Jay Turser JT-LT Tele Style

A Jay Turser JT-LT standard Telecaster copy. Made in China. Poplar body, 22 polished medium frets, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, very nice cream finish, sealed Grover or Gotoh type standard tuners, saddles individually adjustable and bridge assembly chromed. No accessories except adjustment wrenches for truss rod and saddles, 1 cord. No case or gig-bag. String-thru body; a faithful copy of a Tele. 2 pickups; neck covered, 3-way switch, knurled chromed knobs. Rated '9' for the minor blemish on neck finish (top edge same place as I saw on a JT 300 Strat copy), but a very minor defect. Body at neck pocket joint could have been a bit neater, but not noticeable.

Standard (2) Telecaster pickups with 3-way switch and volume+tone knobs. The neck pickup is adequate and at least average compared to a Mexican Tele or American standard. A poplar body is not alder or ash, so deal with it. But it is light an comfortable to play. Think of it as 'Tele Lite'. The bridge pickup has 'twang and cut', but is no match for a good after-market pickup (Rio Grande, Harmonic Design, etc.). For import pickups, they are well made and sound pretty good without much hum (neck is quieter). Again, a '9', but I'll qualify that: for a guitar at this price, they are VERY good.

Setup from factory is pretty nice; a little high, but intonated OK and the guitar plays pretty well. Pickups are adjusted OK; neck is a little 'leaning' at an a angle, but that can be corrected. Frets are well done and no rough spots, fretboard is quite good (rosewood) and the neck is satin finished. the body is especially well-shot witrh cream-colored laquer for an attractive vintage look. The neck/body fit is pretty good and the neck plate is real polished chrome metal as is the bridge. Still, a '9' compared to an excellent guitar like a Robin. But better finished than a Mexican Nashville Power Tele (I had one with sawdust up the jack plug bore). For the price, the Turser is an 11 !

good hardware and entirely adequate tuners. Chromed hardware is really polished chrome,not coating. The body finish is really nice and looks reasonably tough. Strap buttons have felt 'washers' installed (Fender, listening?). This is a pretty well built guitar: a a straight neck, good board, frets, tuners. I am spoiled by Robin Rangers and Medleys ($1800+ list), but for the price of a Turser Tele copy, you cannot lose. this is NOT a junk guitar. I rate it a '9' because it is brand new and untested in playing. Initially it looks quite good.

Limited lifetime; at the price, you cannot lose.
Look: a $100 guitar's a throwaway to experiment with and try pickups in or give as a gift! Add up the parts cost and it's over $100 bucks (tuners-35,pickups-50 for 2, bridge and saddles-40...). It's crazy and a super buy.

Easy '10' here. Wow! This without doubt the best value in a new guitar available that I ever saw. I bought it without having seen one based on Harmony Central reviews on a whim and it is a great buy at $100 NEW. I once had a $600 Mexican Fender'Power Tele' that had rusted frets and sawdust in it. Jay Turser guitars are not top grade guitars. But they are exceptional inexpensive guitars and perfect for any beginning or intermediate player. With really good pickups (pick one: Harmonic Design, Rio Grande, Fralin, Kinman) this could sound really fine. And at <$300 invested, it would make most top line Fender Teles eat dirt sonically.
How in the hell can anyone deliver a guitar like this to market for $100 ? It is well made, chromed bridge hardware, pretty fair pickups, good tuners, and a nice neck and almost set up properly. Plus is looks good: the body finish is very nice. and it sounds good!
Thank god for slave labor in China...

This is an update to my previous review

I play original Christian Blues/Rock that ranges from electric balads, to classic electric blues, to High Energy rock. Quite surprisingly, this guitar can handle about 90% of our music. It has that classic tele twang but sounds very good distorted too. This guitar just begs to have blues played on it. Getting artificial harmonics is no prob.The pickups are amazingly quiet for single coils. This guitar sounds almost exactly like a 1951 Fender No Caster Relic ($2200 at a local music shop). I play through a Peavey Studio Pro 112 and use no effects at this time.

The guitar came setup from the factory with very low action and no string buzzing. The I checked the intonation with my Korg tuner and it was fine. I like my action a good bit higher so I set it up to suit me. The Black paint job on it is good. The neck to body fit is great. The controls do what they are supposed to do. It has good tuners on it and stays intune very well. The Frets are nice and the back of the neck is satin finished. The guitar plays very well.

The guitar seems to be built like a tank and yes it withstands live playing. All the hardware is solid. Good Stuff!!! Yes it is dependable and I would (and have) used it without a backup.

I quit playing music 20 years ago and it amazes me how good inexpensive guitars have become. This one lists for $200.00 and plays and sounds as good or better than a Fender 1951 No Caster Relic that lists at $3099.00. Go figure... In the past, I have owned a Gibson SG, a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Deluxe that I special ordered in 1976. A Gibson Flying Vee, An Ibanez Destroyer 2, and a Pre CBS Fender Strat. I had played for a good 12 years before I quit playing and know a little about guitars. I currently play the JT-LT, a Fender Toronado, and an old Ibanez EX 170. I had always wanted a Tele and believe me, I tried many Teles before deciding to take a chance on a bid for this one. I tried just about every model of Squire and Fender Tele out there. I tried three very different Jay Turser models (SG copy, 335 copy, 175 copy) in the local stores and they played and sounded great. I decided to take a chance on the JT-LT Tele copy based on the quality of the JTs I had played in the stores and I am glad I did. This is one Great Guitar for the money. If it were lost or stolen I would definately buy another one. As a matter of fact I am trying to figure out which Jay Turser guitar to buy next.

Made in 2000 in China. All the Standard Telecaster Features. S/S Tele type pickups. Volume and tone controls. Three way selector switch. Black finish, three layer white pickguard. Lighty flamed maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Medium jumbo frets. 25.5" scale. Afinity tele type bridge (non body through)with six classic style tele string saddles. Gotoh type sealed tuners. I give it a 9 because it is what it is supposed to be, A Tele.

I play original Christian Blues/Rock that ranges from electric balads, to classic electric blues, to High Energy rock. Quite surprisingly, this guitar can handle about 90% of our music. It has that classic tele twang but sounds very good distorted too. This guitar just begs to have blues played on it. Getting artificial harmonics is no prob.The pickups are amazingly quiet for single coils. This guitar sounds almost exactly like a 1951 Fender No Caster Relic ($2200 at a local music shop). I play through a Peavey Studio Pro 112 and use no effects at this time.

The guitar came setup from the factory with very low action and no string buzzing. The I checked the intonation with my Korg tuner and it was fine. I like my action a good bit higher so I set it up to suit me. The Black paint job on it is good. The neck to body fit is great. The controls do what they are supposed to do. It has good tuners on it and stays intune very well. The Frets are nice and the back of the neck is satin finished. The guitar plays very well.

The guitar seems to be built like a tank and yes it withstands live playing. All the hardware is solid. Good Stuff!!! Yes it is dependable and I would (and have) used it without a backup.

It comes with a Lifetime Warranty. But haven't had to use it.

I quit playing music 20 years ago and it amazes me how good inexpensive guitars have become. This one lists for $200.00 and plays and sounds as good or better than a Fender 1951 No Caster Relic that lists at $3099.00. Go figure... In the past, I have owned a Gibson SG, a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Deluxe that I special ordered in 1976. A Gibson Flying Vee, An Ibanez Destroyer 2, and a Pre CBS Fender Strat. I had played for a good 12 years before I quit playing and know a little about guitars. I currently play the JT-LT, a Fender Toronado, and an old Ibanez EX 170. I had always wanted a Tele and believe me, I tried many Teles before deciding to take a chance on a bid for this one. I tried just about every model of Squire and Fender Tele out there. I tried three very different Jay Turser models (SG copy, 335 copy, 175 copy) in the local stores and they played and sounded great. I decided to take a chance on the JT-LT Tele copy based on the quality of the JTs I had played in the stores and I am glad I did. This is one Great Guitar for the money. If it were lost or stolen I would definately buy another one. As a matter of fact I am trying to figure out which Jay Turser guitar to buy next.