Why Teles Are Better (And Worse) Than Strats |

Mick Taylor and I compare our loves and hates between Teles and Strats.
=================================
SHOP WTH JAY'S AFFILIATE LINKS
=================================
🔴 Zzounds - www.zzounds.com/a--3989107/share--jayleonardjs_toolbox
🔴 Amazon - www.amazon.com/shop/jayleonardj
🔴 Sweetwater Sound - sweetwater.sjv.io/QyOD2a
🔴 Reverb.com - www.awin1.com/awclick.php?gid...
🔴 Thomann Music - www.thomann.de/intl/index.htm...
🔴 Check Out Jay's Custom Wound HSS, Strat, Tele, and Humbucker Pickups
www.tonespecific.com/collecti...
=================================
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL
=================================
🔴If you'd like to support my channel, please visit
my PATREON page: / jayleonardj
🤘BIG THANKS TO:
Jared
J.M. Aldridge
Robert Gunn
Brian Griffing
Jorge Suarez
Jose Benito Martinez Jr.
Oleg
Robert Keeley
Anthony Johnson
Chris
Thorsten Wengler
Nick Kromenacker
Cris Smith
=================================
FOLLOW ME
=================================
🔴 Instagram - / jayleonardj
🔴 Facebook - / jayleonardj

[@deadlegs187]

You could defend yourself from a gang attack with a Tele and it would still be in tune

[@marshsticks992]

Keith Richards battering stage invaders comes to mind.

[@jierdy]

Lol! Perfect

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

@@marshsticks992 some guy banged his tele against a wall to get rid of the snow on it

[@163388416]

Meanwhile a les paul will break if you simply look at it the wrong way 😂

[@rolux4853]

Mike Beltrandi last week I had to ship a Les Paul with DHL through the whole country.. It were a few sleepless nights since it was only wrapped in lots and lots of bubble foil and put in a box. No case since the buyer did not want to pay for it. It survived, but I was very anxious until it arrived. I got a nice Strat out of the trade so in the end it was worth it!

[@indieguy81]

I like his enthusiasm. This guy could sell a million Telecasters. Strats have a very distinct, iconic sound, and they definitely have their place, but the versatility of the Tele is what sells it for me. And that bridge pickup is a ROCK machine.

[@yoshistover5881]

He doesn't even have to do anything. Him just bobbing his head wildly sold me. (No offense to him, he just looked like he's having the best time.in his life.)

[@angellomamaril80]

Sheesh That intro was too fire.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks!

[@joshuaparmar3233]

@@JayLeonardJ is there a name to your intro? Y'all should get together and make an album.

[@chaseb8693]

The strat is all “floop fleedy loop” and the tele is all “bizhow-KANG”

[@yoshithedinosaur2426]

​@Anonymous "No, no. He's got a point"

[@howardswrx1883]

Bizhow KANG sounds like a cool stage name for a Korean Bluesman

[@mjs2016]

@@howardswrx1883 lol

[@jonathanallen2560]

Accurate

[@furbymetal83]

@@howardswrx1883I own an original copy of Bizhow KANG Greatest hits Vol 1: Songs from the ( Han River) Delta/ Ricepaddyman's blues

[@pigxstix]

I grew up on strats and absolutely hated teles. I hated the way they looked and I hated the way they sounded. Now that I'm older I've become enlightened to how cool and versatile a tele actually is. And without trying, tele has become my favorite. I still love strats, but I find I rarely play mine anymore as the feel and sound of the tele is just a better fit for me. Completely unintended and strange, but there it is.

[@michaeleaster1815]

Similar here... I bought a Fender MiM Tele and I can't put it down. My current #1 was an Ibanez Jem and I was a low-rent Vai/Satriani wannabe. But the Tele on clean or crunch is so fun that it has transformed me entirely as a player. (Though for a desert-island guitar I don't think I can choose between a Tele and a Strat... a brutal dilemma)

[@jl61046]

The same thing has just happened to me. Haven’t touched my Strat or Lester since… haha

[@gittarpikk]

Plus...as you get older, some o that higher frequency turf dissappears, but that tele quack is easy to hear even with most hearing losses...aI have maybe a dozen strats , a few gibson platforms and just acquired my first tele. Love it!

[@1911acolt1]

My father was a guitar player growing up.He played a tele.I always played a strat..Any time I thought I was improving I’d jam with him and get destroyed..😂 His tele style and tone was just so ripping..Hard to compete with a tele sometimes.

[@TheLowest]

Funny, I'm the exact opposite. Started off trying to love teles because jeff buckley played one and i thought strats were boring. But picked up a strat and realised it's exactly what I wanted out of any tele i played

[@beng808]

Maybe I’m an outlier, but I really like the middle pickup on a strat. It’s not at pokey as the bridge, but it’s clearer than the neck

[@dhruvpendharkar488]

Its like the worse of both worlds.

[@shaunw9270]

I like the middle pickup too. If you watch videos of Hendrix , he used the middle pickup often .

[@thatguy12]

Same here, but i went a little out of the ordinary with my Strat, got a Tele bridge pickup installed (with a custom pickguard ), a clapton-style midboost circuit and some switching magic that allows me to get something quite similar to a Tele middle position as well as all three pickups at once. Had to drop the tone pots though, so i have a master volume, a mid boost volume and a blend for the brigde pickup. The amount of dynamics i get out of that guitar is insane.

[@sparkijones]

If that’s the case I’m an outlier too, even though i don’t know what one is! I find the middle great for rhythm sitting nicely in the mix but still clear. With gain it can yield the full spectrum if you pick near the neck or near the bridge - totally different sounds!

[@graemehodges4367]

I like the middle pickup. I hate the in-between positions though - almost as much as I hate chorus and delay, but that's a digression...

[@mastermachetier5594]

I’ve always been a strat guy. I have an American original 60s love that vibe. That being said just bought my first tele last week and it’s been blowing my mind. It has a clarity and cutting bite I can’t get from my strats.

[@ColinStuart]

For my 55 years playing, the Telecaster has been my go to guitar! Rhythm is king. Long live rock!

[@swissarmyknight4306]

I love the sound of a Tele and Les Paul (played a Les Paul for years), but the ergonomics of a Strat are an overwhelming win. I mostly play Strats and hollowbodies these days.

[@millmoormichael6630]

Swiss Army Knight This is so true. Strat is much nicer to play but Tele has that beautiful highs and that twang. Practice, songwriting, gigs > Strat. Recording: Tele

[@davidburke2132]

Millmoor Michael As someone so used to playing two pickup guitars there are a number of elements of the layout of the Strat that just annoy me and trip me up. I guess it’s largely down to what you learned on/got used to.

[@hunkydorian]

What you're looking for is a Telemaster: A Jazzmaster-shaped and -contoured body with Telecaster hardware. There is no guitar on earth comfier than a Jazzmaster.

[@0megalul309]

@@hunkydorian jazzmasters are too bloated in the back end to be comfortable vs something like the strat

[@patrickbrown8540]

Best way to solve this problem, just own one of each! 🎸

[@j.a.s.1416]

Man if Jay would ever release an intermediate to advanced step by step funk course I'd buy it in a heart beat..... 🎸

[@Les537]

You either got the funk or you aint.

[@rorymcilvain4586]

Yes. I agree. Come on Jay. We are all home ready to learn😁

[@fossilmatic]

The middle pickup on the Strat is where you find out if you can sound like yourself, not just someone else.

[@fchampd4512]

fossilmatic the middle pickup alone that is

[@oskarileikos]

@@fchampd4512 the middle pickup alone is sooo underrated!!

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Facts. I wire my Strats with 3 way switches and the tone pots on the bridge and neck and leave the middle wide open and just love it.

[@slimkickens]

@@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer I like to keep the bridge tone bypassed and put a blender on the back tone knob for the neck pickup to get some tele tones

[@richjohn2497]

Pick ups!

[@AnkurWow]

These are among my two favorite guitarists these days. J Leonard can do it all, and with passion, and Mick is one of the most tasteful players out there-never wastes a note. So nice to see you jamming together - made me smile the whole time. Would love to see Jimi and Stevie also jam together...

[@alfgwahigain5544]

Strat middle pickup is so useful and I've used it for years. Great clean for funk and soul, reggae, etc. and with dirt, not as dark as the neck, not overly bright like the bridge and sits well in the mix. More people would use it if people just stopped saying no one uses it, because that's not true.

[@shootgroundhog]

The middle pickup is the number one reason I have always preferred strats.

[@kilgorj]

@@shootgroundhog I've seen Clapton several times and he use that middle pickup a lot!

[@JELIFISH19]

The answer to it is to buy both. I had a Strat that I've been playing over a decade. I started to feel like I was a Tele-man and resented the Strat. I looked for the perfect Tele for years and when I finally got it, the Strat became so much better. I was no longer wishing it was a Tele because I had a Tele. The Strat could be a Strat. Turns out I'm not a Tele-man. I play both equally now and they both do different things well.

[@louierubio]

JELIFISH19 I went through a very similar journey. It’s a blessing to have both :)

[@mikethebloodthirsty]

I have the same issues. I think a good middle ground would be a hard tail strat...

[@danielbarry5547]

Am I weird for liking my squier bullet tele mire than my American Special strat? Lol

[@shaunw9270]

@@danielbarry5547 Yeah . Weirdo. 😉

[@lordvermintide4441]

Thank you for validating my decision to buy another instrument I arguably don't need. I bought a Strat a few years ago, and ever since, I've been fighting this low-level buyer's remorse that keeps telling me "You like Teles better, dude. Shoulda got a Tele... The Strat just doesn't vibe." So now I'm buying a Tele too. Hopefully I'll appreciate my Strat more because of it ;)

[@kjneese]

Seriously, amazing comparison of the different attributes/strengths of these instruments. Thx for this breakdown, which is unlike most I've seen online! And yes, you both SHREDDED that opening!

[@brianbarrett5987]

Two of my favorite KZbin guitar channel gods together. I love it!!!

[@demerit5]

These guys rule.

[@jamesf2918]

You couldn’t have picked a better time to release this. Such a great video. Great tones and great playing.

[@mateovicuna7640]

i love to see someone that stands for his guitar, instead of the guy that says: "why to choose, when you can have both" Damn man! I cannot afford that many guitars!

[@shawnbell6392]

OK, in my opinion , the tele is like the polygraph test for guitar players. It reflects what you bring to the table. The strat is where I have mostly ended up and, in my opinion, the key to the strat is to not be gentle or shy about hitting it hard. Single coil pickups allow you a type of depth that you can really explore. One of the beauties of both is the pickups you choose and the in-the-room sound and feel you get.

[@sigiligus]

What a delightfully stupid comment. The polygraph test is known to be virtually worthless as a meaningful test. Just like a Tele is not some special magical instrument.

[@peclat202]

Never send a Strat to a Tele fight lol just kidding, cant decide on that, love both!

[@jasonscott5639]

that was such a pleasure... thank you both

[@aidanduncan8187]

Guys, you have blown the sh stuff out of the park with this one. What an outrageously fantastic video. Love you both, so great to see you entertaining together. Thanks so much 😊❤️👍

[@dwainmcbain5263]

Those who assume the middle pickup on a Strat is useless, well, you’re missing something really cool. I love my middle pup I’d even say it’s more versatile than the other positions. Also position 2 and 4 the output drops in half.

[@paulstirk4964]

Probably totally wrong but I like to use the middle position with volume rolled off to give a more acoustic sound. Saves taking two guitars to an open mic night.

[@yarbzag]

I always swap my 5 way switch for a 3 way switch on Strats. Hate the level drop on positions 2 and 4. Also love middle pup for funk

[@pensive_]

Fantastic video. Thanks My entry: After decades of gigging I found (and used it to my benefit) ; That if you play a strat and you have another player equal in tallent to you, compete with a humbucker or good P90 based guitar, the strat tends to be relegated and disappears somewhat. With a Tele not so. A telecaster can hold its own against any humbucker based guitar. Strats really shine if they are used with other strats or teles.

[@superflea72]

Strats are wonderful at what they do, but I have recently gravitated more towards Teles myself - there's just something special about them that I prefer. seeing my two favourite YT players Jay and Mick together talking about Fenders was a real treat too, more vids please guys!

[@kellykane312]

My first Guitar was a Telecaster. I have played and worked on many giutars. I decided to build a guitar and I had no problem choosing a Telecaster for all of the reasons Jay said. I love Telecasters!

[@shorerocks]

I am a higain hard rocker all my +35 years of playing - but Jay, you rhythm power + groove is mindblowing. What an entry jam of both of you!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks so much!

[@eljefeguapobarbon]

I love this! Great hang btwn two fun personalities. Keep 'em coming..

[@steveroberts]

Great playing guys. Thank you

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

Whenever I know I need to play/practice but am procrastinating; Watch video of JLJ playing, instantly jump up and grab my guitar. 👌👍❤🔥

[@ChinqMiau1]

What a banter lads. Really enjoyed it. Thanks. 😊

[@lrmhawk]

Didn't realize I needed a tele until I got one! Been playing Strats since the late 70's and always found them to be the most versatile for gigging. Alternated between a Les Paul and Strat for years, but found a sweet seafoam green tele last year and can't believe how much I love it. Really love the simplicity and feel that the pickup selector is superior in that I often hit the strat pickup selector when I get too crazy playing rhythm. The neck and bridge pickups on the tele are superior to the strat pickup sounds, but nothing beats the in between positions on a strat!

[@scottyvalero3691]

Every time I watch Jay play, I enjoy his playing style. It’s also fun to watch because he get so into it

[@JayLeonardJ]

Really appreciate it!

[@thehound2161]

Depending on the current atmospheric pressure i prefer the Telecaster over the Stratocaster, unless it is a Thursday... then it is the Stratocaster over the Telecaster. I may be bias in my opinions, but the Cabronita, Jaguar and Jazzmaster are third, fourth, and fifth on my list. It is Fender, then everything else. Other brands are nice, but they leave me wanting.... a Fender.

[@MichaelZola]

The Hound oh yea!

[@hanvandedonk1391]

Watching this while drinking a beer. Could listen to you guys all day!

[@lance134679]

Strat and Tele are two perfect guitar designs. Thanks, Leo! and Thanks Leonard and Mick.

[@jwright1972]

Years ago, I used to go to a shop where one of the guys that worked there jokingly referred to teles as Fender’s male model and strats as Fender’s female model.

[@EricNielsen85]

Really enjoy watching this two fellas together.

[@alexanderroesch2287]

Very infectious. Nicely done. The enthusiasm and playing ability made me paradoxically want to both acquire another guitar AND burn all my gear, respectively.

[@Cyndaquills]

Holy Cow. Mick nailed why I don’t like playing Strats but LOVE when others play them. I rarely get in a situation where I play loud so it sounds thin. But if you are like John Mayer and can crank it, you can get freaking awesome tones. I’m just rarely if ever in those kind of positions where I can really crank it.

[@dacuriel]

Loved this comparison. Thanks for making it!

[@tonepilot]

Wow, great playing you two and nicely mixed.

[@og-greenmachine8623]

As a telecaster player, I take this shit “personal”💡 When I go to sing JAZZ! not to self, -LEAVE STRAT AT HOME💡

[@philipjones7372]

Nice demonstrations and nuances, guys. Appreciated

[@rcnation8910]

Thanks Guys. Absolutely love the playing and guitars! I have both as do most people but my heart lies with the Stratocaster.

[@planzed.2]

That opening jam 💥 Jay’s energy is always incredible!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks so much! Playing with Mick is about as fun as it gets :)

[@raytheprinter]

Wow, Two of my favorite utube musicians playing two of my favorite guitars!!! Right on!!!!

[@josephdimalante7023]

I like the middle pickup I think it give's you the pure Fender clean tone...

[@thembarrai8766]

Tele nack pickup is out of this earth💜that clean tone😍 you gi crazy

[@Afurthyclays]

I've never seen a bigger collection of dorky expressions, but MAN, that was some mean playing! 😂 Very nice.

[@MrScrofulous]

I don't think that MIck is ever gonna be the same :) You pulled some of the best playing I've ever heard from him.

[@vmann-jd5yw]

Top notch discussion and demo - fun, informative, very cool.

[@richardfinney3169]

Loved this video guys thx for sharing, I'm a Telecaster and Strat man myself really love the punch a tele has for blues and rythem, love the strays raw chimey leads , in fact my favorite build atm I call a strelecastor it's a tele with a hot strat pickup in the mid position. A nashville tbh but wired modern Sg style unique in tones . You both play amazing .

[@JayLeonardJ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@adrianobarco]

That was a beautiful thinline!!! Well, strats and teles have their own thing. It all depends on the mood and personality of the player

[@jeefder]

you got that right :)

[@massimos6863]

Awesome playing Guys great Sounding guitars ❤🎸👍👍

[@dillonrichards6140]

Never gonna be able to play my tele again without imagine it screaming YEAAAAH

[@JayLeonardJ]

hahaha!

[@rdavid3848]

Absolutely awesome together.

[@JayLeonardJ]

He is the best!

[@justinpaquette224]

I have a strat middle pickup in my tele...wired to its own volume pot that goes to the jack. So when the middle volume is off...its just a normal tele

[@JayLeonardJ]

I did that for years! Great mod :)

[@justinpaquette224]

The only down side for me is that damn middle pickup cramping my style when I finger pick...I'm thinking about trying a 6k lipstick in the middle

[@Lalairu]

I am considering doing the same thing in mine

[@tompoynton]

I have a MIM Nashville Deluxe Tele with the strat pickup in the middle, no volume pot mod though. I have a filtertron-style pickup at the neck however, so the guitar as a whole has white a lot of dynamic range now.

[@jpb1231000]

LOVED your Synopsis at ~ 7:40.... I was like TESTIFY My Brother!!!

[@bamber119]

That was an awesome intro. I've got both a tele which ive had for years and then bought a Strat.....the tele got put away and the Strat got played continuously....till I bought my 50's Les Paul standard. But my Strat does still occasionally get picked up.

[@qmarmcdevy5080]

Great vid guys.

[@cherkaslord]

Best and most useful comparison I found on KZbin

[@OyvindBjorgo]

The strat would have sounded jazzier if Mick had rolled off the tone a hair.

[@sleepymarauder4178]

True. Also turning down a bit of treble on the amp would help.

[@Zif-the-Old-Herring]

You guys are great. So much fun. Great information.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks so much!

[@rockingstar3534]

Side story, i love Jay's watch. It is like vintage look. I had one when i was a kid. Love it!

[@aluminati9918]

Great video. I own both, great guitars. only thing I can tell you for sure is Teles require WAY less maintenance. Also more trouble-free in a live setting. Never became friends w Strat volume knob position.

[@happytimes3660]

Strat! love the built-in spring reverb

[@Glicksman1]

Hey Mick, nice to see/hear you here. Jay, always a big fan. The Tele bridge pickup is unique in all guitar-dom in that it is interconnected to the entire bridge assembly unlike any other pickup. Still, the 2 and 4 position "out off phase" sounds of the Strat are killer. I guess we've got to have both. BTW, I use and love the middle Strat pickup. Cheers guys.

[@BenCoombs]

Great video with two great guys!!

[@67er_matze97]

one thing is for sure. Everyone needs a tele and a strat!! Great playing and talk on these wonderful instruments

[@michaelolz]

That opener left me breathless. Holy cow!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Really appreciate it :)

[@jdb2722]

Man these guys can really play! Great work gents.

[@shinjial]

Really cool jam on the intro!

[@itaintmebabe714]

The intro jam sesh is so 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥

[@thomasstonehewer7037]

I put a twisted tele pup in the Neck for the stratty sounds... blends so well with the customshop 63 in the bridge in the middle position

[@donaldsmith188]

Damn! What an intro! Kick ass! I agree with both of you guys, I have both Tele and Strat and a Les Paul too as well as a 335 . All have their place. I love guitars period. Haha

[@markanstey2654]

For me it's all about the sounds of the players I love and most of them are strat guys - Hendrix, Robin Trower, Gilmore, Joe Walsh, Blackmore, Audley Freed (cry of love). Plus the strat is the most comfortable guitar to play by far.

[@fernandovidriales4168]

That's a really really good intro there haha!!!

[@KunchangLeeMusic]

Love these guitar comparison vids

[@absea7918]

I love both, but should point out the Strat was initially supposed to be the new version of the Tele. The Tele we all love is actually a newer version of the Esquire (which had no rhythm pickup or truss rod). Leo Fender was always tinkering. He had the Tele in the hands of some local players, and was getting a lot of feedback about what they wanted to see in the next version. Leo added the tremolo (to compete with Bigsby), he contoured it, added another pickup, added deeper cutouts for higher fret access and realized he had a whole new model. The Stratocaster was a big hit, and it was the flagship Fender instrument. But, as I said, I like both since they are both amazing guitars.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

Props for the Wes Montgomery I've grown accustomed to her face cameo.

[@WildBillMojo]

A great video, good seeing you guys work together. I'm luck enough to have both (and others)......There are other guitars better at specific things but I just can't go past a Tele, it does pretty much anything. The ultimate Desert Island guitar.

[@Yesmaxno]

Both guys are cool guitarists!

[@jesselawson224]

I love the strat middle pickup

[@hylas99]

Damn that is good rhythm playing on that tele. Awesome!

[@bertrandguerra7621]

I didn't expect anyone playing Wes Montgomery's take on "I've grown accustomed to her face" in a guitar comparison video 😳 Great stuff guys 👌

[@JayLeonardJ]

One of my all time favorite guitar arrangements :)

[@hamburger29jp]

I used the last tone knob as a blend knob of the bridge and neck pick up to get that tele middle position-ish type of sound and somewhat humbucker-ish type of sound on overdrives. I've modded my strat with a 3 way switch instead coz I usually don't use the in between position in my playing.

[@sjoerdklarenbeek]

Mancrushing on JLJ’s energy

[@stevewaters3464]

What a great collaboration.

[@JayLeonardJ]

It was such a blast to do. He's one of the best guys in the biz.

[@tonymarinelli7304]

The intro jam was outstanding guys really great job!! Give me a tally any day although I do have a strat and that fucking thing never stays in tune. I have the new ultra series fender Strat.

[@sparkijones]

Gr8 funky video! Jay you got dat funk man! Mick you did well even though blues is more your ting!

[@Jaysteenn]

Cool video idea! Thanks for saying Hey in the chat!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks for watching!

[@surfrby8876]

Fun little topic, I guess I’ll just stay with my Les Paul lol, naw gotta have one of each , superb playing guys as usual

[@chuckdriver7741]

I played Strats exclusively for 10 years then switched to Teles exclusively for the next 15 years. I prefer Teles because the controls are out of the way and the two pickup configuration. BUT, after saying all this, I must confess I am now a PRS Custom 24 owner and finally completely satisfied. Great video and fire 🔥 ass playing! 🇺🇸🗽🦅🇺🇸

[@jsanch4892]

This was a great video to watch and hear the POV’s for each guitar. Being an owner of each, including a Thinline, the Tele has an edge over the Strat. Not to say the Strat isn’t a great sounding guitar, but you can’t get the warm tones and bite from a Tele on a Strat.

[@tomrudd1118]

Enjoyed this very much. WOW.

[@dylandoge1627]

I love the armadillo guitar bridges with individual saddles for telecasters

[@tonydeansmith3093]

Two of my fave guitarists!

[@lichewitz8905]

Holy shit, what an intro! By the time it was over, I didn't even remember the premise of the video