FENDER TELECASTER, MORE THAN A FEELING

Playing notes and chords on a Fender Telecaster is an act of history.

Even more if it’s a butterscotch Tele. Why?

Because it has a legacy.

It’s an historical artifact, a throwback, brought up to date every year.

Playing one puts you in the legacy no matter how long, whether from 1950 to yesterday.

But not everyone gets on board with the legacy part.

There are those people in the audience who carry disdain for the American made butterscotch blonde Telecaster.

Why? I’ll take a shot:

They are expensive. If you can’t play like a master of the instrument, why do you need one?

It’s a millennial question of baby boomer motives.

‘Old people want to show off and buy heirlooms to decorate the wall of their ‘music room.”

‘Baby Boomers only know how to play blues, three chord blues in 1-4-5.’

Are they wrong? Not around here, but there’s more.

 

Keeping Current

Whether five strings, six, or seven stings; whether standard tuning, open tuning, or capo, it all takes practice time.

Who doesn’t want a guitar to lure you in with ‘you know you want to hold me, stroke me, and turn it up?’

Put your butterscotch baby on a stand near the amp and say sweet things to it.

If you have a dog you know the drill.

“Who’s a sweet baby. How long have you been waiting. Let’s go for a spin. You’re so beautiful.”

If you have a favorite car, same thing.

Don’t you want to be possessed by your guitar like the other kooks out there blasting away?

Yes, you do.

And it’s best done on a Telecaster. Here’s why: no matter what you sound like, you can’t blame the guitar.

You can’t blame a guitar that’s stood the test of time, that’s endured through every era, fad, and genre.

It something can be played on a guitar, it can be played on your tele.

That’s when reality seeps in.

 

Reality?

Shattered hopes and dreams? What’s that all about?

I knew a guitar man from the local tap house who’d played in bands and opened for big acts.

They were a Canadian act he said I wouldn’t know, but it was a big show.

When guys in a bar talk up their guitar days, believe them.

Did I counter with my band from years ago? Nooooo

Did I mention my duet with saxophone in the park, the busking in Paris, or the party I played for in the same bar?

Nooooo

It was his story and he had a guitar to sell, one I should have bought, but his music story was a hurdle I couldn’t get over.

I’m sure it was a nice guitar, just not for me, a butterscotch blonde tele guy with certain aspirations.

 

 

If I can’t get the sound I want out of my tele, I’ll keep looking, just not in another guitar.

With my rig I’ve got no excuses.

Wrong strings? Noooo

Curved neck? Noooo

Won’t stay in tune? Noooo

All it asks of me is to spend more time with it.

 

Be Like Duke

Hold on to your love like it will last forever.

From Eddie Dalton:

 

Where did all the time go
The years went fast, but the days went slow
The man in the mirror is older than me
He’s standing where I used to be

I’ve had my share of ups and downs
Lost my way then turned around
Every road I took they led me
Right here to where I’m meant to be

Somewhere along the way
The future became yesterday
I didn’t notice it day by day
Time just kept on slipping away
I’ve seen enough to know what stays
Watched the rest all fade away
There’s still some roads I’ve yet to take
And I’ll find them somewhere along the way

 

I wouldn’t change a thing I’ve done
The good, the bad, what I’ve become
It all led me right to this place
Standing here still in the race

Somewhere along the way
The future became yesterday
I didn’t notice it day by day
Time just kept on slipping away
I’ve seen enough to know what stays
Watched the rest all fade away
There’s still some roads I’ve yet to take
And I’ll find them somewhere along the way

 

PS:

If something is worth saying, it’s worth saying a few times. (Thank you, John Rossi)

 

PSS:

Playing guitar with your kids, sharing guitars with your kids, is a bond you want.

Start now and continue.