The Telecaster ~ Surf Guitar?

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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

The Telecaster ~ Surf Guitar?

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Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Apr 21 2006 03:02 PM What do you think? By the way cool site glad I found it! — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Apr 21 2006 03:28 PM No. They don't sound right. Twang does not make a surf guitar. A telecaster just doesn't have the feel of the surf guitar I am used to. Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25541 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Apr 21 2006 04:00 PM For all surf bands No, but I have seen a few over the years. and I thought for the vibe, sound of the band it worked allright. — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19266 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Apr 21 2006 04:13 PM Brian P from the Torpedoes sure ripped it up on, I think, a G&L A.S.A.T! — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
sidewalksurf Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 243	Posted on Apr 21 2006 04:14 PM A telecaster is cool for garage/60's rock and roll, rockabilly, and of course country, but IMO it's sound doesn't really lend itself towards surf. For one thing, it's missing an essential component ( to me at least) - a whammy bar. Last edited: Nov 18, 2015 16:36:34 Top
skeeter Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 2063 Virginia, USA	Posted on Apr 21 2006 04:16 PM In general, Nah. Take it from somebody who owned a Tele for 3 months. Great guitars, but not really for surf. — Paul Atomic Mosquitos Bug music for bug people is here! Killers from Space Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25541 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Apr 21 2006 04:18 PM Preston ( the Rhythm player) from the Eliminators has a Fender Custom shop Tele that has a Fender copy of a Bigsby Tremelo. It would probably sound ok, if he turned up, and had some reverb to his sound. Jeff(bigtikidude) — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Apr 21 2006 06:56 PM sidewalksurf A telecaster is cool for garage/60's rock and roll, rockabilly, and of course country, but IMO it's sound doesn't really lend itself towards surf. For one thing, it's missing an essential component ( to me at least) ---a whammy bar. I currently working on a surf-ized Telecaster...I will have to post some info regarding it soon. Currently, I am awaiting replacement pickups...more info in when the project is finished up. some features: B-5 Bigsby 4-position series/parallel wiring and switching vintage "nocaster"-style pickups Mexican Esquire RI neck Japanese RI body Mustang style bridge Of course, it won't be a Jazzmaster or a Jaguar, but, I'm betting it will definately surf with ther best of 'em! -dp Last edited: Apr 21, 2006 19:01:37 Top
RobbieReverb Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 2344 San Jose, Ca.	Posted on Apr 21 2006 06:57 PM Although they weren't known for surf, Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton occasionally played some cool surf on their Telecasters. Of course those guys could make a $25 guitar sound like a million bucks. Russ from the Aquamarines sounds pretty good on a G&L ASAT (Leo Fender's Tele equivalent from the company he founded after he sold Fender to CBS). I never use my Telecaster for surf: it just doesn't really work for me, but it is a fine guitar, nonetheless. Bob S. — Bob Top
PolloGuitar Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 5091 San Francisco	Posted on Apr 21 2006 09:09 PM I don't go for Teles in surf. Yeah, gotta have a whammy... The tone is wrong. And I find the G&L ASATs particularly harsh. fd — Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp Buy Spin the Bottle @ Bandcamp My Blog- Euro Tour Blog Pool Boys on Spotify INSTAGRAM Frankie & The Pool Boys on FB Pollo Del Mar on FB DJ Frankie Pool Boy on North Sea Surf Radio Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Apr 21 2006 09:28 PM dp sidewalksurf A telecaster is cool for garage/60's rock and roll, rockabilly, and of course country, but IMO it's sound doesn't really lend itself towards surf. For one thing, it's missing an essential component ( to me at least) ---a whammy bar. I currently working on a surf-ized Telecaster...I will have to post some info regarding it soon. Currently, I am awaiting replacement pickups...more info in when the project is finished up. some features: B-5 Bigsby 4-position series/parallel wiring and switching vintage "nocaster"-style pickups Mexican Esquire RI neck Japanese RI body Mustang style bridge Of course, it won't be a Jazzmaster or a Jaguar, but, I'm betting it will definately surf with ther best of 'em! -dp Lovely, I'd like to see the pics when it's done. What color, surf green? — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Apr 21 2006 09:53 PM you'll have to wait and see pics when its done.. but, I'll give you a clue: I play a RI '51 precision bass, you kow the single pickup old-school "Tele" style p-bass. That bass is tobacco sunburst... I wonder what color the dp surf-tele will be? image ps: this is not my bass, this is an original 1951 Precision (sold at auction for $250,000...yipes!...most expensive bass ever sold, according to the website I found it at) Last edited: Apr 22, 2006 19:17:41 Top
WR Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands	Posted on Apr 22 2006 05:46 AM the guy from the apemen played a tele for quite a while... harsh indeed. I used to have a tele which had pretty decent tone, lipstickish, maybe good for mellow surf. so many tele's so many different sounds anyway. I voted no though, with the lack of whammy and the entire thing looking drammatically unsurf. WR — Rules to live by #314: "When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is." https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/ Top
Surfabilly Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 852 Connersville, Indiana, USA	Posted on Apr 24 2006 06:36 AM I'm one of the loonies that voted "Yes," but I think maybe it was a fit of prejudice, since I own two...a Squier Fat Telecaster (soon to be modded with Lipstick pickups) and a Fender Standard Telecaster. At a current collection of 8 guitars (6 guitars & 2 basses), I have plenty of choices available toward deciding just what kind of surf sound I'll be going for. Perhaps my Teles would be of more use for surfabilly. Matt in Indiana — Fast Cars & Loud Guitars! Top
drumuitar Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 813 Boise, ID	Posted on Apr 24 2006 04:51 PM Those of you who think a Tele don't work for surf...yer nuts I have a G&L ASAT that sounds great for surf. Yeah, it doesn't have a trem but the pickups are killer and are very versatile. This doesn't have the standard Tele style pups though, Mine has the same type that Russ from the Aquamarines has (they look like small soapbars), 'cept he has a synchronized trem on his ASATs. — Shawn Martin http://www.drummerman.net http://www.youtube.com/GKacedrummerman http://www.facebook.com/drumuitar Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Apr 24 2006 05:04 PM I really don't consider an ASAT a Telecaster. I will expand on why a telecaster doesn't work for surf. Some of you may disagree but I am more or less right(if you all think like me). All of us are very caught up in the surf aesthetic. We know what we like to see on stage and that will tilt our interest towards that band. Since surf music isn't the best genre to find new bands and especially find sound samples on them we will rank them by appearance and that will determine when we discover them. I am terribly guilty of this. Seeing a surf band with a telecaster is likely to turn me off. Top
krupanut Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 492 Austin Texas	Posted on Apr 25 2006 09:54 AM drumuitar Those of you who think a Tele don't work for surf...yer nuts I have a G&L ASAT that sounds great for surf. Yeah, it doesn't have a trem but the pickups are killer and are very versatile. This doesn't have the standard Tele style pups though, Mine has the same type that Russ from the Aquamarines has (they look like small soapbars), 'cept he has a synchronized trem on his ASATs. Maybe we need to clarify the question. Do you like Teles for surf? No. Will a Tele work for surf? Yes. — The Thunderchiefs Top
eddiewagner Joined: Aug 12, 2006 Posts: 77	Posted on Aug 14 2006 08:57 AM i have a telecaster with a bigsby thats great for surf. my other surfguitar is a strat. — www.myspace.com/captaintwangandhisrhythmcat Top
Fripperton Joined: Aug 14, 2006 Posts: 270	Posted on Aug 14 2006 07:38 PM This one sounds just fine. If you need more of a surf vibe add some flatwounds. I find it useful for a spaghetti western kind of tone. image — There is Surf east of Sepulveda. Top
Wraydar Joined: Apr 21, 2006 Posts: 265 San Antonio, TX	Posted on Aug 14 2006 09:00 PM That's a really nice looking guitar. Is that a black or alluminum pickguard? (Can't tell on this laptop) — <img src="klzzwxh:0000"></img> Top

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