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Why are teles more expensive?


lucky
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Strat's are great (if you like that sort've thing), but I just wondered if there was a reason that telecasters are so consistently more expensive second hand than their strat equivalents when they're pretty comparable new. Hell, a Highway one tele is worth what it cost when it was new! Is it simply that there's more strats around, and the rarer commodity of teles naturally brings a higher price or am I missing something?

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My guess is that every guitarist and their dog has owns or has owned a strat so there's more of them around on the 2nd hand market. I've always felt like a strat was the sensible choice and a tele would be great but less versatile, which is why I walked out of Rich Tone with a strat a few years ago when looking for a new workhorse guitar.

Nice Community avatar btw!

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Yeah I totally agree with you there. I suppose that just adds to my confusion, that if something costs the same new but is less versatile why is everyone paying more for them so consistently? Just whenever i see a tele for sale I'm thinking "for that price I could buy the equivalent strat and a reasonable little amp to play it through..."

And good call, RichTone have some cracking stock for a local music shop

haha thanks! I used to love that show. might switch it to Chang if I feel crazy...

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Supply and demand I guess, it's why people with Japanese built Jazzmasters from the 90's are charging 150% of their as new value for 2nd hand instruments these days, although I don't know if they're actually getting that. They're very niche instruments with a bunch of quirks but they don't come up too often so sellers can ask a high price.

I have to stay out of Rich Tone, it's not good for my wallet!

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I've got this up for sale at present, [color=#3C3241]only 42 ever available in the UK, created by custom shop assembled in Mexico, these were £982 on release. Last one I saw sold on Reverb for £780.[/color]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fender-fsr-72-telecaster-custom-p90/1218682925

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[quote name='Shabbs' timestamp='1488229739' post='3247102']
I've got this up for sale at present, [color=#3C3241]only 42 ever available in the UK, created by custom shop assembled in Mexico, these were £982 on release. Last one I saw sold on Reverb for £780.[/color]

[url="https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fender-fsr-72-telecaster-custom-p90/1218682925"]https://www.gumtree....-p90/1218682925[/url]
[/quote]

Not the kind of thing I'm oggling but it is lovely with the white binding! GLWTS

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Squier Standard telecasters are very jolly guitars whether new or pre-loved. Great platforms for enhanced pups and harness but perfectly usable off the shelf.

Worth trying in the flesh to see if one gets on with the nut width which is a bit tight on the older ones.

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I decided to have a switch put in my strat so I can have the outer two pickups on together and that gives me a good enough telecaster sound for what I need. I got it done by Martin at the Little Guitar Shop in Hockley Birmingham.

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Teles are more expensive because there's more wood. Manufacturers generally don't slice big chunks of the wood away like on a Strat, all those comfort contours mean less wood.

I got wise to all this and ended up with a Richie Kotzen Telecaster with comfort contours and it was an absolute bargain, mainly because it has less wood. It's still a Tele but less wood means cheap, right?

Check them out. It's like a loophole in the whole "Teles are dearer than Strats" rule.

Edited by Sean
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[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1489429499' post='3256852']
Teles are more expensive because there's more wood. Manufacturers generally don't slice big chunks of the wood away like on a Strat, all those comfort contours mean less wood.

I got wise to all this and ended up with a Richie Kotzen Telecaster with comfort contours and it was an absolute bargain, mainly because it has less wood. It's still a Tele but less wood means cheap, right?

Check them out. It's like a loophole in the whole "Teles are dearer than Strats" rule.
[/quote]

Really? The Richie Kotzen signature model is one of the most expensive non custom shop Telecasters available, about £1,800 last time I looked.

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[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1489446170' post='3257101']
Really? The Richie Kotzen signature model is one of the most expensive non custom shop Telecasters available, about £1,800 last time I looked.
[/quote]

That's another loophole closed off, then :(
It was good while it lasted ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've had acouple Strats but never bonded with them. Now own 2 Tele's, a vintage '77 and a MIM that I customized. Great gigging instruments that have stood the test of time. Like a Zippo lighter or a 1911 pistol, a perfect design of form following function.

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These have an excellent reputation:

http//www.jhs.co.uk/brands/vintage/vintage-electrics/vintage-reissued-electrics/vintage-v52-reissued-electric-guitar-butterscotch

Solid American alder. Can be very cheap on amazon.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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