# Strat or Tele?



## zao_89

I personally dont like the Telecaster, but what about you?


----------



## CocoTone

Your opening up a very large can of worms, thats been left out in the sun too long!!

CT.


----------



## MaxWedge

Yep.:2guns:


----------



## Jeff Flowerday

One of each, along with a Nocaster and an Esquire.


----------



## Jeff Flowerday

teleman said:


> What about "(c) large pointy purple sparkle guitars"?


That darn thing is starting to give me a headache. :2guns:


----------



## ajcoholic

well I also think one of each is required...

however if I HAD to choose one, I'd be going with the Tele' hands down.


AJC


----------



## hoser

tele, definitely...but very specific teles (80's MIJ drop top basswood).
I've owned numerous strats and ended up selling them all. they just don't do it for me, no matter how good they feel.


----------



## Lester B. Flat

teleman said:


> What about "(c) large pointy purple sparkle guitars"?


"Careful with that axe, Eugene".


----------



## Robert1950

Depends on what you are looking for in a sound. The early 60s sound in Toronto was very much defined by the Telecaster - Robbie Robertson with Ronnie Hawkins and Dom Troiano - Very R&B - very screaming. That's what everyone bought back then - all the best axe player played teles.

The Tele has also been the choice of chicken pickers and manic country players.

The Strat was initially surf, and then,,, *JIMI !!!*

But then there were blues players - like Albert Collins - A fat tele 

Then there was Buddy Guy - a strat man.

Give it some thought.


----------



## JSD's Guitar Shack

That'll put an eye out for sure.... 

Strat of Tele... personally I'm not a fan of either...(sorry). The Love Rock (Les Paul) style does it for me.

:rockon:


----------



## zao_89

JSD's Guitar Shack said:


> Strat of Tele... personally I'm not a fan of either...(sorry). The Love Rock (Les Paul) style does it for me.


I do like gibsons more than fender (I do want to get a Les Paul some day), but I was wondering what other people think.


----------



## dwagar

Even though I'm pretty much a Gibson guy, I do have a nice Strat.

I prefer the double coil sound (2 and 4 on the switch) of the Strat to the sound of the Tele, but long ago I had a '56 Tele that had been modded to a Gibson P90. Wowzers. Sure wish I'd kept that one.

While so many of our guitar gods are Strat Slingers, let me add a couple to the Tele list:
- Jimmy Page (wasn't LZ1 recorded with a Tele?)
- Jeff Beck (I can't remember if he ended up with Page's, or if it was the other way around, or a different one. Might have been an Esquire - pre-tele)
- Mike Bloomfield (Paul Butterfield Blues band 1st album I believe was a tele).

Some of the guys that we associate Les Pauls with, should also be associated with Tele's.


----------



## becksbolero

A Strat a Tele and a Les Paul,I like a lot of guys it seems have to once at least have one of each.The Les Pauls will kill your back at times but I like them the best.


----------



## SinCron

Prince uses a Tele.


----------



## SCREEM

STRAT!!! with a proper setup...I.E. a whammy that stays in tune, if it doesn't then TELE, because constant re-tuning sucks.


----------



## MaxWedge

This has turned out to be an interesting thread. There have been referrences to Page, Beck, Robbie Robertson, and others. So many played the Tele that it would be impossible to name all. I would like to mention one name, Roy Buchanan, I don't think anyone will ever play like him. And if legend is true he was brought to Canada to 'show' Robbie how to play, I don't know how true that is , but it's what I've read on the net. At any rate If you have not heard Roy Buchanan, do give this man a listen. RIP 'Buck', Thanks for the music.


----------



## Emohawk

I'd be hard pressed to choose. Strats are a little more versatile whereas Tele's kind of have their own unique thing going on. My cousin has a late 60's Tele that's REAL sweet...

But, being a mahagony/humbucker junkie, a Strat or Tele will always be my "other" guitar. My #1 will always be SG-ish.


----------



## PaulS

Well if your talking about tele pickers then don't forget Danny Gatton and what about the Hellcasters a tele trio....evilGuitar:


----------



## sneakypete

shouldn`t be start OR tele.....should be strat AND tele.....gots to have both, and why stop at only one of each?


----------



## Xanadu

I also don't like teles. They do have a nice sound, but IMO they're the ugliest things ever.:sport-smiley-002:


----------



## sneakypete

I buy with my ears and not with my eyes...sometimes I just gotta buy a guitar because it sounds so darn good.


----------



## david henman

...this is an interesting topic, for me. i have been a strat player for the past twenty years, and have loved the look of the guitar since watching high school bands back in the fifties.

my ex bought me a tele in 1998. for the first few years i only occasionally picked it up. recently, however, i have fallen head over heels in love with it, and just last week bought a second tele.

the reason? its the way the guitar rings and sustains. its absolutely hypnotic, to these ears.

that said, the strat and the tele are two different instruments, and i will continue to use the strat for the floating trem, and the tele for its unique tone.

however, i am very curious about mounting a strat-type trem bridge on a tele...would i lose that magical tele sustain?


----------



## sneakypete

I dunno...but I do have a MIJ strat with a tele neck, not something I slapped together but it was made that way and there aren`t many around. Looks great too.


----------



## CocoTone

I've been a Strat guy since Jesus wore cowboy boots. I recently bought a Godin LG Signature with HB's. Basically a LesPaul type guitar with Duncans. Nice axe, easy to play,,,,BUT I'm always reaching for the Strat. I bought the Godin basically to have that bucker tone when I need it, but the Strat can cover the same ground with more tone and texture. All you need is a good fuzz, and a couple of decent OD`s, and I can get as much grind aa I need, without the uncontrollable squaking and feedback that buckers generate.
plus, I'm not all that happy with the bridge pu. mAybe a Pearly Gates?

CT.


----------



## GuitarsCanada

I have owned 3 Strats and One Tele, all gone now. But I wish I would have kept my last Strat, which was a 50th anniversary model. I always end up going back to LP style guitars and the HB's then I get bummed out because I don't have the strat with the single coils when I get the feeling.


----------



## Milkman

I'd say if I had to make the choice the Tele would come out ahead. I say this because in my opinion Strat tones are easier to replicate with other guitars with similar pickup configurations.

I can get pretty good Strat tones from my Ibanez or Jackson, but the Tele sounds are more tricky.


----------



## scuffelwood

dwagar said:


> Even though I'm pretty much a Gibson guy, I do have a nice Strat.
> 
> I prefer the double coil sound (2 and 4 on the switch) of the Strat to the sound of the Tele, but long ago I had a '56 Tele that had been modded to a Gibson P90. Wowzers. Sure wish I'd kept that one.
> 
> While so many of our guitar gods are Strat Slingers, let me add a couple to the Tele list:
> - Jimmy Page (wasn't LZ1 recorded with a Tele?)
> - Jeff Beck (I can't remember if he ended up with Page's, or if it was the other way around, or a different one. Might have been an Esquire - pre-tele)
> - Mike Bloomfield (Paul Butterfield Blues band 1st album I believe was a tele).
> 
> Some of the guys that we associate Les Pauls with, should also be associated with Tele's.


Jimmy Played a 59 Tele which was given to him by Jeff Beck.


----------



## dwagar

Thanks scufflewood, I couldn't remember.

Hey, how bout Keef, with his humbucker equipped 5 string Tele? (he leaves the low E off because of his alternate tunings)


----------



## PaulS

sneakypete said:


> shouldn`t be start OR tele.....should be strat AND tele.....gots to have both, and why stop at only one of each?


 Yes I agree, and why not a mustang and a jag....


----------



## Robert1950

For some, this may be their holy grail:

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=9275000608


----------



## hoser

now thats just wrong.
The nashville tele's are bad enough.


----------



## bRian

Telecaster for sure, plain and simple, no fuss, no muss.


----------



## Tarbender

Telecaster all the way. It is the perfect instrument for any and all types of music and for looks it can't be beat:


----------



## 55 Jr

68 tele w/ factory Bigsby:










After years of trying............. a strat remains unplayable.

That damn middle pickup gets in the way....and I keep turning down the volume knob when I palm mute.

Best regards,

Brian


----------



## Coustfan'01

Tele all the way...except maybe for an eric johnson strat . I don't know why , I love that guitar .


----------



## aaron

Tele's all the way for me,they have their own tone,and are super comfy to play,Although I do like strat's,they to me are Hemmoriod guitars,every butthole has one,No offence to you strat owner's, I have also owned one.
IMO that tele/strat hybred is the reason I am a gibson guy,what a sinfully wrong and offensive guitar.


----------



## droptop88

I've always learned more on a tele. It forces me to concentrate on my playing. Its simple but effective, and the headstock shape is better for behind the nut bending. Its a GREAT platform for mods,too. B- benders, dropped D tuners, middle pickups, humbuckers, you name it, and the tele is a willing compatriot. I've always found it difficult to find a good tele, maybe because they are so utilitarian that they must really speak to me directly, which they either do or don't with no bells and whistles. You have to watch that the bridge pickup doesnt sound to ice picky or plinky though. Once a guy gets the right amp/guitar combo, there's no other tone like it, IMHO. Glad we have both to ease us through....


----------



## torndownunit

Teles for me. Both have their place, it's just that nothing sounds like a Tele.


----------



## Robboman

The Strat is the perfect solidbody electric guitar IMO. The Strat was a natural evolution from the Tele. When they were designing the Strat in the early 50s, the goal was to address the shortcomings of the already established Esquire\Broadcaster\Tele design and build a new guitar that would be better in every way. I think they pulled it off.

Still, Teles have something goin on, otherwise people wouldn't still be buying them 50+ years later. I have one too but to be honest after playing it for a while, it makes me want to reach for my Strat again. But then, so do most other guitars.


----------



## Deef

I'm a fan of both, but I found that I really love my telecaster sound through my rig.


----------



## cale0906

*Strat*

Got to say the Stratocaster is my choice , but lately have been gassing for a good Tele.


----------



## david henman

...if i had to choose, i'd kill myself.

:banana: 

-dh


----------



## Kamilla Go-Go

If I really had to chose, I'd take the Tele.

... but I'd sell it and buy something else


----------



## The Nazz Are Blue

I own:

1 Strat
0 Tele

but I voted for the Telecaster. I just prefer it over the bouncy Strat sound. Anyhow, more of my favourite sounding guitar recordings were played on Teles than Strats. On that note: I want one! :banana:


----------



## zoomed

I own a strat at the moment and i love it and next month i will own a tele as well...=D...sigh..the best of both worlds...


----------



## bolero

this poll is a non issue

....you need both :banana:


----------



## Robert1950

The tele is catching up.


----------



## Stratocaster

Well it's kinda obvious what I would choose:tongue:


----------



## elindso

I have both. I think I like my Tele better. It's old and beaten up but plays like buttah.


----------



## CocoTone

Nothing can replace a Strat, but a Les Paul can replace a Tele. Just ask Page.:wave: 

CT.


----------



## Stratocaster

CocoTone said:


> Nothing can replace a Strat, but a Les Paul can replace a Tele. Just ask Page.:wave:
> 
> CT.


+1:rockon:


----------



## Robert1950

Now the strat is starting to edge ahead! What a race!!


----------



## washburned

I've got a Strat with tele pickups....Where do I vote?


----------



## Stratocaster

washburned said:


> I've got a Strat with tele pickups....Where do I vote?


Hows that for sound?


----------



## danbo

I traded my tele for a powerhouse Strat! Versatility is the Strats forte!!


----------



## washburned

*Hows that for sound?*

Sounds like a Strat with Tele pups! 

Seriously, it's brighter, but with less sustain. The best sounds are the 2 and 4positon with one strat and one tele pickup. The bridge pickup is really ice pick rude, especially with distortion, the neck is smoother and more defined than the usual Strat pickup would be; can't do a good woman tone though.

Only mod I had to make was enlarging the hole for the bridge pickup in the pick guard. The body was cut for a HB so there was lots of room. 

I like it a whole bunch.


----------



## CountryMouse

I like the V-neck Telecaster!Stones 

I used to have a cheap Mexican Strat that went out of tune every time I used the whammy bar. I ended up buying a Gibson Epiphone and a Cry Baby.

I like the high action of the Epiphone for playing around with a slide, but I like the low action of a Tele.

To each their own I guess!


----------



## Stratocaster

washburned said:


> Sounds like a Strat with Tele pups!
> 
> Seriously, it's brighter, but with less sustain. The best sounds are the 2 and 4positon with one strat and one tele pickup. The bridge pickup is really ice pick rude, especially with distortion, the neck is smoother and more defined than the usual Strat pickup would be; can't do a good woman tone though.
> 
> Only mod I had to make was enlarging the hole for the bridge pickup in the pick guard. The body was cut for a HB so there was lots of room.
> 
> I like it a whole bunch.


Sounds nice.


----------



## jimmy peters

*72 Tele Thinline*

What can we say---wild-piercing--mellow--good sustain--light--it is able to play lead or rythem, and any kind of music you want. It does however ,lack a bigsby.
break a leg
jimmy peters


----------



## Clypher

Gotta be the telecaster for me... unless we're including super strats under the title of stratocaster.


----------



## ILUVMYJP7

Neither get an EBMM Silhouette or Albert Lee evilGuitar:


----------



## axpro

I'd normally say PRS, but between the 2?

Strat.

I've never been able to get comfortable on a tele!


----------



## auger

hey guys....
wow lots of opinions for sure,,,,,
I have both and love both for what they can do,,,,,

so its a cant vote for me...

Auger


----------



## Thinline

Tele for the win. I'm a drummer, but I've always had a guitar or two around the house. My 69 Thinline was the first guitar that made me want to play my guitar more than my drums. 

I also have a Squire Tele, the one with the 2 P90 style pick-ups and the agathis body, it has a truly unique sound, which is hard to find among tele's.


----------



## Robert1950

Woo-Hoo! Tele is now only two behind Strat!! :banana:


----------



## david henman

...i love my strats. i have two (one's a g&l legacy). they are excellent guitars. plus, i'm a whammy bar fanatic.

so, can someone explain to me why i find playing my teles more fun?

(i have two of those, as well, and am eager to buy more!)

-dh:confused-smiley-010


----------



## elindso

As mentioned way back I've one of each. 

You need one of each.

Tune the tele to standard pitch and the strat down to what ever JimirayStevie Vaughndrix did.

Then you'll be covered.

Teles are more fun because...............I don't know, but they are.


----------



## Big White Tele

Telecasters, absolutely. And then about 6 different amps!!


----------



## rippinglickfest

*STrat vs Tele*

In the looks department......(which is semi important) I'd have to go with the Stratocaster. I too have owned both at one point and love the simplicity of the Tele, the strat has got a lot more in tonal options


----------



## Baconator

I've never been a huge tele fan and my first guitar was a Tokai strat I bought in '83. 

BUT

I stopped in at Lauzon Music in Ottawa a few weeks ago and played the most incredible Suhr tele with a p90 in the neck position. I played a number of guitars and even among the several guitars up to $4-5000 it really had something special going on. 

Kudos to the folks at Lauzon - they have a great shop and were super nice guys that really know their stuff.


----------



## gpower

I like both Teles and Strats. But, I find I use my Strats more than the Teles because they're more versatile. I just picked up a Nashville Tele (Tex Mex Tele neck and bridge pups with a Tex Mex Strat middle pup). It will be interesting to see how versatile it is.


----------



## sense_of_henry

I have a strat, which I absolutely love. I was in Ottawa this past summer and was at a bar having a few drinks in my hotel. There was a guy doing a one-man gig and he was playing some songs that I really like on acoustic. He had a tele there with a small rig. I walked up and asked if he knew a song, and before you knew it I had played an hour and a half on stage with him. It was a blast, we had a really good time playing - him on acoustic, me on the tele. I have had tele GAS ever since. Drool


----------



## Robert1950

Come on Tele guys, the strats are pulling ahead again!!


----------



## teledobson

I find the tele much more versitile and at the same time simple to have set up

I've had at least 10 and only a couple of strats but never bonded


----------



## Tarbender

I've always been a Tele fan...since I was a little kid...and I ain't gonna tell you when that was but it was back when Paul din't know who Ringo was and Jimi hadn't heard the word Stratocaster. So now that I'm older and wiser (don't fight me on this point), I recently picked up a guitar from fellow member Faracaster and this is my dream come true in a guitar. It's a Telecaster with Gibson electronics and body construction and scale. Why no one else jumped on this guitar I'm amazed. This thing wails. I might do some modes to the pickups in there right now but I still consider this a Tele (the actual Fender name for this is a Telesonic) but it rocks as is.


----------



## Don Doucette

I voted strat. I used to be all about the strat but lately I've been GASsing for a tele.:confused-smiley-010


----------



## ruby7829

Tele's all the way. Just tough mean badass guitars. Could you imagine Joe Strummer playing a Strat? A Strat is like that popular jock in high school, the Tele is that guy who got in to fights.


----------



## Robert1950

ruby7829 said:


> Tele's all the way. Just tough mean badass guitars. Could you imagine Joe Strummer playing a Strat? A Strat is like that popular jock in high school, the Tele is that guy who got in to fights.


I had a Fender Mustang in high school. Imagine where I must have fit in.


----------



## guitarman2

I really like the tones of a strat but I never felt comfortable with the feel of one. Nothing more comfortable than a nice tele. So mine is in right now being fitted with a middle pickup to give me the best of both tone worlds.


----------



## mirthvader

Strat is maybe a little more versatile. They are different animals.


----------



## Hamm Guitars

It's 50/50 at this point... I can't vote as I am just starting to develop an appreciation for Telecasters.


----------



## PaulS

Just picked up a Squier 51 off Ebay... a bit of both, strat body/tele neck and simple controls.. Actually for the tele it's the simplicity of it that attracts me and the strat well it's comfortable....


----------



## Mooh

If I could have only one electric guitar it would be a Tele. That hasn't changed for 33 years, since I chanced on a Roy Buchanan show in Ottawa. Sure I got a Dot, Strat, Godin, but Telecasters are THE axe. Leo did it right the first time.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## Warren

Have a strat, want a tele, thinline, jazz pickup at the neck. If I had the $$$$ I'd buy Faracaster's, but RevCan and my wife beat me to the Cash.


----------



## lamf

need 'em both .but I'd want my les pauls more


----------



## Tom Sawyer

I love 'em both. I only have a strat but I plan on buying a tele in the future.


----------



## Davestp1

http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/davestp1/?action=view&current=IMG_0420.jpg

Gotta be a strat!


----------



## guitarman2

I think its easier to modify a Tele to have that strat sound than it is to try and get a Strat to imitate a tele. I only have one guitar for stage because to me its a pain to maintain more than one. Tele is the guitar for me fit with a middle pickup for versatility. Eventually I'll put a humbucker in the neck position for even more versatility.


----------



## Robert1950

The Tele has moved ahead !!!


----------



## elindso

And well it should.

I can't really say why as I mentioned before, but I like my Tele better than my strat.

It's got a 60's PAF stuck in the middle it came like that in 78 when I got it used. My Tele is reliced, mostly by me and whoever had it for the first 10 years.

The others would all go first, although I could get a few buck for a 60's Tele


----------



## Fliko

I'd go with a stratocaster, personal preference.

Surf Guitars FTW!


----------



## path09en

*A new man...*

I've been a Gibson guy for most of my guitar life, mostly Les Pauls. I owned both a Fender Strat and a G&L Legacy at one point in time, but I could just not fall in love with them??? I really tried to but couldn't, so I sold them. 

I really wanted to try something different so I picked up a USA Fender Telecaster at a local guitar shop and couldn't put it down so I bought it. I really liked the stock bridge pickup, but I swapped in Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. Now I've got the best of both worlds! Tele fit and Gibson tone (only my subjective opinion).

I love the Tele neck pickup on a clean setting; beautiful! In the bridge position for overdriven lead. Dial back the volume control in while in the bridge position a 1/4 turn to get that "just-right" dirt rhythm sound. Just 2 pickups, but it's all I need!

I have a Gibson Blues Hawk that I enjoy, but it doesn't quite have that "Tele feel". The Telecaster is my go to guitar. It's probably, just a honeymoon phase, but for now I'm lovin' my Tele!


----------



## GuitarsCanada

Almost an even race on the poll. Hard to pick the winner.


----------



## Andrew W

Teles for me, I love my Tribute ASAT.


----------



## willyripz

haha the poll is so close!

Tom Morello uses a tele for drop D stuff and it sounds great...

Hendrix played a strat...

haha such a tough call. Get both! Problem solved


----------



## david henman

willyripz said:


> Get both! Problem solved



....bingo!!!!


----------



## ssdeluxe

so different......................so essential...................I can't emagine not having both.....................but if a gun was pointed to my head.....................I would never get through a recording session that needed all the tones without a strat.!


----------



## Gunny

You'll get a wide variety of votes on this. For me, simplicity of 3 switch postions and 2 pickups. No whammy bar to mess with is a plus for me.


----------



## elindso

Tele is ahead.

Can I vote again?:tongue:


----------



## SnowBlind

If teles were more comfortable then id get one immediately. I love their tone but just hate their feel.


----------



## Chuck Lawson

*Tele*

I am a country chiken picker and I love my tele.None None


----------



## shoretyus

I have a Tele with a humbucker 

I turn down strats when I play them.


----------



## Skippy

Do yourself a favor, for the price of one American made guitar you can buy a Mexico made Telecaster and Stratocaster.


----------



## Al S

*At least 1 of each*

2 strats 2 Teles. They are like women - except you can have more than one and no one cares...... would you choose a redhead over a blonde ? Why.... when you can have both. 
For Live work - 1 Mongrel Strat - SCN PUPS and 1 Nashville Power Tele with Noiseless PUPS. 
For Home and Recording - Custom Shop TM 60 Closet Classic Strat and Baja Tele.


----------



## Maxer

Streles. Telestraters. Whatevah!

Different guitars for different characters. I like 'em both plenty.


----------



## bluezombie

I'd hit the tele


-Shorteyus: How old is that tele??


----------



## Tarbender

shoretyus said:


> I have a Tele with a humbucker
> 
> I turn down strats when I play them.



AS an aficionado of Telecasters, all I can say is that your Telecaster just gave me a woody... Please tell me more about that gorgeous instrument..lofu


----------



## Guest

shoretyus said:


> I have a Tele with a humbucker


Damn! That there is my nomination for Guitar of the Month! What's the story on that?


----------



## jazzalta

Skippy said:


> Do yourself a favor, for the price of one American made guitar you can buy a Mexico made Telecaster and Stratocaster.


Don't get me started.


----------



## NB-SK

I have a Strat. Great guitar. I had never tried a Tele until a few weeks back and I much prefer the neck on that guitar than on the Strat. Since the neck is the most important feature to me, I voted for the Tele.


----------



## Mooh

I like them both but if I had to choose one it would be a Tele.

YouTube has some nice examples of Jimmy Page, Roy Buchanan, Danny Gatton videos. There's just something about that tone.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## david henman

...i think i could actually drive myself right around the bend trying to choose between a strat and a tele.

i defintely prefer apples to oranges, on the other hand.

:sport-smiley-002:

-dh


----------



## gearupmusic

I lean more towards Strats because of theirs wider range of sounds - 5 tones settings on the guitar - don't have change amp settings that often.


----------



## a Pack of Wolves

i luv that the tele is a raw animal you have to pull into shape,simple and raw.

strats are a little more like 'a sexy librarian who doesn't know she's sexy',she's quiet at first,dresses a bit plain,but if you care about her she's fast as lightening and wants to do a litttle dance for you.

(i'm a sexist jerk according to this post)


----------



## rhh7

*Telecaster for simplicity...and tone*

As I grow older, I value simplicity more and more...when I was younger I had a new Les Paul Standard, and then a new ES-335, from there I went on to Strats, and now I prefer Telecasters...

Two pickups and a three-way switch give me all the tonal variety I need.

Right now I really want a Telecaster with a PAF or P90 in the neck!


----------



## Mooh

"Right now I really want a Telecaster with a PAF or P90 in the neck!" rhh7

Got a CIJ Tele Aerodyne with a P-90 at the neck last Christmas. Sounds real sweet, but a hotrod pickup might even be better, according to some, though I'm pleased enough for now. It's still all Tele, no pretentions. Might enjoy a Tele with two P-90s and a bridge pickup wired like a Strat. More spank, more ways.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## rhh7

*Mooh, I am gassing bad!!*

Here is what I want so bad I can taste it!!


----------



## Perkinsfan

Tele for sure.
Don't know why but the Strat doesn't feel "right" to me.


----------



## Scottone

Tele. I never seem to bond with Strats for some reason.

That being said, I like the out-of-phase Strat sounds, so my Tele has a strat middle pick-up.


----------



## cknowles

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say why choose?
Strat or Tele? Why not both?
How about a Les Paul and an SG or two for good measure.

S'far as I'm concerned if it's guitar shaped, has strings and makes music to my ear, it's all goodness. :food-smiley-004:


----------



## devnulljp

Hey, even Rory had a tele as well


----------



## Evilmusician

cknowles said:


> I'm going to go out on a limb here and say why choose?
> Strat or Tele? Why not both?
> How about a Les Paul and an SG or two for good measure.
> 
> S'far as I'm concerned if it's guitar shaped, has strings and makes music to my ear, it's all goodness. :food-smiley-004:


I agree ,I like both plus Les Pauls , SG's and ES 335-355 if you enjoy playing it what does it matter ?:rockon:


----------



## Mooh

Took the Dot and a Tele to play with some folks last week who I hadn't played with for a couple of years. Everything went well, except I realized why I used to play the Strat with them. Sometimes in some mixes for some tunes in some rooms for a certain feel, a different guitar is the answer. I find a Strat pretty versatile and even though I generally prefer a Tele, maybe a Strat is the way to go for this group. The extra pickup switch positions, the whammy, the handy-to-the-pinky-volume-knob (I'm between volume pedals at the moment), might force the choice.

Pick the tool that works.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## Edutainment

I've got one of each. I agree with the last couple comments: why choose? They're both pretty, versatile guitars. If I had to choose one... hm.. I don't know. If you asked me 2 years ago, I'd say Strat. If you asked me in March, I'd say Tele.


----------



## Stevo

Everyone should have one of both. But if I had to use one, it would be a Tele. I find it can cover more gigs than a Strat. I love Strats though.....


----------



## Robert1950

Other than noodling on teles in music stores, I haven't really played one since the late 60s (don't forget, I quit for 30 years, restarted in 2005). I love the feel and playability of the Strat a lot more though(I use positions 4, 2 and 1). But I haven't really given any tele a sonic workout. My fairy tale guitar would be a strat that sounds just like a Les Paul when I want it to, but since there isn't such an animal....


----------



## hollowbody

Mooh said:


> Took the Dot and a Tele to play with some folks last week who I hadn't played with for a couple of years. Everything went well, except I realized why I used to play the Strat with them. Sometimes in some mixes for some tunes in some rooms for a certain feel, a different guitar is the answer. I find a Strat pretty versatile and even though I generally prefer a Tele, maybe a Strat is the way to go for this group. The extra pickup switch positions, the whammy, the handy-to-the-pinky-volume-knob (I'm between volume pedals at the moment), might force the choice.
> 
> Pick the tool that works.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


+1

I'm definitely a Strat-first guy, but a Carpenter owns more than one screwdriver. You play what's required to get the job done. Sometimes a versatile guitar like a Strat can cover most bases, but every now and then a Tele's tone is needed. I don't have a Tele right now, and when I was shopping for one last year, I convinced myself that the bridge pup of my Strat could cop enough of a Tele vibe if I tried hard enough, but now I'm GASing for a Tele with a humbucker in the neck pretty bad.


----------



## 4345567

__________


----------



## elindso

Different not better.

I've got one of each.

I need a 339 or 336. I had a 340 but found it too big .


----------



## Buzz

At the moment I'm really liking my new Telecaster. Its a 95' MIM, the bridge pickup sounds like a strat. I just put in lipstick pickups in my 80's E series Squier MIJ Stratocaster. Both maple necks on these guitars are great.


----------



## Haunted_

I personally prefer the strat. i find that its got a smoother playability and it sounds cleaner. but thats just me :rockon2:


----------



## EPLes_Paul_Blue

you have to keep in mind that different guitars produce different sounds, and as a guitarist you want to expand your sound as much as possible...so naturally get both


----------



## devnulljp

[youtube=Option]ILnjHumUvKA[/youtube]


----------



## Robert1950

I all gotta git me one of them thar eee-fects pedals !!!


----------



## zao_89

Wow, cant believe this thread is still (kinda) active. I actually like the shape of the Tele more than the Strat now.


----------



## GTmaker

devnulljp said:


> [youtube=Option]ILnjHumUvKA[/youtube]


last weekend I went to see a new comedy at the theater called
"brun after reading"
Lots of big stars BUt no and I realy mean NO laughs. Just a waist of time and money.

I got more laughs on the first minute of this video then I did in that whole movie I went to see.

Thanks for the post. I good chuckel is allways a great remedy for whatever ails you.


----------



## yahtzee

EPLes_Paul_Blue said:


> you have to keep in mind that different guitars produce different sounds, and as a guitarist you want to expand your sound as much as possible...so naturally get both


ha! if i could afford both...i'd get both!

but, if i had to choose one, i'd go with the tele.


----------



## fretboards

*Strats Forever*

While the Tele is very good at what it does, it has a limited range of capabilities. The Strat is just as good with a much wider range of abilities. Add to that, it's sexy look and ergonomic design, there is nothing that comes close, though many have tried.

Ta,


----------



## stuleelight

*Tele*

For me it is the Tele; it is much more versatile than a Strat. Especially with the right humbucker in one, a Tele can cover jazz to metal. Not sure you can do that with many Strats.


----------



## guitarman2

stuleelight said:


> For me it is the Tele; it is much more versatile than a Strat. Especially with the right humbucker in one, a Tele can cover jazz to metal. Not sure you can do that with many Strats.


Its not a question of which one is better, but which one is better for you. In the right hands either guitar is a legend.
I have both but when I'm playing the Tele the magic happens for me.


----------



## Robert1950

Stratocaster. With a vintage bridge. And a maple neck. Soft V. But with a 9.5" radius and MJ frets.


----------



## ark amps

*Strat-but Fat*

A Strat with a bucker in the bridge can cover a ton of ground especially with an Anderson H2, split it does a fairly good Tele imitation


----------



## stratman89

I agree that you should have one of each.
I recently added Tele's to my collection along side the Strats.
It all started with a custom order Suhr Classic T and most recently a Fender American Vintage '52 Tele w/Humbucker.
Tele's add a very versatile dimension to your guitar playing.


----------



## starvingstudent

Strat. Hate the look of Tele's


----------



## Jimi D

Ignoring the obvious lack of a "both" reply on the poll, I think the thing that surprises me the most is how the results are split right down the middle... I voted Strat, because my #1 is a Strat, but I wouldn't want to give up my Tele; the Strat's capable of handling just about anything (especially mine, a Deluxe with SCNs and S1 switching - 10 different tones in one guitar!), but there's something about the Tele's simplicity that I find very attractive at times, like playing a 1 hum shredder with a volume control and a trem and nothing else... Either way, they're both killer guitars....


----------



## Mogwaii

Nashville Tele, with the strat pickup in the middle.


----------



## Guest

starvingstudent said:


> Strat. Hate the look of Tele's


I love the look of the Tele and am not terribly fond of the look of the Strat. It looks OK but nothing special. I find the wide tonal range of the Strat make it more versatile than the Tele but the Tele is still better looking.


----------



## fraser

im a strat guy- played nothing else for almost 20 yrs
nowadays i like teles as well. but if i could have only 1 electric itd be a strat, but thatll never have to happen.
a strat to me is pretty much as basic as a tele, just has an extra pup. i dont use whammys, so my bridges are flush anyway, i see a strat as a different sounding, more comfortable tele. if im going to pass out with a guitar in my hands, a strat has more comfortable, softer curves.
probably its familiarity- i do love teles, i just got real comfortable with strats
given the same curves, and an extra pickup, a tele would be the same for me.


----------



## Robert1950

I see the gap has closed. A few months ago, the Tele had a substantial lead.


----------



## asatattack

*Tele*

Give me the twang monster. I've got a a Warmoth thinline and an ASAT (Tele on steriods).


----------



## Mooh

There are three essential electrics for my purposes. Telecaster, Stratocaster, and a two humbucker semi-hollow (right now an Epiphone Dot Studio). A Godin LG with coil taps works as an all-purpose-jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. A Tele is usually my first choice, but being a guitar slut may mean another axe gets the call.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## Guest

*Both*

Can live with one, have to have both


----------



## Marlon

look at the cotes guys. exactly 50 50.


----------



## Light-tower

Strat brother...just the strat


----------



## 59 Jr

*anything goes*

To me personally, telly is my fave. You can get away with anything on a good telly when it comes to styles of music. Only one draw back, a strat is a little more forgiving than a telly. You have to earn your notes on a telly but still by far my fave.


----------



## OMGRLY?

I like the Tele look, but the way the Strat feels when I play it is much better than the Tele. I voted Strat


----------



## Steadfastly

JSD's Guitar Shack said:


> That'll put an eye out for sure....
> 
> Strat of Tele... personally I'm not a fan of either...(sorry). The Love Rock (Les Paul) style does it for me.
> 
> :rockon:


There you go; we all have different tastes and styles. I don't like the strat at all, the Les Paul is sort of ok, but I like the tele.


----------



## Todd68

I'll say Strat today, but I may say Tele tomorrow. That's always a hard question to answer.


----------



## Darcy Hoover

Was a Strat guy till I played a Tele, ain't going back! (...actually sold off my Strats) Just love that snap and bite!


----------



## hollowbody

I think way back when I voted for the Strat, but since getting my CV Tele, I've been playing the heck out of it. It's still the honeymoon period, so it's hard to say, but I'm really enjoying it.


----------



## billygoat

I really love the 2 and 4 position of the strat, but in a real life band situation, I rarely use them. In fact, in a live situation, I could get by with an esquire no problem....So I voted tele.


----------



## Robert1950

How about we lock this thread, call it draw and say we need one of each.


----------



## al3d

Robert1950 said:


> How about we lock this thread, call it draw and say we need one of each.


yes...we need one of both...then a LP..a SG...and to top it all off, a Flying V..


----------



## zontar

Robert1950 said:


> How about we lock this thread, call it draw and say we need one of each.


If my Tele can be a Thinline--we're on. :smile:
I don't really like the feel of Teles, but the feel of the Thinline is a bit different due to the hollow side. I don't mind the feel of them too much.


----------



## rebeldog

used to have an epi ES335 but now i have a MIM Tele that i just love


----------



## nicmat42

wow this is incredibly close! im a telecaster man (when it comes to fender) but i suppose one day i will look into getting a strat... one day


----------



## marcos

*Strat or Tele.*

I guess mostly I am a Strat guy.Having said that,I love the Tele shape.I have had quite a few Tele's in the past starting with my first one (1966)gee i wish I would have kept it,for me the Strat is a more versatile axe and you get more sounds out of it.I also converted a few Tele's to 3 pick-ups but the sound was not the same.All in all its really a question of your personal taste and thats what counts.


----------



## rhh7

I presently own two Teles, and one Strat...all Squiers by the way. I can not imagine not owning both, although I prefer Teles by at least two to one!:smile:


----------



## Rugburn

I have an old made in Japan Strat neck. It's a very nice neck and is easily as
good as a U.S. made model. I've found an Ebay store called "the StraTosphere" that sells high quality Fender Tele/Strat bodies either bare or 
wired up. I've been wanting to build a "Stratobaster Telecaster" for some time. Think this might settle the debate? Not likely, but it'll be fun putting one
together.

Cheers.


----------



## mrmatt1972

Tele all the way. Strats are noisy, finicky and the control position stinks for palm muters.


----------



## Guest

Wow, wasn't expecting the poll to be so close, only 2 difference! kksjur
Tele all the way for me!


----------



## devnulljp

Tele custom! Now you're talking.


----------



## DavidM

Tele! The simplest, most versatile guitar ever made. Got 3 of 'em. My Custom Shop is still No 1. Also have a wonderful Strat. But the Teles blow it away.


----------



## 4321

Strat - all the way, much "sexier" than a Tele, IMOevilGuitar:


----------



## rhh7

I have two Telecasters, and one Stratocaster. I guess I like the Telecasters twice as much!


----------



## mnicholson2003

gotta go tele...I like strats but love the rawness and bite of the tele and of course the feel of it too


----------



## Crunchie

Interesting...but i have to stick with my profile and say strat. But what do i know, i'm just one person. What are the stats?


----------



## tonydawe

i'd take a tele over a strat. or a les paul.


----------



## Mivizsla

Luv my Tele, I find myself playing my Strat more often.


----------



## g-tone

I have both. I rarely use the tele except for the occasional country gig.


----------



## Big_Daddy

I've been a Strat man for 25 years but just recently got a '74 Tele Deluxe. Love my Strat and it will prolly always be my #1 but those Seth Lover Humbuckers in the Tele have a beautiful tone. Gotta have both!:smile:


----------



## RHOADSS

Personally I like the tele more. However both are amazing






ROCK ON!!!:rockon2:


----------



## Todd68

I tend to go between both. I like the straight ahead tone of a Tele (clean or dirty). You can really pull off some great lead tones with one. The Strat has those in between spots (position 2 and 4) that make it a necessary tool. If I had to choose one.....Tele.


----------



## Savage

Telecaster hands down ... less is more (controls wise that is!)


----------



## jimsz

'91 American Strat Plus - Wine burst with rosewood neck, Lace Sensor pup package (red,gold,blue) locking tuners, double rolling nut and Trem.


----------



## Samsquantch

Strat. I always associate Teles with country music and radio friendly pop, both of which which I cannot stand...


----------



## Robert1950

Samsquantch said:


> Strat. I always associate Teles with country music and radio friendly pop, both of which which I cannot stand...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorIq9Zyb68


----------



## Mooh

Robert1950 said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TorIq9Zyb68


...and Page does a much better job here than on LZ1, in my opinion. Telecasters rule.

Peace, Mooh.


----------



## gtrshow

I haven't read the thread yet, but here's why I voted Tele...

When I returned to playing in the early 90's after a long hiatus, my first guitar was a Strat Plus. A '52 RI Tele followed not long after. Even though I was unable to coax the SRV tones I craved out of the Strat (it took me _years_ to understand why), it was the guitar I gravitated to. As much as I preferred the idea and aesthetic of the '52RI, I found it difficult to overcome its inherent brightness. It was far easier to produce pleasing tones with the Strat.

A Strat remained my comfort zone for many years afterward, and I went through several in search of that elusive Strat tone in my head. Then, ~3-4 years ago, I bought a semi-hollow G&L ASAT Classic Bluesboy. That moment marked my conversion from Strat guy to Tele guy. I finally got it. The Bluesboy quickly established itself as my #1, and no other guitar has been able to dethrone it since (and there have been some _very_ nice contenders). I still have the '52RI (now loaded with Don Mare p/u's), and recently added a CIJ '72 Custom RI (pictured in my avatar). The lone Strat in my arsenal is a G&L Legacy, a very sweet guitar in its own right, but I always reach for a Tele first.

I think what it boils down to with Teles is that, as deceptively simple as they are on the surface, they can be very challenging to play. The reward is that a Tele will force you to become a better player. In my case, it took a lot of experience with other guitars before I was able to learn how to make a Tele work for me. Now, there's no turning back.


----------



## bluehugh2

I flip back and forth over the years


----------



## brokenrecord

I started with a Gibson........but always thought that I would prefer a tele. I recently got one and now I want to trade it for a strat. Go figure.


----------



## knottycm

Strat, Tele, Voodoo Lounge or Classic S. Always a tough choice. Im most often playing a Strat.

A Strat is always one of the 3 on the stand with my Antonia Tsai Singnature. The remaining spot is usually ocuppied with my Voodoo Lounge or Classic S. 


Knotty


----------



## Guest

Started on a Strat, but now 99.9% of the time on Tele.


----------



## breakfast

I choose Tele only because I find it more versatile and less cliche. I'd love a strat but I have a feeling that the "strat quack" would get old pretty quick... although I'd love one for some indie jangle


----------



## Steadfastly

I'm sure that once you strat guys mature, you'll realize the superiority of the tele. :smile::banana:


----------



## greco

FlipFlopFly said:


> I'm sure that once you strat guys *mature*, you'll realize the *superiority* of the tele. :smile::banana:


:sport-smiley-002:


----------



## fatherjacques

Start for the ergonomy:smilie_flagge17:


----------



## hollowbody

Since getting my CV Tele 8 or 9 months ago, I'd say it's been pretty even between my Strat and Tele, with the other guys getting the odd go-around every so often.

I like the neck pup on the Strat better than the neck on the Tele, but the middle and bridge on the Tele are awesome positions! I also have a 4-way in there, and the humbucking position is also amazing.

I'm getting a set of pups wound up for my Strat by JS Moore, so we'll see what happens after I slide those bad boys in there.


----------



## Frantic_Rock

BOTH.

Get a warmoth strat/tele double neck. So you don't have to choose.


----------



## OldSoulBluesMan

Strat all the way!! I could never get comfortable with a tele. And the neck never felt quite to me either IMO.

The comfort of a strat always sells me. The fact that I can sit/stand/jump around while playing and it never gets uncomfortable is oh so important. My number one axe regardless the situation.

Maybe one day I'll "mature" enough to really appreciate the tele 

Cheers,
OSBM

\m/


----------



## Murchu

one of each is the best advice so far, thats what I'am fortunate enough to have. but I have to say it's like whiskey or gin,Go for it#name that tune?


----------



## tojoe

I'm in the same camp, both..I must admit though I spent more time hunting down a good Strat, once I found it, I knew what to look for and felt comfortable, they really cut recorded. Tele's I always took for granted for country pickin, being a long time LP guy Iv'e now come to a place where I want my LP & tele to imitate each other, sort of a pinky in each others pie, a Strat on the other hand is just a bit more out there.


----------



## Skndstry

As a guy who plays primarily acoustic guitar, but has played both a Tele and a Strat (my buddy is one of the smart ones who has both), I have to say that I found the playbility of the Strat a little easier than the Tele, particularly for a neophyte. 

But I'm all about the sound and look of the Tele, being more immersed in the country/country rock vein of things. 

If I could only have one, for now it'd be the Strat. Besides, if I wanted to sell it, I know a place there are plenty of people with GAS where I could unload it! :smile:


----------



## ericprsse

zao_89 said:


> I personally dont like the Telecaster, but what about you?


Originally, I never liked it. The sound, the look.. didn't do it for me at all. Lately however, its really grown on me. I'm starting to appreciate how much meat there is in the bridge pup tones, and the necks can sound great for almost any genre.


----------



## blingdogg

Strats are my favorite guitars.


----------



## Frantic_Rock

If I had to choose, I would pick a strat, because I think it is more versatile.

But you cannot replace a tele with a strat, even if you have Bridge+Neck switching option, and certain pickups. A tele is a tele. So get both. If you want a vintage tele broadcaster, early 50s kinda barking tone, you need a tele. Teles can get so barky, raw and twangy too through a good amp. But a strat has those notch positions 2,4 and that super glassy classic neck position. That plus the bridge position, and you can play anything from heavy metal to gospel music.


----------



## octofour

I really enjoy the tele, I just find it is a very beautiful guitar


----------



## RogerNelson

don't like strats, I think fender got it right the first time around and by '72 had it perfected.


----------



## red13

both, but "heavy on the tele with a dash of strat". It's the only way to live.


----------



## nonuz

stratocaster with hotrail pickups and floyd rose tremolo , mahogany body and neck , maple fret board with scalop is enough


----------



## Frantic_Rock

If you look at the poll results: you'll see that they are almost completely even. 

This proves that there cannot ever be an "OR" question when it comes to a strat and tele. You've got to have both.


----------



## rockgarden

Frantic_Rock said:


> ... there cannot ever be an "OR" question when it comes to a strat and tele. You've got to have both.


Indeed; I just saw this poll and concluded that I can't vote due to the lack of a "both" selection. I don't *have* both, mind you, but in an ideal world, I certainly would ...


----------



## rockgarden

nonuz said:


> stratocaster with hotrail pickups and floyd rose tremolo , mahogany body and neck , maple fret board with scalop is enough


Couldn't it be said that at some point that guitar ceased to be a Stratocaster?


----------



## warse22

rockgarden said:


> Couldn't it be said that at some point that guitar ceased to be a Stratocaster?


Awesome! I will +1 that for sure!

Why can't I pick both? That seems cruel...


----------



## Robert1950

I think I posted this before, but,... *STRATOCASTER !!!*


----------



## shoretyus

Robert1950 said:


> I think I posted this before, but,... *STRATOCASTER !!!*


Do I get to vote Tele every time I build a new one?kkjuw


----------



## KujaSE

My American tele is the only guitar I know I'll never sell. Definately tele for me.


----------



## djfacile

The stratocaster PLUS from the mid 90's is great


----------



## Guitarmonkey

Well, call me a freak, but I like the Peavey Generation Tele better, smoother sound.....

But Strats? I used to think that the volume was a pain, but now that I'm learning to play a Strat, I'm finding that it was mostly someone's complaint that I was listening to. I love the sound, although I've picked up a few interesting guitars lately I like, too.

Reverend Warhawk 2HB
Fernandes APG-100
Epiphone 65 Wilshire reissue
Gretsch Double Anniversary.

I think every guitar has its strong points, and unique sound.


----------



## Steadfastly

As of today, there are 279 votes for the strat. I wouldn't have believed that many people could be wrong.:smile:


----------



## Hypno Toad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7eyyt98-Ng

'nuff said.


----------



## pdks

Hypno Toad said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7eyyt98-Ng
> 
> 'nuff said.



The Telecaster: for 60 years, one sweet versatile musical instrument!


----------



## elbandito

shoretyus said:


> I have a Tele with a humbucker
> 
> I turn down strats when I play them.


That's a beautiful guitar you've got there, Shoretyus. I love a rugged looking guitar. Shiny is for collectors. 
sdsre


----------



## Hypno Toad

elbandito said:


> That's a beautiful guitar you've got there, Shoretyus. I love a rugged looking guitar. Shiny is for collectors.
> sdsre


Natural grain looks best on guitars IMO. I can never bring myself to paint ones I make because the natural grain looks so good.


----------



## shoretyus

Hypno Toad said:


> Natural grain looks best on guitars IMO. I can never bring myself to paint ones I make because the natural grain looks so good.


Ya think so?


----------



## Big White Tele




----------



## JeS89

I would like a mix of both:
Strat sound in a tele body. Like the nashville tele's i believe.


----------



## monty

Nothing wrong with a Tele, but I'm a total Strat guy.


----------



## Steadfastly

Here's the difference between a tele and a strat.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-cafe/168720-give-guitar-away-life-may-changed.html


----------



## ZenJenga

I vote Telecaster.
one of the oldest and most reliable electric guitars. Strats are nice and all, but I'm just a fan of the simplicity of the tele. I also dislike the strats clean tone. I find it kinda quacky.


----------



## Maverick

Strat for me . I currently own 2 . Wouldn't mind a Tele to add to the stable , but some kind of hollow body is on the list right now.:rockon2:


----------



## Were We Brave?

Tele for me. I do find the Strats comfier, but there's something about the very rudimentary Tele body that works for me. I'll buy a Strat eventually, no doubt.


----------



## blackcloud

I had this dilema once...I took the strat


----------



## Steadfastly

blackcloud said:


> I had this dilema once...I took the strat


That's OK BC, we all make mistakes now and then. That's what we're here for; so you can get those mistakes off your chest.:smile:


----------



## Jim DaddyO

Had to vote Strat. I am a huge fan of Strat players. Clapton, SRV, Trower, Beck, etc. But I've a hankering for a thinline Tele, and a Standard Tele too. I guess I'll have to save up so I can get the stable filled (if that is possible). Got to work on some Steve Cropper licks!


----------



## LarryLimerick

I personally like the telecaster better.


----------



## Lemonhand

Definitely one of each - neither one does what the other does.


----------



## vanhannam

I'm probably 60% tele and 40% strat, depending on my mood aha


----------



## MattKnight

Wow, close race. I prefer the strat myself but I understand the appeal of both. Ain't personal taste grand?


----------



## -TJ-

definitely a strat guy myself..... my biggest knock against the tele is the lack of contouring.... I know there are a few that come with contours, but I wish it were standard feature


----------



## BigNorm

I'm also a Strat guy... over all the guitar models... not just only the Tele.


----------



## bw66

My eyes like the Strat, my ears like the Tele.

I'm vain. I own a Strat.


----------



## claude blondin

Leaning towards a strat.More versatile and has a cutout for my gut.


----------



## Beach Bob

Tele guy here... I'm not pretty enough to be a strat guy.


----------



## Gee-ter Guy

Well i play a 73 tele and i love it but i played a fairly new Strat and really enjoyed it! its a hard desision but i think id pick tele!:smile:


----------



## nutter

tele - so ugly it's cool and it's very versatile.


----------



## Teddy

Tele all the way. I grew up learning to play on my dad's 53 Tele. I have never found anything to match it.


----------



## bluesmostly

I Like them both, but I find the Strat more comfortable, attractive, and versatile... but I also have a Tele... :smile:


----------



## Hypno Toad

Not sure why everybody knocks the way the tele looks.

I love the translucent finish look on some, so charmingly retro  And the stamped steel parts, I love that. It has sort of a utilitarian style about it that I think looks really good.


----------



## Mizter

I like the tele better but lately I'm appreciating strats more than I used to. Strats just seem a little to0 typical, standard looking. Somewhat boring in appearance.


----------



## Cort Strummer

Mizter said:


> I like the tele better but lately I'm appreciating strats more than I used to. Strats just seem a little to0 typical, standard looking. Somewhat boring in appearance.


Yeah man, all strats look alike who wants one?









this is actually my guitar.


----------



## Hypno Toad

That's actually a super strat. 

All things considered, despite the body shape and possibly scale length it doesn't have much in common with a true original styled strat.


----------



## Cort Strummer

Hypno Toad said:


> That's actually a super strat.
> 
> All things considered, despite the body shape and possibly scale length it doesn't have much in common with a true original styled strat.


I guess it is called an Invader for a reason lol.

I will be pulling out the hot rails and putting in true single coil pickups though.


----------



## sebastien

both , 

there's something in a tele you can't get in strats....


----------



## DaleH

Easy everyone should own at least one strat and one tele.


----------



## The Grin

Being a metal guy I get a lot of flack by telling people the next ax I buy off the shelf is going to be a Tele.. I have an Ibanez and BC Rich that i can use for metal, i want a rock/blues guitar and the Hot Rod '52 tele just seems right. But i do find the jaguar and mustang totally under-rated guitars.

Through my experiences, people (not all) with strats can get quite pretentious. I met an old codger with a white american deluxe; asides from being rude and imposing, he was preaching tube amps like it was old testament. Tone is a VERY personal thing and everyone else can piss off!


----------



## knottyhotman

PaulS said:


> Well if your talking about tele pickers then don't forget Danny Gatton and what about the Hellcasters a tele trio....evilGuitar:


Will Ray uses mostly G&L ASATs these days.


----------



## Ten46

Cort Strummer said:


> Yeah man, all strats look alike who wants one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this is actually my guitar.


Phil kicks some major ass! I'd love to see him play live.

Edit: oh yeah! I vote stratocaster. I have had a couple of each and the 57 ri was the one that got me.


----------



## ed2000

Simple, plain guitar for a simple, playing guy...me = Telecaster!


----------



## Oakville Dave

*Strat or Tele? TELE ME ALL ABOUT IT!*

After playing acoustic guitars for the first 14 years of my playing life, I bought a used 1983 American Standard Tele - maple/maple, alder. It appealed to me visually, sonically, the fact that not everybody played one, and most importantly the neck profile and what I later found out to be the radius felt exactly right. I actually sold that guitar after 8 years then bought it back from the friend I had sold it to within 6 months! With the exception of those 6 months I've had it for 19 years. I bought a black guard Korean Lite Ash Tele (which technically is a Nocaster) this past summer and LOVE it! With the natural ash 2 piece body, maple neck, birdseye maple fret board, Seymour D. pickups, it's the evil twin of my '83 - HUGE snap, snarl and sustain!!

Don't get me wrong, I have HUGE respect for Strats and Strat players. In fact I broke down and bought a Squier 60's Classic Vibe Sunburst Strat in December, just to convince myself that I needed to have the Strat experience, a sweet guitar, but I invariably reach for the Teles, they just speak to me in a way that other guitars don't. 8 guitars in the current collection, numerous others bought and traded, but the Teles will always be around. 

BTW, if this doesn't convince the Strat lovers, the solos in Zep's Whole Lotta Love, Stairway To Heaven and Steely Dan's Reelin' In The Years were all played on Teles!! At least, so I've heard! Check out my band's website, www.groovehammer.ca and see my Teles in action!

Oakville Dave - groovehammer.ca


----------



## Davidr8

*along with..*



Jeff Flowerday said:


> One of each, along with a Nocaster and an Esquire.


a 56 Les Paul with P90's, 360 Ricky and just for fun a Jazz Bass lofu


----------



## Corppunishment

Strat all the way!


----------



## harrym

Have had many of each. Both are great. I have had USA, Mexican and Japanese. My favorite is my 57 RI MIJ Strat.


----------



## Samsquantch

Tele all the way!


----------



## claude blondin

Whatever feels good to you is the right choice.Personally,I like .....excuse me ,the phone is ringing.


----------



## linuxkid

Hendrix/Vaughan Strat baby!!!!!


----------



## megadan

Sorry, but strats are lame. Too many cheap knockoffs and people playing them. Same as P basses in that regard.

Tele all the way.

I would have one in my hands if a deal on here hadn't gone south on me


----------



## itf?

Strats lame?? That's a bit drastic considering some of the world's greatest and most recognizable guitarists play them (Beck, Clapton, Gilmour, etc.)

Personally I own several of each but I tend to head for a Strat as my working axe. Tele's are basically one trick ponies.....it just so happens that it's a wonderful trick indeed.


----------



## TubeStack

Have played a Gibson SG all my life, never gelled with Strats, couldn't get into them.

I do, however, LOVE my new (to me) Fender Texas Tele. Smokin' rock and blues guitar!


----------



## Steve Adams

Both.

I am in the process of picking up some new gear, one will be a la carbonita replica, another will be a a tele with a humbucker in the neck position and another tele will be a classic vibe in sunburst with tortise shell. I already have 3 strats, with about 5 more in the works!

im also picking up some others but most are teles and strats!


----------



## Alex Csank

No way I can vote on this! To me, there is no such thing as "the" guitar! They are just beautiful tools, and different guitars (and amps, etc.) will produce different sounds used for different kinds of music. I love them both! And I also love many others.


----------



## The Grin

I love and want them all as well. I don't think there's a person who would say different, but I look at it this way: I have cash to buy a top of the line guitar. I see a strat and tele. Only have enough bills for one. For me, I would buy the tele first.


----------



## shoretyus

The Grin said:


> I love and want them all as well. I don't think there's a person who would say different, but I look at it this way: I have cash to buy a top of the line guitar. I see a strat and tele. Only have enough bills for one. For me, I would buy the tele first.


I could build a strat .. but I won't


----------



## The Grin

and i can build a horrible strat. but *I* wont.


----------



## Steadfastly

As of today, I can't believe how 367 people who voted start, I mean strat, could be wrong! I know we live in an imperfect society but that is a lot of wrong.kksjur9kkhhd


----------



## Randy Van Sykes

Both!!


----------



## jazzmaster61

I have 2 teles and 8 strats still not enough


----------



## The Grin

I have no teles or strats... Accepting donations while I wait to win the lottery.


----------



## Steadfastly

This will be my tele in February when they come in. I will then put a Warmoth wide neck on it and perhaps do something with the pickups.

Fret City Music Online Guitar Store - J&D TL DELUXE Electric Guitar


----------



## The Grin

Its a beauty flip. I personally never been a fan of the middle pickup but I love the finish.


----------



## Morkolo

Stratocaster here, wish I had one though.. that's more down the line. Not that the Telecaster's not nice either, love them for that nice country cluck sound you can get out of them.


----------



## harrym

I have 2 Strats and want aTele as well.


----------



## smorgdonkey

Sure, you have to vote but to deny yourself one of them is just not the way that things should be. Get one of each plus a Les Paul and a 335 or Gretsch!


----------



## Cdn_Cracker

I find that right out of the box Tele's sound a bit better than most stock Strats... but when you put a nice set of Lollars or other set up pickups that aren't massed produced, a Strat can't be beat!

This is however a bit of an unfair fight... I mean how many different Strat and Tele models have their been? It is like comparing apples to oranges - there are about 7500 types of apples and over 600 varieties of oranges, but which is better?


----------



## Fajah

I've been playing a Tele (replica) for quite some time. Being primarily a blues, classic rock, and jazz player, a tele gives me the tonal versatility I need. However, I've been playing a 1990 MIM strat with a rosewood fretboard for the last month. It belongs to my friend's son (who I teach) which was given to him by his aunt. It was playable but needed quite a bit of work in the set up and fret departments which I completed over the holidays.

I have to say that I've enjoyed playing this guitar. It has that signature strat tone (a la Cray, SRV, Clapton) that I happen to like and could see playing one for cetain types of music. What I've found interesting is that I prefer the tone to this particular model as opposed to another friend's Jeff Beck strat which I've played many times. It's probably the single coils vs. the noiseless pickups that I like.

If I was playing guitar more often (as opposed to the bass), I would have both a tele and a strat without question.


----------



## Presto1202

I have a LPB Baja tele, a Fender strat and a Squier CV strat and I love them all. If I HAD to choose just one "style" of guitar I'd probably go with a strat. Thank God I don't have to choose.


----------



## Dustin1706

Come on now, no need to make a choice...

Everyone needs at least a Strat + Tele + LP  Maybe a jaguar and an SG too.


----------



## Maverick

dustin1706 said:


> come on now, no need to make a choice...
> 
> Everyone needs at least a strat + tele + lp  maybe a jaguar and an sg too.


i can't agree more.


----------



## Robert1950

... and a 335 or similiar semi hollow.


----------



## Duke

Hmmm....Albert Collins on my left and Dick Dale on my right...seems pretty apples and oranges. Stuck on an island with a tweed deluxe somewhere and forced to choose...Telecaster.


----------



## b-nads

Telly-ho!

Read somewhere a few pages back that Teles were ugly...blasphemy.  This thing gave me a stiffy quicker than Daisy Duke...well, almost - lol.


----------



## GuitarsCanada

Shit man, thats a cool one for sure. I was without a Tele for some time, also still without a Strat right now. But I have been playing the Tele a lot lately and have actually found a new love for them. More than ever before. I am still kicking my ass however for getting rid of the Jeff Beck strat I had. Should have kept that one and I would have my Fender bases covered


----------



## adglad

Fender basses is a whole different thread. I wouldn't trade my Tele for anything, but lately, there is nothing like a Gretsch.


----------



## Presto1202

b-nads said:


> Telly-ho!
> 
> Read somewhere a few pages back that Teles were ugly...blasphemy. This thing gave me a stiffy quicker than Daisy Duke...well, almost - lol.


I can understand the view that teles are ugly. To me they are ugly in a way, but their simplicity makes them beautiful if that makes any sense. I used to not care for tele's as much when I was a teenager but they've grown on me a lot. I love mine.


----------



## benisonstar

both are indispensable. it's like choosing one arm over the other, assuming you're ambidextrous


----------



## Merlin

I'd have to say tele, since I actually own one. I wanted a Strat, but ended up with a Godin SD. Much nicer neck, HSS config and a reliable trem.


----------



## Spellcaster

For years I was a confirmed Tele guy and had a kind of distain for Strats - why would you need three pickups...and why on earth would anybody be masochistic enough to suffer with the whammy bar and tuning problems they inflict.

Then, I got bored building Teles and decided to build a Strat - After all, I could just sell it when I was done, even if I didn't want to play it. Well, I built a Strat partscaster, and against all odds...I love it! (I've built three more since). Now when I play a Tele, I find the body digs into me in a really intrusive way and, for lack of a better word, they feel clunky and primitive. 

I still hate tremelos, but I'm probably going to be a Strat guy for the rest of my life. Of course, I haven't got a Jaguar yet......


----------



## Steadfastly

Presto1202 said:


> I can understand the view that teles are ugly. To me they are ugly in a way, but *their simplicity makes them beautiful* if that makes any sense. I used to not care for tele's as much when I was a teenager but they've grown on me a lot. I love mine.


Their simplicity makes them beautiful." Yes, that is exactly the way to state it.


----------



## grumpyoldman

I had a few Tele's in my day (a '68 was probably the best of them), and also still have several Strats. While I actually prefer the Tele body, the Strat tones appeal to me much more than those of a Tele. My main axe is a Musicman Axis, which, while having humbuckers, is basically a Tele-based body design. All my other EBMM guitars are more or less based on Strats....interesting how that turned out now that I stop to think about it....


----------



## astyles

I have a G&L Legacy (strat) and am shopping for their ASAT model (tele)... both are remarkable instruments for their own unique reasons. But, the strat does it for me overall based on looks and versatility. Based on fit, feel and quality, I'd say they're tied (using the G&L standard for me at least).


----------



## marcos

After getting a 2007 American Standard Tele after all these years ,I have come to a sad conclusion that I am a Strat guy deep down inside, so, I am looking to trade for a American Strat as of now.I guess i have grown accustomed to the velvet sound of the Strat with more pickup selection than a Tele.
Let me know if anyone is interrested. I am in the Ottawa area and its on sale in the UsedOttawa and Kijjiji.


----------



## marcos

After getting a 2007 American Standard Tele after all these years ,I have come to a sad conclusion that I am a Strat guy deep down inside, so, I am looking to trade for a American Strat as of now.I guess i have grown accustomed to the velvet sound of the Strat with more pickup selection than a Tele.
Let me know if anyone is interrested. I am in the Ottawa area and its on sale in the UsedOttawa and Kijjiji.


----------



## Blackdog

I’ve owned a few of each in the past and liked both but a Strat HSS was the one I liked best.


----------



## Bato

Tele is nice for groovy, acoustic-like, tube-compressed fingerpicking. Three guys on the stage, Bridge Of Sighs with just a bit of hair, no pick, slow it down a bit. Trower did it with Strat, but its nice to experiment.
I would never play Lazy on Tele.
Page got something else with Tele on first two albums. But, Gibson got in the way, and after IV there was no way back. Interesting story, even today.
LP was my first crush. Strat was my first love. Santana got me into Humbuckers, then happened 1974 - I got Meddle, heard Pink Floyd, 22 minutes of Echoes.
Three single coil pups. Brilliant.
For me, it is always Strat, and I usually modify it. Right now, MIM (new Standard) Strat with Ash / Maple / Rosewood, FCS Texas Specials, Cardas wire, Fender 5-way, Alpha 2-way, CTS pots (log for volume, lin for tone), AmpOhm caps, including treble bleedthru mod. Interesting sound; can go Gilmour to SRV territory. Gets nice with Little Wing, but it doesn’t quite work for Purple Haze… 
Getting ready for another project. Strat again, chasing more vintage tone, 50’s. I have to find the right body first.
All of this playing with modifications is helping me to stay sane. 
Well, not to go completely insane. 
Whatever.


----------



## sulphur

I have a Strat and a few Teles. I find the Strat a very comfortable guitar with the belly cut and the taper on the body. Personally, I can't stand the volume knob so close to the playing area. I swapped out the pups on the Strat, added a loaded pick guard with Rio Grande pups and still haven't fell in love. Next move on the Strat is a loaded pick guard, HSS and delete a tone and move the volume pot. I haven't changed anything on either Tele, so that's how I voted.


----------



## SchecterC-1

I would have to say either suit me just fine. Both have amazing sound as diffrent as they are. I suppose it all boils down to what really suits your style.


----------



## Robert1950




----------



## blam

of today's most popular models this is my opinion

Lester > ES > tele >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Strat = SG


----------



## mhammer

Any of you folks ever experimented with a Tele bridge pickup in the bridge position on a Strat? I realize it would not be exactly the same without the bridge plate, but I'm just curious about whether folks discern an improvement in the meatiness of the bridge position.


----------



## Spellcaster

I asked the same question in another forum a while back and what I heard was that it's worth doing, particularly if it's a Tele bridge pickup with a baseplate. I've been contemplating using a Tele vintage three saddle bridge on a Strat build I'm starting. I just traded my way into a set of Fralin Tele Blues Special pickups and they might find their way to that guitar.


----------



## hag99

I have an American Strat and am on the lookout for a Tele. Although it seems as if the Strat is more popular, everywhere I go these days people are playing Teles. Of all the concerts of have went to recently, only Petty played the Strat on a regular basis. Most every other group, big name or not, had a Tele in the set somewhere.


----------



## pedersenkirk

Nothing but Telecasters for me, my brother is a strat guy though and I can see the draw, they're just not for me. I currently have two (butt-standard MIM - still my fave - and Warmoth tobacco sunburst) but I'd like to swap the Warmoth out for a Cherryburst American made Tele. Haven't seen one worthy of making the swap for yet. Of course I'd include cash, but it seems most people who are selling nowadays are only interested in getting a different type of guitar.


----------



## Morkolo

Morkolo said:


> Stratocaster here, wish I had one though.. that's more down the line. Not that the Telecaster's not nice either, love them for that nice country cluck sound you can get out of them.


Looks like I love both.. I've been lucky enough to come across a used Highway One Telecaster and couldn't turn down the "Mark Knopflerish" Red American Special Stratocaster. I love both but tend to gravitate towards the Strat on a more regular basis.


----------



## blam

hag99 said:


> I have an American Strat and am on the lookout for a Tele. Although it seems as if the Strat is more popular, everywhere I go these days people are playing Teles. Of all the concerts of have went to recently, only Petty played the Strat on a regular basis. Most every other group, big name or not, had a Tele in the set somewhere.


Most of what I listen to is les pauls but I'm noticing teles coming into the mix lately.

Also on the lookout for a tele. The squier CV I had just didn't cut it.


----------

