Squier Bullet Telecaster - Usable guitar for $129?

Рет қаралды 3,653

Жыл бұрын

Today Keith takes a look at the Squire Bullet Telecaster. Can $129 buy a usable guitar? Let's find out.
Keith Leedham is an independent recording artists/studio owner/tinkerer.
He owns "The Tape Farm" a recording studio that specializes in transferring "pro-sumer" analog tape formats from manufactures like Tascam and Fostex.
Website: www.thetapefarm.com
Facebook: / thetapefarm
As an independent recording artists Keith has released singles, EPs and full length albums. With styles ranging from Progressive Rock to Country to Singer/Songwriter to Hard Rock to what ever the song dictates.
Website: www.keithleedham.com
He also tinkers with various audio equipment such as tape machines, guitars and guitar amps. When he comes across something interesting he posts the progress/results on KZbin.

Пікірлер: 19

@theblytonian3906 24 күн бұрын

I had the opportunity to buy a Squier Bullet Tele in AU a similar price point runout deal when Fender was running them out in late 2022 to be superseded in that market demographic segment by the Sonic series. After playing/owning it for 18 months, my conclusion is that in it Squier finally had a product which could actually rival Yamaha's base entry level 012 Pacifica on equal terms in terms of price, playability, build quality and overall finish as an entry level guitar, the two different configurations notwithstanding. If one can pick one up for the kind of SALE price point you did, just do it. They are a steal. They are even solid buying at the regular street price (RSP vs SRP). Worth pointing out. There is a difference between Squier Teles for the US market vs many places in ROW. US market gets Bullet Teles which are Made in Indonesia like yours. In AU for instance, the distro imports Chinese made units limited to just two colour schemes. The BQ and finish of the Chinese units are superb, and the pickups albeit still ceramic, of different origin and superior in terms of kOhm output. The Chinese models are top loaders as I noticed the one you have is. Previous Indonesian parallel year models (e.g. 2022) used to be string through, so not sure if they're changed that since or? String through is of aesthetic traditional curmudgeon appeal only in this guitar IMV. Makes no tonal difference, & in fact top load is preferred from a string change perspective. After a setup, playable as is with nothing but a string change. IME they'll need to be replaced within six weeks when the high E or B breaks, so may as well do it during initial full setup after that initial tune & play we all do straight out of the box. My neck was perfectly finished (smooth on the reverse) & a good looking piece of maple too. Surprisingly, fret ends were finished all the way up the nick & absent any fret sprout. Frets were level too, but they definitely needed a polish as they had that factory protectant grunge all over them. The fingerboard was dry. On my example, the tuners work in that they do do the job and hold tune, but are basic in mech op & feel. No need for immediate replacement but it is a consideration for later down the track as this guitar is otherwise a player & worth it. The pickups. 6kOhm on the Chinese version. They are ceramics, and tone is OK in class. Fine for a beginner to learn with. This is the area where one can turn this into a very good guitar with installation an inexpensive Korean Wilkinson alnico pickup set, pots & capacitor. Most important part. It plays well in the hand. Even the tall traditional frets it is fitted with vs medium jumbos are pleasant. It has a nice C neck profile, pleasing 9½" radius just comfortable overall feel. Mine came in on the heavy... ish side at 3.5kg (just under 7¾lb in your money) considering it's allegedly a Poplar body, and the Bullet 'thinner than regular Tele slab' at that. Made me suspect mine is actually a hybrid assembly. i.e. a previous year surplus to production top load Affinity Alder body after production was transferred to Indonesia. The weight seems about right for that. Who would know without stripping the paint off? Either way, I'm not complaining nor disappointed. Mine was the Black with white pickguard, the other choice being a two tone Sunburst. NLA in AU unfortunately superseded by the Sonic series at a similar SRP, which if as good get my tick of approval. Well done Fender/Squier.

@CRYPTiCEXiLE 6 ай бұрын

waiting on my tele... i got the 2023 Sonic line regular Telecaster in California Blue. It's a nice guitar for me to start off, can't wait to learn and start playing. :)

@kyleh6406 Жыл бұрын

I'm loving that neck humber route.

@truckergilligangilligan5877 8 ай бұрын

I bought a Bullet Telecaster butterscotch blond few years ago. It has rhe string through and plays great! So fun to play I originally got it for travel but enjoyed it so much I decided to use another guitar to get banged up on the road. For an inexpensive guitar it plays great, anyone kokking for a low cost guitar five this a try. 👍

@TheTapeFarm 8 ай бұрын

Love those butterscotch teles.

@7171jay 9 ай бұрын

Mostly a very good review but just to be super critical pedant I will point out a couple things that you might want to improve... First it would be nice to know what type of gear we are actually listening to in your sound demos. Is the guitar direct into an audio interface and if so which one or are you using an actual amp? What is the overdrive sound? A plugin? an actual pedal? or an amplifier. Second, it's very cool that you showed the weight of the guitar but it is so briefly on screen that I couldn't be sure the first time through if it was 6 pounds 9.74 oz or 6.974 pounds. I slowed the video down to 25% speed and was pretty sure it was 6.974 pounds. To be completely sure I took the weight in kilos and did the math and indeed it turns out to be less than half an ounce under seven pounds... anyway maybe just saying out loud what the weight is would probably be easier for the viewer and as well maybe pointing out how a seven pound guitar stacks up compared to other guitars for those who don't have a grasp of this stuff would be some nice additional info. I know this stuff is being super picky especially about a very low cost guitar but I thought I would put it out there for you. Otherwise this is an excellent and very informative review of this guitar with very good insights.

@TheTapeFarm 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback Jay!! I truly do appreciate it!

@7171jay 9 ай бұрын

👍

@gasaddict Жыл бұрын

I picked one of those up from MF as well. Decent guitar for the money. Donating the one I bought to a local school

@DeerCreekAudio Жыл бұрын

put some classic vibe pickups in it for $20...don't waste money on anything else. You'll break a tuning key in a year or so...so figure another $50 for some tuners.

@TheTapeFarm Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing.