Strat vs. Tele

Play one! I guess that could be awkward if you're not near any guitar shops that stock them. Still, that's your best option. I don't see any reason that you'd be dissatisfied with one, so if you have to buy without playing, you might as well get the one you like the look of.

What sort of music do you play/want to play?

What guitarists do you listen to a lot?

What kind of guitar do you have now?

Just a few questions to figure out which would be better -- though, you do already like the look of a Tele. :)

Guitarists I like are Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jimmy Page, Angus Yound, Stevie Ray Vaughn... I like to play a variety of different things lol so I dunno, I guess I play more class rock like aerosmith, zeppelin and Guns N' Roses and stuff...

Guitarists I like are Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jimmy Page, Angus Yound, Stevie Ray Vaughn... I like to play a variety of different things lol so I dunno, I guess I play more class rock like aerosmith, zeppelin and Guns N' Roses and stuff...

Well to tell you the truth, I would recommend going with the Strat.

Now when it comes to strats, I would tell ya to get a Fat Strat. A Fat Strat is a regular strat with a humbucker in the bridge pickup position. It gives ya more of a hardrock sound.

Guitarists I like are Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Jimmy Page, Angus Yound, Stevie Ray Vaughn... I like to play a variety of different things lol so I dunno, I guess I play more class rock like aerosmith, zeppelin and Guns N' Roses and stuff...

Great list!

What sort of electric guitar do you have now, or are you just going for your first electric?

I have two generic electrics and a silvertone.

I have two generic electrics and a silvertone.

Hey, that's a great start. Like Audioslaveaddict said though, maybe a Fat Strat that has humbuckers to get that thick sort of rock sound. Personally, I'm looking forward to getting my first Telecaster ever (I don't know when it'll be), but those are 'normally' more for playing cleaner type chords (ala Keith Richard), or piercing leads, like Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton. I think there's a few Tele type guitars with humbuckers though; that way you get the shape and feel of a Tele and the sound of rock.

There's also those 'stacked humbucker' pickups you could put in either a Strat or a Tele; you get a thicker, more driving sound, plus it looks like a regular pickup.

I've got Duncan HotStacks on my Strat and love the sound.

well im sure as most people prbly know by know..i amd a strat freak..so..i say..go with the strat..lol

i love my nashville tele. tele's are great for that twang. great blues and country guitars. and with some reverb you can knock out some good surf sounds too. i think the '72 thinline tele has a humbucker in the neck if memory serves me well

Yeah, but he likes classic rock/harder classic rock.

Id go with a Strat actually. Seems the better of the two choices for that stuff. Fat Strat seems good. But really, don't buy offline, try it out first. Tryout several of the same brand too. Pick da one u like the most.

Thanks everyone.. hehe (I'm a she) lol

It's really important to play different Strat models, because they come with different profile necks. They range from a fairly slim "D" shape to the heavy "V" of the Clapton Strat.
They also have an option of fretboard wood - maple or rosewood (as does the Tele)
But, I agree, a Strat is more versatile.

Id recommend a Tele. Good all-around versatile rock tone, which sounds equally good clean, overdriven, or distorted. Strats are a little harder to get a good-sounding distortion out of.

I've got to second the Tele - while it may not be as versatile as the strat, you can get a better rock tone from the bridge pickup and a better lead tone from the neck too.