The Best Telecasters For All Budgets And Styles
WE PAY HOMAGE TO WHAT IS ARGUABLY FENDER’S MOST ICONIC ELECTRIC GUITAR, AND HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHICH IS THE BEST TELECASTER FOR YOU.
egardless of what your needs are, you’ll have a lot of fun finding the best Telecaster for your style. The Tele is one of the world’s most iconic electric guitars, and as such, there’s a huge choice within the range. The Fender Telecaster was the very first mass-produced solidbody electric guitar, and has a widespread appeal that is only rivalled by a few other companies and builds.
The Fender Tele has graced recordings from rock
‘n’ roll trailblazers like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, right the way through to Danny Gatton and James Burton. Even modern guitar masters like Slipknot and Radiohead are riding the Tele train. What this means is that you’ll be in good company if you decide to invest in one of the axes in this guide.
Beyond this intro, you’ll find some very tempting options in the Telecaster stable, whether you’re a beginner player or die-hard Fender fan. But before we unveil our pick of the best Telecasters, let’s take a look at what to expect.
WHAT IS THE BEST TELE AROUND?
Our top picks for the best Tele starts with the Fender American Professional Telecaster: a seriously beautiful and versatile guitar that pays homage to the originals while bringing them right up to date. If you’re currently shopping for a top-level American-made Telecaster, the American Professionals are certainly worth a look. Unlike some of the other options out there, these guitars pay full tribute to the original models, with only a handful of modernisations and updates – many which aren’t detectable to the eye.
We can also highly recommend the Fender Richie Kotzen Telecaster. The singer/guitarist has been responsible for some of the greatest Fender tones in recent decades, and oftentimes that’s down to the Tele in his hands. These DiMarzio-equipped signatures were made available globally in 2013 (having initially only been sold in Japan) and offer world-class tones with no compromise in playability.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TELE FOR YOU
Telecasters come in many forms, from the original solid‑body design through to the lighter semi-hollow Thinlines that offer more of a natural acoustic resonance. It’s worth having an idea of what kind of sounds you hear in your head, and which kinds of musicians have been associated with the many models on offer.
While it’s worth bearing in mind that there are no rules when it comes to what you use, solidbody guitars are generally considered more suited to those looking for punch, thickness and sustain. Semi-hollow guitars are renowned for their openness and clarity – often favoured by more chordal players.
When choosing the best Telecaster for you, also think about whether you want or need single-coils or humbuckers. While there have never been more aftermarket electric guitar pickups available to help players hone in on their favourite tones, it makes sense to invest in a Telecaster that can handle the sounds you’re looking for right out the box.
Fender’s typically noiseless and lower-output single‑coils work wonders for those playing funk, RnB and country, though higher-gain players may be more suited to higher-output pickups like humbuckers. To get a better idea of how much power you need, look at the guitarists you’re hoping to sound like.