The Ugly Truth About Being A Telecaster Guy That Plays A Les Paul

It was nearly twenty years ago that I (or my parents rather) bought my first Fender Telecaster. I played that thing everyday for years. I was actively involved in playing at my church. When I wasn't playing my acoustic, I was playing that Telecaster. It was my only electric for the longest time. I changed the pickups because I wanted to play metal. It was then I realized that, even though I liked the shape and feel of a Tele, I wanted different sounds than the standard Telecaster quack. I've since owned many other Teles that all have something in common, they aren't standard Teles. I have one with P-90s and a Deluxe with Split coils. I have come to appreciate the Standard Tele quack, but I haven't committed to actually owning one. (I can get some quack by playing with my pickup configuration. So yes, I do call upon the mighty quack when I need)

I've Never Really Liked The Les Paul Shape (until I did)

There is something that happens to a guitar when they acquire their first "real" guitar. There is a fondness and familiarity that forms that is hard to overcome. Also, I jump between acoustic and electric so much that a flat-top electric feels more familiar when switching. A fender type bridge and Tonepros type bridge is an adjustment. The first few times I played a Gibson Les Paul I understood that this instrument was a quality instrument, but it was uncomfortable to play. Heavy, bulky, curved. Nothing seemed comfortable. I've owned, for a time, other guitars like a SG and a Jackson SLS. These were also different and good in there own respects, but they all lost favor and didn't suit me as much as my Tele. They were "homebase".

It Can Come As A Surprise 

So I messing about like I do in a music store, and on a lark picked up a Les Paul (copy) and slowly realized I like it better than the other guitars that I had picked up that day. I was surprised, not only how much I liked it, but how comfortable it felt. I had owned a SG for a few years, so the bridge was a little less foreign and the neck was slimmer and more "Fender-ish" than others I had play before. The pickups were bright and hot. The neck was one of the better rosewood fretboards I've played. Most other things were passable. All in all, it was a solid guitar, the price was right, so it became mine. No one was more surprised than me.

Having Something New Can Spark Renewed Interest. 

Being an active musician mean playing a lot of music. I Play a set every week with a group. I also teach music to students during the week, so playing "just for me" is uncommon. I'm either preparing, studying, or writing. I don't play for the pure enjoyment of it (even though I enjoy playing during that other times). But when I sat down with this non-Telecaster I was transported back to when the guitar was new. Things worked a little different. Similar enough to feel familiar but different enough to give everything a since of discovery. This would be the first guitar that I've spent a lot of time that had a set-neck, and honestly I thing I'm smitten. There is a sustain that I think is due to the neck joint. I still love my Teles for all the reason that I loved them to begin with, but now there is something else in my collection that doesn't resemble the rest and adds a new element to the mix.

Ugly Review: Ventura V28 (Les Paul)

In every guitar players life their are times when one grows restless. The familiar sounds and feels become too familiar and we long for a new experience. I kissed my wife and family goodbye as I prepared to begin a journey for the next conquest. I might encounter various perils on the trek to claim the prize awaiting me, so I gathered my courage and ventured forth to discover my next glorious acquisition. And so, I went to the music store.

I had a budget (small) and a few thing on my list (everything), so i began inspecting every instrument I deemed worthy (affordable). Cutting to the chase, I almost walk out of the store in defeat until I noticed a Les Paul. I didn't pay much mind because I don't really like to play LP's, but I decide to take a closer look when I notice the headstock. "Ventura". I ran into exactly one other guitar like this. It was a 1/2 size student guitar that I student brought to lessons. It was, far and away, the best "student" guitar I've seen. On top of that, it was also budget friendly. The V28 ran for just under a hundred dollars. I was skeptical, then I played it.

It felt like a Les Paul, that is to say, heavy. Everything seemed right about it. The weigh, balance, color, shape were all classic Les Paul. But I don't like Les Paul's. I plugged it in and strummed a few chords. It sounded very generic "PAF-humbucker-y". The thing that surprised me was the fret board. Most budget guitar get a raw deal especially when it comes to rosewood fretboards. But this one head and shoulders above the Epiphone SG that I've owned for years. 

Now for the ugly. The sounds and the feel of the guitar was well above the hundred dollar they were asking for this guitar. However, everything wasn't so impressive. The metal parts were the biggest let downs. Nearly every metal bit had a sharp/unrefined edge. The tuners is were I noticed it the most, but the saddles and stop-tail had edges that felt like they should have been hit with a sander before chromed. The finish is passable with visible wood joints through the finish on the back and some imperfections with the binding. There was a mar in the top where the hardware from the pickguard hit. Some of the areas around hardware was left rough. The frets end were left a little ruff, but none actually stuck out. The nut was cut and left raw. Intonation was difficult to adjust on some strings (due to the rough machining process all the other metal pieces I suppose) Most of this can be chalked up to being nit-picky.

I did end up purchasing it. I am not a big name brand kind of guy. The guitar played well, it was very affordable, and I wanted something different. It was a home run as far as I was concerned. There are some thing I'd like to change, but as it sits, it's a great playing guitar for a reasonable price.