Question: It's been a while, we have a few new Teles floating around; is the Tele the lie detector of guitars?

smurfco

smurfco

Meatus McPrepuce
I don't remember who said it first but they say that the Telecaster is the "lie detector" of guitars, now I am not exactly sure what this means but I guess I kind of know what they are talking about... but... what do you think? Is it true that the Telecaster really could be such a thing as the lie detector of guitars? What does this mean?

Please answer with a thoughtful response and not a bunch of bull shit.
 
I played serious bluegrass pretty much exclusively for almost 20 years. I was around a lot of good flatpickers and their Martins. Every now and then one of them would buy an electric guitar and it was always a Tele. Usually a very traditional blonde 50s style one. That tells you something I guess. I think it means that a Tele is a very direct and simple instrument that you get out of what you put in it. Much like an acoustic guitar, at least moreso than something like a Strat with its fancy pants trem system, or a fancy Gibson with its loosy goosey feel and blanket over the amp humbuckers.
 
Thoughtful: i understand what folks are saying but I don’t think It’s true. Acoustic guitars find the holes in the technique first.

bs: My telecaster won’t tell lies if he knows what’s good for him!
 
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They do have a very simple and direct sound, as PAS put it in the post above. The polygraph comment is going too far though, because no guitar is going to hide your lousy chops if that's all you have. Maybe some guitars with a more lush sound are a little more forgiving in some respects.
 
Tlecaster are the gout of guitars

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Yup, hard to hide mistakes with a loud bright tone. Sure, you can bury it in distortion, but even that is difficult with the SC's. Just don't try to lie by putting HB's in one. Callin' BS then.
 
I don't get the lie detector thing, but agree with PAS that it seems to be a good electric guitar for acoustic guitar players. A Tele style guitar is the only electric guitar that I enjoy playing.
 
Cork sniffery

it’s not the guitar, all depends on your sound and style of music/playing.
 
I’ve got 3 and one is a carved top with two HB’s. It may as well be a Les Paul.

I play them both clean and with dirty effects. I say clean but the only thing I play without reverb is my nylon string acoustic. Lie detector of guitars? I don’t know, I don’t just play tele styles guitars for long periods. For about two weeks I’ve been playing East Bound and Down. I’ve played it on acoustic(6 and 12 string), tele, strat, and a Les Paul. I think it plays easier on a tele. Maybe clean without any effects that would ring true, but I could say that about any I listed. With the 3 barrel bridge it can definitely be finicky when it comes to intonation.
 
I understand the theory, their hard-tail construction, long scale, bright tone, and single coils generally give them a sharp, snappy attack on the note and there is a certain cutting pop to every (right or wrong) note played. Humbuckers tend to blur/smear notes, trems springs often adsorb the attack, etc.

But ultimately, it's more legend than fact.

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wok said:
Also, there is no such thing as lies when it comes to music. Of it sounds good, it is good. Imperfections are what makes music human
Click to expand...

Yeah, end of the day, it’s what sounds best.

Having a world-class speed car isn’t much helpful if what you need is a truck and a camper trailer.

But you can always find a new way to compare your penis with your guitars.
 
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