Best High End Tele CS and others

monquixote

I'm thinking about selling some gear to get a really nice Tele like a Custom Shop or similar.

I've had a CV and a G&L Special in the past but neither are "proper teles"

The best thing I've played so far has been a 52 AVRI but it did have piddly frets which I didn't like, but it did look cool and it went BRRRANG! Which is really my number one priority.

So are CS really worth the extra?

Are Anderson's or Suhrs better?

Tell me all that I should know.

Funkfingers

Gotta be some sort of blackguard. My vote goes to the CS ‘51 Closet Classic No-caster.

StuartMac290

Try a K-Line Truxton, they're the best straight-up Teles I've ever played.

mgaw

K Line Truxton is a great choice and great value 2nd hand if you can find one, also Hahn 228

DrBob

There’s a Bravewood Esquire up on Facebook at the minute..

DrBob

DrBob said:

There’s a Bravewood Esquire up on Facebook at the minute..

I say that, I’d probably go and try and find a decent secondhand Nocaster with the big neck

richardhomer

monquixote said:

So are CS really worth the extra?

Are Anderson's or Suhrs better?

Yes - CS ones are better but ridiculously expensive these days. A used one makes a lot more sense. The CS Nocaster is pretty much the definitive Tele - though necks are huge unless you can find one that has been spec’d with a smaller one. Every one I’ve played has sounded fantastic, with lots of fatness and depth - rather than just high end.

Anderson makes exceptional ‘posh’ Fenders but for me somehow manages to engineer the character out of the designs. They’re too ‘perfect’ and bland for me. The same applies to Suhr though I don’t think they’re as good as Andersons, generally.

HAL9000

Not an expert by any means, but the very few Custom Shop Teles (or Strats for that matter) that I’ve ever tried have felt instantly familiar and comfortable. There’s always been something reassuringly ‘right’ about them. 

Henrytwang

As you liked the ARVI but disliked the frets it might be an idea to find a nice one and get it refretted. I think that Fender CS guitars are overpriced and there’s no guarantee that they’ll be exactly to your liking.

stickyfiddle

CS stuff usually has 9.5" radius and tall frets, which are quite lovely. 

Don't discount the US Original series, which is closer to that spec but much cheaper, though obviously not reliced. 

I'd steer well clear of posh Teles tbh - they usually miss the point. I would say don't discount rosewood fretboards though. I know the blackguard is "a thing" but on sound alone I tend to prefer rosewood-board Teles - they're just a little more mellow.

Fifty9

I was in this position a few years back and followed the main stream of advice thus far - the blackguard 52 Tele. It’s basically a nocaster with a Tele decal: https://imgur.com/gallery/YdzHgzD

The one thing I’d add - repeatig what crops up time and again is to try as many as you can. Not all custom shop nocssters are the same and they really are individual beasts. I was amazed at how different they felt from each other. I don’t know if that’s just teles or the samples I’ve tried but I’ve never had that kind of variation across Strats or Les Pauls for example. I tried 7 or 8 overall - and some were v heavy and dead sounding. I’d take a great AVRI over some of the ones I tried anyday. 

CMW335

Shameless plug

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/152900/fsft-fender-telecaster-custom-shop-heavy-relic-2015-trades-with-cash-either-way-added#latest

thebreeze

I think if you want it to look cool and go BRRRANG then a s/h CS Nocaster is probably the way to go.  People say the U necks make all the difference but I had one with a 60’s C shape neck which sounded epic.

Having said that I’m not a big Tele fan and of all the main guitar styles/models eg Strats, LP’s, a Tele is where I find the least differentiation between cheap ones and really expensive ones.  Consequently, having owned two or three CS Teles I’ve ended up keeping a modded CV Tele which I bought for £150 + s/h allparts rosewood neck (£90) which was beautifully reliced/treated by someone on here.  I feel it’s as good as a CS Shop Tele bar the finish on the body.

If you like Teles I think you’ll love the CS models and there’s a lot of choice and variety.  If you’re a Strat player and just want a Tele as an extra (like me) I don’t think the extra £2-3K is worth it.

Just an opinion obviously, enjoy the search.

monquixote

The CS nocaster seems like the obvious choice.

The other one that looked interesting was the US Hot Rod because I think it's a 52 AVRI with big frets.

guitars4you

richardhomer said:

Anderson makes exceptional ‘posh’ Fenders but for me somehow manages to engineer the character out of the designs. They’re too ‘perfect’. The same applies to Suhr though I don’t think they’re as good as Andersons, generally.

Tend to agree with you - Build quality is excellent - Very slick easy action

I tend to say it sounds more like Aled Jones singing as against Otis Redding - ie just to pure with less soul

Again I tend to agree ref Suhr but the Alt T Pro thinline style is excellent - Not sure how they pulled this out of the bag, but one of the best T's I've played

proggy

The Richie Kotzen Tele looks quite fancy, I've never played one though.

TeleMaster

Personally I think the Postmodern CS Teles are the best guitars they’ve produced in years. My favourite guitar is a tuxedo Tele with black headstock and binding on the body and neck. 

Lovely. 

monquixote

I should probably mention that when I say fancy I mean like custom shop nocaster not like gold hardware and a flame top which I hate on a Tele

proggy

monquixote said:

I should probably mention that when I say fancy I mean like custom shop nocaster not like gold hardware and a flame top which I hate on a Tele

Ignore my Richie Kotzen post then.

monquixote

proggy said:

monquixote said:

I should probably mention that when I say fancy I mean like custom shop nocaster not like gold hardware and a flame top which I hate on a Tele

Ignore my Richie Kotzen post then.

No worries I realized I wasn't clear

crunchman

Do you like relics?  You will have a very limited choice of Fender CS if you don't.  I'd be tempted to get someone to build me one.  Dominic Gray is local to me so I might go to him.  Or there other builders like Feline and Eternal.

Andertons do have Dominic Gray guitars in stock:

https://www.andertons.co.uk/electric-guitars/gray-guitars-admiral-in-see-through-blonde-inc-case-admiral-2ts18-ad-002

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitars/gray-guitars-admiral-in-daphne-blue-inc-case