Which Telecaster?

Chris Fleming · Post by **Chris Fleming** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:49 pm

I was buying a tele bridge to use in a lap steel that I've never got around to building and noticed the guy had a Squier Affinity bridge PU for Â£6. I read some reviews saying they were very good so bought it. Not tried it yet but it has the backplate and looks like it's decent quality. We'll see

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:38 pm

timhulio wrote:These are what the MIM Tele ships with these days. They're bog standard ceramic pickups. You can see why the bridge pickup doesn't sound remotely tele-ish.

so its empirically true when ppl say the Squier CV are superior to the MIM standards?

George · Post by **George** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:47 pm

brainfur wrote:
timhulio wrote:These are what the MIM Tele ships with these days. They're bog standard ceramic pickups. You can see why the bridge pickup doesn't sound remotely tele-ish.

so its empirically true when ppl say the Squier CV are superior to the MIM standards?

im gonna say yes. also the CVs have ultra clean beautiful routs that are shield painted. look at that tatty mim shit

fyi the pickups in CVs are pretty much certainly toneriders

George · Post by **George** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:54 pm

check this glorious routing out (and note nice tidy wiring)

caveat: i say better, but really it's heavily hinged on pricing too. you just got MORE for your money with CV.

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:57 pm

George wrote:check this glorious routing out

caveat: i say better, but really it's heavily hinged on pricing too. you just got MORE for your money with CV.

i'm just thinking that if I bought a new MIM im gonna be unhappy with the shitpups and have to buy new ones whereas the CV ones are pretty nice stock... and the necks are comparable,,, hmmmm

George · Post by **George** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:00 pm

if you are looking to buy, make sure you give the cv's a solid try as well as the mims

i would say the pickup set in the CV 60s and some of the 50s teles aren't great. however, there is a set in the super secret white 50s telecaster that has alnico 3 pickups with an overwound bridge at about 9k. that's the one i'd go for tbh (at least when i was looking this was the case, in which case GO USED)

pretty sure its this one

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:01 pm

brainfur wrote:so its empirically true when ppl say the Squier CV are superior to the MIM standards?

In terms of pickups and shielding, yes. The other stuff is subjective. I wanted a modern bridge, satin neck, no binding and medium frets because my other Tele is all vintage-style. As far as I know, Squier don't make a modern-style Tele as good as their CV series. The range of CV colours is also pretty limited (as is the MIM, admittedly).

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:11 pm

George wrote:if you are looking to buy, make sure you give the cv's a solid try as well as the mims

i would say the pickup set in the CV 60s and some of the 50s teles aren't great. however, there is a set in the super secret white 50s telecaster that has alnico 3 pickups with an overwound bridge at about 9k. that's the one i'd go for tbh (at least when i was looking this was the case, in which case GO USED)

pretty sure its this one

yeah i'd have to go w the 50s one because I don't want another rosewood fretboard-- it also has a pine body, right?

George · Post by **George** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:21 pm

I think pine

I love the glossy maple board of my 50s cv strat. The feel is really nice under your fingers. I'd say the only thing id change about the Alnico 3 50s tele is maybe using steel saddles instead of brass, which is an easy fix

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:03 pm

brainfur wrote:
George wrote:if you are looking to buy, make sure you give the cv's a solid try as well as the mims

i would say the pickup set in the CV 60s and some of the 50s teles aren't great. however, there is a set in the super secret white 50s telecaster that has alnico 3 pickups with an overwound bridge at about 9k. that's the one i'd go for tbh (at least when i was looking this was the case, in which case GO USED)

pretty sure its this one
yeah i'd have to go w the 50s one because I don't want another rosewood fretboard-- it also has a pine body, right?

Yes its Pine. Dings easy but sounds good (I have one that was converted into an Esquire). What is a Tele without dings anyway?

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:00 pm

Fran wrote:Yes its Pine. Dings easy but sounds good (I have one that was converted into an Esquire). What is a Tele without dings anyway?

welp I hate to say it but I guess I'm in the market for a squier-- I wonder if I can find a used one

George · Post by **George** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:12 pm

brainfur wrote:
Fran wrote:Yes its Pine. Dings easy but sounds good (I have one that was converted into an Esquire). What is a Tele without dings anyway?
welp I hate to say it but I guess I'm in the market for a squier-- I wonder if I can find a used one

i urge you to look for the white 50s one, as it will have the blessed alnico 3 set. the set on the others are really underwhelming, but no biggy if you want to change them anyway

brainfur · Post by **brainfur** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:19 pm

George wrote:
brainfur wrote:
Fran wrote:Yes its Pine. Dings easy but sounds good (I have one that was converted into an Esquire). What is a Tele without dings anyway?
welp I hate to say it but I guess I'm in the market for a squier-- I wonder if I can find a used one
i urge you to look for the white 50s one, as it will have the blessed alnico 3 set. the set on the others are really underwhelming, but no biggy if you want to change them anyway

yeah i'm intrigued and while I dont mind switching pups it would be nice to find somethign that sounds like a tele stock

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:17 pm

I'm sure Thom has a 50's CV and he really liked his.
Mine has a MIJ Fernandes Strat neck on it so I cant comment on the stock neck but the body/pups are spot on.

oldcanuck · Post by **oldcanuck** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:42 pm

After adding this to my collection, I think I should go buy a lotto ticket. For both reasons !!!!

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:48 pm

love my 50s cv Tele. amazing guitar for the money. need to rewire mine because I hacked it up. otherwise might possibly be my favorite neck outve all the guitars I have.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:57 pm

This thread has been enlightening. It led me to google my way to the Telecaster forums. Explained the difference between alnico3 and alnico5 pickups. I Listened to some great examples between the two and now I have really bad GAS for a Squier CV 50's blonde telecaster with the alnico3 pickups! My wife will kill me.

Thanks guys!

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:30 am

haze had a CV50s transparent body with CV60s rosewood neck and it was supremely wonderous. i miss my CV60s 3-tone burst i got from Aen. i mean, i still have it, but it's in pieces. i'd eventually like to repair the body, but it needs a new neck.

i wish i played guitar more, to justify getting another tele. le sigh.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:43 pm

Anybody try out those Indian Squier Telecasters? You know, with a zebra humbucker in the neck, they were available in candy apple red and I think black too.

I am curious about them, but can't find one in a shop to try out because they are no longer made.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:13 pm

So, not to derail this thread too much, but I'm thinking about buying a Tele, too. My only criteria is that it have a contoured back, because I've owned several Teles and love the sound, but just couldn't get on with the rib-jabbing edge. Binding would be nice, and so would a Bigsby. Is there anything like that out there that doesn't cost a fortune (say $300 max)? It doesn't necessarily have to be a name brand, but I've checked Turser, Xaviere, rondo, etc. and none of them have a back contour as far as I can tell. The only one I know of is the VM Squier Tele Deluxe.

Edit: Seems I was wrong, thanks to cur and hotrod circa 2009

Stealth edit: I just tried ordering it, out of stock

Which Telecaster?

Better to be lucky... than good !!!