Tele or Nocaster or Broadcaster RI

[goldtop0]

Hi ya fellas, I'm thinking about getting into the Fender CS world with any of the above.
What years have been the good ones? (presuming that like Gibson there have been goodies('13/'14) and not so good like 2012 with laminated fretboards).
Plus is there anything else I need to know before embarking on what could be a long hunt eg what model(s) is the best value for the $$.

 

[Hot_Snake]

the early ones, 99 to late 00 are different animals.

the necks are a a bit smaller than the big U found on the later models.
the frets are also a bit wider.
during these years, you could easily find a guitar with a beautiful looking neck (bird eye / flames).

the color is also a bit different on the 99 ones ...

last detail, the pickups were also different.
they were the same as on the "cunettos", with a FAT and powerful bridge pickup ...

are they better ? it's up to you.
i had 6 Nocasters if i remember well.
my two favorites were a 2001 (thin finish which was starting to crack, light, and a very warm and woody tone) and a 1999 one i stil have (lovely neck, amazing bridge pickup)

 

[blewsbreaker]

I have a 1997 John Page era Custom Shop Nocaster with a birds eye neck that plays and sounds great I might have to move...:dang Nice fat bridge pu.

 

[Red Baron]

Steve, to begin with let the neck be your guide - if you're used to big necks then look no further than a Customshop Nocaster or Broadcaster, although the latter is usually more expensive because they were only made in small limited edition runs. One of the most important things for me is the fretboard radius, and I prefer a 9.5 radius over a 7.25. You'll find that quite a lot of newer Nocaster's have 9.5 necks (since about 2011 from memory), but before then 9.5's (and 10's) were mostly only found on special orders (sometimes having custom colours).

The other consideration is the pickups, whether you want Nocaster or Twisted Tele pickups - the latter are used on current model Nocaster's. Both are excellent but different, with Nocaster's being more traditional (IMO) and Twisted Tele's having some 'Strat'-like qualities, especially the neck pickup.

Good luck in your search - find a good Tele and there's no looking back

 

[toxpert]

In addition to custom shop instruments, you may also want to look at Bill Nash's custom tele's.

I recently bought a Nash T52 model. This guitar outperformed the Fender reissues and the few custom shop Teles I also tried.
Nash uses 10" radius necks with 6105 frets. The one I bought has the medium C neck that feels wonderful with a broken in feel. The guitar is extraordinarily resonant and the Lollar pickups are nicely balanced. While I am not a fan of relicing, the light relic job on this guitar does not scream out fake.

Bill's pricing is much less $$ than the Fender Custom Shop...for a excellent tele...IMHO. I kept a lot of cash in my pocket and have a nice Tele that feels like my old friend.

I am done looking for a Tele voice.

 

[goldtop0]

Thanks for the helpful info fellas.
I've never had to look at or take into account neck radius before because with my LPs it is what it is, and from what I see of my 4 Historics it looks like a flatter type radius which I presume is about 7.25 or less??

 

[Red Baron]

Les Paul's have a 12" radius Steve, much flatter than a Tele.

 

[goldtop0]

Good lord Chris looks like I've got a little bit of swatting up to do:lol

 

[Ace139]

For playability I love the 9.5 and 10 radius. I have a CS Strat with the 7.25 and vintage style frets, a CS Strat from WW with the 10 radius has 6100 fret wire (i like better than ththe 6105) Also a CS Esquire with the 9.5 radius with the 6105 frets. The bigger radius makes a huge improvement in my opinion.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

In addition to custom shop instruments, you may also want to look at Bill Nash's custom tele's. I recently bought a Nash T52 model. This guitar outperformed the Fender reissues and the few custom shop Teles I also tried. Nash uses 10" radius necks with 6105 frets. The one I bought has the medium C neck that feels wonderful with a broken in feel. The guitar is extraordinarily resonant and the Lollar pickups are nicely balanced. While I am not a fan of relicing, the light relic job on this guitar does not scream out fake. Bill's pricing is much less $$ than the Fender Custom Shop...for a excellent tele...IMHO. I kept a lot of cash in my pocket and have a nice Tele that feels like my old friend. I am done looking for a Tele voice.

+1 on the Nash T-52. :salude

 

[axeman565758]

check another one of my threads and some other posts I've made on this very subject.

First of all, the CS Teles/Nocasters/Esquires all have the same body and routes ( okay, I'm excluding humbucking pickup models for the excercise)

So, if you happened to prefer a 2 pickup Nocaster/Tele, but found an awesome feeling/playing Esquire, it's nothing more than adding a pickup (remember, route aleady there) and a new pick guard with a neck p'up cut out. ok problem one solved.

But before all of that you have to consider 3 things. They are fingerboard radius, fret size and neck size.

The most common radius options are 7.25" ( true to vintage specs) and 9.5". Wildwood Guitars also produces Strats and Teles under the Wildwood 10 model designation. These have a 10" board radius and Dunlop 6105 (med/jumbo frets)

Second, what size fret. Typically you'll find the 7.25" neck radius coupled with vintage frets, as well as seeing a 9.5" board with 6105 (medium jumbo) frets. There's some models out there with 6100's, but most are limited or special orders.

From its inception, the Nocaster had a very deep "U" shaped neck. It was/is common to see 1st fret neck depths of .970" or bigger. My current 2007 Nocaster has a 9.5/6105 neck and is just a hair shy of 1.00' deep at the first fret. It's a monster sized neck.

In recent years, in order to capture/please a greater number of buyers, Fender has "slimmed" down the deep '51 "U" shaped neck and now call it a '52 neck shape. These are quite a bit smaller, with neck depths in the .940-.955" range.

Sometime in 2008-2009, Guitar Center had Fender build a gazillion '51 Nocasters with the 9.5"/6105 combo, with a mid-60's "C" shaped neck..!!

As I mentioned in another post, you probably won't find many, if any at all, Nocasters with the more modern radius/fret (9.5/6105) combo before 2005.

Prior to that time period will be all HUGE neck, 7.25'/vintage fret Nocasters.

The Esquires produced in the same time periods, seem to consistently come with a late 50's neck shape or a mid-60's shape. The radius/fret size will vary as well.

Now, if you want a rosewood board?....thats going to be a whole other long, detailed post...!!!

Finally, as for which years are the best? I've owned late 90's Custom Shop Strats and Teles and currently have a 2007 Nocaster along with my NoNeck Strat that I got a few years ago (2011). I find Fender's CS to be very consistent and excellent in the quality. All this talk of Cunetto guitars being superior......well play one and judge for yourself. Me personally, think theyre no big deal and definitely not worth the hype or the $$.....but that's just my opinion.
Dave

 

[goldtop0]

Having an involved time on the net in the last few days looking at this and that, Nash teles etc, I like hunting one down.
Seen the prices of the Cunetto era guitars, and on it goes.
I'll be getting a lighter, full/beefy necked 9.5+ radius one for sure.

 

[renderit]

I found me a used Don Grosh to cover that base. I like it, but I don't play it a lot. The neck is awesome. The pickups are pretty decent (Fralins Blues Specials) and they put in the push/pull tone that turns on the center pickup with any other combo. It's pretty decent. Got it pretty cheap.

 

[goldtop0]

Educate me please fellas.........what wiring setup do Fender use on the Nocaster RI?

I'm not up with Fender stuff at all!!

 

[Hot_Snake]

53 to mid 60s tele wiring : Neck with fixed bassy tone / neck with tone / bridge with tone

 

[blewsbreaker]

Educate me please fellas.........what wiring setup do Fender use on the Nocaster RI?

I'm not up with Fender stuff at all!!

My 97' CS Nocaster has modern wiring... Neck w/tone, neck - bridge w/tone, bridge w/tone...it's the most useful IMO.

 

[goldtop0]

My 97' CS Nocaster has modern wiring... Neck w/tone, neck - bridge w/tone, bridge w/tone...it's the most useful IMO.

That's like the '50s setup for LPs and that's what I'd go for I think.......more flexibility.

 

[Red Baron]

If you're looking at knockoffs Steve, I'd seriously look at Danocaster and LSL Guitars - I've owned both and they're excellent, but for the ultimate blackguard replica, check out Nachocaster.

 

[goldtop0]

If you're looking at knockoffs Steve, I'd seriously look at Danocaster and LSL Guitars - I've owned both and they're excellent, but for the ultimate blackguard replica, check out Nachocaster.

Yep Chris Nacho is the man alright, makes a great tele for sure.......he wrote the book you know:lol.........it's just the $$ that hold me back:dang