NGD: Purple Tele!

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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luau
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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by luau » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:42 am

A Vigier Marilyn Supra DiMarzio and the previous owner scalloped the fingerboard with a chisel a and hammer.

Image

What do I win?

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by marqueemoon » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:22 am

Ovation Breadwinner

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by MrFingers » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:32 am

Rickenbacker 480, with PAF-clones in them.

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by Embenny » Wed Aug 18, 2021 7:17 am

Larry Mal wrote:
Tue Aug 17, 2021 9:37 pm
Gibson S-1.
Less Gibson-y. Same number of cutaways.
Tumtrah wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 2:47 am
Duo Sonic!
Longer scale.
windmill wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:05 am
Guild s200
God, I want one of those. This guitar is much more conventional in its shape, though.
andy_tchp wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 3:25 am
Goldtop ES-335?

Or maybe the almost equally rare Cherry finish?
Hah, I missed the boat on that goldtop but would be happy to encounter another. This guitar was a way smaller investment than a 335, though.
Larry Mal wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:15 am
No, it's a bolt on guitar with more than one pickup.

So now that Mike is a Gibson fanatic I'm sure it's a Gibson Victory.
I'd absolutely jump on one of those at the right price, but this was a more frugal purchase.

I will add that I've never owned one of these, but you have.
luau wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:42 am
A Vigier Marilyn Supra DiMarzio and the previous owner scalloped the fingerboard with a chisel a and hammer.

What do I win?
You win another guess, free of charge! The previous owner did perform a neck surgery of sorts on this one, but it didn't involve a chisel. Correct number of pickups though.
marqueemoon wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:22 am
Ovation Breadwinner
Now that's a guitar I've never gotten to play in person but would love to. Much like Ovation, the company that made this had no business building acoustic guitars but did so anyway to the world's detriment.
MrFingers wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:32 am
Rickenbacker 480, with PAF-clones in them.
I adore the 480. This one has had a similar mod, but is a much more common brand and model.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by marqueemoon » Wed Aug 18, 2021 7:50 am

No business building acoustic guitars, eh?

Kramer is what comes to mind first, but then I thought Charvel, so maybe a Surfcaster?

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by Embenny » Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am

marqueemoon wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 7:50 am
No business building acoustic guitars, eh?

Kramer is what comes to mind first, but then I thought Charvel, so maybe a Surfcaster?
Same parent company, different name on the headstock. Surfcasters are so cool, but this is in the non-offset section because my recent foray into Gibsons and Strats has led to me relaxing my "every guitar you own has to be an Offset" restriction that I had been placing on myself for years, either consciously or subconsciously.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by nanamour » Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:00 am

Single-cutaway Bullet?

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by Larry Mal » Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:05 am

nanamour wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:00 am
Single-cutaway Bullet?
Good guess.

I've owned four.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by Larry Mal » Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:43 am

mbene085 wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 7:17 am


I will add that I've never owned one of these, but you have.

So I've owned one of these guitars, it's a single cutaway, two pickups, bolt on neck.

Any reason we are thinking it's not just an out and out Telecaster?

Or maybe a two pickup Gibson Challenger, but that's such a rare guitar.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Wed Aug 18, 2021 12:22 pm

Is it sparkly? Like a Gretsch Jet might be? Aren’t the Electromatics bolt on necks?

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Re: NGD: Guess what I found this time?

Post by Maggieo » Wed Aug 18, 2021 12:26 pm

Son, everyone needs a Telecaster.
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.

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Re: NGD: Purple Tele!

Post by Embenny » Wed Aug 18, 2021 1:48 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 11:43 am
So I've owned one of these guitars, it's a single cutaway, two pickups, bolt on neck.

Any reason we are thinking it's not just an out and out Telecaster?

Or maybe a two pickup Gibson Challenger, but that's such a rare guitar.
Ding ding ding! I thought saying "more pickups" to the Esquire gave it away early.
Maggieo wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 12:26 pm
Son, everyone needs a Telecaster.
They sure do, and your SG was responsible for reminding me that writing off guitars because "I didn't like the look of that shape" is stupid, which led to my ES-335 trade, which led to me being open to buying this (seller's photos):

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

So, this is, or was, one of those Anderton's Classic Vibe 50's Telecasters in the Limited Edition "Danish Pete" purple metallic finish over a lightweight poplar body.

It's got the following mods:

1) Fender MIM Classic 50's "baseball bat" neck.
2) Wilkinson bridge with compensated brass saddles.
3) Fishman Fluence Greg Koch "Gristle-Tone" pickups/control plate.

The neck is sublime. The purple finish is something I've lusted after on the CV Jaguar and Jazzmaster ever since they were released. I believe I said on this board, not too long ago, "purple must be achieved," but couldn't justify another Jag or JM, nor could I justify ordering from the UK and paying the ~30% upcharge of shipping, duties, and exchange rate compared to local CVs in Canada.

Then this popped up. The Fishman Fluence pickups are noiseless - a must-have mod in my books - and sound superlative. The push-push button between the knobs changes voicings from a 60's whiteguard scooped tone to a thicker 50's blackguard tone with corresponding boost in mids and output (along with a drop in resonant frequency - Fishman actually publishes resonant frequencies unlike many pickup manufacturers). It's powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery that can be charged via a mini USB jack integrated into the output jack cup, which gives 300 hours of playing time on 1.5 hours of charging. It can also be connected to a regular 9V battery, so no planned obsolescence or pricey proprietary battery replacements a decade or two from now.

And it's got the compensated brass saddle Wilkinson bridge, which is probably the best compromise between traditional 3-barrel Tele tone and accurate intonation.

It's honestly just the most gorgeous, lightweight, versatile, silent, fantastic-playing Telecaster I could ever have asked for. I've had a set of noiseless Wilde (Bill Lawrence) Telecaster pickups sitting in a drawer for THREE YEARS because of an abandoned Offset Telecaster build, and when I saw this Tele, I thought, "oh, finally, the perfect home for them!" But you know what? These Fishman Fluence pickups are the real deal. They sound and feel like single coils, and the battery management strategy is the most reasonable I've ever seen other than guitars with integrated battery compartments on the back. You just put it on the stand once every couple of months and connect a USB cable to the discretely hidden jack next to the output jack. No routing, no unscrewing control plates or pickguards to access batteries. Very clever. I hadn't paid attention to Fluence before because they seemed to focus on humbuckers (especially ones meant for metal), and I didn't even know they had traditional Telecaster ones (and not, like, "Djent on a Telecaster" ones).

So I'm gonna drag my feet when it comes to even swapping them out to try the Wildes. It's perfect as-is, though I do want to hear how the Wildes sound in it eventually.

I've never liked the shape of Telecasters or their headstocks, but I've wanted a deep metallic purple guitar for so long that I'm glad I took the plunge. This is a great guitar, and has every possible mod I could ask for done already. Like with my plunge into Gibsons, I think I'm starting to "get" the Telecaster thing after 25 years of playing literally every other Fender model.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: NGD: Purple Tele!

Post by Maggieo » Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:58 pm

Congrats!!! :w00t:
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.

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Re: NGD: Purple Tele!

Post by Larry Mal » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:13 pm

Well, that's wonderful!

I guess I can toss out a few thoughts.

Firstly, I'm not totally in love with the Wilde noiseless pickups I have in my Bullet. So if you like these Fluence pickups, don't sell them or anything when you put the Wilde pickups in.

Secondly, thanks for writing about those Fluence pickups, I had totally written those off and now I think maybe I should not have.

Speaking of writing things off how can it be that this is the first Telecaster you have had? Wow! I just assumed, you know?

I love Telecasters... I have two. Like Maggie says, no guitar collection is really complete without one, I tend to feel.

Oh, and that bridge you have on there is great, those are what I tend to use.

Great guitar! Congratulations.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

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Re: NGD: Purple Tele!

Post by Embenny » Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:39 pm

Maggieo wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 5:58 pm
Congrats!!! :w00t:
Thanks! This is a fun new chapter for me.
Larry Mal wrote:
Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:13 pm
Well, that's wonderful!

I guess I can toss out a few thoughts.

Firstly, I'm not totally in love with the Wilde noiseless pickups I have in my Bullet. So if you like these Fluence pickups, don't sell them or anything when you put the Wilde pickups in.

Secondly, thanks for writing about those Fluence pickups, I had totally written those off and now I think maybe I should not have.

Speaking of writing things off how can it be that this is the first Telecaster you have had? Wow! I just assumed, you know?

I love Telecasters... I have two. Like Maggie says, no guitar collection is really complete without one, I tend to feel.

Oh, and that bridge you have on there is great, those are what I tend to use.

Great guitar! Congratulations.
I've installed a couple of my "overstock" Wilde noiseless pickups recently and have quite enjoyed them - but will definitely not sell these unless I find I prefer the Wildes (or others).

The Fluence really flew under my radar. I'll let you know after the honeymoon period wears off whether they declare themselves to be keepers. They're definitely not what I'd imagine active pickups to sound like. My understanding is that they're made of stacked PCBs or something unique like that. They're definitely not EMGs.

I've got another guitar with a passive Telecaster neck pickup I can A/B with but nothing to A/B the bridge with other than a strat, Jag, etc, but I'll see if anything un-singlecoil-like about them starts jumping out at me over time.

They're clear, versatile, and quiet, though, plus the 2-voice thing is really cool and much more useful than any series/parallel or coil cut switch I've ever encountered. Both voices have a deliberately-targeted output and tonal response rather than "a second voice that happens to be useful in some way."

Their new P90s are now calling to me - they have 3 voices (underwound vintage P90, overwound vintage P90, Fender single coil), all noiseless. They were also developed with/endorsed by Greg Koch. Here is a good demo of the P90s. Pretty tempting.

But yeah, I have never really had a telecaster. I once briefly took a Tele Thinline with the fake WRHBs as a trade against my awful "Cyber-Twin" amp 15 years ago but hated it and immediately flipped it. Never had a single coil Tele, or one that I even got to know. I just had an aversion to their looks for years, or maybe to some "Tele people" I knew, but I've recently been challenging those old associations that have been preventing me from just enjoying guitars, and this is just plain a great guitar in every way.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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