Experience with Telecasters?

I've saved up some money and am going to use it to buy new gear. Looking towards a Tele.

So, anyone want to comment on the quality of Fender standard (made-in-Mexico) Telecasters? I've been playing two years. Is it something that I'll get pissed at in another year and want something new? I'm not an incredibly serious player, but I probably play more than the average guitarist. Think of it as a serious hobby?

I've heard a lot of different things about them, I'd love more opinions. *thumbsup*

I've seen a lot of people in country bands playing tele's just because they're treble-y and jangly sounding. But if you put distortion on them it sounds really punchy, and that's what I like about them. I don't think there's a whole lot of difference between Mexican made and American made, just the paint finish. In America they mostly use a Nitrocellulose finish which supposedly gives it a better tone than the regular polyurethane finishes that are made in Mexico. But I can't really tell a difference. It sounds like a really good choice for what you're doing.

Awesome, thanks

And also, because I can't seem to edit the first post;
A lot of people have told me that I wouldn't be able to get a good metal or heavy rock tone out of it, but really, I don't need to. I mostly listen to/play indie and alternative.

Tele's are great for playing Muse too.

Muse is practically all I've been playing for the past few months.

I'm concidering getting one myself. I had my heart set on an SG, but there's no way I can spend $600 on a guitar right now. And I love both guitars equally, so I think the Tele's gonna win.

Yeah, my second choice would be an Epi SG.

I have an Epi right now, and I love it, but I definetely think there's a difference sound and quality-wise between Epis and Gibsons. That's why if I'm getting an SG, I'm just going to save the extra $200 and get the Gibson.

.. extra $200? What?

The standard Gibson SG at the music store I went to a few months ago was about $2,000 CA
I didnt check the Epis, but they were probably around $500-$600.

WOW, that's a good deal. Nearly half-price. o___o;
Right. I was thinking of the standard SGs, my bad.

But, I ended up buying the Tele. *thumbsup*
And so far, I'm pretty damn satisfied.

Awesome! I'm still deciding which I'm going to get, but right now I'm leaning toward the Tele since it's cheaper and a completely different sound from my Epi LP Jr.

I guess in the long-run, if you prefer the SG, saving up a bit longer would be worth it.
What really made me decide was the fact that I felt a lot more comfortable playing the Tele than the SG, so I figured, hell, if in a while, I wanted to play something a bit harder, I could change the pickups. It would be a bit more expensive, but I'd have a guitar I felt more comfortable playing. But if they're equal, then..

Hmm... yeah I'm still thinking about it. But I'm really leaning toward the Tele right now, I guess I'll have to go to the guitar store someday and try them both out.

Good idea.
The Tele's brilliant, though, I love the sound. The treble sounds good on distortion, IMO, and if it gets to be too much, a slight turn of the tone knob fixes all. *thumbs up*

i have a fender usa telecaster, so cant really say how good the MiM ones are. But if they anything like the MiA i would definately recommend getting one, much more versatile than people would lead you to believe.

And SG's sound incredible with distortion (i also own a Gibson SG), wipes the floor with tele's in that respect, but on clean tones i find it a bit too bassy. In terms of playability id find the SG necks a bit quicker and more comfortable but maybe because its slightly chunkier which suits my hands better.

But either is a good purchase..which is why i have both =P

Hmm... well I don't really want a chunky neck because my hands are tiny. I dunno, like I said, I should probably try them both out. I wish I could afford both.

Probably one of the reasons I prefer the Tele neck; my hands aren't very big, either.

Do Les Pauls have a neck like Tele's?

IIRC, they're a bit chunkier. Not much, less than the SGs, but slightly thicker. I haven't played a Les Paul in a long time, though, but that's how I remember comparing it to my Pacifica, which has a neck similar to the Tele.