The Fender Telecaster in its stock form is
one of the most versatile guitar designs of
all time. It’s tempting to think of it as being
somewhat primitive—given the degree
to which the electric guitar has advanced
technologically and ergonomically in the
decades since it was first released—but the
fact is that a standard issue Tele can still do
just about anything asked of it. It can quickly
and easily make itself at home in a diverse
range of musical environs, from country and
classic rock, to jazz, indie, and hardcore
punk, among many others. As an illustrative
example of its tonal flexibility, consider
the fact that the Telecaster used by Jimmy
Bryant to record his 1952 twang-shred
classic “Pickin’ The Chicken” is for most
intents and purposes the same instrument
Kim Thayil used to record the gargantuan,
down-tuned metallic grind of Soundgarden’s
“Mailman” in 1993.
The original Tele, with its classic single-coil
pickup set and three-saddle ashtray bridge,
can certainly still hold its own among modern
guitars, but with some modifications to the
stock setup it can cover even more musical
ground. It has long been a popular blank
slate for wild-eyed guitar modders to work
their alchemy, and over the years many
proper Fender models have also been
produced with different pickup options,
different hardware, and altered body designs,
among other performance and aesthetic
tweaks. Many of these official Telecaster
variants have become quite popular in their
own right. Some are closely associated with
particular artists, while others have earned
their keep simply by adding an extra dash of
usability, musicality, or flair to the venerable
Telecaster format. What follows is a quick and
handy field guide t