Which Telecaster is best for you?
Fender give you a nice spread of price points to pick out a decade-specific Telecaster. At the top end, you can’t beat a Custom Shop. They’re some of the best guitars in the world and offer the closest likeness to their historic counterparts. The Fender Custom Shop team take extreme care to get every spec spot on in line with the originals. If you like a certain date-specific feature, for example a “U” shape neck, but prefer hotter’60s pickups, they’ll go out their way to get it done.
The USA-made American Original line boasts the best of the production line woods and hardware, a naturally ageing nitro finish and an option for heralded guitar pickup designer Tim Shaw pickups. The only major difference between these and an original Tele spec from the era is the updated modern fretboard radius.
Vintera guitars are your next choice floating around the £1000 mark. You’ve got a bit of thinking to do here; not only do you have ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘60s models, but also Modified, Deluxe, Custom and Road Worn models with tweaked pickups, neck shapes and finishes.
Fender-owned brand Squier is the choice for you if you’re shopping on a smaller budget. Their Classic Vibe series gives lots of different visual delights and sounds to explore. You’ve got a selection of semi-hollow Thinline guitars, natural, sunburst and solid colour finishes, and limited edition FSR guitars with a handful of fun and unique quirks.
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