Stagg T490H Tele

Made in China for a European Co. Maple neck, Alder body. High gloss finish of semi-transparant amber colour allowing you to pick out the grain. T type neck PU and humbucker type at bridge. Tone & volume, 3 position switch. Bigsby style tremelo. Comes with lead only. Apart from tremelo pretty standard stuff really. Strung with D'Addario strings.
This guitar looks fabulous, apparantly available in black also, but honey is the way to go. Think maybe I'd change crome tuner knobs to something more retro.

Initially not very happy, but since buying a new amp (15w Marshall) my opinion has been transformed, and I am now very pleased. Neck pickup is warm and mellifluous (nice for blues or jazz) and the bridge PU is raw and twangy (country rock). Play it dirty and dial in what ever you want.

Built to budget, I have to say build is very good. (Once bought a Les Paul copy for more bucks but got much much less.) I would have to be really picky to find fault and it's only a fraction of the price of a real Tele. All fixtures are chromed and look nice, time will tell how good the chrome is. 3 way switch has nasty plastic nipple on which is a shame (lets the side down). Spent a little time experimenting with set up but it was pretty good anyway.

Can't give much guidance here as I have not had this guitar long. It looks strong and should last, I would imagine that any problems would probably be of an electrical nature but hopefully not.

Could be a problem as no stockists around my woods. Comes with limited lifetime warranty (i.e. if you think your Pete Townsend, forget it)

As a guitar tyro this is ideal. It's got to be great value for money and looks terrific.

Stagg Fat Telecaster Style Electric Guitar with Bigsby Style Tremolo. I believe this originates from a British company who contract the guitars from China. I'm sure it was built between 2004 & 2005. This instrument has a solid Alder body and well "laquered" maple neck with a flat fingerboard. There is a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil, neck. 23 fret positions. I believe the tuners are similar to Gotahs but I don't have it in front of me right now. The Tremelo is an Bigsby copy. It has a volume/tone control set up like most Teles and a 3 way switch.
It's supposed to be honey colored but it falls considerable on the lighter shade of that - to my pleasure. I give it a 9 because it had just about every feature I was looking for.

I am a Tele guy, in love with my Fender Nashville Power Tele Deluxe and Fender Custom Shop Esquire. My first electric was an Esquire in 1964. I play mostly classic/new wave/proto punk/country/folk influenced rhythm & some soloing. I play this through my modded Fender Blues Jr.

The first thing I did however was have a luthier (Too Many Guitars) in Suburban Atlanta (Great job) replace the pickups with a Rio Grand neck Tall Boy & a BBQ-bucker. I had read horror stories about Stagg pickups and never tried them. The luthier did tell me one pickup, I think the Humbucker was not bad but the other was awful and microphonic. However with the new pickups - this thing is just a monster of tone... I love this guitar!!!! It roars and croons. It's got better pickups that a Fender Fat Strat so it should. I'm going to rate it a 9 but be aware it's only because I changed out the pickups.

Except for the pickups this is one exquisitely made guitar. I wanted a Tele with a bigsby for years but was unwilling to pay Fender prices, especially since the reissues are offshore.

The wood is absolutely drop dead beautiful...nothing cheap about it and there was only a tiny & I mean tiny blemish in the finish - otherwise it is beautifully "laquered" (I use quote marks because I think it's a poly-product finish). The neck has a heavey "laquer" on it too which is the way I like it. None of that satin stuff for me. That is something to consider if you are considering one.

All the joints meet up nicely and I like the frets. I suppose the edges could have been a bit more smooth but it's only now that I am considering that. I don't notice when I play.

The tuners, Gotah style tuners are certainly copies but work perfectly. No need to change. Since I took it right to the luthier after purchase, I cannot comment on the setup or intonation though he told me he thought this was an excellent working musician's guitar.

I would like to steam off the Stagg name on the headstock but alas it's laquered over.

I'm giving it an 8 because I love the wood so much and I had it worked on.

This thing is built like a brick S____ house. It's study and solid like a Tele should be. No qualms about using it or taking it anywhere. Yes - I would use it without backup

no experience

I've been playing since 1964, you think I would be better than I am. I compose and jam with friends. Wanted to be a professional musician till I woke up around 30 years old and realized what a hard job that is. I've got too many guitars to tell you about but they run from Rickenbackers (1997, 3001, 620/6) to Fenders (Esquire Nash Tele) to Gibson (Faded SG) to Alvarez (Nylons 6 and steel 12 strings - excellent values BTW) to Guild (JF30) - it goes on and on. I'm especially attracted to the "cheapos" that play well. I've got an Eastwood Delta 6 in Route that I have high hopes for.

Anyway - I now have a Tele that does everything I want with a Bigsby. I am in heaven. For under $450 (including Rio Grande pickups & labor) I have the Tele I've been dreaming of for years.