My Post-purchase behavior: (Guitar experts advise!)

[LOLyourFace]

Just dropped $220 on Squier (by Fender) Telecaster Limited Edition. (LE is for mirror-finish pick guard) I've been having a ball playing it but I want to see how the guitar compares to other similar ones in its class/price range:

1. As with most guitar stores, the prices seem to be 'haggle-able'. Why is that and why isn't the price fixed? I felt like I was in a car dealership, constantly wondering if I'm getting a good deal or not... I got my guitar at its sticker price, $220. I made sure it was a brand-new one by asking to have one out of the box. I didn't get any discounts for the guitar but she gave me $20 off for the nice fender guitar case. Did I make the right purchase?

2. Just how is this guitar for an entry-level purchase? It's indonesian made. I apted for a mexican one but it was too expensive, nevermind the american one. What's the difference between those 3 mades? I've heard most has to do better craftmanship but doesn't really effect the sound as much for the price you pay. (American made goes for $700+)

3. What's the diff between Telecaster and Stratocaster? They were both in the same price range. I simply went for the Telecaster because I've had one before and it looks nicer IMO.

4. As mentioned above in question 3, I used to own a used Fender Telecaster about 5 years ago. (It was mexican made) I sold it because my parents forced me to play then. What's the difference between Fender Telecaster and Squire Telecaster? I'm assuming Squire is a lesser sub-brand of Fender...

5. Any general tips/dos and don'ts/sites/guides I should check out as an intermediate guitar player? (I can do power chords easily, play some green day songs but that's about it.)

 

[LOLyourFace]

bump until tomorrow.

 

[Lithium381]

Originally posted by: LOLyourFace
Just dropped $220 on Squier (by Fender) Telecaster Limited Edition. (LE is for mirror-finish pick guard) I've been having a ball playing it but I want to see how the guitar compares to other similar ones in its class/price range:

1. As with most guitar stores, the prices seem to be 'haggle-able'. Why is that and why isn't the price fixed? I felt like I was in a car dealership, constantly wondering if I'm getting a good deal or not... I got my guitar at its sticker price, $220. I made sure it was a brand-new one by asking to have one out of the box. I didn't get any discounts for the guitar but she gave me $20 off for the nice fender guitar case. Did I make the right purchase?

2. Just how is this guitar for an entry-level purchase? It's indonesian made. I apted for a mexican one but it was too expensive, nevermind the american one. What's the difference between those 3 mades? I've heard most has to do better craftmanship but doesn't really effect the sound as much for the price you pay. (American made goes for $700+)

3. What's the diff between Telecaster and Stratocaster? They were both in the same price range. I simply went for the Telecaster because I've had one before and it looks nicer IMO.

They're different models is all

4. As mentioned above in question 3, I used to own a used Fender Telecaster about 5 years ago. (It was mexican made) I sold it because my parents forced me to play then. What's the difference between Fender Telecaster and Squire Telecaster? I'm assuming Squire is a lesser sub-brand of Fender...

your assumptions are correct

5. Any general tips/dos and don'ts/sites/guides I should check out as an intermediate guitar player? (I can do power chords easily, play some green day songs but that's about it.)

learn classical, you will kick major @$$ later

 

[Ikonomi]

1. Shrug, that's just the way it is sometimes. As for your purchase, I sometimes wish I had gotten a cheap Tele as my first electric (I got a Squier Strat for Christmas once upon a time).

2. Fender guitars from the east are nowhere near the quality of American (or maybe even Mexican) made axes, but as a first guitar, it's fine. Asian, Mexican, and American Fenders are made of different woods, and with different build qualities. American Fenders most definitely have much better sound, and are worth the money if you're a serious player. But like I said, for a first guitar... You may have a problem with bad resonance, but as I've never heard a lot about Squier Teles, I don't know if it's isolated to the Strats or what.

3. OOPS, this is where I realized this isn't your first guitar. Sorry, my bad for not reading. Teles and Strats have different sounds. Teles twang, and Strats crunch, or something. They're very distinctive guitars. Personally, I love Telecasters, though I don't have one. They've got a great, warm, classic sort of sound, and they look hot. I want to buy one some day, maybe a vintage year if I'm rolling in dough.

4. Squier is Fender's entry level brand, like Epiphone is for Gibson these days. As an aside, some people swear that entry level Epiphones (their range of guitars and price is much greater than Squier) are better than Squiers, but I don't necessarily believe that. I'm a Fender fan, so maybe I'm biased.

5. http://www.wholenote.com

 

[AIWGuru]

I would have (and indeed did) pick up a nice Yamaha Pacifica rather than some Mexican Fender...

 

[faZZter]

I used to have a mexican telecaster (tobacco sunburst) and loved it. It served me well when I was learning guitar.

Now I am lucky enough to have an american made stratocaster in chrome blue. In fact my wife bought it for me for xmas!

As far as the differences go.....I think it is mostly things like the choice of wood, quality of pickups, rolled edges on fretboard, better tuners, and components in general. I wouldn't worry too much about all that though, if it sounds good to you and plays good enough just have fun with it.

 

[Triumph]

1. You can always haggle with music instruments. I bought a piano that was 900, marked down to 400, offered them 325, and they took it without hesitation. This was at Guitar Center. I think pretty much any industry where the salesman work on commission, you can haggle the price. I don't know why the prices aren't fixed - just accept it and move on! As for whether or not you got a good deal, I'd say no just because you paid the asking price. But look around the web for what that guitar is going for.

2. That guitar is fine for entry level. As long as the frets aren't sharp on the edges, the tuning pegs turn well, and there isn't a ton of noise in the electronics, I consider any guitar as good enough for a beginner.

3. Both are very tinny and bright sounding, but the Strat is more rock based while the Tele is a wonderful country guitar. You can do whatever you want with a guitar, but that's what these two are typically good for. Also your typical Strat is 3 single coil pickups, while the typical Tele is two single coils. Telecasters have a solid bridge while Strats have a tremelo setup. And of course the body styles are different.

4. Squier = Fender budget line.

5. OLGA, online guitar archive. The only place for tabs.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I used to have an american-made Telecaster years ago - I really rue the day I sold that guitar. I have always like the compact dimensions of the Telecaster.

The Tele tends to have a slightly harsher, cooler sound (those are really imprecise terms, but it's hard to productively describe such subjective concepts), compared to a Strat. The Strat, with its third pickup, is arguably more versatile, though I usually just played my Tele with the bridge pickup. It makes for a great rhythm guitar or blues solo guitar, but is seldom used for rock lead. In all fairness, the amplification used has a lot to do with the sound, and some of the early Led Zeppelin recordings (in fact, I think their entire first album) were played on a Telecaster.

You can do a lot to change the sound, if you so desire, by changing out the pickups. Also, my Telecaster (which I think was made in the '80's), had separate bridge intonation adjustment for each string, as opposed to having just three adjusters, which is the original Tele design. I preferred my setup, but perhaps that's just personal preference.

 

[pukemon]

Originally posted by: Ikonomi
1. Shrug, that's just the way it is sometimes. As for your purchase, I sometimes wish I had gotten a cheap Tele as my first electric (I got a Squier Strat for Christmas once upon a time).

2. Fender guitars from the east are nowhere near the quality of American (or maybe even Mexican) made axes, but as a first guitar, it's fine. Asian, Mexican, and American Fenders are made of different woods, and with different build qualities. American Fenders most definitely have much better sound, and are worth the money if you're a serious player. But like I said, for a first guitar... You may have a problem with bad resonance, but as I've never heard a lot about Squier Teles, I don't know if it's isolated to the Strats or what.

5. http://www.wholenote.com

The exception, is with Japanese made Fenders and Squiers from the 80's and early 90's. Those often exceeded the quality and craftsmanship of MIA (made in america) fenders during that time period, in which american made instruments were simply craptacular.

American made Fenders regardless of when it was made will cost more and sound the best because they have the best stock pickups installed in them.

The strat and Tele don't sound anything alike. for the telecaster think: bruce springsteen, country music, and 90's britpop. for strat, think blues and rock music. these are gross generalizations of course.

 

[Platypus]

I think you'll find yourself sonically limited with a Telecaster as opposed to a Stratocaster if you are looking to play certain music. What kind of stuff do you want to play? This is the most important part.

 

[LOLyourFace]

Originally posted by: CorporateRecreation
I think you'll find yourself sonically limited with a Telecaster as opposed to a Stratocaster if you are looking to play certain music. What kind of stuff do you want to play? This is the most important part.

Anything sounds good. Anything that is a crowd pleaser.. from rock, cool jazz strums, pop/punk, awesome solos, so on....

 

[phantom309]

If it makes you happy, it doesn't make a bit of difference where it was made, how much it cost, and whether anyone else plays it. Modern cheap guitars are remarkably good compared to what I grew up with - in the 70s, any guitar that wasn't a Gibson, Fender or Guild (all were US made then) was usualy unplayable junk. In my experience some of the Epiphones, Squires and MIM Fenders today are better than 70s Gibsons and Fenders were. I had a $400 California Strat a few years ago that was as good as any vintage one I've ever played (still kicking myself for trading it away - I should've bought up every one I could find).

My advice to you as a guitar player for 30+ years is don't sweat the equipment - having a Custom Shop Strat, a Macinturff, or a PRS is great, but if you're playing a pool room, nobody will be able to hear the difference between that and a Squire or Epiphone anyway. What matters is that you make good music.