Humbucker Soup

If you think stock Fender Telecasters are for wimps, think again. Robben Ford kills it in this live video from his July 1993 concert in Kew Gardens, Ontario.

Judging by the number of articles related to the Fender Telecaster in this site, anyone can guess that I am a big fan of this guitar. In some ways, the Telecaster is for me, the perfect guitar; it looks right, it feels right and it sounds right. But out of the box, the Telecaster might not be equipped for exactly what you had in mind. Fortunately, most Telecaster modifications are fairly painless.

Nowadays, between digital modeling and overall great engineering, you can make virtually any guitar sound like just about any other guitar. Except, you cannot make any guitar really sound like a Telecaster. You can try, but it will never really quite smell right. If you are looking to upgrade your Telecaster neck pickup, you are in good luck. Many great sounding models are out there that offer not only a high-quality tone but they do so at a pretty reasonable price.

Although Telecaster bridge pickups are best known for their “Twang”, more and more, guitarists are looking to coax an increased array of sounds out of their instrument. If you need to extend what your Telecaster can do, you’ll need to consider upgrading your pickups.

So, you need a new electric guitar and you are on a budget. There is no need to worry; more than ever, there are some options for you out there if you know what you are looking for.

There was a time when I would have rolled my eyes at any acoustic guitar that did not have a big ol’ sound hole in the middle and no cutaways. Well I have grown up and I am a much more reasonable guy. The Godin Acousticaster 6 Cutaway Acoustic-Electric Guitar is an awesome blend of Tele-tastic fun and acoustic warmth.

The Fender Telecaster is probably viewed by most as being a somewhat specialized guitar, but it is also surprisingly versatile. Best known for it’s “Twang”, this guitar has been used most often for country as it lends itself well to chicken pickin’ and other similar sounds. Some players have a stratocaster pickup installed in the middle position for more tonal options. This is called the “Nashville” setup. Although most associated with Country, the Telecaster also does a bunch of other things quite well.

Before you start your first guitar building project, take a few moments to think through some important details.

If you are embarking on a project that involves upgrading or building a Telecaster, these links might help you to find some of the parts you need.

All the ruthless charm of the original Broadcaster with some serious attitude.