So, NAMM '13 ended since my last article, and lots of cool guitars came out of it! More so than last year, by far! But this year I started a new obsession: the Telecaster! A classic staple not only in Rock, but in the world of guitars. Usually, I'm a Les Paul (and similar-styled) kinda guy when it comes to guitars, and Strats have been cool and all, but the Tele is something that is just now catching my ear.
Seen (or rather heard) with hundreds of guitar heroes, such as Punk legend Joe Strummer or ZZ Top Bluesman Billy Gibbons, the signature "twang" and simplicity of the Telecaster has stood the test of time more than any electric guitar in history. In fact, the Fender Telecaster (originally know as the Broadcaster in its early days) was the first solid-body electric guitar! Leo Fender's (pictured above) design, with a solid hunk of Alder for a body and a bolted-on maple neck, was revolutionary to some and barbaric to others. The design caught on, however, and soon led to an arms-race of electric guitars that still runs today. Case-in-point, the NAMM show!
Telecasters are instantly recognizable in any mix, like its titanic rival, the Les Paul, or its sister-model, the Stratocaster. The bright twang and sharp attack have made it a Blues staple, and its simple design has inspired players to create interesting and new takes on it, even by many (if not most) rival-guitar brands.
Love it or hate it, the Telecaster is a true Rock N' Roll original, one that's been there from the beginning and will last till the end. I'm starting to really appreciate them for what they are, and I hope my readers will start taking note every time they hear one in a song!
