Johnson Telecaster Copy

Ich habe mir diese Johnson-Tele-Copy gekauft, da sie meiner Meinung nach die beste Kopie ist im unteren Preissegment. Der Korpus ist so dick wie der einer Fender, nicht so ein Brettchen wie Squier. Der Body ist aus Erle und in schonem sunburst lackiert. Der Hals ist gut, schon fett und seidenmatt lackiert. Die Pickups sind EMG Kopien mit viel Wumms, Vintage Fans sollten die allerdings tauschen.
Leider sind die Saiten nicht durch den Body gezogen, daher ziehe ich einen Punkt ab. Ansonsten eine Tele, und das was man davon erwartet, also 9 Punkte.

Wie zu erwarten gibt es nix zu bemangeln, klasse wummiger Sound mit klaren Hohen, hoher Output und schoner Tele-Twang. Keine unkontrollierten Feedbacks.Der Body schwingt wundervoll mit beim Spielen. Volle Punktzahl.

Super Verarbeitung, Saitenlage und Qualitat. Und das bei dem Preis ! Das habe ich selbst bei teueren Gitarren selten erlebt. Die Tuner laufen weich und einwandfrei, die Potis angenehm sahnig-schwer.

Ich besitze mehrere Johnson Gitarren , und es ist meine Leib-und Magen-Marke geworden. Das spricht fur sich selbst, da ich Mr. Pingelig bin.

nie gebraucht

Also wer eine gute und gunstige Gitarre will, der solle sich eine Johnson holen. Fur ein Original zahlt man mehr als das Vielfache und teilweise ist der Gegenwert nicht gegeben. Auch Squier Kopien kommen da nicht mit, obwohl lizensiert. Johnson Starts und Teles sind der Geheimtipp!!!! Ich spiele sie ausschliesslich in meiner Band, schaut und hort selbst :
www.polariot.org

Just recieved it today, thanks to all the reviews here, thats why i bought it!.....
Made in china, bought of ebay #67,00...limited edition black with white binding, mmmmm this is the reason i bought it!
ya know its a tele, they remind me of a 60's mustang (car)just the basics..but solid....its not a string through body, but its still has a nice sustain, emg pickups, which sound quite nice actually,
old stlye machine heads, ( i dont like) neck is a horrible yellow color!!! and thick with varnish/laquer, so i started sanding it off!
nice tele bridge, with 6 adjustable saddles

SOund it really good, to say its not a string through , it sings!
all combinations sound nice.
really impressed so far!
you get a nice springsteeny sound,

To be honest, mine was set up really well!, intonation was spot on!
strings not as bad as i thought, i will dismantle it though as i bought it to "change " and have as a project guitar...
body finish is good, like i say, i dont like the "antique " look on this ones neck, but the wood looks really good, and finish is excellent!

Im from the school that, what the hells going to go wrong with a guitar... theres not much to the electrics on any of them.. this is really solid i would definately gig with it...after i get rid of the varnish on the neck!!!!!!

but built to last.....

bought from www.topsoundseller.de no problems;//

I own a gretsch ( its lovely) a charvel ( im selling) and ive also just bought a squire special edition black and chrome which looks similar, the johnson is fantastic, i thought it could be a waste of money, but its cracking for the money!. Theres things i like more than the squire!!!!, its in the feel, ya know?. I bought a seymour duncan hot stack for the squire #60 its a great pickup, but im thinking now, mmm shall i keep the johnson and sell the squire? (taking the seymour from it first!!!)

I do lots of digital recording, and single coils are a litte noisy, however, the emg's are "better" than the stock squires (my opinion)

Im gonna, make a few changes, ( new tuners, as they are Cheap!!)

Obviously guitars vary across the range, i tried a USA tele and HATED it with a passion!!!!! it was #1200!!
My friend has a USA strat and its amazing!, i think the setups alot to do with any guitar, I have been fortunate enough to play lots of different guitars and i can honestly say, for the money the johnsons blown me away!
The only thing is, this is great value for the money, but some poor sod in china is making these for pennies, which lies a little strange with me, cos ive just been made redundant, (media designer) as an indian company has bought us out, and they will do my job over there....mmmmmm

Anyway, buy one!, its one of the best things you can spend #67 squid on!!

I will add a link to a sound file soon, so you all can hear what it sounds like...

This is a somewhat "de luxe" model with white binding around the black body. Black EMG pickups. A skunk stripe on the neck. (Pure cosmetics, though, as it is painted-on!) Top loader design (the strings do not pass thru body). Thicker neck than on my previous Mexican Telecaster. The shape of the peg head is not true to original Fender.
Made in good ol' red communist China.

I play rock, punk, blues et cetera. (Played for some 30-odd years.) I've owned two genuine Fender Telecasters and two copies. This Johnson (also known as "Axl") sounds surprisingly good. In fact, I don't think I will change the pickups at all. There's lots of bottom without sacrifising the brite jangliness of a true Tele. The neck PU is the best Tele neck-PU I've used or heard. Cranked thru the overdrive of my Peavey Classic 30 it really digs deep into my prenatal mojo blues cravings with a touch of twisted Cramps garbage credibility. In short: this guitar sounds good.

The set-up was really, really bad. Also, the original strings were gluey. I did not care, as after strumming the guitar for few minutes, I cut the strings with a Leatherman, and proceeded to dismantle the Johnson into planks, nuts and bolts. I bored thru the bridge and body, inserted string ferrules, put in new brass saddle bits, reshaped the peg head into resembling the original Tele shape, slid in a fake decal, customized the black finish with a hammer and sand paper, honed the frets and adjusted the truss rod. The results please me. Now the guitar looks like it should have been in the first place (no closet classic this one) and its playability is great.

It's a Tele. Nuff said.
The tuning pegs resemble old Klusons and seem keep in tune just fine. I oiled the pegs and gave each one a hundred twirls or so to get rid of the new creepiness.

Bought the guitar off ebay.de. Customer support, who am I kidding? Well, I don't care.

This Tele copy is exactly what I expected. After some adjustments I was rewarded with a well balanced and great sounding work horse I am not afraid to use live. If this was stolen, I think I would order another from ebay.de. Heck, I think I will order a butter scotch colored Johnson Tele anyway.

Not sure of DOM but based on some earlier reviews which panned the 2000-era models (more about that later), and because I just bought it brand new, I'm guessing 2004 or 2005 MFG. Mine is the 3-piece Alder in natural finish, with EMG-designed pickups. I paid $120 for it with no bag, strap, etc. just the axe - and well worth it. Tuners, pots and switch all smooth, (pots not "dry" as other reviews have stated). I rate it a "10" because it has everything a real Tele has and more - the bridge has 6 individual saddles, where a Fender has 3 paired saddles - and I like setting each string's intonation and height individually, thank you

Neck "lipstick" PU is amazingly smooth and balanced, not too hot. Most of my playing will be in the neck position or middle. The bridge PU is incredibly bright and very hot, easily overdrives my old Rickenbacker transistor amp into a nice bluesy distortion. All electronics are clean, clear, and noise-free, and the output jack is solid - a relief, as I expected this final link in the signal chain to be a place where money is typically saved. The nut is a little low on the top strings, and I get the slightest string buzz on the low E, and the bridge springs resonate/buzz at certain notes and chords, but not audibly when plugged. A little nutwork and I'm confident the buzz will be history, and some tubing over the springs will cancel the bridge resonance.

If mine came from the factory like this, they are getting better. The intonation was close enought to play without cringing, and all I did so far was tweak the truss rod a bit tighter to lower the high fret action, and adjust the bridge PU to favor the fatter strings (did I mention how HOT this PU is??). The woodgrains were a bit mismatched, with the outer body pieces being a bit lighter than the center piece, but it still looks great. Every bit as good as a Squier, maybe even better. Nice, deep, glossy finish and no notable flaws anywhere. The heel is a bit blocky, but high fret access isn't inhibited by it. The fat "U" shaped neck was a bit of a surprise, I would have preferred a little thinner profile (my other axe is a '63 SG, it is THIN), but it's no problem, and very stout. The fretboard is a nice clear maple with well-finished frets, dark dot markers and well smoothed. BTW I ordered natural so I can easily hide my reshape of the peghead to be more ke a Fender, since the Johnson headstock shape is just...weird. I haven't removed the neck yet to check for grunge and wood chips, but when I slice up the peghead I'll find any such stuff and deck the mating surfaces for a perfect fit.

Too early to tell, but everything seems solid and well put together. The machines seem clean and don't feel creepy at all. The finish looks very durable, I don't really care as this is destined to be a beater guitar, to spare my SG ;-)

Based on my limited time with this axe, I would prefer a backup, and for gigging this IS my backup.

My biggest concern is the string hold-downs at the peghead, they look to have very sharp stamped edges and should be hit with a file to avoid incidental string (or player) damage. I'm rating it a 7 only because of the uncertainty and this important oversight...

5 years, yeah right, I'll never use it or care. If it died in 6 months, I'd still be ahead. For the record, the guy who sold me this one on EBay was prompt, courteous, fast and blah blah blah. I'm giving it a 8 because at least there is a warranty, a website, and Johnson is apparently taking strides to improve their products.

I've played since about 1974 and have owned a host of guitars, amps, FX, etc. I've never owned a Fender, but have played other Fender-style guitars. I bought this as a blues/country rock / acoustic-like electric guitar and yes I would replace it if lost. I love the value and sound, my favorite feature is that neck PU, my dislike is the peghead shape. Compared to my SG, the action and playability is maybe 8/10, but I can buy 20 of these guitars for what my SG would bring today. If it had a decent trem, it would be worth another $50, easy. Definitely a "Fantastic Value".

BJ 2004, china, maple neck mit maple fretboard, 22 frets, Klarlack
(sieht gut aus!) EMG PU's, Telekopie

Ich spiele Klassik , Rock, Blues, Country. Ich benutze keine Effekte spiele direkt uber eine PA anlage oder uber einen Echolette M40. Diese EMG PU's sind die Schau! Die EMG PU's klingen voller und warmer als meine US Tele und rauschen auch weniger, was der Gitarre einen naturlichen und irgendwie holzigen Klang gibt. Ich werde nach dem Kauf dieser Johnson meine original US Telecaster verkaufen! Die Gitarre ist au?erdem perfekt zum Slide-Gitarre spielen!

Die Werkseinstellung ist beschissen. Um die Gitarre vernunftig einstellen zu konnen, mu?te ich die Reiter (Messing) demontieren und an den Seiten etwas abfeilen. bei der Gelegenheit habe ich auch die Bruckt und den Korpus durchbohrt, Buchsen angefertigt und montiert und die Saiten durch den Korpus gefuhrt, neue Saiten aufgezogen.
Die Elektrik an der Gitarre ist O.K, irgendwann werde ich mal die Mechaniken austauschen welche zwar soweit O.K aber auch nicht so toll sind. Au?erdem warebn die Muttern der Mechaniken total locker.

An dieser Gitarre ist alles gut und robust au?er der Klinkenbuchse und den Mechaniken. Wenn die Klinkenbuchse durchhalt ist ein Live auftritt ohne Backup kein Problem.

Keine Ahnung

Ich spiele seit 25 Jahren und habe ein Alvarez DY 86, eine Fender US-Tele,
2 US Strats, eine Jolana Tornado, eine Stevenson & Brown Stratkopie und schon viele andere Gitarren gespielt. Ich wollte mir eigentlich eine Billig-Gitarre zulegen um die es nicht schade ist wenn mal was passiert und bekam viel mehr als ich erwartete. Ich werde mir nochmal eine Johnson Tele kaufen, weil ich jetzt eigentlich nur noch sie benutze.
Vor allem hat sich die Qualitat der China-Gitarren in der letzten Zeit standig verbessert (ganz im Gegensatz zu anderen Gro?en US Herstellern). Das einzige was mich noch nervt und ich bald austauschen werde ist die Klinkenbuchse.

Certainly made in china or korea.
22 frets
Body: Solid Alder ( very loud! Alder wood? I don't know...)
neck: wood: ? / nice satin finish
neck/scale: rosewood
original 60' copy, mine: body color natural, pickguard : white / selector / bridge: chrome
Other color available

Two pickup EMG . Well... change this!!! tele sound with just don't exist !
The pots (correct .22 uf capacitor for tone)and selector are good. The bridge is connect to the ground.
I give 2/10 only for the pots!!!!

WARNING: ASIAN bridge!!!!! not the correct scale ! Play with is a joke!!
Very bad strings.
Finish neck frets is good, nice " on touch", nice to play with.
The body is a little to loud, but he have a good "reply", vibration? (sorry I don't know the correct word in english... I hope you understand!). Very nice finish.
Tuning are correct.

I will trust in this model! With all changes I've done, it's finally a good "telecaster", with a nice finish!

Well, when I finish to do this:
- put a correct USA bridge
- install a seymour duncan tele kit
- change the strings for 10-46 martin@co
- change the pickguard ( for another color!)
Finally I love this guitar!!!!
and for the price pay, "custom" for $96 ( seymour duncan are not new!), I think you can do a very good Tele for a small (cheap)final price.
I play with: valve DSP Zoom 9150 preamp / marshall valvestate 8008 / 2x 2 x 12" old celestion speaker
I play thince 8 years, not very a good guitarist!! but I love sound!
Other guitar:
- fernandes strat with seymour duncan
- ibanez with di-marzio air tone pickup
- Johnson solara elite ( copy les pauls) with gfs pickup

and now, thince 2 months: only with this "custom" johnson copy telecaster!!!!

This is a follow up on the review submitted when I originally purchased the guitar nearly 10 months ago. As many of the reviewers stated, chuck the strings that come with it. Use a little contact cleaner in the rheostats for the tone and volume controls because they are very dry. Set the neck and strings for your comfort level and action. It is not a horrendous deal!! Since I spent a little time on "tweaking" it, I have a lot of other players shaking their heads about how little this baby cost me. I am now putting it through a Phase Two amp and it gives tremendous sound. Very pleased with this unit.

Once I made the changes mentioned above most of the problems with the sound of this guitar comes from the guitarist, not the guitar. Other players rave about the tone coming off mine. It plays clear and crisp whether through a PA system or through a quality amp.

I had to set the intonation/ It wasn't off by much but enough. Factory setting had the action too high but it is really no trouble to set it to your comfort level.

I am thinking I will place a different set of tuning heads since the factory ones seem to creep a little over time.

rosewood/maple fretboard, sunburst color, bought it new from a music store over ebay. Strings go not through the body, they re fixed on
the bridge. Build solid.

Guitar was unplayable, when I got it. I had to do some works like
bring the riders on the bridge in the right position, lower the
hight of the strings and so on. When this was good, the sound and
harmony still was not saddisfying. So I changed the strings, which
the guitar came with, and this was very good. New D Addario Strings
10 to 46 brought a much better sound a a better possibility to
do get harmony into this strings. Its a wonderful useable Guitar
now, better, than I thought I would be able to develope it. Super!
You cant beat the price!!!!

Very good.

Solid.

Wonderful Telecaster copy in the low price range. You have to
work a little on it, but this will bring sucess.

This year's Del Sol, cream w/ maple fretboard. 22 frets, jumbo! Solid alder body, hard nice maple neck & headstock one piece, maple fretboard seperate piece. Chrome hardware. Big 3 way switch knob, vol & tone. Bridge angled single coil flat poles, neck single coil lipstick, tuners decent quality. White 3 ply tele pickguard. Came with decent cord, medium gigbag and cheapo (but nice looking) strap. Bridge is tele style ashtray. Not a string thru body type. Pickups are probably good quality Chinese. Everyone is using computers to do all the wood cutting, and assembly help. The thing I really like is the Johnson headstock vs. the weak chin usual tele style. That's why I always disliked them before.

I play acid rock/blues/metal. Go thru a Rocktron Vertigo Vibe into a Carvin SX300 full stack. It does very well on most things. Doesn't have a whammy bar, but it makes up for it with a wider tone range. Twangier if I want or really smooth mellow with that lipstick. It does want to start making noise when I really crank, so it is more suited to mid and lower volume stuff. Very nice sounding, with a lot more range than I thought it would have.

The Del Sol tele copy I bought from Mandalay Music just had to have the big rubber switch knob put on, then tuned up. As any guitar, it is staying in tune better the more it is played. No defects, set up well, nice finish. Frets were great, no edge roughness like I often see. I really hate edge roughness because I take skin off sliding fast. So All I did was red oil the fretboard (as usual), wax her up, spray on some string ease, tune up, plug in, and rock!

Everything looks like it will last and withstand live gigs quite a while. I would never gig without several guitars. At the price I paid for this, I could buy 5 for the price of one 'real' tele, which is only 50% max better, maybe.

Mandalay Music was real good. I've seen a local music store that had Johnsons (and other brands) all needing fret edgework (they claimed it was the dry climate). Mandalay Music is in Phoenix. Maybe they ship their rejects to Meeker Music or maybe they put a little work in them. I WORK ON MY OWN GUITARS. If it was screwed up in any way, they would have paid the shipping back.

I have played 28 yrs. Have 2Strats, LP, Jay Turser hollwbodies(JT134 & 270F), Carvin, and RG350DX, Rogue bass, 2 full stacks and TNT115s, bunch of effects. I would replace it if stolen. It has the best headstock of any tele. I always miss the whammy sometimes while playing non whammy guitars, but usually have other tricks that suffice. I think it is the best value and best looking of any tele style, feels nice and sounds nice.

Johnson Tele, Alder, Made in China, See thru dark wine finish, Price $109.00 at Toys from the Attic in White Plains.

I needed it for the Rooftop portion of a Beatle Tribute band. All I use it for is 4 songs. I use Vox AC15, Cambridge 30 twin, Laney VC 30 (Amp depends on the venue). War & Clear sound.

I had to set up, but I've had to set up my $1800 Rick 325 & $1500 Epiphone Elite Sheridan, so I'm not complaining. Finish Look good to me. No flaws on mine.

I don't think it's gonna fall apart for 4 songs but I'll let you guys know. When I go out I have over 4 guitars, but they are needed for different periods & not back-ups, they are all needed.

Have not delt with them yet.

I've been playing for over 25 years. I shurly would buy it again, if the butterscotch looks good, I'm getting it. I'm amazed that it's alder wood, which is the wood that Fender uses on their new Rosewood Telecaster, they add the Rosewood vineer but that cost $$800 after tax. Man, I hate the peghead, but I'm gonna fix that, just fine round the points & stain the Peghead.
When I purchased the Tele, I got a vintage ashtray & placed it over the strings, like George in Let I be, the new Fender Rosewood tele, dosent even come with that.
I know that I'm most probally gonna get the New Rosewood tele, but That will be in due time, not in a rush, that's due to Johnson that I have now.
OH, BTW- I got a black 3 ply Pick-guard from Rondo.com for the price of $4.95 (Instead of $29.99 from Fender) to complete the look with that ashtray. I guess the guitar is cheap enought so I could experiment with different pick-ups (I hear Linsley Frinlins are the Bomb)