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Can I be controversial and say I really don’t like Teles and can’t understand why anyone would want one when the Strat is a better and more versatile guitar?
A tele through a Princeton is one of the classic guitar sounds.
I don’t like the stuff you like, it leaves me cold tbh (personal taste, we’re all different). A tele is a striped down, bare, honest guitar.
It’s also (imho) a thing of joy and beauty.
I’ve a strat, but can’t feel the same about it as the blonde...
That Broadcaster in the YT link above sounds incredible...
I hear you on the 'Why do people like Teles?' comment, though I think I'm warming to them. Actually no... I've got a couple of Cabronitas - so Filtertron pickups and not at all Tele-like... I've been through a few previously - I did think I wanted a double-bound custom, but realised that they're actually really sharp-edged! And I had a Quarter Pounder pickuped bits and pieces Tele too... I do prefer Strats, though Ross's '52 does have a huge amount of magic to it. (I know what you mean about disinfecting it - I played it in a jam on a warm night and you could feel the grunge rubbing off the back of the neck... seemed appropriate at the time though :-))
German? Hoya did some teardrop soundhole jazzers with those ugly block fretboard markers, but I've never seen them at just 5/7/12 before.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/440860251018335779/?nic_v2=1a3xvyqR1
Thanks for the detective assignment - I'm reckoning a Goldklang... Or maybe a Voss. German, 1960s... or so.
This neck looks familiar: https://reverb.com/uk/item/2292495-rare-vintage-voss-archtop-jazz-f-hole-guitar-gima-gitarre-germany-1960
Nice work chipps
And I like those fretboard markings, like d day stripes for guitars 🙂
Hoyer and Voss have that cutout shape but can't find any pictures with same body shape.
Dropped my new Jag off with Rick @ Marvel Guitars this morning for fettle. Have just picked it up again so I can't blame the guitar for my shit playing now 🤣
My new (old) Squier tele arrived earlier. Its not in bad nick for a 30 year old guitar...
Like it 🙂
Blimey, pretty darn spotless. You must be happy with that to say the least.
Yup. Very very happy indeed. Just need to learn to play it now!
Can I be controversial and say I really don’t like Teles and can’t understand why anyone would want one when the Strat is a better and more versatile guitar? I am saying this as a keen singlespeed rider so I can see the irony but I really can’t see what a Tele offers and over 50 odd years never have.
Fiiiiiiight!
1. Strats resonate, it's the trem. They add that glassy sheen which comes from all those symathetic resonances of the trem and springs.
A Jag or Jazzmaster even more so.
It's not wrong or right, it's just different.
2. The control layout.
The Tele controls are pretty much perfectly placed. Strat knobs get in the way, depending how you play.
And no tone control on the bridge? Please.....
Which leads me to....
3 The pickups.
Strat bridge pickups are usually bloody awful. An annoying, high pitched itch in the middle of your head.
Tele bridge pickups are the voice of a sane god.
Yes, Strat neck pickups are heavenly. So put one in a Tele and have the best of both worlds.
In between positions? Fine, stick a Strat middle pickup in there too, if you must.
4. Body shape.
Cats and dogs.
Strats are trying too hard to please. Slippery horrible things - fall off your knee.
Teles are honest. You know where you are with a Tele.
Be honest - if you were fighting off zombies, a Tele would be so much better.
5. Versatility.
Teles have a mellower neck pick up and a more comple and a simply classier bridge pick up.
No contest.
For me, a Tele with a Strat neck pickup, or a Strat with a Tele bridge pickup would be just peachy.
Lowell George had it right.......
Off tomorrow, so me and Mrs S are just about to go and murder some easy Stones and Chuck Berry.
I'll use the Ibanez RG.
It's so much better than either. 😃
OOOOH!.
1. Strats resonate, it’s the trem.
And damn fine it is to. You can always tighten the springs so the bridge is flush to the body. Helps if you break a string as well.
2. The control layout.
The Tele controls are pretty much perfectly placed. Strat knobs get in the way, depending how you play. And no tone control on the bridge? Please…..
Blend in the middle pick up if needed, pick further towards the neck use the volme for tone if playing at higher gain..
3 The pickups.
Strat bridge pickups are usually bloody awful. An annoying, high pitched itch in the middle of your head.
Tele bridge pickups are the voice of a sane god.
Yes, Strat neck pickups are heavenly. So put one in a Tele and have the best of both worlds.
In between positions? Fine, stick a Strat middle pickup in there too, if you must.
Choose your Strat carefully. Mine have been great with the Custom Shop 60s wind and a Seymour JB jnr works well, especially with a Schaller selector switch to auto split it on pos 2.
4. Body shape.
Cats and dogs.
Strats are trying too hard to please. Slippery horrible things – fall off your knee.
Teles are honest. You know where you are with a Tele.
Be honest – if you were fighting off zombies, a Tele would be so much better.
Zombies like my music. I never have to fight them. The body shape is stunning you are wrongetty wrong wrong.
5. Versatility.
Teles have a mellower neck pick up and a more complex and a simply classier bridge pick up. No contest.
Pick ups are easily changed, the out of phase sounds of a good Strat are stunning.
I’ll use the Ibanez RG. It’s so much better differenter than either.
I'll not argue too much with that. Played a Jem once and have had my eye out for one for a while.
🙂
Found out it says Rima in very small letters on the mystery guitar above.
Anyone know of that make?
Are you sure it doesn't say Gima like in the link Chipps posted above?
Can you take a photo and where is the lettering?
Rime means Rhyme in Spanish so could be a model name.
I don't have it, it's one I'm thinking of buying as a little restoration project.
This is only reference to the name I have found
http://www.girano.de/html/rima.html
Confusions abound. The headstock on the Voss looks far closer to your pic. I get the impression in this part of the market a lot of copying 'being inspired by' was going on.
Yea,lots of similarities on my picture and one on the site I linked to though.
Think I will make an offer
5. Versatility.
Teles have a mellower neck pick up and a more complex and a simply classier bridge pick up. No contest.
Pick ups are easily changed, the out of phase sounds of a good Strat are stunning.
On this subject, can someone explain phase to me? I remember it from A-level physics a few (many!) years ago but I can't really understand how it relates to musical instruments. Something to do with how the in-between positions (pos 2 and 4 on a Strat) give you the difference between the two pickups?
This is more confusing since my Baja Tele has a phase switcher on the S1 allowing you to switch in and out of phase when using (either of) the in-between setting(s). Out of phase sounds very thin and weed - Only really good for funky strumming and definitely not what I would use for a chimey Strat lead tone.
What is actually happening?
It looks interesting and in reasonable nick, keep us updated.
Edit: Again the Voss has the fretting stopping well short of the end of the fingerboard.
The pickups in the Stat are picking up different harmonics from the strings due to the different distances from the bridge. This leads to cancellation of some frequencies and amplification of others.
All found by accident rather than a design feature.
As eddiebaby says - it's not an electrical phase thing to do with the wiring of the pickups, but more to do with where the pickups are in relation to each other and the standing wave of the string. A little like if you're on the neck pickup and play a 5th fret harmonic, no sound comes out of the pickup as it sits right where the node of the standing wave is... so having the two pickups a Strat's distance apart means that some of the string's wave isn't picked up, so you get this (lovely) quacky 'out of phase' sound.
While I've got the page open... And seeing as there's a lot of Fender love in here, I want to float my latest though - I find that I keep looking at Gibson Les Pauls. I've previously had a couple (a Gibson BFG gold-top and a wine-red Studio - oh and a Vintage (the brand) Lemon Drop Peter Green job) and I've sold them all. Something about the weight, the neck join (position and thickness) and that all I did with them was to play Led Zep riffs badly...
However, the band I'm currently playing with is after no-nonsense rock tones, which suggests a humbucker guitar. I mostly have Strats or guitars with P90s or Filtertrons. I _do_ have a PRS, but the other guitarist has a PRS, so I want to go for something a little different... I do have my old bits and pieces 'super' Strat with Floyd and wood-screwed-in pickups and a homemade paint job, but I do keep looking at the new Gibson Tribute Les Pauls. Especially in 'worn white'...
Any other suggestions to look out for? Apart from a Scorpions-style Explorer of course...
Gordon Smith?
I've lost hours speccing up stuff on their website......
https://www.gordonsmithguitars.com
Any other suggestions to look out for?
An SG 😁
Ooh, I like the look of that Gordon Smith 'No Cut'... Very bluesy!
Er, I've got a P90 SG already, Simon, sorry! *blush*
In the spirit of 'Say What You Play' try a Variax JTV 59.
It is depressingly convincing if you aren't doing an A/B test in a quiet room.
And as there are a lot of haters they go quite cheap.
Of course if you want it just to fill a gap in your heart rather than the band's sound then fill yer boots and that
I do have a Roland hex-pickupped homemade guitar that I can plug into a GP10S Roland synthy thing and make whatever noises I want, but I guess I'm looking for those rock looks 😉
Plus, the other guitarist also has a GP10... First world issues and all...
335 copy... bloody awkward, esp if sat down... 🤪😚 but def different sound and rawk n roll bonefide
https://flic.kr/p/6WZUCR
Or a Tokai (or FGN) MIJ Less Paul copy...
https://flic.kr/p/gce7No
So i bought this mystery guitar as it was very cheap.
Woman i bought it off had bought it as a decorative piece at some point and was told it was a German from the 50s.
Neck have been reglued (badly) at some point and there is some splits in the body where the metal bracket is screwed on and around the strap attachment. But should be fun trying to restore it.
This is the only markings on it.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/83246699@N00/50541805692/in/dateposted-public/
A friend have ID it as a Musima via a 50s guitar forum
+1 on Japanese Tokai Love Rock.
Excellent guitars, I've had one as my #1 since 2003.
~£700 used
+1 on Japanese Tokai Love Rock
Always been a classic. Hard to find these days I thought.
Tokais are fab guitars. I had an early Springy Sound Strat and it was lovely.
Had a couple of Epi Sheratons and never really got on with the size - yet the 339s all seem a bit too diddy. Need something in the middle, size wise. Ibanez John Scofield? Godin Montreal?
Nice goldtop:
As far as semi hollowbodies go, I like the Gibson Midtown. Lovely in Pelham Blue
Nice goldtop
Very much so. I’m struggling to see the ding in the headstock. Looks like it’s never left the house. Very nice guitar.
Wow, consensus on Tokai 😍
Mine was ~650£, MIJ bought over the internet from Richtones. They had about 20-25 different guitars all lovingly photographed in detail and I picked the one I liked the look of best. Wasn’t disappointed. I subsequently replaced the pups with BKP Mules (‘59 PAF ‘replicas’), Jensen oil in paper caps and a lovecraft toggleswitch (as both my Tokais have suffered dodgy ones). I borrowed a mate’s ‘95 Less Paul for a couple months and I think he would have have swapped that for my Tokai (except I wouldn’t have...).
Tokai are difficult to buy new these days (although a guitar shop in Inverness has one on its wall, albeit at 1500£!) which was why I mentioned the FGN. I hummed and heyed over a goldtop, especially when they were on offer at 800£ end of last year... always wanted a goldtop (I ended up getting one of the new Yamaha travel parlour steel acoustics instead)... and I’ve the Loverock already... 🤷🏻♀️
I think the Gibson Tributes are great guitars. I won a Les Paul Jnr DC Tribute earlier in the year and despite a few finish issues, hey it's Gibson after all, it plays and sounds great, actually way better than some far more expensive Les Pauls I've played over the years. If you have the chance to try a few I'm sure you'll find a gem.
I got that Gibson Les Paul jr as my first guitar, based on look alone lol
Anyone removed the neck on old acoustic?
The neck of my mystery guitar have been glued on very badly with PVA and would like to try sort it myself and wonder if anyone have any tips