American Telecaster Review

For American Series Telecaster guitar Fender retained the original body radius and added a parchment-colored pickguard to give you the classic feel with a distinctive look.

Features:	8.7
Sound:	9.2
Action:	9.5
Reliability:	9.7
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.3
Users rating:	8.6
Comments:	27

overall: 9

Featured review by: evilbiscuit, on september 11, 2006

Price paid: $ 1152.9

Purchased from: Soho soundhouse

Features: This is your totally standard Tele. American made, 2 single coils, one volume one tone, blade selector Switch. Only unusual thign is that it is not a common colour, it is Vintage white which is a kind of off yellow colour. The scratch plate is black and it has a rosewood board. Hardcase included. Nothing special here, has everything you need and nothing extra. // 7

Sound: I played a lot of different music when I was a music student. I used this for rock, blues, soul and funk music. For anything heavier than classic rock I switched to one of my humbucker equipped guitars. The neck pickup sounds fantastic for lead playing. The bridge is a little too trebley but you can just back off the tone a little to control this. I have used this guitar to record some metal tracks, using it to lay another layer over my humbucker guitars. This gives depth and a huge sound you couldnt get without adding single coils to the mix. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was absolutely flawless and perfectly set up. The chrome is shiny, there are no nicks or blemishes. The action was low, the strings were new. The only problem I can think of is that the little black bit on the end of the pickup Switch was missing. They take these off in the shop so you don't steal them if you lose yours, and they forgot to put it on before putting it in its case. I haven't bothered to replace it as I like the look of it without it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I have never had any kind of problem with this guitar. I had to slightly adjust the height of one saddle to stop buzzing when I played in drop D. I have played gigs without a backup guitar. it's so simple there really is nothing to go wrong. It stays in tune perectly. The neck is so smooth that your hand doesnt't stick even under the heat of stage lighting. Again I can't fault the guitar in this area. // 10

Impression: This guitar would clearly suck if you needed to play some thrash metal, but that's obviously not the point. For pop/rock/blues/soul/country/indie/funk, virtually anything that doesn't require masses of gain and drive, it is the perfect guitar. If your looking for a lead guitar your better off with a Strat so you can get a whammy bar and a double cutaway. Buy this and a les paul and you will never need another electric guitar. If it was stolen I would buy the same guitar straight away. // 9

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 27, 2006

Price paid: $ 680

Purchased from: Westbury Music

Features: Well I bought an '05 American Tele, made in the USA. It's got 22 jumbo frets, and a maple fretboard. It's got a stoptail bridge, and I believe it's made of maple. Not quite sure on what type of finish, but it's black. 3-way selector, volume and tone controls, and 2 single coil pickups. It came with a hardshell case, cables, straps, and tools for adjusting the bridge. An awesome value. // 10

Sound: This guitar is prefect for my music style. Most of the time I play mostly classic and some modern rock. The amp I've got in a Marhsall 250DX, and it just goes perfect. It sounds completely amazing. The strings never buzz, and theres almost no feedback at all. Sometimes I play with a Boss distortion pedal, it sounds great with it. It can go from distortion to clean in an instant, and it sounds great on both settings. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: My guitar was set up perfect at the factory. The action was prefect, I could slide up and down the neck like nothing. The pickups were all in the right places, nothing was damaged or anything like that. The bridge was in perfect alignment with the body, and the top is prefect to. There were absolutly no flaws whatsoever on my guitar. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I belive that this guitar would withstand live playing very easily. It sounds great, and holds itself well. The hardware looks like its going to last just about as long as I live. The strap buttons are solid and don't seem to be going anywhere. I can most definitly depend on it, I would use it at a gig without a backup in a heartbeat. The finish looks like it will last with the rest of the guitar. // 10

Impression: Like I said before, I play mostly classic and modern rock. This guitar is a perfect match for it. I've been playing for about 6 years now, and I also own a Fender Stratocaster. Nope, I had already done all my research before I bought it. If it was stolen or lost, I would definitly buy it again in an instant. I love everything about it, and I don't hate anything. My favorite feature is how well the pickups sound, and the finish is incredible. I compared it to an American Strat, but like it better. // 10

overall: 8.2

Reviewed by: will-loves-zep, on february 19, 2007

Purchased from: USA

Features: This guitar is a Standard USA Telecaster and it includes a maple neck, rosewood fretboard and 22 jumbo frets (marked with dots). The body is alder. The bridge is a Standard american 6 saddle tele bridge. It has 2 american single coil pickups (neck and bridge) with a 3 way selector and 1 volume and 1 tone control. The tuners are non-locking and all of the hardware is stainless steel. It came with a Fender hard case, strap and cleaning cloth. // 8

Sound: I mostly play Classic Rock, Hard Rock (eg Wolfmother, Datsuns) and sometimes metal and funk. This guitar is superb to play and can be made to suit most styles (excluding metal) if used with the correct amp settings. I use a 15 watt Epiphone amp which came free with my first argos-brought guitar in my bedroom which means the sound is not great but I have before used it through a Marshall AVT100DFX amp which makes it sound fantastic. I very rarely move away from the bridge pickup as I feel it sounds best for the music I play, it gives a more bright trebly sound than the neck pickup. This guitar as I said can play most styles but I have often felt that the sound is not heavy enough and am currently looking at Jacksons and Gibsons in order to achieve this deeper, fuller tone. With a high gain setting this guitar sounds great playing Chilli peppers and Zeppelin songs but not so great playing Wolfmother and Black Sabbath style songs and that just about sums it up. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Around a year after buying this guitar I had the strings changed and had it set up. It sounded much better. When brought the guitar had Standard piece-of-crap strings but I now use Gibson bright wires with gauge 10 strings on the EAD and gauge 9 on the GBE. This allows for heavier, fuller power chords and riffs on the bottom strings and easy bending and sloing on the top strings. I would strongly suggest having the guitar set up if buying it. When on high gain (metal) settings this guitar can buzz loudly especially when the hardware is touched but it is not heard when playing along. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The hardware seems like it wll last butone of the strap buttons and the volume control do come loose often but once tightened will last a few weeks. I have gigged with this guitar 3 times and it has done extremely well in each of them, I hvae not needed a backup at all. The strings have kept very well especially considering I have only changed them three times in three years. The g string has broken once but other than that they have stayed intact. The finish has stayed nice and shiney due t a polish with Gibson pump polish once a week. It has once scratch and a small chip in the finish and that is due to my enclosed bedroom and insane jumping around when playing. // 9

Impression: As I said I play mostly classic rock and this guitar has evolved for the 50's so it obviousley suits that well. I would consider this for lots funk songs aswell as the pickups have a bright tone, it sounds v.good when I use it for playing along to RHCP and RATM. If you're a metal head I would strongly advise you to look else where for a humbucker equipped guitar as I am currently looking at a second guitar with a humbucker so I can sound better when playing metal and heavier songs. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 05, 2009

Price paid: £ 850

Purchased from: guitar guitar

Features: An '08 american Standard Telecaster. Left handed and in the colour blizzard pearl (gorgeous). 22 jumbo frets, hand rolled finger board edges, satin finished neck, Standard Fender tuners, Standard tele bridge, 1 volume one control, 1 tone control, 2 Fender single coil pickups. Came in a Fender hard case with a strap, guitar lead and toolkit. // 9

Sound: Twangy and sparkly in the bridge position, the classic Telecaster tone. subdued and gentle sound when in the neck position, which is nice for playing clean rhythms. middle position is an amalgamation of both which sounds like a higher output sound similar to the neck. I play a lot of punk rock and rock so the pick up configuration made it difficult to recreate a rich fat sound like a humbucker so I replaced the bridge pickup for a Seymour Duncan hot rails for tele. unfortunately my guitar doesnt't sound like a Telecaster anymore but it suits my playing a lot better. a surprisingly customisable guitar, I could probably drop a high quality single coil (bare knuckle piledriver or an SD quarter pounder) in the neck to get the sparkle back. one last thing it has to offer is that you can Switch the tone control off by turning it all the way down, it gives a really funky sound (I don't use it) but really adds versatility. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Perfect. I have replaced the bridge pickup and strings since getting it but when I took it out of the case for the first time it was flawless, the colour itself is just amazing and everything just feels right sitting in your hands. The neck is a dream to play. the tone control is slightly loose but I tightened it up with a half turn of a screwdriver so that was good aswell. // 9

Reliability & Durability: Its a solid body and being an american made Fender it's probably gonna last. I'd gig with no back up, it will not fail. 50 years in production and the design has barely changed, it's already stood the test of time. I saw 4 original 60s teles on ebay the other day and a 50s esquire, bulletproof. A worthwhile investment cause the value just goes up. // 9

Impression: I play punk rock (through a Marshall jcm200 dsl201) so I swapped out the bridge pickup. I think if you had a lot of equipment at your disposal (pedals etc) this guitar with it's Standard pickups could do anything. I've been playing 2 years and I will never buy another guitar, I've had this 2 months and it's precious. if you want a guitar that you will never replace then buy this. in all honesty I got this because I had little choice, I just wanted a tele shape with a humbucker in the bridge and nothing else. I love the shape and it was the only style of guitar I was gonna buy after I first saw one. I'll have this guitar for life and it might have been a sin to swap the bridge pickup (I kept the old one incase I have a musical epiphany) but I've got my dream guitar now and there's not many people can say that. And if I lost it, well, I'd be straight back to guitar guitar and asking for another! // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on may 15, 2006

Purchased from: Fair Deal Music Bham

Features: Mine is a 2006 model in Vintage White, body is made of alder and the neck and finger board are maple. Nice and simple three way selector, 2 pickups arrangment with 1 tone and 1 vol. You just do not need any more than this except perhaps a bigsby trem if you are that way inclinded. Excellent updated Fender brand machine heads that seem to never lose tune even at ridiculasly low tone tunings (think open B and lower). // 10

Sound: Do not be fooled by those daft notions that a Telecsater is a country music instrument. The quality and breadth of sound on offer is truely surprising when you vary pickups, voloume, tone and of course amp settings. You can cover anything from rockabily to funk, metal to jazz. Superb. I play through a Marshal valvestate (so pretty cheap really) and it is fairly simple to have a nice fat humbucker-esq. sound and then move to a nice bright Springsteen crunch. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Factory setup was just right, the action was not too low or high but instead sat in that comfortable and adaptable range that can be a right pain to achieve when you try to do it yourself. There is zero buzz from harware or frets adn the build quality is breathtaking, if you didn't know the price you could be fooled into thinking it should be more. It is one of those instruments of perfect weight (like many teles in my oppinion) that ooz that must own high quality appeal. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Excellent for reliability but then this is a US Fender and really with the Telecaster name on board sets what might be the industry standard. No gig backup would be needed especially if you were to use the unbreakable Dean Markley strings (these are really that good). // 10

Impression: I play mainly rock styles but have been known to dable in Jazz. This beast can manage them all and there is always a place for a tele in any band. The only down side is that they seem to be more and more popular these days. A must guitar for any collection and if you only have room for one make it this one. If your wallet wont stretch then check out the mexican models that do a pretty good imitation at about half the price (£299 if you shop around), I think the actual name for them is Fender Standard Telecaster. // 10

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: laffyjam, on march 07, 2005

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: This is guitar was ok with its features: 22 medium frets, one tone control, a pickup Switch, and a volume knob. I really like the Telecaster shape though, it's very comfortable. This guitar has two pickups, a single coil in the bridge, and a twisted single coil in the neck. // 8

Sound: This guitar has an amazing sound, the strings don't buzz, it is definetly not loud, and I use this guitar with a 30 watt Fender Champion tube amp. This guitar is good for any style, except maybe for hard rock and metal. I also use a Jim Dunlop Crybaby wah-wah pedal, and it sounds great with that, and I have built in effects on my amp. I play metal, and the distortion is really thin on the bridge, so I just changed the bridge pickup to a seymour duncan hot rails pickup. Other then that, the guitar sounds amazing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar is american, so you know it was set up very well. Everything was put in nicely, and there were know flaws that were clear to see. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is great for live playing. The hardware is great. You could use this guitar only, but I bring a backup just in case a string breaks. This guitar is only a little heavy. // 10

Impression: This guitar is a great guitar, one of the best Fender guitars. I really like the feel of this guitar, and it is good for just about any style of playing. // 10

Comments

[Cocnut Rag]

hello

[Cocnut Rag]

so how is everybody doing

[Cocnut Rag]

Heavy metal rock n roll

[gdm09]

i agree

[TotalyHAB]

i just played one today and i play alot of blues and metal i also love to sweep pick and shred and i thought it sounded amazing, good guitar guys im gonna get one!!!

[Cowboys9224]

great

[Antzzang]

excellent guitar as soon as i saw that telecaster i've fell in love with it. It's simple yet elegant and it gets the job done great. I don't know why people bash telecasters. It's a beautiful guitar.

[Nerdo-sez-bo]

If only i had the money =[

[roxorzroxz]

i picked one up at a music store and started playing it i was surprised i loved the sound of it (i play mostly classic rock) and it was perfect... i have to say its not a very good looking guitar but it has a very good sound that comes with those two pick ups i want one now

[bawbaw]

i ve only ever owned acoustic/electrics- reckon this would be a good introduction to electrics?

[rocksstarlm]

this guitar is my fave

[Irish2009]

im leaning towards a little bit of a punk/rock sound. i really enjoy the classics from ac/dc to the clash/to hendrix. But i like everything would this be a good guitar?

[will-loves-zep]

well i've had it for 2 years and i use it for my main guitar ahead of my ltd m-200fm. it sounds great for most musical types cept for maybe death metal where u need more 'mea' but you can really get this to grunt like a beast. use it for rock,funk,indie,hard rock etc

[BluesGuitar23]

yea, how much usually is this?

[will-loves-zep]

BluesGuitar23 wrote:

yea, how much usually is this?

i got a friend to get me 1 on holiday in america and i paid him 500 but here than go for about 700-800

[danielrobbyshor]

you can pick up a standard Tele for £289 now. mexican made, but still, its a Fender

[picklepopcikle]

cool. been lookin at the mexi tele, whats the difference to this one?

[JPageZeppelin]

all around a good guitar... if u know uur gonna stick with guitar and are wondering if it is worth the money YES IT IS... my friend has one and hes very good now 2 years later.... its been through a lot and its still amazing i love the sound and amazin action

[742627000017]

danielrobbyshor wrote:

you can pick up a standard Tele for £289 now. mexican made, but still, its a Fender

So i guess you buy guitars just for the name

[sweep]

telecaster are just too expensive i'll have to get a ibanez instead, they're way more affordable. but i'd still prefer a tele.

[FooFighter1927]

i just bought a fender telecaster american standard yesterday and it amazing. i'm glad that first review said that if you have a les paul and a telecaster then you will never need another guitar because those are the two i have now i just have to make 70 dollar payments every month for 15 months.

[irock519]

im still wonderin if i should get the strat or tele...
ill hafta to play them to figure it out
i just started playing but i play all the genres both the guitars are recommended for.

[Coldmystery]

sweep :
telecaster are just too expensive i'll have to get a ibanez instead, they're way more affordable. but i'd still prefer a tele.

Teles are too expensive? Every company carries a guitar around this price range. But just as you can buy 500 dollar ibanez guitars you can buy 500 dollar fender.

[srvkicks@$$]

why is it that those who havent played a fender that isnt above the MIM fender think they really suck but those who have played a fender say that theyare perfectly fine if not incredible guitars

[Rhoads_1096]

Great guitars, Fender make quality instruments and I can't complain

[yoojee-er]

A lot of people say the tele is one of the ugliest guitars yet it has an 8.7 on features.

[mattiwillohouse]

Best guitar ever conceived, wish I could afford one :-(