20 Best Telecaster For Jazz (2022 Updated)

First the good: This is a solid feeling guitar and much heavier than I thought it would be (bought online). It weighs in at 8. 5 lbs where the other thinline models I’ve played were in the 6 lb range.

I really like the 24. 75″ scale and as mine is a 2019 it has the laurel fret-board. I was a little apprehensive about laurel, but it’s just fine in appearance, feel and perceived tone. It plays easily and is a fun guitar to play.

The paint on this one is white and the guitar has a “tuxedo” appearance. I also like the 2-tone, 2-vol pots setup. They work well and can help make some cool blends between the pickups. The SD pickups are really nice sounding and can go from sparkle clean to hard rock easily.

There is a limit though to the amp gain you can throw at this one. As it’s semi-hollow at some point you’ll get feed back. Now the not so good: While I generally like the feel of the neck, it’s a little sticky due to paint and finish and not as fast as I’d prefer.

Once I’ve 100% decided to keep it, I might take some steel wool to the back of the neck to remove the plastic, sticky feel. One other thing is the 60-cycle hum from these pickups. It is annoyingly loud.

Other reviews I’ve seen on-line for this model have the same, loud humming thing going on. It’s weird because I have some other guitars w/ P90’s and they are much quieter. I’ll check this one to make sure there isn’t a weak ground and maybe add some copper foil in the cavity.

I really like how they sound when being played, but I’ll find some quieter pickups if I can’t cure it. Lastly, this guitar is made in the Indonesia factory where some Squiers are made so Fender opted to “cheap it out” with lower quality tuners, lower quality pots and laurel for the fingerboard.

And then they charge more new than a MIM guitar. Weird thinking. Everything said, I really like the guitar and think the Gibson/Fender blend of features is remarkably good! I can’t think many people would be unhappy with the tone, feel and play-ability.

Cons: When I unboxed the Tele and did my initial inspection, the fit and finish was almost perfect. Only one area on the back where the finish sucked into the grain, leaving a dimpled, coarse area. The switches and knobs are absolutely terrible.

They seem to work cleanly without noise, but they feel like they are falling apart. The action seemed a little on the high side, and the neck appeared to have a bend in it. Playing the guitar, it had a very jangly sound, even with those SD humbuckers.

Also, I could tune it standard, and intonation was close, but don’t press any frets! ICK! It would be so far out of tune! Barre chords sounded terrible. Pros: After playing the guitar for about 30 minutes, trying different amps and effects, I put it on the bench and checked the neck with a straight edge.

It had at least 0. 018 inches of gap on the fretboard from the 5th – 8th frets. I gave the truss rod a few tweaks and it was perfect. With the neck straight, the frets were perfectly leveled. The radius of the string heights at the bridge saddles was perfect, and the action was very nice.

It shipped with 9 – 42 strings, so I put a new set of Ernie Ball Super Slinky’s on it, tuned and set the intonation. Conclusion: The neck and frets were nicer than I expected for this price range with nicely finished fret ends and smooth edges.

They would only need to be polished a little better to match a guitar of many times that price. The guitar is MUCH lighter than my other Tele, and it is very comfortable to play. The look and fit of the set neck is perfect, and access to the upper frets is fantastic.

The sound is MUCH nicer with the new strings, and it plays and sounds great after a proper setup. I believe the nut is graphite, and the tuners are nice and smooth, so tuning was a pleasure. no popping.

I will definitely look into upgrading the electronics in the future, as well as taking the time to polish the frets during a future string change.

This guitar is a blast to play. I originally went to the store looking to purchase another Gibson LP. I have all kinds of guitars but never owned or really wanted a Telecaster. The Gibson I checked out did not speak to me and I did not feel like spending thousands more for one that did, I started trying other guitars including PRS and Gretch and did not find anything that excited me.

Before leaving I decided to give this one a try, I had received an email weeks ago for the player plus release and loved the “red” colored model. They had one at the store so I plugged it into a 20 watt Marshall head and we bonded instantly.

The attack and dynamics of this beauty were amazing, not like any other guitar I owned. The neck felt amazing and was so effortless to play yet, oddly also forced me to play better. I only played it 5 minutes and was hooked.

After purchasing the guitar I noticed some issues with the nut, the B string was making a ting noise when I bent the string downward and had some concerns with the electronics because I was getting what sounded like some ground crackle when I anchored my pinky on the pick guard while playing.

I reluctantly returned the guitar to the store, the tech took care of the nut issue right away but I figured all telecasters were this magical and found a used American made Tele for the same price at another store out of state and decided to get the US model instead.

When it arrived I instantly felt the difference, this was not on par with MIM Player plus Tele. The US model did not play as well or hold tuning and the guitar were not as dynamic, it did not have the same edge.

I went the the very next day and got the Player Plus back, the very same one I returned. The Fender Mexico plant is knocking it out of the park these days, I have three Charvel Guitars made in that same plant and those guitars have the same magic.

The necks and neck finishes are bar none. Awesome tones!.

I love this guitar. I went into the store planning to buy a Gibson SG, and after comparing the two I walked out with this. There are 3 things that set this guitar apart for me: 1: finish I got mine in dark night, and it is maybe the coolest looking fender finish I have ever seen.

I love the combo with the big glossy 70s style pickguard. Such a cool blending of classic and modern aesthetic. 2. Versatile sound The finish hooked me, but the sound kept me interested. This is a really thoughtfully designed guitar.

There are SO many sounds possible with the combination of individual tones and volumes, the treble bleed circuit that makes the volume control more usable, and the coil splitting. I especially like the neck single coil sound: it sounds very convincingly classic and fendery.

Otherwise, these humbuckers offer a really addictive and unique fatness and clarity, especially nice on a clean or lightly gritty amp. 3: the neck The neck is SO comfortable. The fairly thin profile, natural feeing satin finish, and super rolled fretboard edges add up to an effortless playing experience.

I though the neck on my American performer tele was impressive, but this is on another level. The only comparable neck I have ever played is my 1999 fender American deluxe strat. It should be noted that I DID have to set it up, as the action in the store was fairly high.

I was pleased to find out that, apart from the usual fender quirk of slightly choke-y e string bends, the neck set up perfectly with very low action and no audible buzz. Overall, I felt I had to grab this guitar, because its sound and feel really set it apart.

This guitar as every bit as good as any $1000 & up guitar, as far as fit and finish. The bridge is better than a fender. no pot metal, no press marks, thick heavy steel and shiny chrome. My original plan was to change the neck, but no need.

It is just about perfect. All the fret ends are rounded and polished, no sprout or buzz anywhere. edge of fret board is sanded perfectly, finish has a beautiful tint to it. It is actually very close to my Les Paul slim taper neck.

Very thin all the way down the neck. a profile which I love. I changed the tuners to Gotoh vintage style, the originals were just “OK”. Neck pickup has a nice traditional Tele sound, but the bridge pickup sounds pretty thin.

No “Oomph” I will be switching the pickups out to La Breas, as well as the control panel pots to fender. Guitar has a great weight to it. Feels very solid. Very good guitar stock, but I want mine to go to 11.

Beautiful guitar, highly recommend for any level player. You will not be disappointed.

So, I received my cv 70’ssquier tele thinline as an early Christmas gift from my wife, and for just a hair under $500, this is a monster of a guitar. The neck, despite a poly finish, is fast and slick and your hands won’t stick to it.

There were not fret spouts and no adjustments were needed. The pickups are powerful, yet very clean and makes it perfect to run effects through. The semi hollow body is much and light, and the guitar is not really that neck heavy.

It’s just a joy to play. It’s now replacing my Nashville tele as my number one guitar. In fact, I loved it so much, I went out the following week and bought a second one. Don’t let the name on the headstock fool you.

This is equal to a (mim) fender, and is just a great value overall.

I have played for 50 years. Have owned and traded all kinds of expensive Fender, GIbson, PRS, and boutique brands. All lovely guitars. Thought I would try a Pawn Shop weirdo a few years back and got a HH Strat made in Japan.

Incredible. So I ventured further and got this HH Tele in natural. I can’t say enough about how good it looks, sounds and plays. No string buzzing issues for me. Feels like the frets are rolled beautifully on the fretboard sides.

Stands up really well to instruments 5x the price.

1 month review with guitar being setup professionally: Great pickups and tone and overall good sounding guitar after a proper setup, gorgeous nitro finish and paintjob. Relic effects are beautiful. The nitro finish feels thin enough for you to eventually make your own marks from repeated playing – a perfect way to tell a story and give the guitar character.

Worn in neck feels amazing to play and not sticky to touch. Worth noting that the Pure Vintage 59 pickups on these don’t have a reverse-wound middle pick, so there will be hum including positions 2 and 4.

If you are easily annoyed with single coil hum, these pickups might not be for you. Also worth noting that these pickups do sound a bit warmer than a stock Fender Player pickups. These respond so MUCH better to high gain type of playing, all while still sounding amazing on low-gain and clean playing.

Despite the pros, there are still some areas are lacking and needs improvement. The guitar had razor sharp frets along the binding that could easily cut you, meanwhile I have a $700 MIM fender player didn’t have this problem straight out of the box.

It’s crazy to think that $700 guitar went through better QA than a $1200 guitar, but whatever, the frets are bound to be polished and worked on anyway with your initial setup regardless. CME’s shipping page policies say “Every guitar gets a full inspection, as well as basic setup.

” Guitar came with an inspection card that had overall playability specs checked but some of it was questionable. The guitar was not playable at all out of the box despite letting it acclimate for over a day before opening BUT that is a given considering it spent time in a delivery truck trunk in freezing winter.

However, it was a bit bogus how they even checked off volume output when the pickups were NOWEHERE near the appropriate height out of the box and there was BARELY any audible output on the treble side of the guitar.

I highly doubt weather and temperature fluctuation will make the pickup screws spin by themselves to the degree at which the pickups came out of the box. Secondly, the tremolo springs at the back also weren’t ******* in the appropriate depth for a either a floating or flushed trem setup – it was just sort of in the middle of the cavity.

Weather fluctuation from their shop and may have affected string tension, but I also don’t think it would make the claw springs in the back unscrew themselves to the degree the guitar came. Makes me wonder how thorough the inspection was.

These might not matter as much to some especially those who will get their new guitars setup anyway, but it’s good to note that you may still need to budget for a setup if you aren’t doing it yourself.

Although there could’ve been improvements on Fender and CME’s part that I don’t think could be blamed on external factors such as weather and climate fluctuations, overall, I would still 100% recommend this guitar, and it’s a gem.

The guitar played well after a proper setup, so I’m happy with it now. The price may be too expensive for some considering it’s not made in USA, but it must be considered that this is the cheapest proper nitro-finish guitar you will currently find.

The next best thing are Fender custom shop, so this guitar is perfect for those looking to enjoy vintage style paint/nitro body finish, and vintage specs without paying custom shop prices. The appearances are just a plus, since they sound and play amazing after a proper set up.

This is not the only guitar I own. I wouldn’t recommend this as a first guitar to find out if a guitar is the right instrument for anyone going through some discovery phase or something. I don’t like that the bridge that comes stock feels as though it is made of plastic.

I am going to modify that out with a hard tail chrome bridge myself. Long story but I don’t like the feel of the original one. It feels “cheap. ” The brass bridge saddles I LIKE. Maybe that’s what the description implies by calling it a “compensated” bridge??? Not sure.

Otherwise, the Noventa is unique. You might need to adjust the height of the pickup. The one on mine, I feel, needs to be raised a little. I like the overall idea of the simplicity of it. Paired with a similarly simple Supro amp with just a volume control and nothing more might be an excellent set up for adding fx.

(For the record, you have to turn those amps full right to get any pure growl from it (which of course could be problematic if you don’t live alone in a house because that can get pretty uncomfortably loud.

) Okay. So I like the brass saddles that maybe compensate for the cheap tailpiece “housing. ” The neck on the one I received is perfect shape wise, with neither any belly or bow to it. The frets need to be sanded down along the edges on mine though as that can go.

Very rough there. However it was otherwise beautifully, expertly set up as far as the intonation goes. Nearly perfect when not tonally perfect at each and every fret. I LOVE that. So I didn’t give a full five stars, pretty much solely because of the problem I have personally with the inferior quality of the bridge, not including the brass saddles.

The saddles I like a LOT. It is definitely worth the money even though there will be additional costs naturally to modify it mire to my liking. I might go so far as to replace the pickup, so long as it is the soap bar type.

Maybe one from a Jaguar. Not sure yet. It’s a keeper though.

I purchased an Ed O’Brien Fender Stratocaster along with this strap (the strap is awesome, I love it) but the professionalism of purchasing through Chicago Music Exchange has declined atrociously in recent years.

I purchased the Fender and Strap online and was assisted by two different customer service representatives, Scott and Tanner. I asked for them to take some pictures of the guitar I was interested in purchasing- it was a brand new floor model.

Upon receiving the pictures, it looked as though the spacing of the strings at the nut were shifted to be off center, making it appear as though the high-e was much closer to the edge of the fretboard than the low-e.

I expressed to Scott, “Why does this appear the way it does?” And specifically explained in detail the issue I saw in the photos. He reassured me that it was a “camera angle issue” and that their techs had gone over the guitar and it was something they would have caught and assured me if something were wrong that I could return the guitar.

I trusted Scott and CME’s techs professionalism and elected to purchase the guitar. Upon receipt of the instrument, my suspicions were immediately confirmed. The nut spacing had a manufacturers defect and was completely off center.

Anyone with reasonably decent eyesight and (albeit not needed) a tape measure could see something is off on this guitar. My excitement for a new instrument shifted to a disheartened and distrustful energy.

Regardless, I tuned up the guitar and played for less than 90 seconds with the high-e rolling off the edge of the fretboard when playing scales and chords. I re-packed the guitar back into the box not even an hour after accepting it from UPS.

It played worse than some $100 Squier’s I’ve handled in the past. I called, emailed, and “online chatted” with support and expressed my disappointment in their misleading guidance of this sale. Tanner, the rep I was speaking with, told me he played the very same guitar and it played just fine before it left their shop.

He said if I wanted to return it I could, but another option was they would pay for a technician to take a look at it and fix whatever issue I was having if there was one because sometimes set ups “come undone” in shipping.

There was no way I was keeping this thing. I informed Tanner that I would be returning the instrument and supplied photos of the nut of numerous other Fender Ed O’Brien strats, and then sent a photo of the nut on the guitar they sent me so he could see for himself the comparison.

The error was starkly clear. Tanner admitted to me that there was certainly an issue with nut spacing and it was something that everyone should have caught at CME- their techs, the two salespeople who handled my order, etc.

I took the guitar back to UPS the same day and sent it off with no regret, but much relief to have it out of my possession. Here are my qualms with what possibly occurred. 1: Either I was considered novice in my purchase and CME tried to pull a fast one on me, thinking I wouldn’t catch this (even though I caught it in photo’s and was told it was just the camera angle after expressing concern) aka- they are flat out liars and will do anything for a sale.

2: No one actually took the time to inspect the guitar and they treated the order without detail and negligently just shipped it out, hoping I wouldn’t send it back. Or my biggest suspicion- 3: The sales people and technicians at Chicago Music Exchange are novice themselves in their profession and don’t really know what they are doing.

Tanner- if you played that guitar and thought it played just fine, you haven’t had much experience, bud. Regardless, this purchase process took over $1300 from my bank account for over a week after I expressed my concerns and CME admitted they dropped the ball.

I lost opportunity to purchase a suitable replacement because of funds being tied up in this purchase/waiting for a refund to be processed. I was once a manager and top salesperson for Guitar Center in the guitar department years ago.

I treated my clients with respect and honesty, which is what made me a lead salesman. I had thousands of guitars come through my hands for set up and tune up. I am an everyday playing musician. Fortunately due to my experience, this was a no brainer for me- this guitar had something wrong with it.

The people I feel bad for are the players or purchasers who do not have the same level of knowledge or experience as myself and would be none the wiser to these issues and wind up purchasing a problem guitar that needs servicing straight from the manufacturer.

Needless to say, Chicago Music Exchange has gained an anti-customer at this point of our business relationship and I will direct other musicians to avoid them. There are many other options out there where this nonsense would not occur.

The only positive of this entire situation was their return policy, but it was a manufacturers defect on a brand new guit.

Pros: Affordable, well built, and beautiful guitar. It’s low end and rhythm versatility cannot be beat, even in more expensive guitars. This guitar can play basically any style exceptionally well. You can go from playing Goo Goo Dolls to Disturbed in an instant and it sound like you’re playing two different guitars.

Con: The high notes are the only time you can tell it’s a cheaper guitar. Basically frets 12-20 do not sound all that great unless you’re playing jazz or country lead. If you are wanting to shred and sweep all the way up the feet board and max gain/distortion, this guitar is simply not going to sound good.

But hey, it’s a hollow body sooo what would you expect.

For the love of all that is good and decent, don’t deny yourself the pleasure of getting this guitar. I got the AF-75 Red Sunburst and it is AMAZING. I’ve read some reviews that complain about the pick-ups, in that case you can always upgrade, but I am happy just the way they are.

Plenty of pedals and other effects can really maximize the sound. The craftsmanship is excellent, it is just so much fun to play. Even my wife had to give her a nickname “the mistress” because it can be very addictive hanging out with such a great instrument.

Some people said it best, beware of the floating bridge, if you’re careful changing the strings, you won’t have a problem. Also it is a good idea to use some non-abrasive “markers” such as post-it around the corners of the bridge so you won’t miss the place it should be when you re-string.

If you move the bridge from where it is supposed to be, your whole intonation will go south, very fast. In my case just had to adjust the action a little bit, and it fixed the problem. I’ve read about “fret buzz” — it still has a bit of that, but only when I get very spirited with it, but it does not come out of the amp, so it is not a big deal for me.

The guitar is plenty loud if you want to play it unplugged, but it will definitely come to life when you plug her in. I can hear a very distinctive difference between the bridge and the neck pick-ups, and any little adjustments will create a very wide range of tonalities.

— each pick up has its own volume and tone, so you can really get a big range to explore what she has to offer. The guitar is light, but for some it might feel a bit “big” especially if you’re used to place smaller body guitars such a stratocaster, but overall it is very comfortable (at least to me).

The guitar does not come with a case, but for this price I got the exact recommended case (you can see my other review), and it fits perfectly without breaking the bank. get yourself one, you won’t be disappointed!.

Overall: I just got this 3/27/2018, after my Gretsch Streamliner was stolen by a FedEx driver a week earlier and marked it as it was delivered and it was not. but when I followed up a couple days later.

I was told by a zZounds customer service rep, that the driver told them he had lost it? So I bought this Ibanez and it is indeed blemished at the neck pocket, just a hair line crack in the finish not the support foundation.

the guitar has a very nice acoustic tone and the pickups sound good as well. I recommend prepping the neck nut and the intonation bridge or your strings will not slide smoothly and will hang up and you will be out of tune.

the electronics meaning the volume/tone, Input jack and 3way toggle are very cheap but work with a little noise when turning the controls. being in the wholesale / retail business zZounds is paying less than half what it is being sold for in most cases.

buy it blemished and save a few dollars. it is a good instrument, plays well and sounds good and I will take it to my next Jazz gig.

Single P90 non-cutaway Godin Kingpin cognac burst. To start out, this is a pressed 3 ply laminated body and neck is made of 3 pieces. The description makes no mention of laminate or multiple pieces. It’s basically a clone of a 50’s Kay archtop in sound and construction.

Body is very light and thinner than an average acoustic. The thin neck plays phenomenally well. It’s not very loud unplugged even compared to an actual 1950’s laminated archtop. Sounds nice though. Electronics sound great and have that warm tone just about any jazz / blues player is going for.

I am in a love-hate relationship with it due to how great it plays/sounds, but devastated by the lack of attention to workmanship. It pains me to say this, but this box has some of the most p*ss poor fretwork I’ve seen.

I’m not sure why they leave the factory this way, but apparently 11 different QC’s signed off on mine going by the hang tag, so this must be normal. The frets are rough shaped and most are flat on top from being shaped with a radius block.

There was no final polishing or dressing done causing the strings to feel gritty if just slightly bent. Only the ends have been buffed and they were so overly done that they are rounded off. I’m totally baffled at how this is acceptable.

The worse part is an annoying buzz from the E and A strings from the 3rd to 8th frets if finger picked or even hit a little hard with a flat pick. Only raising the bridge back to the ridiculously high factory setting cures the buzz.

Different strings made no difference. Loosening the truss rod to allow a slight ramp made no difference. The finish is decent though it has a few areas of light orange peeling. Not sure what “custom polished finish” is supposed to mean.

Nothing fancy about it. I know I should just send it back for a refund, but I want to tear it down and correct all the issues because this box has a lot of potential. Going to write it off as a lesson learned.

Would be well worth the price with proper fretwork.

Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin Acoustic/Electric guitar. Sound: Solid wood cherry guitar. it has a tight sound, similar to mahogany or maple. The body is smaller (3″ vs. 4″ wide) on a normal acoustic. Also, f holes vs the traditional round.

It is not as loud, but still acceptable. Tone is subjective, although rosewood is considerably better; mahogany is slightly. I considered removing the pick guard because it blocks out approx. 1/3 of the right side f hole, but I haven’t done that yet.

When plugged in, the single coil P90 sounds right, but it is an electric sound similar to my Gibson SG Classic. Because it uses heavier strings, bending becomes difficult. Overall, the sound quality is fair/good.

The guitar looks good and the cogniac color is better than I expected. The headstock is really great and it has a unique look. The bridge is movable (not fixed) which makes changing the strings a challenge.

I recommend using a yardstick which gives the approximate distance needed (12 1/2″) from the 12th fret to the center of the body. Also, I had to lower the bridge (similar to a Gibson) to get the action I was looking for.

I changed the strings to Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 bronze (10/47). these are acoustic strings, but they performed well plugged in. The tailpiece makes it harder to string and I do not recommend this guitar for beginners.

The strings tend to “pop out” which can be corrected with a piece of tape (I used scotch). Start with the low and high E strings first. After being stringed up, take a look at the bridge and see if it lines up on the pickup.

Also, you may have to adjust the angle for correct intonation. THIS IS A HARD GUITAR TO SET UP RIGHT AND SEVERAL VIDEOS RECOMMEND HAVING IT DONE PROFESSIONALLY. I recommend viewing the demo video online.

The guitar has it’s own sound that beats the single cutaway model in tone. One video appraised this guitar as being worth less than it goes for.

After looking for months for an electric acoustic, I happened upon the Kingpin. I wanted the wider neck for fingerpicking style jazz and blues. I primarily use the neck PU on my Am Std Strat and Tele so I opted for this single PU model.

The P90 surprised me, though a simple PU, I can get tones from chicken-pickin’ to smooth jazz to a very aggressive bite. The P90 has a “Clear as a bell” chime but is different than the Strat or Tele, though can have the bite of a Tele.

Both my Strat and Tele have custom necks, which weren’t cheap, but the stock neck on the Kingpin is actually more playable with less hand and wrist fatigue. The guitar came with very good setup out of the box, I changed the strings to.

11. The floating bridge takes minor getting use to when changing strings. I may have the frets smoothed but I’ve gotten used to the thinner frets. Also, thinner frets have less sustain, which I like for fingerpicking since the notes do not run together w/o excessive note muting.

Looking for a case, I have found that the SKB deluxe dreadnought is a near perfect fit. Measure the guitar and check against the specs on the desired case.

Overall: I had a Broadway in the past and sold it. I had regretted it every since and was going to purchase a new one. The Broadway’s have been back ordered for several months and no guarantee on when they will come in so I have really been looking at the Emperor ll and after researching came to the conclusion I thought might be a better guitar.

I know the humbuckers would be a little brasier but was willing to try it. I must say this came in the other day and was set up perfect. I did not need to make any adjustments what’s so ever. after I plugged it in I realized what a great sounding and feeling guitar this is.

I am so glad I took a chance on it now instead of waiting on the Broadway. these chords really ring out and I like having the option of split coil if I want them. The beautiful Maple finish on this guitar is exceptional and is a real beaut! bottom line is I had a Broadway so I know what to expect from it and this guitar has it beat!.

Overall: Very well made, great sounding guitar. If you want a deep hollow body electric it fits the bill perfectly and at a reasonable price. The body’s not as deep as on the gibson super 400 or L5 designs that inspired it, but it has a very well rounded, deep body guitar sound.

You may want to consider these jazz style guitars feed back even moderate volume levels, so if you play loud rock you may want to try one out in-person first. The tuners are top quality. Fit and finish in general are excellent.

Epiphone improved all the electronics on their mid-priced electric guitars after around 2005 so now the quality’s basically advanced amateur to professional level. It’s an all-laminate construction guitar, but then so are the gibson es-335 and es-175.

The full Epiphone warranty’s a plus if you come across any glitches. The only reason i don’t rate it even higher’s there are so many well-made guitars of this design and at this price point out there now to choose from.

You should try to play a guitar model in-person to see if it suits your comfort level and playing style before you buy it on-line.

I rated it 4 stars, because in the pantheon of available guitars it is not perfect; but it is definitely 5 stars with respect to value. This is a very nice instrument for the money, with very suitable intonation over the entire neck.

It sounds great, plays great, looks great, and the set-up suited my playing style out-of-the-box. I got the Natural version, and it is an understated beauty. I don’t know if it will hold up like my more expensive guitars (some of which play wonderfully even after 50 years ) but I cannot find any faults in the craftsmanship.

This is a fine instrument for the money and I can’t offer any reasonable complaints or criticisms, except that the pickups might be slightly less bright and a bit more muddy than I’d like – which I can easily handle with an equalizer and/or amp/preamp settings.

(I admit that my evaluation of the sound of this instrument is purely a matter of opinion, since one man’s sonic nirvana is another man’s anathema). I definitely recommend it for someone who wants a basic guitar suitable for jazz, blues, and light rock, especially if you play fingerstyle – it also responds well to a pick, but IMHO I think it is particularly suited to fingerstyle.

Love the satin finish and the rosewood fretboard was beautiful once I put enough oil onto it. *really dry. Fretwork was rough at best, my MIMs and Squires were better out of the box. The fret edges caught my hand on both sides plus I could see scratches on the frets 7 – 12, really rough on bends.

The action was high, but neck relief was good. I’ll change the strings soon and file/roll the fret ends as well as deeply polish the frets. Plays nicely and I can see this becoming one of my top three to pull down from the hanger and play.

While the setup was sub-par, the electronics were well done – great pups and pots.

As a Fender guy, I can’t recommend the Nashville Deluxe Tele more. It pairs perfectly with my American Pro Strat with Shawbuckers. Pros -The flat, 12” fretboard radius is very comfortable -The noiseless pups offer signature Fender tone with humbucker level noise -Locking tuners are a great feature to come stock on this model -The block saddles offer an immense amount of sustain -The guitar was ready to play out of the box.

I lowered the action a bit to personal preference but it played great from the time I pulled it from the box Ultimately, this feels like a premium Telecaster and wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from this compared to an American model.

The tone and playability is on the same level. Kudos to AMS for quick shipping and flexible payment plans. As a gear head, this was surprisingly my first time ordering from this site as I generally order from other dealers out of habit.

AMS has won a new customer over with quality service and availability.

I’m age 67 and retired. I have played acoustic guitars since age 10 and had absolutely no experience with electric guitars. Got bored over the winter and decided I wanted an electric. Since I’ve become used to good high end guitars I wanted good quality without over spending.

Color is a personal thing. I chose the white. It’s very good looking. Back to the important stuff. It took a while but I am enjoying this tele immensely. I got online and looked at basic adjustments and tweaked the action and intonation a little.

It’s just simply easy and fun to play and the quality overall is really good. Simply no complaints or regrets. I do play with friends but we are an acoustic group. This tele is just for my personal enjoyment.

I chose the Fender Champion 40 amp for a starter and it served it’s purpose well. Since I know I will stick with this guitar I do want to upgrade to a tube amp to bring out more of what this guitar can sound like.

Keep in mind that I am new to electrics, but my 5 star rating is based on not just what I’ve mentioned but the exceptional value that I think this guitar is.

I have always been a Tele fan when it comes to electrics and who can resist a good Nashville for utility. I am primarily an acoustic guy and it’s nice to be able to cut down on the number of electrics by having something as versatile as a Nashville.

Still got that beloved Tele twang but soooo much more! Unlike my other MIM Tele the fit and finish here are top shelf. No problems whatsoever with the neck or frets. The blonde finish was applied a bit thick on this one but the tone doesn’t appear to have been affected adversely.

The star here is the noiseless pickups. I typically like to customize all my gear. Since I planned on this being my workhorse I had already started planning mods starting with the pickups. After playing this thing, fagetaboudit!!! Yeah they kill any hum but the tone.

It would be foolhardy to replace these. Guess I could always put em back in later but I am also a big proponent of not messin with something that works well. I will probably be playing this Tele for a long time.

Great job on the pickups Fender.

This is my second Nashville Tele. 1st one was bought back in 2006 and has been a favorite of mine that has undergone upgrades and mods. Build is super clean, frets and neck are great. The noiseless pickups aren’t that noiseless, but I do like them.

They have more character and a bit more warmth than the v-mods on my AM Pro Teles. Snappy and articulate but not brittle and thin. The middle p/u and 5 way are fantastic. Having that really makes these Teles so much more flexible than a standard 2 p/u Tele.

Locking tuners and bridge are just fine. And the Fiesta Red actually looks way better in person. Don’t really have an opinion yet on the pao ferro figerboard. Looks good and feels good though. This would be my 4th MIM Fender and I think they are good guitars at a good price.

When I bought this guitar, I thought it was just another nice guitar. How wrong I was. I literally cannot put this guitar down. The action is lovely and low and easy. The neck shape just fits my hand beautifully.

The extra Strat pickup gives it so many versatile tones that it fills just about all my requirements. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this guitar to anyone who plays. I certainly have no regrets (though my wife my question it).

I’m not employed by Fender, have many terrific guitars from Gibson, Fender, Martin – most US, some Fender made in Mexico which are nice playing, quality instruments. They all need their tweaks here and there to get to your personal level of playability and satisfaction.

As for Telecasters, currently have 3 including this new one in Miami Blue (we’ll get to that in a moment) and this is hands down, the absolute best Telecaster I’ve ever played or owned. It is SO comfortable – out of the case (which is a new style and impressive on its own merit) was flawless.

Put a strap on, tuned and felt something odd – nice lightweight alder, it felt different, smaller, more comfortable. it’s the same size of course but the edges of the body are more rounded than the typical hard flat Tele body I’ve been familiar with for so long.

The neck heel is contoured, the fretboard edges are rolled and fret wire are like butter! Pickups and push button which activates both pickups in series make the tone range so wide. Very impressed to say the least.

Now, the Miami blue shown in stock photos here and elsewhere looks much lighter and brighter than in person. The actual color is darker with a greenish tint to it. Either way, the guitar is not going anywhere but would like you to be aware and search for pics on Google until you see or have a grasp of what the range of photos capture.

It’s not a traditional Fender color but looks fantastic – I know you will not be disappointed.

There’s no such thing as a perfect guitar and because of that I don’t like to give 5 stars in any review but this Telecaster is exceptional. I own 20+ guitars including high end Strats, Les Paul customs, a Lucille and an outstanding USA made vintage Gretsch.

I love all those instruments but this Telecaster is something special. It’s the most versatile guitar I own. This Telecaster can play as sweet or as nasty twangy as you want. It can do any genre with style.

This telecaster is the only instrument I’ve ever owned that didn’t need any adjustment after purchase. It came out of the box in absolutely perfect intonation. There were No sharp fret ends like on cheaper models and the action was perfect.

I couldn’t find any imperfections anywhere. The neck is smooth as butter, slick and fast, very nice. The V-Mod pickups are outstanding, with all the punch you would ever need. I also like the angle molded heel cut where the neck meets the body.

All I did was put on a new set of Fender Bullet 9-42s and she was ready to go. I can’t recommend this guitar highly enough if you need or want an exceptional Telecaster. I’ve played virtually all the other models and brands of the Tele and while some of those were excellent guitars, some were cheaper, some more expensive but none were as good as this version of the Telecaster in my opinion.

It’s just an outstanding guitar. I’m thinking about buying another one for my son because he won’t leave mine alone. You need to play it through a good tube amp to get the most out of it but it still sounds great out of lesser amps like say a Fender Champion 100.

I use a tube screamer pedal and a vintage tube Fender Reverb and vintage Gibson tube Dual medalist amps mostly. This Tele still sounds very good even when using some of my digital practice amps. I can’t find anything wrong with this guitar.

I just wish that I had found it sooner.

Fender hit it out of the park with it’s Am Pro II series. I recently bought the Miami Blue Telecaster and am thrilled to have a guitar this nice for $1,500. I don’t generally throw down on mid-priced Fender’s, preferring instead to save up my nickels until I can afford a Telecaster at the $2K+ level.

But there are simply too many higher-end features on the new Am Pro II to be overlooked. The finish concocted for Miami Blue must be very similar to the recipe used for “Taos Turquoise”, my all-time favorite Fender color.

Surprisingly, Fender doesn’t bust many guitars out in Taos Turquoise, a color seemingly reserved for Custom Shop offerings. The “Deep C” profiled neck is just right for most players, and the noiseless pickups seem to have a bit more horsepower than the typically thin-sounding iterations that have accompanied the Am Pro in the past.

In my pre-purchase research on the guitar, some reviewers have gone out on a limb in stating that swamp ash is the best tonewood to use in the making of a Telecaster but because of a shortage in that wood, Fender has opted to craft its Am Pro II lineup from roasted pine and that roasted pine is a step down from swamp ash.

Yes, Fender made a “green” business decision in going with roasted pine, but pine is far from being inferior to swamp ash and, in truth, is an excellent tonewood. Yes, it is softer and thus more prone to dings and dents, but that’s not how tonewoods are selected.

Further, the Miami Blue Am Pro option is comprised of alder, a tonewood that Fender has a long history of using, with great success. There’s a good number of high-end boutique builders that use pine, unless otherwise specified by the client.

These builders choose pine because of its tonal qualities and relatively light weight. So, to all Fender buyers out there who have even a single concern over Fender’s new decision to use pine, don’t.

Most vintage Telecasters and Strats are made from pine and these are the guitars most coveted by collectors and players alike. In short, I believe the new American Professional II has everything a guitar should have for $1,500.

It sounds and plays as well as guitars costing thousands more. For anyone in the market for a new guitar that covers a lot ground at the $1,500 price point, I recommend taking the Am Pro II Telecaster for a test drive.

It’s doubtful that you’ll find anything that even remotely compares to this guitar, offered at this price point.

I really like everything about this AG75. I was pleasantly surprised. The pickups are very sensitive and responsive, over the full aural range, and with utmost clarity. The slim D neck and finely finished fretboard affords comfort with low and fast action! The overall body integrity is impressive with attention to detail.

I have been playing it exclusively for three weeks, and like a good book, it’s hard to put down! Makes hours of otherwise monotonous practice FUN and enjoyable again! Just a slight problem with “honking,” but it was very easy to adjust it away with the pickup height adjusters.

I prefer this over my other two Ibanez Artcore AF types, and they are fine as well. My highest recommendation, especially if you can buy it for under $500. 00, total! Sounds and plays like a $2-Grand Gibson when set up and intonated properly.

I own 20+ electric guitars but this is my first Telecaster. I saw CME’s video and discovered these were CME’s exclusives, made with Ebony fretboards. I have a Strat Ultra from early 90s with Ebony fretboard which plays amazingly and has not worn after all these years.

Upon playing the Tele Ultra, the guitar contour fit comfortably and the compound radius neck seemed intuitive to my grip and positioning. The pups were strong yet quiet and the satin feel of the back of the neck really felt smooth.

I’ll need more time getting used to playing it but so far, well made with top materials. Only con is that the anodized pickguard has a rough surface texture and my picking style with my ring and pinky fingers anchored for picking on the pickguard scratched the rough surface like dragging my fingernails across a chalkboard, not a pleasant feeling.

I have to clip those fingernails short and lose 2 more picking tools or change my picking style 😉 These are beautiful guitars, the tone, the ease of play, Mystic Pine sparkle, gold Fender logo, came with a great set up in a super fitted deluxe hard case, this is an amazing guitar, I love it! Thank you Kyle, CME, and awesome staff!.

I bought this in order to not duplicate what I left behind during a 3000 mile move last month, after doing enough research to learn that an Esquire is significantly different from a Telecaster. Indeed, this guitars sounds quite different, and in my view can stand in for a Gretsch but with better feel.

The chunky neck is vintage and not 70’s style as some have stated. I have tiny hands so was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it feels up and down the neck. Not slippery at all either. The natural finish is darker than in the photos, but it’s still nice to see pine grain.

Heavier shellac than I expected, but it sounds great. Not as much tonal range as other Fenders, but I didn’t buy it for that. I’m going to try all-nickel strings when I get it set up, for an even more vintage sound, but it’s great with the Fender nickel plated steel strings.

I have wanted a semi hollow guitar for a really long time, and within the last couple of years, I’ve been wanting a tele. I love the color, and combo overall. It’s my first guitar that the fretboard is part of the neck (never really looked at Fenders that closely).

Satin neck is pretty nice too. The profile is thicker than what I’m use to, but not so thick that it’s uncomfortable. I have small hands, so that was a concern. I’ve never really cared for string trees, but the locking tuners make that less of an issue for me.

I’ve had the guitar for less than 2 months. For the price, I wasn’t expecting the fret sprout, but I know it can be taken care of fairly easily. It plays nicely outside of the frets needing attention.

Gig bag is nice and padded. I love having string through body. It’s what all but maybe 3 or 4 of my electrics have had on them. Just know it will need a setup when you get it. I don’t have any major complaints.

There was a piece of paper inside the sound hole that got missed at the factory, and the finish isn’t perfect. I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be. It’s close enough not to be a problem. It’s my first Fender, but likely won’t be my last after this experience.

I may change the bridge to a babicz at some point, but I really want to get to know this thing before I do. I know there are lots of people who may look down on where something is made, but I am not disappointed by this thing.

My first guitar years ago was a classic early 70s American Tele which I needed to sell to help pay for school. Years later, I’m back to gigging regularly and I have plenty of guitars that play reliably on stage, but I never found something that replaced my first guitar and I’ve had a telecaster shaped hole in my life for 20 years.

I decided to rectify this a week ago. I can afford anything at this point and thought for sure I’d come home with an American Tele Deluxe with Shawbuckers, but spent half a day at our local Mom and Pop guitar store playing every configuration of telecaster.

I’m here to tell you, this is the one. As I suspected, you want the maple fret board on a telecaster. For a guitar that excels at spitting out sharp percussive twangy notes, the harder maple fretboard just works so much better than rosewood.

Also as I suspected the thinline body adds so much with subtle overtones and resonance — this is a guitar with a distinctive punchy twang but a fullness that is lacking in solid body telecasters. I’ve only played this with the entire band once, but this guitar has a sound that is unique and stands out in the mix.

The big surprise though is the “noiseless” pick up system which does not seem to be widely available on the American Tele Deluxes, in favor of the Shawbucker set up. This is what ultimately sold me. The noiseless pick ups just have so much more percussive, twangy personality than the more typical humbuckers.

I like playing a guitar that sounds like the guitar and not the pedal chain I’m playing and this guitar sounds more like a telecaster than any other telecaster I’ve played. And It sounds amazing through every overdrive pedal I’ve got which just brings out more of its distinctive sound.

Yeah, I’m a little sheepish about the “made in Mexico” on the back, but I have to be honest and say I could tell zero difference in playability between the American and Mexican guitars I played, so get over it already.

I am Worship leader and I own 3 Telecasters. I have a 32 year old American Custom Deluxe. , I have a 2019 Elite American Tele. NOW i own this one. and Honestly this is my go to Guitar now. this Guitar sounds Awesome and Plays really good.

Don’t let the MIM turn you away, I had to Adjust a few things when i got it in but nothing crazy.

Sound: Sound quality is great, just not a single coil guy, I’m used to my Les Paul and my HSS Strat. Ease of Use: Nothing wrong with the playability. Quality: Tele came scratched up in a few places. Cosmetic wear off the bat.

Value: Def not worth the price. Buying a used scratched up guitar and paying the price of a new one, doesn’t sound like a great deal to me. The Wow Factor: The guitar is great, it’s more of zZounds being the problem.

Overall: Got the Tele, came scratched up in a few places and also came with the wrong pick guard. Instead of the creamy white pick guard, it came with a black pick guard. Not a big deal but at least don’t advertise the wrong pick guard.

This was the 2nd guitar that came scratched. Also got a Gibson Les Paul, didn’t really make a big deal out of it but after the 2nd guitar coming in scratched, gonna have to take my business elsewhere.

The bridge pickup springs were too short on my brand new guitar. Quality control allowed. 500 inch long rubber springs when they should be. 688 inch long according to Fender support. The pickup was loose and protruding from the bridge too far.

I was forced to remove the bridge in order to access the pickup. Nearest dealer is over an hour away. Support is trying to get me proper length springs from the factory floor so I can replace them myself.

I’m disgusted about this. They should be able to send me a new pickup for this expensive guitar. They must have installed a noiseless pickup from a different model other than the Telecaster. Maybe from a Strat.

Otherwise the guitar is immaculate.