps keep the interest in the brand.
the Baja is now called Vintera '60s Telecaster Modified
Great video as always Landon, just a bit of an idea but why don't you do a video on swapping the tuners on those two guitars bc I can image the locking tuners would do a lot more for the strat bc of the vintage style trem system 👍
Good idea!
Was easy to tell, as the Tele has more sustain
I’m quite intrigued as to why you’d buy more guitars - over and above having something to show on the channel. Your builds look great, why would you want even more? How many Teles do you own now? Maybe a video on guitar acquisitiveness would be interesting: most of us have it to some extent.
My Tele (just the one...) is a Baja Player 50s which I think is a little nicer (I suspect) than the new non-Baja series. More interesting pick-up, vaguely vintage vibe. Custom Shop-designed supposedly. It’s about as much Tele as I need.
Re your comparisons, I could identify the guitars but To my ears I think there should be an even greater difference between the two. The Tele sounds Tele-ish but the Strat sounds insufficiently Strat-ish. The neck pick-up clean should be Frusciante-like. Well, you did ask!
I've done Tele collection and GAS videos in the past. Maybe I'll do an updated video at some point this year. cheers
@@landonbailey Cheers. I'll check 'em out!
Hi Landon,
I own an American Performer Strat which I purchased from Sweetwater, great guitar and mine is a 2019. Mine has an Ash body, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. Do I hear any difference in tone from ash to alder? No... honestly if you blindfolded me I couldn’t tell.
I also own a Butterscotch Blonde American Professional, Like you I also love that guitar. My only ‘issue’ with them are the neck or should I say neck choices. I really wish Fender gave more choices regarding that. The Performer series gives you a modern C profile and professional gives you a deep C, now I don’t hate them however I like the scale and shape of Gibson necks better. For me the 60’s style slim taper neck feels the best in my hands, especially for playing leads. The Fender necks being thinner from shoulder to shoulder sometimes gives me the feeling that the string is going to bump off the side of the neck ( Low E & high E string ). Aside from that I too have no other gripes.
I am a Union worker here in the states and that’s mostly why I choose to do my best to buy American made ( Gibson / Fender )
I’ve heard time and time again how good the MIM line is and I’ve tried a few pre-Covid at the local guitar shops and sure.... they felt pretty good, I won’t lie.
Anyway, that’s my story, sorry this comment is so long winded lol 😆
PS - I dig your videos and I’ve learned a few things building them..... thanks. I just built a Gibson SG Tribute here and I’m in the process of building a custom Strat Professional which I’m putting a custom Warmoth neck on with the shape and scale I prefer 🤙
Thanks and keep on making your videos, maybe in time you can also do some other brands as well aside from Fender, that maybe cool too.
I have a player Tele and a MIM Thinline Tele. They are fantastic and just make me want to pick them up and play. I agree with the satin neck too.So I wire wooled (is that a term?) the Thinline neck to take the gloss off. It just stops the neck getting sticky as you play/sweat. I keep looking out to buy more Teles, but there is some resistance to this in the home.....
I'm deciding on polar White or butterscotch blonde tele. Which one should I get
They sounded very much the same, that's impressive to know that you can almost get the tele sounds on that strat. I like both but the strats have more options and the tone on that coil changes the game a bit
The tones were different for each example
Dude!!! I literally just asked youtube THE EXACT question: are there any comparisons between Player Tele's and Strats... 🤣🤣 Landon to the rescue 👍👍 well done
Rock on!
Wouldn't it make more sense to put the locking tuners on the strat since it has a trem?
ya I’ve heard that. I only got the Strat this year, and modded the Tele last year
I only got to try a couple Vinteras before covid shut everything down. I don't find the new Fender lines make it up here very fast. I liked the ones I played though.
Both would be nice but if I had to choose, I’d take a Tele........
i just got a tele and i love it
I have a player strat and the whammy bar always hits the tone knobs when screwed in properly. Can’t figure out if it’s bent or if the hole is off ... chances are it’s the bar, I’ll replace it and get back to ya :-)
ya that sounds messed up for sure. let me know
@@landonbailey Help bro! Ah shucks it’s too late... I went online to buy a new whammy bar... I ended up getting one but unfortunately it’s not all I got. I picked up the new Fender American Professional II in Sienna Sunburst... I just couldn’t resist. It will be the little brother to my 2016 FAP HSS also in Sienna Sunburst. Love my Fenders :-)
I move the tone from the middle to the bridge on all of my Strats, easy mod.
nice mod!
Me too... and moved the middle pickup to the neck PU tone pot.
I got the exact same Tele great guitar. Great value.
Very nice!
i tought i liked the start more, until now just discover i like the tele more lol
I never comment on UA-cam videos. This is the only video I've seen on this subject and I've been searching for months! Thanks dude for doing it!
Glad it was helpful! were you looking specifically for Player Tele and Strat?
@@landonbailey yes exactly! One of the two will be my first electric. I love the tone of the Tele by far, but in person I've been able to play a lot smoother and easier on the strat for some reason. I still think I'm a Tele guy, but I'm leaning Player Strat because I can always get a better Tele when later when I'm a better player!
awesome! keep playing
What are those in the background? Is that a walkman and a discman?
Sony Walkman and a Panasonic Shockwave
Yeah I you've sold me on a Tele, but I have to settle for a Squire Affinity model due to a serious lack of funds.
Can anyone tell me if that Telecaster is easier to fret than a Bullet Strat? My hands don't work so well due to disability but I don't want to give up. Banging my 💀 trying to decide whether to buy the Affinity Tele or save the bucks and stick it out until I know that I'm getting my dexterity and strumming down. Any opinions? And yeah, I got them right by tone.
i think the bullet has a wider nut so you might want that one instead
@@bentleydesh6993 Thanks much for your input. With limited strength and movement, I may be limited, but I've never been one to give up easily. Am I correct in believing that you refer to my current Bullet Strat, or are you suggesting a Bullet Tele?
@@nocturnalmadness9517 i was comparing the bullet and affinity teles. Im not sure which bullet would have more comfort, but I would guess they have the same nut width ( strat and tele)
@@bentleydesh6993 Thanks again Bentley!
Id love both. 😎😷 id probably pick the Tele tho. I took the neck off my Clapton Strat it said Jan 17 2005 with a JP initial. John Page?
Love both of them!!!