The Telecaster sparked an era of new music thanks to its simple yet versatile design. Throughout the years, Fender ruled the music industry with their Telecaster, and they continue to strive for improvement.
This course of action has spawned a wide selection of Telecaster guitars for us to choose from, each one carefully and precisely crafted for a specific purpose.
In this list, I’ll be helping you find the right Telecaster for you, in all aspects possible, from various companies and in various styles.
Contents
The Best Telecasters For The Money 2024
- Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster
- Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Telecaster
- Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
- Squier by Fender Standard Telecaster
- Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster
- ESP LTD TE Series TE-254
- Fender Kotzen Signature Telecaster
Runner Up | Editor's Choice | Also Great |
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Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster
The Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster is honestly a great guitar. It features various custom pickups, an ebony fingerboard, and flexibility when controlling the sound thanks to the pickup switches. This guitar stands out more with people who are looking for that great twang sound in a Telecaster.
- Sounds like an acoustic, plays like an electric
- Great sound for most genres
- Flexible
- Quite expensive
Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Telecaster
The last item on our list, is the Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Telecaster. This vintage Telecaster is an inexpensive choice for guitar players who’d like to expand their arsenal with a vintage-quality instrument. It features vintage-style strings & a body and a rosewood fingerboard that’s great for the hands. Overall, this is a well-rounded choice for players with ample experience.
Pros
- Rosewood fingerboard feels great
- Sounds fantastic
- Vintage-style
- Not for pros who embrace real Telecasters
Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
Fender knows their stuff when it comes to their Telecasters and the Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster is no exception. With a beautiful Sunburst body, Vintage Noiseless pickups and 5-way Strat-O-Tone switching, this guitar plays well in almost all genres and situations.
Consider this guitar if you want something in between the cheap and expensive sides of things.
Pros
- Decent sound for a Telecaster
- Well-rounded
- Great for most genres
- Relatively cheap
Cons
- Body looks basic
Squier by Fender Standard Telecaster
The Squier Standard Telecaster is your go-to Telecaster guitar which features a unique Agathis body, a wood softer than the standard alder/maple bodied Telecasters. Its unique construction gives this guitar its amazing tones for its price. This guitar is perfect for beginners looking to jumpstart their Telecaster career.
- Agathis body
- Relatively cheap
- Sound is well-rounded
- Cannot be customized much because of the soft body
- Not for pros
Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster
The Fender Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster is arguably the best-looking Telecaster out of them all. With Brad Paisley’s collaboration, Fender put together this sparkly country-style Telecaster to fill the niche between inexpensive quality design and impressive sound quality.
Pros
- Body is beautiful
- Great for playing live
- Sounds great
Cons
- Tad bit expensive
- There are better alternatives
ESP LTD TE Series TE-254
So far into the list, I believe that this is the cheapest Telecaster I’ve seen yet. The ESP LTD TE Series TE-254 is an inexpensive, non-Fender Telecaster which features an ash body, a maple neck with bolt-on-neck construction, 3-way switches and decent pickups for a Telecaster that’s sturdy, that sounds great AND costs less.
- Easy to play
- Beginner’s choice of TC
- Decent pickups provide decent sound
- Looks basic
- There are better alternatives
Fender Kotzen Signature Telecaster
Fender Japan has bestowed upon us the Fender Kotzen Signature Telecaster. This guitar was the choice of famed Richie Kotzen for his performances, and its name stuck. This godsend of a guitar, despite its hefty price tag, is the alpha Telecaster. With the Dimarzio DP384 Chopper T Bridge Pickup and Dimarzio DP173 Twang King neck pickup, this bad boy is sure to make your day.
Pros
- Complex parts make for amazing sound
- Very sturdy for long-term
- Looks great
- Pricey
- Not suited for beginners
A Quick Buying Guide on Telecasters
Variations
There are a lot – and I mean a lot – of Telecaster variations out there, and each one excels in different aspects than another. These massive variations can confuse us and make it difficult for us to choose the right guitar. You should look at the price and features of a Telecaster to make sure that it’s the best for you.
Squier VS. Fender Telecaster – Which is Better?
Squier is well-known for their Telecasters, but it is not a different company from Fender. “Squier is a division of Fender and its Telecasters are based on Fender models, sharing many of the same design features at super-affordable prices,” says The Hub. In a nutshell, Squier Telecasters are cheaper alternatives to the pricey Fender classics.
What is the best telecaster for the money?
The Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster is the best telecaster for the money. This is a guitar that can play many different genres smoothly and clearly along with its price tag, and not to mention its versatility among all guitarists, newbies and professionals alike. Though it’s quite pricey compared to other telecasters on this list, you’ll definitely get what you’ve paid for. After all, Fender is the king of Telecaster.
