Help with buying a Tele:

jigonzav

Friends:
Mi actual gear is: Princeton + Strat.
After months of hard thinking I’ve decided to buy a new Fender Telecaster.
I live in the Chilean Patagonia, and here it’s not possible to find and try the different models.
So I have to buy one over the Internet, pretty much “in the dark”.
In the wide range of Fender Telecaster models: what do you recommend?
I’m leaning toward a model with that classic Telecaster sound, comfortable, and hopefully that it becomes my main guitar for many years to come.

Thank you very much for your comments!

Juan Ignacio González
Valdivia, Chile

elreclusa

There are lots of good options, my first question would be how thick (or thin) a neck do you prefer?

AdamG

And how thick (or thin) is your wallet?
If you can afford it, a Custom Shop is a safe bet via internet because chances are it'll be great. Lower budget, I haven't played a Road Worn that I didn't think was really good. They're a great deal.

elreclusa

Also in the mid-priced and generally great category is the Baja Tele, especially if you like a chunkier neck. Once I got used to mine, it kinda became my go-to just for the neck, which is my second-favorite only to the '76 that was and is my first Tele love.

jigonzav

I prefer thick neck (not 100% sure).
The wallet is OK.....I guess...

elreclusa

If you like a thicker neck and an overall vintage feel with a couple of tricks up its sleeves, the Baja is great and reasonably priced. If you don't like the tricks up its sleeves, it's cheap and easy to replace the fancy wiring with vintage spec. Just my humble opinion, of course, but if you dig a thicker neck, short of custom shop, the Baja is tough to beat.

Gptco

The American Special is a pretty god guitar for the $ too.

jigonzav

Let reduce alternatives:
American Standard, American Deluxe or vintage 52 RI ???
What do you think?

elreclusa

If it were me? 52 RI.

weelie

To me, the bridge design is a big thing. So I'd take the vintage style over American Standard and Deluxe every time. Some people would say neck radius or fret size is the decider, and would not take 52RI due to the rounder fretboard and small frets.

Michael

Well, I just purchased a new Fender “FSR” (Factory Special Release) Telecaster model that was on sale, and it has a super nice special finish (looks like the Elite model finish). Fortunately I had played one in a local music store so the “feel” was right, but I ultimately purchased one on-line. It’s Made in Mexico and the neck, fit, finish and the electronics are just sweet! Didn’t even have to take it to my guitar tech for an initial setup. Funny - it sounds so much better through my Princeton RI amp than either one of my “Made in the USA” Stratocasters (a 2002, American Deluxe Fat Strat or my 2017, Eric Clapton Signature Model). Go figure.