When I started playing guitar at the tender age of nine, the Fender Telecaster was very near the bottom of my guitar wish list. In my mind, they were a country guitar for clean picking, not my thing at all.
I wanted a sunburst Gibson Les Paul, the same as Ace Frehley and Jimmy Page - I was a huge KISS fan at the age of nine, and Ace was my hero. The boring-looking ‘country’ Telecaster was a million miles away from a cool, low-slung Les Paul, so why would anyone want to play one???
However, as I matured - in age, playing ability, and musical knowledge - my tastes changed. I still adore Les Pauls and always will, but I also absolutely love Telecasters, in fact, far more than Stratocasters.
But why do I like them so much, and what makes the Telecaster the best guitar in the world, according to so many musicians? Let’s find out…
THE Original Solid Body
Released in the early 50s as the Broadcaster, before changing its name to the Telecaster, it was the first mass-produced solid-bodied guitar. Before it, there were only semi-acoustics and jazz boxes. It was the start of the electric guitar revolution.
However, since that was over 75 years ago, it must have changed massively over the years… well, not really. It was close to perfect from day one.
There have been developments, such as individual saddles for each string as opposed to sharing a combined saddle in the early days, etc. But if you place a 1950s Telecaster next to a new one, you really won’t see much of a difference. That’s how good the design was, and still is!
1954 Fender Telecaster
A Complete Workhorse
There is nothing fancy about a Telecaster; it doesn’t have lots of pickup options, complex switching, or any frills at all. It was designed and built with only one thing in mind - to be played.
Understandably, times have changed, and you can now buy them in a multitude of blingy colors and metallic finishes. But originally, your color choice was very limited - Blonde, 2-color Sunburst, Black, White, or Red, with either a black or white scratchplate.
Unlike the stunning Gibson Goldtops or spectacular Bursts of the era, Telecasters were the plain Jane guitar - practical and reliable.
The problem is that a practical, slightly boring-looking guitar isn’t very rock’n’roll, which meant that lots of rock stars chose flashier instruments, such as Strats and Les Pauls. This led to the Telecaster being thought of as a good instrument, but not that ‘special’.
A Sign of the Times
Thankfully, not all guitarists were so narrow minded. Country guitar legends, such as James Burton and Danny Gatton, popularised the Tele due to its bright, clean tones being exactly what was needed for the genre.
But the guitar was far more versatile than that, and was also adopted by rockers such as Keith Richards and Jimmy Page, who used one on the first Led Zeppelin album and to record the solo on Stairway to Heaven.
It was also used by Blues maestros, such as ‘Master of the Telecaster’ Albert Collins and Muddy Waters. As well as by guitarists as varied as Stax Records session legend and Blues Brother Steve Cropper, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash’s Joe Strummer, White Zombie/Marilyn Manson/Motley Crue’s John 5, and The Police’s Andy Summers.
As can be seen from the sonic diversity of the guitarists I’ve just listed, there really isn’t much you can’t play with a Telecaster; you can even throw them into the air after playing an epic solo with no damage at all, as demonstrated by Prince in the video below…
The solo starts at 3:30
This brings me nicely to…
How do I make my Telecaster even better?
There are a lot of advantages to a practical modular guitar design, such as the Telecaster. Basically, anyone with the most rudimentary of DIY skills can change or upgrade just about anything on the guitar.
There’s no need for a professional luthier to make changes to it; you can do a lot of the work yourself.
It couldn’t be simpler, so let’s take a look at some popular Telecaster upgrades and make your Tele sound and play better than ever, starting with…
Pickups
Having pickup issues? Or do you need a bit more output to add more bite to your tone? Then check out the Guyker TELE-RB Electric Guitar Pickup Set with their stunning rainbow finish.
Not only will they make your guitar sound better, but the rainbow finish on the neck pickup will add a little bit of subtle bling to your beloved Tele.
Tuning Machines
They sit humbly on your headstock, keeping out of harm's way. You might even think of them as insignificant, but if your tuners are not up to the task, your guitar will go out of tune and you’ll sound terrible.
If you’re suffering from any issues caused by your tuning machines, it's time for an upgrade. There’s plenty of choice, but I have to recommend the Guyker GK-D-05SP Dopamine Color Guitar Locking Tuning Machines.
Most guitarists like to show off at least a little, if not a lot, so let your guitar do the talking, not only with how you play it and how it sounds but also with how it looks.
Guitars come with ‘standard’ colored hardware - chrome, black, gold - but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit of color to your life when you upgrade.
How about blue and purple tuners? Or red and gold? The choice is yours, and better still, you can fully customize them to create the tuning machines of your dreams. Simply get in touch with Guyker.
Don’t worry, if purple and blue are a bit too psychedelic for you and your guitar, the standard colors are also available.
Bridges
If your tuning machines seem to be working fine but your guitar is still having tuning stability problems, it could well be your bridge.
Perfect intonation is critically important to every guitarist, and if your Tele has combined saddles, not one for each string, you may well be struggling to get every note to sound exactly as it should all over the neck.
But fear not, the Guyker MA001 10.8mm Titanium Alloy Compensated Saddles - Wilkinson TL Guitar Bridge Replacement is just what you need.
We all love the original Telecaster bridge design, but some improvements do make the guitar a lot easier to live with.
This bridge does exactly that and will help prevent string breakage and keep your guitar in tune for longer. Plus, the saddles are made from titanium alloy, which produces rich harmonic overtones, improving tone and sustain.
Say goodbye to your intonation problems, because every saddle is reversible, staggered, and can be used in any position.
And finally…
Control Panel and Knobs
Going back to the idea of adding some interest to your Telecaster, as well as some more colorful tuning machines, why not upgrade the Control Panel and Knobs?
You could stick with the standard chrome that you’ll find on most Teles, or you could go a little outside the box…
How about the GUYKER Electric Guitar Titanium Alloy Control Plate Knob Damascus For TL Parts Replacement to take your Telecaster to the next level.
For more great ideas on Tele upgrades, check out The Best Guitar Parts to Build a Telecaster.
Wrapping it Up!
We all have our Holy Grail guitar, be it a Telecaster, a Stratocaster, a Les Paul, a Paul Reed Smith, or any number of other fantastic instruments.
But the Telecaster isn’t mine. It’s incredibly close to being THE one, especially when you consider how much I disliked them as a child. But, the good ol’ Les Paul just pips it at the post.
I got my first Telecaster in 1994 when a film production company asked my band if we’d like to contribute songs and act as a ‘band’ in a film directed by Mike Mansfield, which went on to win multiple awards. Excellent, we thought, time for some endorsements to get our hands on a few free instruments!
Gibson were approached… and had zero interest. So, I went to Fender and asked them to build me a Telecaster with Les Paul specifications to wind Gibson up. And they agreed. They delivered a variation of the Telecaster Plus Deluxe with a shorter scale length, beefy pickups, and a tremolo, in stunning Crimsonburst with a black scratchplate.
What a guitar! I couldn’t take my eyes or hands off it and started my love affair with Telecasters. Since then, I have acquired lots more, plus some Tele Customs, Esquires, etc.
If you haven’t fallen under the spell of the Telecaster yet, take one for a test drive; you’ll be amazed. They may be practical workhorses with Plain Jane looks and design, but they rock like nothing else!
