If you are looking for a Telecaster, maybe you should consider used Telecasters. Notably used by famous artists such as Bob Dylan and Sheryl Crow, the Fender Telecaster is noted for its versatility in producing tones that can be described as bright and rich or warm and bluesy, and is considered flexible in its usability for musical genres such as country, rock, jazz and blues.
For the aspiring guitarist, it is not necessary for you to break your budget to acquire a Telecaster. If you know what to look for, used Telecasters are a good option without the buyer sacrificing sound and product quality. The price of a used Telecaster can go as low as 70 percent less than the price of a similar but brand new model.
Merchant and/or auction sites such as eBay pull up results for used Telecasters that retail anywhere between $200-$1,000 depending on whether the used Telecaster is listed as American-made, Mexican-made or Squire, the term used to describe the foreign imports for this particular guitar.
There is a proliferation of used Telecasters because this instrument has been in continuous production since 1950. All Telecasters are of simple and modular construction to facilitate mass production. Guitar components are manufactured quickly and inexpensively and are assembled in an assembly line.
They have the same basic features namely a single cutaway slab body, 3 position toggle switch, 2 chrome knobs, and 3 paired adjustable bridge saddles. The simple design means fewer parts that can fail and ease in repairing or replacing them if they do fail.
The simple design has also enabled previous owners to make custom modifications that improve and make them better than new ones. The caveat here is that this situation is double-edged. Not all modifications can result in improvement to the instrument.
Changes that result in damage to the instrument might not be disclosed by the seller to you, the buyer. The simple design of the Telecaster ensures that any damage to the instrument is easily repairable but will require that you spend more to fix it.
Buying a brand new Telecaster from a reputable dealer means a higher price tag but carries with it a Fender warranty and a return option if not satisfied. Buying a used Telecaster at a lower price on the other hand, opens up the buyer to the benefits and hassles introduced by the previous owner to the instrument. Whatever your choice, you can never go wrong with an instrument that has been popular for more than six decades.