Fender Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar Ash  

If you want a tele, this is one. It has all the Standard Tele features. Two single-coil pickups- one quacky one at the bridge and a mellow one near the fretboard. Nice big frets make it easy to play. Machine heads that work the same as on my American 60th Anniversary Tele. Maple neck--ash body.

Mine came with stratocaster style saddles that are a little easier to adjust for intonation and height than the saddle bridge advertised with this guitar. The saddles might sound better.

This guitar is made in Mexico. Some of my best friends were made in Mexico, too, so it's not a problem. The upshot is that you have to examine your guitar when you get it to make sure that everything's the way you want it.

The first Standard I ordered had a great 2-piece ash body with nice, close grain. However, the neck was a little warped (within the tolerances of chain music stores, but not OK for me). I sent it back with no trouble and received a tele with an arrow-straight neck, three-piece body with wider grain than the first one. It plays great and I kept it. There were no finish flaws in either guitar, and the hardware was perfect.

I recommend you get the intonation and string height set when you get the guitar. Or do it yourself for free. My tele came with instructions and tools to do both.

This guitar is all value. I bought this guitar as a backup and to play for my last year at work. The frets and neck are just as playable as my American Standard 60th Anniversary tele. The pickups sound different, but not different enough that I can explain how. The guitar looks terrific. How can you go wrong with this guitar?

I play my Standard constantly through big and small amps. In a small room, it sounds great unplugged. I will never regret getting this guitar. It sounds good for rhythm chords and fingerpicking, and the neck and big frets make it easy to play.

That said, it's a tele, and if this is your first, you need to know what that means. The tele design has barely been changed since its inception. It is a heavy, plank-like guitar that won't win any heavy metal beauty contests. The single coil pickups sound twangy but clear, unlike the dark, muddy sound of many humbucker (double coil) pickups. I have some pedals, but mainly play straight from the guitar because its tone is so clear that it is a shame to muddy it up with extra electronics. This is a guitar that begs to be paired with a tube amp (Class A if possible)--it could get shrieky with hard transistors. There are only three modes (neck pickup, bridge pickup, both pickups) so if you want lots of electronics to fiddle with, you won't find it here. That said, there's little to go wrong with this tele--it's built like a tank. I recommend Fender strings--they have a little bullet that couples closely with the body and they give you plenty of length when you are changing the high E string at the top of the peghead. The only change I made to my tele was the strings.

If you love to play guitar, you'll love this guitar.

If you want more volume, get

Not a hole lot of features but it's what i was looking for. Two pick ups, three way toggle. That unique Tele sound. The wood is nicer than i expected and there is a nice weight to the axe.

Really nice craftsmanship and parts (tuners, bridge etc...) with exception to the pickups which are a little noisy which i plan on replacing in the near future but what more can you ask for, for the money.

I think this is a great value. I really wanted that telecaster sound for some blues ideas i have and have recently got into country (which i never dreamed of ever doing) after being a rock, metal and blues guitarist for 35 years. I own 9 guitars anywhere from $300 to $3k and i think the value of this one is in the middle. I would rate it higher after i change the pickups. It came well packaged, the action was a little high which a couple adjustments to the height of the saddles corrected and the intonation was spot on. I personally didn't like the Tortoise shell pickguard so i ordered a black one with it.

Awesome guitar, not crazy about the slightly noisy pick-ups. plays great with that Telecaster sound.

Has all the standard Tele features.

Some mexican Fenders are horrible -- this one happens to be as good as any American Tele I have ever played.

For the price I paid, it's a steal.

Highly recommended, I love this guitar!

I don't give it a 10 score because I had to order 4 of these guitars until I received one with a gorgeous 2 piece body construction. The 2 piece body front side looks just like a one piece. I took advantage of the 15% rebate by MF which covered the shipping costs to return the ones I didn't like. Pickups sound great and the guitar stays in tune pretty well, but I may upgrade to locking tuners. I have two other Teles and this one sticks out. One recommendation: Don't replace the volume and tone pots with 500k. The 250k pots sound better. The 500k is bassy and destroys the original Tele signature sound. No matter what pickups you may install, keep the 250 k pots.

Finishing is flawless. The 3 ply pearloid pickguard has a beautiful look. The satin finish in the neck with medium jumbo frets are just the way I like. All hardware is of good appearance an functions precisely. The body is heavy just the way Teles are supposed to be.

In the years to come this guitar will have an appreciated value if the Natural finish becomes discontinued.

I was fortunate to have received a two piece body after returning the ones with 3 piece body construction. Don't take me wrong because they all look good no matter if 2 or 3 piece construction. According to some experienced guitar technicians that I know, the electronics are not much inferior to the USA Teles. I don't think the pickups need to be replaced. I placed a Dimarzio Chopper-T and a Twang King on another Tele with 500k pots and they sound horribly bassy and undistinguished. I will have to place back the 250k pots and see how it goes. In the future, I may install the Vintage Noiseless for Teles pickups. I have tried those and really liked the huge well balanced amount of gain they have.

Unbelievable, a two piece northern ash body, heavy, but I can live with that.  Nice pickups, though i may upgrade the neck p/u.  Straight neck.

Definitely eye candy!

For the price, and the unexpected bonuses of two-piece body, what appear to be US-made pickups, and a nice spanking twang, it was a fantastic deal.

The guitar appears to be a 2011 Fender Special Edition, which was listed as "Used, Good condition."  I don't like buying guitars unseen and unheard, but the price was right, so I took the chance.  I am very happy with the guitar.  Straight, strong neck, no blemishes except for pick wear on the pickguard.  Very nice pickups, I may upgrade the neck p/u to a Seymour Duncan Broadcaster someday, but no need to at this point.  Had the guitar restrung with 11s and it did need a pro intonation job at that point.  In my band, I need to have a variety of tones and voices available, from country to jazz and pub rock.  So far, the guitar sounds great for the country twang and rhythm, and I am waiting to try it out live.