Got A Ukulele Reviews - Fender Alternate Reality Tenor Tele - 4K

[@AntonMizonov]

They should have called it “Telelele” 😂

[@darthstig5727]

Just showed this to a friend who plays electric in a metal band and also plays Baritone Uke. She's now furiously trying to source one. That is quite a lovely sound! Happy New Year Baz, stay safe over there!

[@GotAUkulele]

Happy New Year!

[@MatchaMakesThings]

I've been binging your videos Baz, Love them. Best intro yet!

[@GotAUkulele]

Glad you like them!

[@tomco.9973]

You nailed it with playability comment, Baz. I’ve got a couple of Baritone steel stringers & became very frustrated with how easily they went out of tune or didn’t respond to even medium finger pressure. Got a solid body electric tenor, tuned it DGBE & all those problems went away! I know it’s not a true ukulele but as someone who has less than zero time for the ‘just practice & get better’ argument, I found this a great alternative.

[@GotAUkulele]

Agreed - significantly more 'playable' than any steel strung uke I have yet played.

[@tommorrisey3999]

Like the take on Stayin’ Alive! As a bari player and owner of a nearly two-decades-old Stratocaster, I’m intrigued. When I bought my Strat 18 years ago, Squire was the brand you bought for your kid to play in his garage band, the American-made Fender was the pro-rocker model with the (at the time, obscene) four-figure price tag, and the Mexican Fender was the model that could be okay, but might not. So, I visited my local shop and played better than a dozen Mexican Stratocasters before picking out the sunburst brown model I own today. Apparently, Mexican quality has become more consistent; I wouldn’t know, as I’ve not shopped for one in years, In the USA, the market for tenor guitars is limited. Traditionally, they are a country or bluegrass instrument for Chicago-tuned banjo players, giving them something to play when the song doesn’t call for banjo and, as such, they skew toward an acoustic or acoustic-electric market (and are still much rarer than six-string guitars). Thus, a tenor solid-body electric shaves a niche market into a micro market. The price does not help things. I just checked Reverb, and they are going for $999. I would love to have one but, at (practically speaking) a thousand bucks, I’ll just play the Strat I already own and make do with six strings, rather than four.

[@GotAUkulele]

Yeah - but that Reverb price is put up by assholes trying to shill people. I bought this just before Christmas for £420.

[@patrickbuzzo1970]

Tom Morrisey, i've orderd the tele tenor in July 2020 ( i'm waiting to receive it from my local store) ,however, the price here in Italy, including the original soft case, is 411 euros, i believe, in american dollars, less than 500. You can always check in internet for Thomann,they have a big store in Germany, the prices are good, and the people answering at the telephone can speak english. They send instruments to any place. Regards, Patrick from Italy

[@tommorrisey3999]

@@patrickbuzzo1970 many thanks!

[@patrickbuzzo1970]

@@tommorrisey3999 you are welcome, Tom ! 👋🎸

[@hyabussa5747]

Nice sound! Thanks for the review and a Happy and Safe New Year!

[@GotAUkulele]

Same to you! Thanks!

[@Ijcarter1962]

Great review! If I can get my hands on one I'll definitely give it a try.

[@GotAUkulele]

Worth it i'd say!

[@joeobyrne3189]

Have wanted to try one of those for ages. As you say, impossible to get hold of.

[@GotAUkulele]

Sadly - supplies have been rubbish. Think Thomann still have them.

[@diarmaidok]

They're great, I managed to get one from PMT In Romford last year when they were released, I have mine tuned GDAE like an octave mandolin. Theres bound to be shops somewhere that still have them in stock.

[@partyontheobjective]

Hmmm.... A curiosity, to be sure. Intriguing. Thank you, Barry! Happy New Year!

[@GotAUkulele]

Happy new year!

[@Fthrjohn2014]

I wish fender would make a solid body ukulele just like that

[@GotAUkulele]

Sadly I think this is as close as we may get

[@ukulelehans1959]

Happy Newyear Baz. Thanks for all the helpful reviews

[@GotAUkulele]

Same to you! And my pleasure!

[@keithhicks1750]

Hi Barry. Thanks for the review. Not my cup of tea but nevertheless a lovely looking instrument. How about a whisky tasting review to start the year. I had a couple for Christmas. Happy new year. 👍

[@GotAUkulele]

Sounds good!

[@cazhowe737]

Looks fun! Happy New year Baz 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@GotAUkulele]

Huge fun!

[@kevingriffin9893]

Great review! I was admittedly confused by the name as well as the intro. It's a shame these are so hard to get. After seeing this I glanced online to see what availability was, and the only thing I saw was a used one priced at $999 :) I guess someone is trying to take advantage of the lack of supply and high demand ~

[@GotAUkulele]

Sadly I am seeing the same. Some UK stores are claiming they are still expecting more stocks though.

[@markattardo]

Interesting. Did not know those existed. Happy New Year!

[@GotAUkulele]

Really poorly supplied worldwide - not sure why.

[@xrscott]

Hey Baz! You must check out an Eastwood Mandostang! 14 inch scale length and easily tuned to gCEA. Just do it! Either that or check out one of their electric tenors. Unlike Fender, they have quite a selection!

[@timdawez]

I’ve got one, waited nearly a year for delivery, love it.

[@GotAUkulele]

Great to hear!

[@patrickbuzzo1970]

Timdawez, i have ordered mine in July 2020,and i'm still waiting for a phone call from my local instruments store, if you have waited almost one year, that means that i have more time to wait!! They told me that the guitar has arrived in December to the european importer ( Great Britain? Denmark? ) , but nobody is able to let me know when it will be delivered here in Italy. Enjoy your tele tenor, have fun ! Patrick from Italy 👋🎶

[@7775Kevin]

Thanks for the review. Looks like a fun little instrument.

[@GotAUkulele]

It is!

[@stoneyrunva]

Odd choice from Fender to choose optics of larger logo instead of a string tree. Could probably install 2 or 3 shorter tuners instead of drilling a hole? Wonder if the stock intonation is okay?

[@GotAUkulele]

Stock intonation was bang on - I find these days it usually is with Mex fenders. In fact I had a Mex full size Tele arrive with better setup than my US model arrived with

[@MrJaimecoady]

Loved your video, and I love my Tele!

[@GotAUkulele]

Me too!

[@luisshorts303]

I saw this 2 years too late because this is now my dream ukulele

[@GotAUkulele]

Good luck finding one - they sell for crazy money now!

[@luisshorts303]

@@GotAUkulele yeah im not paying thousands, I'm just gonna get a 200 dollar knock off for my bday

[@GrantJackson70USD]

I wish Fender was still making these because I would buy one today. There are some alternatives, mostly from Eastwood Guitars. I would settle for a Squier version, but I really want a Fender.

[@GotAUkulele]

Agreed!

[@cmjudco]

Very nice!! I just started playing the tenor guitar and purchased a brand (electric) that I had never heard of and would be interested in your opinion about the comparison. I am going to look for one of these....gotta have it! I like the DGBE tuning which makes it easier for me to switch back and forth...no having to learn new chords....my old brain isn't quite that flexible anymore 😞 The electric one I bought is a Cozart (???) and it's HEAVY! Thanks for reviewing this guitar!!

[@GotAUkulele]

Glad I could help!

[@Wolfythereviewer]

Good review as always Baz. I'm not a baritone player so this isn't up my alley but I know plenty of baritone guys who were practically BEGGING shops to stock one of these. Its a shame Fender didn't build enough, but maybe they sold enough to warrant a second run in 2021 or 2022?

[@GotAUkulele]

Hope so!

[@waxdeluxe]

Thank you for a great start in 2021! Great review and an exciting instrument. Seems to be available directly from Fenders own online shop, but not for me in the Nordics (although the prices were in my local currency)

[@GotAUkulele]

Hard to find for sure!

[@DannyBurkeBanjo]

Fender have discontinued them now. I managed to get the last from PMT this year (2021). Tenor guitars typically have around 19 frets too. The scale of this is 22.75" which matches the old Gibson tenors that have about 19 frets

[@GotAUkulele]

I'm still working that out - a good friend of mine spoke to a reputable UK guitar dealer recently and has one on order. Fender my have stopped building but it appears the orders are still coming in.

[@arvincharles]

@@GotAUkulele Who stocks these?

[@GotAUkulele]

@@arvincharles Discontinued

[@chasebutler2665]

Any advice on buying used instruments and where to look for them?

[@GotAUkulele]

eBay, Reverb, Gumtree, Facebook sales groups.

[@kellyfuentes8395]

hello where can i buy one in mexico i can't find

[@GotAUkulele]

I think they are now discontinued

[@uknavynige]

You've hooked me yet AGAIN Bazz! I bite the bullet and ordered the butterscotch on pre-order from guitar. Co. UK in Glasgow! They squashed the rumour about them being discontinued 😁 but the blue and red have longer waiting lists apparently. The butterscotch (always wanted a car that colour!) has a shorter wait. Estimated early February 👍.

[@uknavynige]

... Oh and its £389 free delivery 😁😁😁

[@GotAUkulele]

Excellent!

[@chuckvt5196]

When I saw you were reviewing a Fender, I though, uh-oh! But colour me impressed! I also do not think the price is that bad for what you are getting.However, in the USA, the price averages $900 USD. That is too much! Happy New Year, Baz. Great review to start 2021!

[@GotAUkulele]

nah - that's not the price - must be inflated for out of stock / reverb price - they are $499. Happy New year Chuck!

[@chuckvt5196]

@@GotAUkulele Yes, you cannot find them in the stores because eBay merchants bought them all, and are price gouging. It is the only way you can get one. They did the same thing with the Playstation 5s this past Christmas.

[@ukulelecarnage]

Trying to go for a DGBE tuning. What strings would you recommend? For the life of me, I can’t find a 16 gauge wound string so any suggestions for alternative gauges or strings types would be appreciated. Happy jammin!

[@GotAUkulele]

Not sure - mine arrived with strings for that tuning!

[@MattyPeq]

Happy new year, Barry!!!!

[@GotAUkulele]

And you Matty!

[@fabiobianchini8922]

I cannot find this guitar for sale, somebody can help me how to buy ?

[@GotAUkulele]

Discontinued now I'm afraid

[@michaelscott751]

Hello I have the electric strat made by Risa tenor size cream colored it plays like a dream.

[@skywipe1949]

Happy new year!

[@GotAUkulele]

Same to you!!!

[@hwarangboy]

can you tune it to GCEA standard uke tuning

[@GotAUkulele]

Only with different gauge strings.

[@fredrikottosson3427]

Can u use normal guitar strings? Or is it tenor guitar strings?

[@GotAUkulele]

electric guitar strings selected from electric packs to match the gauges you want

[@patrickbuzzo1970]

Ordered one in July 2020,did not arrive yet at the local store, i'm still waiting ( i live in Italy) ! When i will get it, i will give the tele tenor to a friend of mine, he works with stringed instruments, i told him to replace the plate with a new one hand made ,which will be longer ( will almost reach the edge of the guitar) , so will be possible to place the knobs and the pick-ups selector in a lower position, thus avoiding me to hit the knobs with the wrist. Why all this work? Because i'm left handed, and this one is available for right handed only! I will tune it A D G C. Nice video, thank you. Greetings from Italy, Patrick

[@GotAUkulele]

Enjoy it Patrick!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Boss Wireless amp has a little transmitter you can use.

[@Warrnan52]

Totally marketed to Bouzouki, violin and mandolin players! 😂 I play Irish folk songs so this looks great to me.

[@GotAUkulele]

Considering it comes strung in ukulele tuning, I think it's more marketed to uke players myself!

[@Warrnan52]

Sure. They do string up nicely in GDAE also but I’d imagine you may need some adjustments. Thanks for the heads up. I’m a bouzouki player who has ukes and guitars so it is very appealing to me. So cool. Would you say this is Ice metallic blue or lake placid?

[@GotAUkulele]

@@Warrnan52 Definitely more lake placid

[@Warrnan52]

@@GotAUkulele nice. Thank you!

[@SplicedSerpents]

I am tempted to try this... If I can find one!

[@GotAUkulele]

There's the challenge!!

[@tommorrisey3999]

Two years later update: Out of production, these are pulling 4-figure price tags in the USA. People are apparently paying that. Not I. But, on eBay, I found a guy in Mississippi selling a Chinese "copy" called Cosart for $195 plus tax, shipping included. I put "copy" in quotes because the Cosart resembles the Tenor Tele (right down to the proprietary Fender blue color), but there are significant differences. The bridge is a hard-tail, rather than a through-the-body design, and the jack is more simple and generic, but otherwise the body looks identical to the Real McCoy. The neck is another story altogether. While maple, with a truss rod, it has no skunk stripe on the back, (they obviously routed the neck and then glued the fretboard on) and, although the body looked quite nice, the neck looked like it was made by someone who had only heard guitar necks described: front and side dots either printed or wood-burnt on (I'm not sure which) as is the Cosart headstock logo, which is hideous. Frets were very mildly radiused, but fret ends were suitable for rough-sawing timber, and at first I thought it was rubbed but unfinished wood, although closer inspection revealed it had a very light satin finish. Oh, and it did have a string tree. But, played, it buzzed like a wasp's nest. Fortunately, just a short drive from my house are EFG Guitars, staffed by local legend Bill Fels (who built his Guitar Factory electrics for Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Jimmy Buffett -- the list goes on) and his son, Corey. Certain that they would laugh at me and tell me to return the guitar, I took my Chinese TT to them, and Corey took it to his bench and, adjusted the truss and had it playing adequately in five minutes. I asked him and Bill if it was worth doing a setup on, and they agreed it was, and I trust these guys (Billy has been known to wind guitar pickups by hand on rebuilds). So, I left it with them and, one week and $43 later I had it back with smoothed and leveled frets, the nut cut down, and strung with nickel 10s, as Corey knows I play finger-style. He also added, "Hope you don't mind that we broke it in for you. This thing is really fun to play; we've been passing it back and forth after work, and having a blast." Chicago tuning is fairly common in the American South, as tenors were usually go-to guitars for bluegrass and rockabilly frontmen who normally played Chicago-tuned banjo. Likewise, I am keeping the Cosart in DGBE, as I am looking at surgery for basal arthritis in both hands over the next couple of years, and I know I can play an electric guitar with little or even no pressure on the back of the neck.. But, after I recover and regain my hand strength, I suspect I will put it in open D tuning. And the next time I change strings, I am absolutely going to take the neck off and do some cosmetic work.

[@ukulelecarnage]

What strings did you use? 9-11-16-24 are the listed tensions but I can’t find a wound 16 anywhere. Any help would be appreciated

[@drpkmurphy]

Unique instrument, I love the sound. Great review. It would go great in a bass, lead, rhythm guitar band... hope you are doing well my Friend....DOC

[@GotAUkulele]

I like it a lot! Thanks Philip!

[@chungadin]

These are skyrocketing in price

[@GotAUkulele]

I can imagine - I bought for the review with funds from readers - and did the right thing - moved it on for a break even to get more instruments for review. Had I kept it - could have made a lot more.. Ah well - GAU is not for profit!

[@cocotheix2664]

i'm a guitarist and would like to know why a ukulele has different fret markers. probably comes down to tradition but idk

[@GotAUkulele]

Lots of theories, but tradition is the simplest and most compelling.

[@gertvanherck3357]

I got me one, it plays verry nice but i got a real hum sound when i let go the strings, also had to repair the pickup switch, For the price i'm not stisfied of the quality!

[@GotAUkulele]

Tele's are always bad for hum!

[@turkeytrac1]

The timing and 4 strings are more influenced by the cigarbox guitar movement then ukes. Great review!!

[@GotAUkulele]

possibly - but a lot of stores are going with the ukulele line. No need to do either to be honest. Tenor guitars have been around for decades.

[@johnog8358]

Can you still buy these?

[@GotAUkulele]

No. Fender (stupidly) discontinued them after a very short run.

[@johnog8358]

@@GotAUkulele disappointing , I found a "fender telecaster loog" it might be worth doing a comparison on , it seems to be a short scale 3 string guitar.... Might be of interest to you.

[@GotAUkulele]

@@johnog8358 Been thinking of getting one, but would need to import it (which makes they silly price in the UK)

[@johnog8358]

Yeah I was thinking of one but would much prefer a tenor tele. Any suggestions for a bass player that became a ukulele player but wants something a little bigger and guitar sounding?

[@GotAUkulele]

@@johnog8358 Have a look at the Flight electric ukuleles - particularly the new baritones - sounds perfect. Just make sure that with Flight you buy from a reputable store and not a big box place like Amazon or Thomann - they often need a lot of setting up

[@haltman74]

I think it's nice that brands make solid body and use metal strings on ukulele but i don't like that change the tune from original ukulele tune it's one of things that make particular ukulele

[@GotAUkulele]

It's Chicago Tenor Guitar tuning. But just happens to be the same as baritone uke tuning.

[@solar80]

Greetings from Serbia, maybe you should tune it in GCEA and try it like that... I would love to see that. Just an idea 😉

[@GotAUkulele]

Wrong string gauges. I’m happy with G tuning though.

[@solar80]

Yap, you need different strings for that.

[@GotAUkulele]

@@solar80 Not sure it's worth the hassle - very easy to just transpose to DGBE - same chord shapes

[@gregash7683]

Neither fish nor fowl. Why does Fender always drift away from their core product? Your kind comments are commendable.

[@WillMartin86]

These are about $1000 in the States. 429 pounds sounds like a steal!

[@GotAUkulele]

I suspect that is someone trying to crank the price as they are now discontinued. They were about $500 when I recorded this

[@josephlrefalo4125]

I want one , only Japan have in stock and they are expensive , have to pay alot of taxes !! Regards from Malta

[@GotAUkulele]

Keep an eye on UK stores - had a couple of friends say they have them on order and shops saying they expect to be able to fulfill them

[@josephlrefalo4125]

@@GotAUkulele Hey Buz , Yesterday I found one Used on Ebay , I payed for it the same price the owner had bought it new £ 485 , looks in very good condition ... I think it was a good deal . Still waiting to arrive to Malta. Regards Joseph

[@ChrisGorman87]

Fanner Guitars is a company that made my custom telecaster ukulele. They called it the ukuTele but fender was not happy about that. It is now called something else but long story short, Fanner guitars did a way better job then fender seemed to do but that’s my opinion.

[@GotAUkulele]

Never seen a Fanner in the flesh but heard good things about them. This is a tenor guitar though and not sure Fanner make one that is comparable?

[@SmallUkeBigWorld]

Maybe the tenor guitar market is a bit too niche for Fender.... so they choose to have baritone tuning to appeal to electric guitar players as a novelty / collectors' item.

[@GotAUkulele]

Probably that - just wish Fender were a bit more decisive at times!

[@tommorrisey3999]

Back in the day, American country and western bands frequently had a Chicago-tuned banjo player. Tenor guitar was developed in the golden age of radio to give those banjo players something to play when the song didn’t call for banjo. So, the instrument is banjo-derived, rather than ukulele-derived.

[@GotAUkulele]

@@tommorrisey3999 Oh I'm sure of that - all the more reason i am not convinced Fender knew who exactly they were targeting!

[@tommorrisey3999]

@@GotAUkulele a solid electric version of an acoustic guitar that was designed to give 4-string banjo players something to play in what, for them, was a variant tuning? How could that NOT be a hit?

[@edwardpetersen4309]

Without those 2 bass strings, tastes more like a Dalwhinnie than a Laphroaig Lore.

[@GotAUkulele]

ha ha!

[@delphinekirkland1757]

The few that are still around are $1,350 +.

[@GotAUkulele]

Wowzers..

[@alanwhitney3263]

Nice looking and sounds great but not a ukulele for me.

[@GotAUkulele]

No, it's a tenor guitar.

[@telly9004]

Got mine in Butterscotch Tuned G C E A

[@GotAUkulele]

Nice

[@Byronicmonkeys]

'if it was made In China it would say Squier on the headstock'. Well, yeah but, also no. (Points at Fender modern player series.)

[@GotAUkulele]

Oh - are they China now? Used to be Mexico. Anyway - this IS made in Mexico.

[@Byronicmonkeys]

@@GotAUkulele it looks very MIM. Yeah the Modern player was a range of four guitars, all made in China all branded Fender. Same necks as the classic vibes.

[@petermckeirnon7306]

So... It's a F.A.R.T.T?????

[@GotAUkulele]

Ha ha! Seems so!

[@marigoldsfever1538]

No thanks. Lol.

[@GotAUkulele]

One of the highest scores I've given out. Each to their own of course