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Post by edoetsch on Dec 18, 2014 12:38:37 GMT -7
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Post by BritInvasion on Dec 18, 2014 12:52:19 GMT -7
Basic differences are the pickups , bridge (3 brass saddles vs 6 steel )and tone circuit (greasebucket vs. Delta) and headstock decal.
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Post by kustom250 on Dec 18, 2014 12:54:51 GMT -7
American Standards are the modern take on a tele.
Specials are kinda between the pure vintage stuff and the American Standards.
Big differences are the neck shape/size/radius, bridges and pickups.
I like my teles the way they were in the '50's. I don't care for the necks on American Standards. And that's were it's gotta start for me. The Special neck isn't much better to me but it does lean more towards what I like.
So I've never really liked the American Standards. But I do like the bridge with the strat type saddles better then the old style.
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Post by Luke on Dec 18, 2014 18:34:21 GMT -7
I'm comparing American Standard Strats vs American Specials here but I imagine the Tele wouldn't be too far off on differences. The feature set is more stripped down, but it also leans more toward vintage specs. Some will say they use better wood in the standard. My special sounds pretty darn good though. Plus that vintage blonde on the Tele is sexy.
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Post by Jacques Belanger on Dec 18, 2014 19:02:08 GMT -7
Well, I tried both and settled on the American Special Tele. The reasons are
Pros....IMHO #1 Bigger Frets #2 Satin Neck Finish #3 3 Barrel Saddles #4 Cheaper
Cons #1 No Micro-Tilt Neck adjustment #2 Overwound/Hotter Pickups #3 Less Finish Options
I intended to change the pickups to Joe Bardens no matter WHAT guitar I was gonna buy, so the overwound pickups were not a turn-off. The Micro-tilt is really a "set-and-forget" adjustment so it's not a super huge loss. IMHO, the american special is every bit as nice as the standard, and since you are getting a deal on the price, you have a bit of room to upgrade if you want different pickups.
Hope that helps.
Jacques
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Post by greenblues58 on Dec 19, 2014 5:29:22 GMT -7
+ 1 on Jacques post above.
I purchased an American special in Memphis on a trip to the USA in 2011. I tried many many Teles at all price points but was actually looking to bring home a P90 Lester but didn,t find one that floated my boat. As I hadn,t a Tele at the time that was the route I took. The one I have stood out by a mile from anything else I tried apart from a nice black mex Baja but this one felt just nice on the neck profile and very resonant and is actually a one piece body or if there is a join its damn good (according to my tech)as you can,t see one. Since I have had it I have made a few changes but there was absolutely nothing wrong with it stock tonally or playability wise. I had to replace the volume pot as it was intermittent and removed the Grease bucket circuit at the same time. It has Callaham compensated brass saddles. I also wanted a bit more oomph from the neck as the bridge seemed to overpower it a bit so it now sports a Bareknuckle P90 bucker size Mississippi Queen in the neck(fear not they are already routed for buckers) which complemented the texas bridge better. It currently has a Bareknuckle blackguard in the bridge but I am going to put the texas special back in as although the blackguard is very nice and vintage it hasn,t the bite the texas special has on full volume and the special can do twang with the volume rolled back a touch which I like. All in all a very nice guitar for the money. As when picking any guitar best to play them and let your hands and ears decide rather than the price. I have said in another post I have just bought a custom shop relic strat and compared to my 82' Squier JV the custom shop is just tonally DIFFERENT ie maple board v rosewood not BETTER
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Post by digs57 on Dec 19, 2014 10:10:56 GMT -7
I tend to lean 50's styling too...I always suggest ebay/highway 1 texas tele...just has a feel/vibe/ash body that just feels right...to me).
I think the biggest part is what music you play on it,do you use a ton of gain?...or are you a clean player.
Speculating is fine but no matter what it is its going to be all different once in your hands...go play some.
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Post by Joey Beverages on Dec 22, 2014 6:23:37 GMT -7
+1 on the Highway 1 Texas Tele .... phenomenal bang for the buck imho cheers always, eh Joel
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