Thinkin' of getting me a Telecaster...

[Niallmo]

My Squier Tele Custom II has a much better neck than any of the Mexican Tele's I've played. It is in fact as good as my Korean Lite Ash and I preferred it to a USA '52 re-issue I played recently.

[Col.Decker]

I've got a Highway One tele, made in the USA and in you budget (I think)

I like it, but its the only tele I've ever played so I could'nt tell you if it's better or worse than a MIM

linky i got mine for a lot less than they've got them priced here, so shop around a bit

[Niall]

See if you can try a Fender Classic Player Baja Tele. I've got one and it's fucking ace.

http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_clas...ja_tele_ds.htm

Cool, we can swear on these forums! Not like the other stuck up Bethesda forums...

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Yes, but every time you do a swear Chris Vinnicombe kills a kitten.

I was tempted to say "every time you do a swear, Chris Wickett has a wank" but wasn't sure I'd get away with that one.

[Niall]

Really, I'm amazed that I could get a 2nd hand USA Tele for 550. I might go with that. But really, would a hollowbody be a better option? It's a tough decision as Brian Setzer used a Gretsch but others have used Teles. Then again, the Brian Setzer signature model is £17,000. Maybe next year...

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Try before you buy on Gretsches. Not because there's anything wrong with them, but because you've said you're more comfortable with Fenders than Gibsons, and to my mind a Grestch is closer to the latter than the former - particularly in terms of scale length.

[Niall]

Try before you buy on Gretsches. Not because there's anything wrong with them, but because you've said you're more comfortable with Fenders than Gibsons, and to my mind a Grestch is closer to the latter than the former - particularly in terms of scale length.

And are Gretsches insanely expensive or is that just the Setzer signature?

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Erm... as I recall there are three price ranges. There's the import ones, which are quite affordable (£3-500 mebe?), the US ones, which I think are a few grand, and the sort-of-custom-shop ones which are excruciatingly expensive.

[Niall]

I think I'm gonna go with the Telecaster cos they're a joy to play and I want something more trebly and light because my Strat packs a mighty punch! Sometimes too much!
I like the sound of a 2nd hand USA Tele. I'll have a look around and see what I can get...

[Sporky_McGuffin]

See if you can find an ASAT used too. They're what Leo Fender did after selling Fender - hence my "more Fender than Fender" remark earlier.