Julian Lage‘s Nachocaster

[SkipBurz]

And back to the OP.... Have you watched this YouTube video. Lage is playing his Nachocaster and talks about the guitar at around 19:30.

[Bach5G]

I like the looks of the new Tele Ultra but I’m hooked on my $750 FSR.

Whatever it takes to get that little surge of dopamine.

[jads57]

For those who buy these objects that are expensive. Let me ask you first are you a gigging musician? If not how would you know the difference between $600 Tele and a $6000 Tele?

Fine to support individual luthiers ,etc. But let's call it for what it really is.
Bragging Rights! I get really tired of people who have little time in the saddle telling us how great their gear is, when they are amateurs who really can't play very well.

I'm all for great gear, but even professional race car drivers drive a sedan in their off time.

[Cunamara]

Anyone got closeups or high res pictures of Julian‘s Nachotele? There are only few pictures to be found on the web...thanks un advance!

I think the answer to this question is clearly no, although a lot of people have opinions about it; we are always happy to answer the question you didn't ask- and at no extra charge.

At least there is the one reply that includes Julian talking about that guitar.

As to whether a $6000 Tele plays or sounds better than a $600 one, presumably Julian think so or he would play with/tour with a less expensive instrument.

[Stefan Eff]

Very interesting answers...
Again, I was only looking for some details about this guitar, just for inspiration.

Tbh, I'm very picky about Tellys, that's why I'm doin' my own stuff

Nachocasters:
Nacho builds (better: assembles) guitars as close as possible to the old originals. But Nachos are Partscasters- the bodys and the necks are made by Musikraft. It's all about the finish on his guitars. I guess he's doin' a great job making those replicas and they sound really good. Dunno if they're worth 6k and I highly doubt Julian pays that much for his one.

Concerning prices:
Only parts and finish of my Thinline are all in all 2.5k (talking €). I've invested 80 hrs of work on this guitar. What is it worth?

[David B]

[David B]

[Litterick]

As to whether a $6000 Tele plays or sounds better than a $600 one, presumably Julian think so or he would play with/tour with a less expensive instrument.

On the other hand, a real 1950s butterscotch blonde blackguard Fender Telecaster would cost $30,000 or more. A replica gives him all the sound, look and feel at a fraction of the price. And if he loses it on tour, it can be replaced.

[ruger9]

So... speaking of "50's teles" and clones thereof.....the "blackguards" specifically... from what I have read, the thing that makes them sound a little different from other teles is they all had A3 magnets in the pickups instead of the later A5. A3 has more mids, is a little less bright.

Duke Levine owns an actual '53, but then bought a "53 relic", and he says it's pretty darned close to the original.... he talks about it in this video (ffwd to 38:00 for the gear talk)

And... while I said I don't think I could ever pay 6K for a guitar.... I guess I'll amend that statement to "if I had ONE guitar, and that guitar was "The One To Rule Them All", and I knew it would be my keeper for life (and again, my only guitar)... I'd pay 6K. The catch is: I wouldn't know any of that until I had owned it awhile and bonded with it, so...

[Paulie2]

On the other hand, a real 1950s butterscotch blonde blackguard Fender Telecaster would cost $30,000 or more. A replica gives him all the sound, look and feel at a fraction of the price. And if he loses it on tour, it can be replaced.

Yeah after he bought his vintage tele he was touring with it for a bit. He was playing it when I saw him in Atlanta. The idea of taking that on the road terrifies me but I do appreciate it.

[mr. beaumont]

On the other hand, a real 1950s butterscotch blonde blackguard Fender Telecaster would cost $30,000 or more. A replica gives him all the sound, look and feel at a fraction of the price. And if he loses it on tour, it can be replaced.

Was actually about to make this same comment, as Julian has a '50's tele...and it's worth a lot more than 6k.

[customxke]

For those who buy these objects that are expensive. Let me ask you first are you a gigging musician? If not how would you know the difference between $600 Tele and a $6000 Tele?

Fine to support individual luthiers ,etc. But let's call it for what it really is.
Bragging Rights! I get really tired of people who have little time in the saddle telling us how great their gear is, when they are amateurs who really can't play very well.

I'm all for great gear, but even professional race car drivers drive a sedan in their off time.

I had no idea that the only people that can tell an expensive guitar from a cheapie are gigging musicians! I thought I liked my 50s L5 because of the way it sounds, feels, looks, and even smells. Turns out....i just wanted to brag about it!!! And lastly, I didn't know that amateurs can't play very well. I guess I was a better musician 30 years ago, before I retired from gigging.

[Stefan Eff]

It‘s by far not only the pickups.
It‘s old and very dry wood, it‘s the (absence) of nitro lacquer, thousands of playing hours and so on. Was it Alnico3? Alnico2? Magnets also age with time and back in the day Leo used what he can get for the best price afaik.

And I guess today you‘re able to build a Blackguard replica that looks and sounds like an old one but plays better. Those old Tellys are perfectly analyzed. But you won‘t get look, feel and tone from an industrial made Telecaster. Nvrevr.

Here‘s my current project, a 52 inspired Esquire:


(don‘t know how to turn the picture, sry)

A super resonant swamp ash body, 4.75 lbs, thin nitro coat. This guy sounds awesome for sure!

[jads57]

As far as amateur and professional. This is probably the only field of endevour that amateurs can get away with pretending their in the professionals league.
Can't imagine any such behaviour in sports,law,medicine,etc.

Again not against amateur musicians, just the ones who act like experts. And also not against great gear either, but the wand doesn't make the magician!

[Stefan Eff]

As far as amateur and professional. This is probably the only field of endevour that amateurs can get away with pretending their in the professionals league.
Can't imagine any such behaviour in sports,law,medicine,etc.

Again not against amateur musicians, just the ones who act like experts. And also not against great gear either, but the wand doesn't make the magician!

I don‘t get it. You’re talking about me?

[mr. beaumont]

As far as amateur and professional. This is probably the only field of endevour that amateurs can get away with pretending their in the professionals league.
Can't imagine any such behaviour in sports,law,medicine,etc.

Again not against amateur musicians, just the ones who act like experts. And also not against great gear either, but the wand doesn't make the magician!

Depends on what they're an expert about...expertise is expertise. The person I know in my life who knows more about stereo equipment than anybody I've ever met thinks the Doobies got better when Michael McDonald joined.

[ruger9]

Depends on what they're an expert about...expertise is expertise. The person I know in my life who knows more about stereo equipment than anybody I've ever met thinks the Doobies got better when Michael McDonald joined.

Didn't they?

[jads57]

The point is when buying a $6k guitar that's made from fairly common woods and inexpensive parts. What exactly are you paying for from a usable tool perspective?

When I bought a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Gold top from Gruhns Guitars in 1975 I paid $1400 which was a lot of money at that time. But there werent that many produced and Gibson wasnt offering a newer replica
Now that there are a plethora of used Gibson Historics there's no need to pay exorbitant amounts of money for one.

This is the same with Fender Black guard Teles. So what is it your getting that's extra? It seems as though we've lost track of the music and are more centered on expensive acquisitions.

I personally find it funny that people collect guitars like baseball cards. Unless you actually use it play music with, what's the point
Would you buy a gold plated screwdriver LOL!

[customxke]

I for one am happy that there's people that tell me the correct way to enjoy owning guitars.

[Hammertone]

I for one am happy that there's people that tell me the correct way to enjoy owning guitars.

I, too, am happy that there are people telling you the correct way to enjoy owning guitars.

[ccroft]

concerning prices: Only parts and finish of my thinline are all in all 2.5k (talking €). I've invested 80 hrs of work on this guitar. What is it worth?

$6,000 us

[jads57]

Not the owning it that bothers me. It's the inference that I'm Cool or in the In Crowd so to speak. Just like High School, and being the rich kid who got a Corvette for his birthday!

No doubt owning a Corvette is cool, but knowing how to drive it is infinitely Cooler

[Stefan Eff]

The point is when buying a $6k guitar that's made from fairly common woods and inexpensive parts. What exactly are you paying for from a usable tool perspective?

When I bought a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Gold top from Gruhns Guitars in 1975 I paid $1400 which was a lot of money at that time. But there werent that many produced and Gibson wasnt offering a newer replica
Now that there are a plethora of used Gibson Historics there's no need to pay exorbitant amounts of money for one.

This is the same with Fender Black guard Teles. So what is it your getting that's extra? It seems as though we've lost track of the music and are more centered on expensive acquisitions.

I personally find it funny that people collect guitars like baseball cards. Unless you actually use it play music with, what's the point
Would you buy a gold plated screwdriver LOL!

Do you‘ve ever played a Nachocaster? A Fender Masterbuilt? A Danocaster? One of my TVcasters? Just to name a few...
The aging process is very time consuming. If it’s done professional and authentic very very time consuming. Compare a Fender CS to an MB. Also pricewise...

Good parts are everything but inexpensive. That’s totally BS.
Same for wood. Swamp Ash? Check Fender! Pickups? Saddles? Bridgeplates?
You can buy a new Squier Telly for ~190€.
Go ahead!
And you owe me an answer (see above).

[Robertito]

I think that Nachos Banos has a good reputation for putting together Tele replicas, but why the name Nachos Banos? The literal translation is not good.

I don't think he had much choice regarding Baños, which is his family name. And Nacho is a common Spanish nickname for someone named Ignacio.

[Robertito]

BTW, beautiful work, Stefan.