Fender Lite-Ash Telecaster

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:54 pm

Does anyone have one of these or know what they are actually like? I saw one advertised on Gumtree the other day and it looed quite nice and wondered what they were like to play?

Mustang Melx · Post by **Mustang Melx** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:13 pm

I almost bought one of these while back (the all black one) people told me they were a bit 'hit and miss' so I'd probably try before buying... although, you know what it's like, a lot of it is personal taste stuff.... I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to buy it (full price) but if I saw one used in good nick for a good price I might be tempted.

Mustang Melx · Post by **Mustang Melx** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:16 pm

I still think this is a lovely looking guitar.

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:04 pm

The black one does look really nice in that picture. Do you think I'd be best holding on for a bit and getting a Mexican Tele or maybe trying for a japanese off ebay?

Berto · Post by **Berto** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:37 pm

if your considering a mexi, go with a classic vibe instead.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:45 pm

The Baja is MIM and an incredible guitar for the money

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:47 pm

Mike wrote:The Baja is MIM and an incredible guitar for the money

It's also considerably better than the CV tele, or at least I thought so.

Berto · Post by **Berto** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:55 pm

i have never played a baja

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:13 pm

So on this basis the lite-ash isn't as good as the Classic Vibe Series, which in turn isn't as good as a Baja Telecaster. I suppose it's all personal preference really. The local shops going to love me going there this weekend and asking to play every tele in there.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:16 pm

argylelewis wrote:The local shops going to love me going there this weekend and asking to play every tele in there.

This is definitely the best plan. I've never played the Lite-Ash, but I'm a massive fan of the Baja. I nearly bought one about two years ago, and whilst I was plying it, the manager of the shop I was in actually tried to talk me round to the Squier, he was so impressed by it. I lost my job and ended up with neither, but if I had money to spend on a Tele, I'd definitely buy the Baja with no hesitation.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:28 pm

I tried out a lot of them recently and settled on the CV Custom. I loved the Baja but for the Â£150+ difference I went for the CV Custom. The neck is a lot slimmer than the baja though so it will come down to preference on whether you like the bigger 50s style neck or the slimmer 60s necks. One issue you might have is locating the new CVs to try in a shop though, it took me an age. Seem to many of them available online to buy though.

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:34 pm

I definitely would like one with a slimmer neck. I'll go try some out at the local shop and see what they have to offer. Neither the Baja, Lite-Ash or CV series are available with a Rosewood fretboard are they?

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:37 pm

Here is a shot of mine:

Absolute Guitars in Bristol might stock all 3. If you have trouble getting to try the CV Custom let me know as I'm only down the road from you.

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:40 pm

That's amazing thanks. I may have to go to Bristol although The Soundhouse in Gloucester may have a couple there so I'll try them first. That tele looks amazing though.

argylelewis · Post by **argylelewis** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:44 pm

I am definitely more of a fan of the RW fretboard. How much was your tele in the photo?

James · Post by **James** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:51 pm

argylelewis wrote:...The Soundhouse in Gloucester...

Presumably you're familiar with them but they come with a warning for terrible customer service.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:54 pm

It cost me Â£299 but you can find them cheaper on the net. I found it in a shop in Tunbridge Wells, tried it and it came home with me. The set up out of the box was amazing for a Â£300 guitar. In fact it just needed a new set of strings to be honest.

Also, check out the other classic vibe guitars. The thinline is lovely also. Best thing to try them out though, I was convinced I was going to get the Baja until I tried this out.

Goodluck

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:37 pm

argylelewis wrote:So on this basis the lite-ash isn't as good as the Classic Vibe Series, which in turn isn't as good as a Baja Telecaster. I suppose it's all personal preference really. The local shops going to love me going there this weekend and asking to play every tele in there.

Yes, it's all personal preference. I did the same thing the last 3 days, and really every of about 15 Teles was different. I played a CV 50s, 2 CV Thinlines, 2 Mex. Standards, 2 Bajas, 1 Classic 50s, a road worn, a Highway 1 ... and some more expensive stuff. They all were different. Some very heavy and with poor resonance (although all bodies ash and mexican) others very light and nice, others pretty heavy but nice, some agressive, some not so. And the necks are very different too.

I guess I also played a Lite Ash, at least it was a light, blonde/natural Fender made in Korea. The body was nice, though I didn't like the fat glossy finish on the natual body too much. The neck was rather flat and thin, (9.5 I guess) with medium Jumbo frets and artificially 80s like shimmering dot inlays. It didn't feel how I wanted it to, so I left it where it was.

Good, what means good. They were all well crafted, but they sounded and felt much different, even when they were from the same series. It's all about how you feel when you play them. One of the 2 CV Thinlines was thin and boring, the other one was a killer. The CV 50s (300 â‚¬) had better craftmanship than the road worn (900 â‚¬). The Baja has Custom Shop pickups, but the 2 I tried were sadly dead wood. This may be ok if you're basically playing overdriven stuff, though. The Highway 1 sounded great, but the neck sucked to me. If you want a good Tele, play all you can get without looking at the price tag. Then make your choice. If all you like are too spendy, that's bad; But that's unlikely.

Tweedledee · Post by **Tweedledee** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:25 pm

I had a lite ash Tele that I modded with a Duncan mini humbucker in the neck and a Custom Shop Nocaster bridge pickup. I've owned a ton of Teles (and my AVRI '62 Custom is my #1 guitar), and as far as tone goes that one was fantastic - definitely among the best. Something about the ash body, all maple neck and those pickups that just worked perfectly together. The body was beautiful, but I thought the birdseye maple neck with the abalone inlays was a bit gaudy, which I why I ended up getting rid of it. If you like that look, however, the lite ash Tele is a great option.

Here's what mine looked like (but with a different mini-bucker in the neck, since I kept the Duncan one to put in my AVRI):

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:39 pm

i can't get on with those inlays.
for a maple tele=black inlays/rosewood tele=white inlays
eurgh