To Tele or to Asat

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brentona
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This is all a big maybe. IF I sell a guitar, I’d like to get a T-body. But the real question is this -
Do I try to find an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s), get the newer variant Fender is pushing now, or go to G&L.
Now the G&L allows a little more freedoms for me being a lefty. Then the question is, do I grab the MFD and slam the PUP Poles all the way down? Or Alnico for the more classic sound.
Coming back to guitar has me wanting to chase a different play style. I want some T-body honk!!


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LeftyLife
SamIV
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I owned both, preferred the G&L over the Fender but in the end preferred a Godin.
5C01C664-7EAE-4E46-AF4F-A72AB6BA7AF3.jpeg
Sorry, missed the Lefty part. Don’t know if the Godin was ever a available in a lefty.
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zisme
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i very much respect the struggle of the lefty when it comes to guitar selection. fortunately, it looks like you have a fair amount of options in either camp. I have no experience with G&L, but they certainly have their ardent supporters - i suspect you might get more bang for your buck there.

not to complicate things, but if you aren't strictly set on the traditional tele shape, i happen to think this a pretty droolworthy alernative

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golem
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The MFDs aren't for everybody. I've found some sounds I really liked from them but in the end, I mostly found I preferred more traditional pickups. G&Ls are great guitars. buy used if you can as the resell value sucks. Of course, the quality for the price I've found them used, they can't be beaten.
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nomadh
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Gearlist: My Gear:Electric
Gibson '13 studio dlx hsb
Gibson '79 flying V
Gibson '06 sg faded
Gibson '15 LP CM w gforce
Epiphone Casino coupe
Epiphone dot studio
Fender USA strat w mjt body _w Original body 81
Fender lead II
Firefly spalted 338
Squier affinity tele bsb
Squier strat std relic
Squier subsonic baritone
Agile al2500 albino
Agile al3001 hsb
Sx ash Ltd strat
Sx ash strat short scale
Sx ash tele
Sx callisto jr
Dean vendetta
Washburn firebird. Ps10
Johnson trans red strat
Johnson jazz box Vegas
Seville explorer
Inlaid tele
flametop bigsby tele wood inlaid neck
23

Acoustics
new Eastman acoustic
Sigma dm3 dread x2 (his and hers)
Fender 12 str
Ibanez exotic wood
Silvercreek rosewood 00
Ovation steel str
martin backpacker acoustic
Johnson dobro

brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm This is all a big maybe. IF I sell a guitar, I’d like to get a T-body. But the real question is this -
Do I try to find an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s), get the newer variant Fender is pushing now, or go to G&L.
Now the G&L allows a little more freedoms for me being a lefty. Then the question is, do I grab the MFD and slam the PUP Poles all the way down? Or Alnico for the more classic sound.
Coming back to guitar has me wanting to chase a different play style. I want some T-body honk!!


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SX contoured ash, baby. Plenty of money left to get your preferred pickups. Enough left to buy 4 sets and swap them around :)
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aullucci
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Never owned either but a G&L is, for me, the guitar I can't believe I didn't buy. Played one for a while in a shop one day and loved it and, since it was used, it was stupid cheap. I remember liking the heel/upper access on it better than most other T-styles I've played... It had kind of a funky scar on the back, and as a result it was marked down to like $225, and I bet there was room to run further. I always kick myself for not buying it.
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brentona
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nomadh wrote:
brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm This is all a big maybe. IF I sell a guitar, I’d like to get a T-body. But the real question is this -
Do I try to find an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s), get the newer variant Fender is pushing now, or go to G&L.
Now the G&L allows a little more freedoms for me being a lefty. Then the question is, do I grab the MFD and slam the PUP Poles all the way down? Or Alnico for the more classic sound.
Coming back to guitar has me wanting to chase a different play style. I want some T-body honk!!


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SX contoured ash, baby. Plenty of money left to get your preferred pickups. Enough left to buy 4 sets and swap them around :)
Interesting. Do you have first hand experience with these?

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fatjack
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Fellow Lefty here wish there were the ash SX telly around. I do have a taurus ii one piece ash natural body damn nice guitar . BUT i will admit no twang or honk in mine. I will sat Everyone that get a SX furrian the t type tends to think highly of them other that pups to suit and mayber new tuners your good to go for short money. One thing all tend to agree upon with SX the slightly thicker necks are very nice. The other brands I haven't played so I can't comment on. BTW always good to see another lefty here, we have a few
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brentona
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fatjack wrote:Fellow Lefty here wish there were the ash SX telly around. I do have a taurus ii one piece ash natural body damn nice guitar . BUT i will admit no twang or honk in mine. I will sat Everyone that get a SX furrian the t type tends to think highly of them other that pups to suit and mayber new tuners your good to go for short money. One thing all tend to agree upon with SX the slightly thicker necks are very nice. The other brands I haven't played so I can't comment on. BTW always good to see another lefty here, we have a few
Interesting! A lot has changed since I stopped playing guitar. I had never even heard of the SX guitars before. Definitely looking for a tele sound for sure and I'm spoiled on nice guitars. I'll have to read up on them to see how the frets and boards feel, like you said pups and tuners are easily changed. Thank you!

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LeftyLife
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brentona
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So I’m thinking I’m going to try to clean trade my Carvin for a US Tele. I appreciate everyone’s input! Worse come to worse, I still have a great playing Carvin! Just want to take my playing in a different direction at the moment!!


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LeftyLife
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mickey
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I have a few SX lefties.......
SST3.jpg
STL2.jpg

But of course my favorite SX is my GG7. :)
SX-GG7-TVJ.JPG
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nomadh
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Gearlist: My Gear:Electric
Gibson '13 studio dlx hsb
Gibson '79 flying V
Gibson '06 sg faded
Gibson '15 LP CM w gforce
Epiphone Casino coupe
Epiphone dot studio
Fender USA strat w mjt body _w Original body 81
Fender lead II
Firefly spalted 338
Squier affinity tele bsb
Squier strat std relic
Squier subsonic baritone
Agile al2500 albino
Agile al3001 hsb
Sx ash Ltd strat
Sx ash strat short scale
Sx ash tele
Sx callisto jr
Dean vendetta
Washburn firebird. Ps10
Johnson trans red strat
Johnson jazz box Vegas
Seville explorer
Inlaid tele
flametop bigsby tele wood inlaid neck
23

Acoustics
new Eastman acoustic
Sigma dm3 dread x2 (his and hers)
Fender 12 str
Ibanez exotic wood
Silvercreek rosewood 00
Ovation steel str
martin backpacker acoustic
Johnson dobro

brentona wrote: Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:01 pm
nomadh wrote:
brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm This is all a big maybe. IF I sell a guitar, I’d like to get a T-body. But the real question is this -
Do I try to find an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s), get the newer variant Fender is pushing now, or go to G&L.
Now the G&L allows a little more freedoms for me being a lefty. Then the question is, do I grab the MFD and slam the PUP Poles all the way down? Or Alnico for the more classic sound.
Coming back to guitar has me wanting to chase a different play style. I want some T-body honk!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
SX contoured ash, baby. Plenty of money left to get your preferred pickups. Enough left to buy 4 sets and swap them around :)
Interesting. Do you have first hand experience with these?

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Oh yea. And the thinline douglas was great too. The sx is very good. But not very traditional. Sort of untele. Flatter radius, comfy contour cuts and decent but not twangy pups. If you want very traditional go squier . I just dont k ow the asat
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toomanycats
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brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s),


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Do you mean an early 2000s Standard Tele MIM, or an early 2000s American Standard Tele? I ask because I own the former, a 2001, and it is an exemplary guitar still in original condition, with great ALNiCo pups, high quality wiring harness, alder body, vintage sized frets, and a great feeling neck.
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brentona
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toomanycats wrote:
brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s),


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Do you mean an early 2000s Standard Tele MIM, or an early 2000s American Standard Tele? I ask because I own the former, a 2001, and it is an exemplary guitar still in original condition, with great ALNiCo pups, high quality wiring harness, alder body, vintage sized frets, and a great feeling neck.
A US standard or even one of the newer American Pro line. Being a lefty I don’t see a ton of used options.
The reason I say those is because I’d like to find someone who would swap me one for my Carvin that I don’t play for any other reason than I want to take my playing to a more Tele dominant world.
I am in no way opposed to a MIM lefty, just that complicates the trade. Now if I can sell the Carvin, we’re talking a whole different ball game. Again though. That southpaw problem

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toomanycats
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brentona wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:54 pm
toomanycats wrote:
brentona wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:08 pm an older Standard Tele (early 2000’s),


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Do you mean an early 2000s Standard Tele MIM, or an early 2000s American Standard Tele? I ask because I own the former, a 2001, and it is an exemplary guitar still in original condition, with great ALNiCo pups, high quality wiring harness, alder body, vintage sized frets, and a great feeling neck.
A US standard or even one of the newer American Pro line. Being a lefty I don’t see a ton of used options.
The reason I say those is because I’d like to find someone who would swap me one for my Carvin that I don’t play for any other reason than I want to take my playing to a more Tele dominant world.
I am in no way opposed to a MIM lefty, just that complicates the trade. Now if I can sell the Carvin, we’re talking a whole different ball game. Again though. That southpaw problem

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I feel for you lefties, honestly I do. I try to imagine myself walking into a guitar store, pawn shop, what have you, and being limited to only left handed instruments. I rarely see a lefty at the places I frequent, or hardly ever for that matter. It makes me think what a godsend the process of buying guitars online must be for southpaws. Sure, you run the same risk as righties of buying a guitar without actually playing it, but the field of available instruments is vastly wider than it was in the old days.
“There are only two means of refuge from the miseries of life: Music and Cats!” Albert Schweitzer
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mickey
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toomanycats wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:09 pm
I feel for you lefties, honestly I do. I try to imagine myself walking into a guitar store, pawn shop, what have you, and being limited to only left handed instruments. I rarely see a lefty at the places I frequent, or hardly ever for that matter. It makes me think what a godsend the process of buying guitars online must be for southpaws. Sure, you run the same risk as righties of buying a guitar without actually playing it, but the field of available instruments is vastly wider than it was in the old days.
What you probably do not realize is that once a lefty gets a GREAT guitar, we almost never sell it!
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brentona
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toomanycats wrote:
brentona wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:54 pm
toomanycats wrote: Do you mean an early 2000s Standard Tele MIM, or an early 2000s American Standard Tele? I ask because I own the former, a 2001, and it is an exemplary guitar still in original condition, with great ALNiCo pups, high quality wiring harness, alder body, vintage sized frets, and a great feeling neck.
A US standard or even one of the newer American Pro line. Being a lefty I don’t see a ton of used options.
The reason I say those is because I’d like to find someone who would swap me one for my Carvin that I don’t play for any other reason than I want to take my playing to a more Tele dominant world.
I am in no way opposed to a MIM lefty, just that complicates the trade. Now if I can sell the Carvin, we’re talking a whole different ball game. Again though. That southpaw problem

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I feel for you lefties, honestly I do. I try to imagine myself walking into a guitar store, pawn shop, what have you, and being limited to only left handed instruments. I rarely see a lefty at the places I frequent, or hardly ever for that matter. It makes me think what a godsend the process of buying guitars online must be for southpaws. Sure, you run the same risk as righties of buying a guitar without actually playing it, but the field of available instruments is vastly wider than it was in the old days.
Just like you said! It’s much easier now!! Playing sight unseen is tricky but just something I’m accustomed to honestly. It’s rare you get to play before but, but MOST thing can be worked out or around on an instrument made of wood. I haven’t bought an instrument that was ever hopeless!!


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nomadh
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Gearlist: My Gear:Electric
Gibson '13 studio dlx hsb
Gibson '79 flying V
Gibson '06 sg faded
Gibson '15 LP CM w gforce
Epiphone Casino coupe
Epiphone dot studio
Fender USA strat w mjt body _w Original body 81
Fender lead II
Firefly spalted 338
Squier affinity tele bsb
Squier strat std relic
Squier subsonic baritone
Agile al2500 albino
Agile al3001 hsb
Sx ash Ltd strat
Sx ash strat short scale
Sx ash tele
Sx callisto jr
Dean vendetta
Washburn firebird. Ps10
Johnson trans red strat
Johnson jazz box Vegas
Seville explorer
Inlaid tele
flametop bigsby tele wood inlaid neck
23

Acoustics
new Eastman acoustic
Sigma dm3 dread x2 (his and hers)
Fender 12 str
Ibanez exotic wood
Silvercreek rosewood 00
Ovation steel str
martin backpacker acoustic
Johnson dobro

mickey wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:25 pm
toomanycats wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:09 pm
I feel for you lefties, honestly I do. I try to imagine myself walking into a guitar store, pawn shop, what have you, and being limited to only left handed instruments. I rarely see a lefty at the places I frequent, or hardly ever for that matter. It makes me think what a godsend the process of buying guitars online must be for southpaws. Sure, you run the same risk as righties of buying a guitar without actually playing it, but the field of available instruments is vastly wider than it was in the old days.
What you probably do not realize is that once a lefty gets a GREAT guitar, we almost never sell it!
I thought you were overstating this.

Then I saw [mention]tobijohn[/mention] collection. :)
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tobijohn
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nomadh wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:29 pm
Then I saw @tobijohn collection. :)
It's like the Tom Petty tune "Too Much Ain't Enough"...

Seriously, I've got literally over a wall full of lefty Telecaster style guitars of just about every make and that are from just about every country they were ever built in (including an MIA Tele as well as a G&L ASAT Classic). IMHO, if you want to cut to the chase and save a bunch of money over an MIA one, just grab a used Squier 50s Classic Vibe. It needs nothing, will give you what you want and can usually be found used for $250-$300 shipped without looking too hard at all...
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honyock
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Image
I will say that of all lefties I've had the one thing that I didn't like about my particular CV50s Squier lefty Tele was the weight. It was damn heavy, not just for a tele.

I think my favorite tele is a toss up between my SX Ash and my Agile TC. The Agile is much more traditional save the humbucker I installed in the neck slot. The SX skews more modern, with its bridge saddle arrangement and contours, though it also feels a bit like a butcher's block with such a thin finish on its pretty ash body.

I had a 2000 American series Fender. That hot rod red was gorgeous though I have less into my SX and Agile than I made in profit off the Fender. ImageImage
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tobijohn
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honyock wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 5:35 pm Image
I will say that of all lefties I've had the one thing that I didn't like about my particular CV50s Squier lefty Tele was the weight. It was damn heavy, not just for a tele.

I think my favorite tele is a toss up between my SX Ash and my Agile TC...
That is definitely true, the Classic Vibe has to be one of my heaviest guitars. However, if you prefer playing standing up, that issue is easily resolved by contacting [mention]TVvoodoo[/mention]. And the solid body TC is one of the few Agiles still left on my bucket list (I do have the thinline version)...
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Proud RINO trapped in a heavy metal chassis
Growing up, only kid in the neighborhood with an Uncle Ahkbar
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