Vester Telecaster Copy

Classic Telecaster: two pickups, tone, volume, three saddles bridge. White/yellow (kind of vintage white I think) with black pickguard.

Mine is surely plywood, so, if the other reviewers aren't wrong, there must be two different vester production, one plywood and one not.

buildt in korea between 1987 and 1994, dont know the exact year.

sound... well, it's not as great as I would have expected from the reviews I've read.... The pickups are both quite muddy, with no note separation at all. The sound is telecaster indeed, but not a great telecaster one. A bit weak, with not much twang, a bit lifeless. I'm surely going to change the pickups, I'm curious to hear the difference
the clean sounds aren't that bad (my american fender jaguar is millions of miles ahead tought), while distorted ones suffer greatly of the above mentioned lack of definition.
it's not noisy, just normal single coil hum.
The pots are not really responsive, not really progressive in their action either.

mine came used, so the setup it'not the factory one.
On the good side: for what I saw until now it's well intonated, no fret buzz, reasonably low action and it stays in tune well.
the painting job is decent, with just some minor flaws here and there, nothing seroius anyway.
the neck is quite confortable and fast, and keep in mind that I'm a die hard rosewood guy!
the tuners are good.

on the bad side: the upper E string is not aligned with the bridge pickup "dot" (dont know the english word!), while the others are. this turns out in a little difference in output volume between that string and the others.
the neck is not bolted in really precisely, so it's not perfectly in line with the body. It's a matter of millimeters and just an estetic problem, but sign of a not really good construction work.
the pots and the switch are a bit cheap, I think I will change them someday.

this guitar has at least 13 years, maybe more, and that considered I think it's in very good condition.
I think I'm gonna replace some of the hardware just for performance and feeling issues, but the original ones are still good and working.
I think it's a strong instrument anyway.

vester got sued and out of business in 1994, so no support...

well, I bought it off ebay, basing my choice on the entusiastic reviews here on HC. Trusting them I made some good deal in time, this time It's been a bit of a let down. Maybe if I had the chance to see and try this guitar in person I wouldn't have bought it.
When I did I knew it was a cheap guitar (even if someone here paid up to 400 euros for it), but I was a bit disappointed by it.. I've been playing for more then 10 years now, and I played a lot of different guitars (strats,les pauls, jaguars, gibson es335, epihone). I've never had a telecaster thought, and I bought this one just to try as it feels.
As said before my main guitar is an american fender jaguar, and the comparison just cannot be made.
This Vester is cheap and fells cheap. Maybe with some improvement, pickups above all, could become a good instrument, but never an exellent one. I think I'm gonna use it live as a backup, maybe with an alternative tuning for some songs of mine wich need it.
summing up, all in all I think It still deserves a nice 7, that could even become a 7,5/8 once the pickups will be changed.

Mine is a Stage Series Telecaster (don't now what series the other telcopies below are). Ibought it about 15 years ago. It's Korean - made by Saehan Guitar Technology, this gives a good indication of the build quality as they were known for their high-quality, low-budget guitars (check out the reviews for the 70's Ibanez' if you're not convinced) Just your typical Telecaster features. Got this in a black finish, so I can't tell the wood it's made of. It's pretty heavy, but I wouldn't say it's mahogany.
Overall, I feel the elements are a bit cheap, especially tone and volume pots and the switch isn't a heavyweight either. I definitely recommend an upgrade for these parts.
But nonetheless, if you ever come across one, don't hesitate and buy it!

I play mostly in the area of blues and rock, both fingerpicking or with a plectrum. Played acoustically, this guitar has nice ring and pretty good sustain. Original pickups are low-output but should suit most styles pretty good (look elsewhere if you want to go metal though). Bridge pickup has nice warm feel to it (both clean and distorted), perhaps not as warm as a PAF, but certainly warmer than most single-coils. Distorted, it can give a you a nice seventies rocksound, but it requires careful tuning, as it can get a bit muddy. Neck pickup is a bit disappointing: it's very bright, but the typical tele-twang is nowhere to be found.
Generally speaking, I'm more than happy with the sounds it produces. Certainly if you look at the price: it didn't cost me both legs...

Straight out of the box I had to make very few adjustments. It stays nicely in tune, good finish, haven't encountered rust marks so far.
When it comes to playing, this guitar really stands out. From the moment I picked it up, it felt like coming home. I've played other guitars, more expensive ones as well as cheaper, from les pauls to strats to Ibanez's. The only thing that makes me smile as much as this one does, was Fender's 72 thinline reissue. This one's by far my favourite.

This guitars been thrown with, has fallen more than a couple of times, has been knocked about, has endured the rage of 3 pre-teens but it didn't crack. I'm pretty sure you can take this one to a gig without backup, but I wouldn't recommend it, I'd always take a backup with you, even if you're playing Gibson or Fender or whatever.

Never had any problems, so I didn't had to deal with the company. Since Vester went bankrupt a couple of years ago due to lawsuits (their copies were too good :p), I imagine I'll never have to deal with them

I've plaued for about 17 years now and this guitar has been with me during 15 years. I don't now if the factory version is good enough for playing professionally, but I'm sure with a few minor adjustments it would. Anyhow, this guitar is for life, if someone stole it, I'd be very very angry and I hope I'd find anouther one like this.

Usual tele bits and pieces but wery much vintage stylee. If you see one for sale buy it!! My local guitar tech reckons the body could be mahogany from the weight/colour. (I've worn away the finish to the wood with my little finger nail just below the bridge).

Original pickups were sh*te! But who buys a copy and doesn't change the pickups!! Now got a Duncan Vintage tele in the bridge and a std Fender in the neck - Sound is now fantastic!! As much clang and twang as you could ever desire but warms up nicely as you dial in the neck. The volume control works really nice with these pickups too - clean and twangy on about half then dirties up nicely as you take it further - perfect!!

Started life as a wood finish with a tortoise shell plate. Is now red with pearloid plate but well bashed about. Action ok ish from the shop but 30mins of tweaking soon sorted it. Have changed the bridge to compensated type to get over typical tele intonation problem. Everything fits well and works well. The tuners are Kluson copies which at first were 'iffy' but once set up properly I have had no problems in 12 years on this guitar. I've gigged with it and can honestly say that this baby is built like a tank. Would highly reccommend to any tele player to get an electrosocket jack plate.

Played live loads with this and I am pretty hard on guitars but this is bullet proof!! Finish has worn off the body in the usual places but this is probably due to my not so proffessional re spray. The original finish was rock hard - took me ages to get it off!!
Hardware is good but have replaced the 3 way switch with an American Fender jobbie. Have also 'star' grounded it for almost silent opeation. Only take two guitars to a gig - this one and my trusty jap strat (just been re fretted to jumbos as originals wore out!). Both reliable and only use for different sounds/styles. Would happily only take either!

Never had to deal with them - who are they anyway??

Been playing 20 yrs. Boss gt8 Marshal stereo valvestate 2x12 combo (old one), Jap fender strat, Yamaha acoustic. Play mostly rock/rock 'n' roll covers. So glad I bought this vester. Considered a squire tele at the time but were plywood at the time and did not have the ashtray bridge or strings through the body. This was cheap (??130) and had everything I wanted on it. Once the p/u's were switched it was great. Many of the 'kit snobs' sneer at the guitar when they see it on the stand but soon change their mind on hearing it or if they are lucky I might let them try it. There are so many people who think that Fender/Gibson are the only ones to own! I would not part with this gem! If it got nicked (there is no way this thing will break!!) I would be very sad as I have never seen one for sale since - I really dont think I would be able to replace it.

Bought this vester telecaster 2nd hand about 10 tears ago. Gigged with it ever since. No idea how old it is because it was well used when I bought it.

the original paint worked was white and I suspect that the tuning pegs have been changed.
One interesting thing is the weight, it's really heavy, way heavier than other copies I've used (don't know what wood it is)
Apart from that its a normal tele.

This guitar sounds amazing. I played live with my SG for a while but I always come back to my #70 vester. It has a "clank"! thats fabulous, way better than loads of other copies. I record in the studio with this guitar more than all my others.

Little bit of rust at the bridge. Bit of crackle on the volume control. A little fret buzz too. annoying things but nothing serious.

I've smashed amps with this thing, Knocked out skinsheads! 10 years of jumping in the moshpit and paint work is scratched beyond recognition. Various bashes and bumps and you know what? The god damned thing is always in tune! always sounds great!incredible!

It was a stroke of luck finding and buying this guitar. It's changed my life. I've live in three countries with it and I record my 5th record with it right now. If you find old vesters, buy them!

Vester Tradition Series Strat Style--I don't know what year because I bought it used about 5 years ago and it was probably 10 yrs old then. Solid wood body, don't know what kind. Has Volumne, 2 tone and 5-way selector. The pickups are original (passive). Body is golden white color and neck is maple. Satin finish, Strat style with original Vester string thru body bridge--Grover Deluxe tuners--21 fret neck. I like a thin neck. I read a review that said this guitar didn't have a truss rod. I took it apart just to see. I does have one, you must remove the neck.

I only play rythym so I'm not an expert, but I do know what I like and I can get a sound for just about any style with the 5-way selector.I'm using an AM100 Yorkville accoustic amp. It's not noisy, even after sitting awhile. You work the pots and it quietens down. But that is normal with any manuel volumn pot, they sit in one position a long time and they create a connection (tit). It has a full rich sound or a harsh
sound for rock. I like the guitar.

I like my guitars easy to play, so sometimes I try to get the strings too low, but this guitar seems to handle the low action without buzzing. My guitar is-was used so I can't say how it was from the factory, but when I got it everything fit together just fine. It feels
like a quality instrument.

I recently got the guitar down after storing it 5 years in my garage in a gig bag. I only had to tune the "B" & "E" strings. I don't know how much this guitar's been played, but the factory quit making them around '94 and this guitar's finish is almost mint. I wouldn't be afaid to depend on it anytime. Of course I've never had to play a guitar hard enough to break anything but a string. That happens on the most expensive one.

I wished that I could contact the company, just to ask the age of the guitar. The serial #90194. It seems the Vester company was committed to making a quality instrument, even if it is a copy. Sometimes the copy may be better tha the original. Especially if better woods,materials and workmanship is important. Money-wise these guitars were not cheap when they were new, generally they cost more than the guitars they were copied after. It was only used and old stock that they became a bargain.

I've been playling about 35 years and have owned almost every brand, Tele, Les Paul, Gibson, Martin, Takemine, Jazz Bass, Guild and others long forgotten. It seems as musicians we must have the brand names even if they don't sound and perform better than something else. I have read 50-60 reviews on the Vester Guitar and the only negative thing I have heard is that it's not a Fender, Gibson etc. the name on the headstock.
I don't want to lose it. I am very pleased with my Vester.

I bought this second hand from Bungalow Bills in Auckland about 1990. It is butterscotch with a black pickguard and a maple neck. I think it's a plywood job, standard tele pick up configuration, never counted the frets, only use the top dozen, strings go trough the body at the ashtray.. After tooling around with this for a while I decided to buy a Squier Tele thinking it would be even better. It wasn't. I've rated it as a 10 because it has all the features of a real tele, which isn't much to ask (Squier manufacturers take note).

Sounds great. I originally bought this for my daughter to learn to play guitar on but after I plugged it in and had a go on it I changed my mind and kept it for me. It has a nice Tele feel with a fat neck and it's tough. I reckon I could use it to bang in tent pegs. The bridge pickup sounds authentic, the neck is ok, but it could use more twang, but let's face it, when is too much twang a problem?

Vesters seem to me to be flippin good guitars in their price range. I'd grab another Tele like this any day.

Never played live with this guitar, but I am planning a concert for my mid life crisis celebrations in October and this will be used. More info at http://www.exposures.co.nz/dexter/

I wouldn't have any concerns about using this live. It will stand up to it and what's more would be usefull for beating off the bogans in the front row.

I have my own soldering iron and screwdriver.

I've been playing for 15 years and can nearly get through a 3 chord song without overdubs.

I have a Vester Strat as well, and a Vester left handed strat that I have set up for right handed playing so I can play just like Hendrix. I have about 15 guitars all up, number 1 being a Sunburst Fender 62 reissue, a Hondo Les Paul (nice), Ibanez Roadstar II bass, Samick PRS Copy (floyd rose and 2HB for shredding), the Vesters, the Squire Tele, a Samick Acoustic/electric and a couple of no name acoustics for taking to the beach. I only use these for recording and my style is best described as mid life crisis ex punk rocker who used to play drums but now thinks he can play guitar meets Lou Reed and tries not to whinge as much as Joni Mitchell, whilst trying not to expose his obvious tip of the hats to The Who, Bob Dylan and Nancy Sinatra whilst looking like Meat Loaf.

I have a Digital Audio Workstation based home studio with far too many toys and will add to the list daily. Maybe one day I will find the one that makes up for my appalling technique.

Hello Vester Guitarists !

I own a 1988 Vester Stage Series Telecaster.... Butterscotch finish, black scratch plate.

I bought it 'new' in Sheffield England for the princely sum of #120.

Compared at the time with an Antoria tele copy, I had to have the vester !

True replica 3 peice bridge, strings thru the body, and a neck that fits !

I play rock, blues, country and even a bit of metal now and again !

I did a deal and had seymour duncans fitted . . . AWESOME !

Clean to halve volume then as dirty as you want to the top !

Play just the neck pickup for the Jazz, both for blues, bridge for Black Sabbath ! !

Initially a poor setup, probably done by the Saturday Boy in the shop, but an hour with the tools and a digital tuner it became good ! never touched it since . .

Ply body, so wot ? the neck is fantastic.

The pots got noisy so I replaced them with fender originals... 250's
np probs, just even better

This guitar is gigged weekly, for one period it was the 'house' guitar for jam night sessions, played and loved by all !

I only take another guitar to a gig in case I break a string !

Ive never had to contact Vester . . . any got their number ? ?

All I can say is this guitar has become like an old reliable mate . .

For your sake, don't try to take it off me !

the headstock reads: Vester 'voyager'. Its a Korean made guitar (little made in korea sticker on back of neck) Dont exactly know when this guitar was made although based on the little information given to me by the dealer i would guess 90-94 as i think that is when Vester ceased to exist. fairly standard solid top telecaster copy with 2 single coil pickups (neck and bridge), 3 way pickup selector, and chrome column volume and tone knobs.
It has a 21 fret fairly thin maple neck which is really smooth and fits very comfortably in my hand and it has that brown stip at the back of the neck which is standard of most teles. not sure of the body wood though i would guess alder however it is quite heavy which came as a surprise when i first picked it up. this tele has a beautiful gold sparkle glitter finish which really catches the light and makes this guitar look rather special but the best thing about it is as the glitter reflects the light it is impossible to see any scratches or fingerprints on the body at all. it has a black scratch plate and a chrome strip beneath the pickup switch and knobs which is very similar in style and appearance to the fender or squire standard natural blonde tele. has gotoh style tuners which arent bad, perhaps a little stiff and a standard tele string-thru body bridge. the dealer threw in a gig bag and a set of strings when i bought the guitar.

i play mainly alternative rock though am currently branching out into a bit of pop which this guitar was bought in mind for. my current set up is:

Crate 120 watt 12" speaker - danelectro wah - marshall jackhammer (distortion/overdrive) - boss super octave - marshall vibratem (virbato/tremolo) - marshall super chorus - boss acoustic simulator

In clean this guitar is a gem. the tone is thick and rich which is the reason i bought it, even unplugged it has a really thick tone which is entirely contrary to the twangy sound i have come to expect from cheaper fender rips. clean it obviously sounds best in the neck pickup but even the bridge has a nice tone, not sharp at all.
i have never really liked telecasters and never saw myself as owning one but when i walked in and saw something tickled my fancy and when i pulled it off the wall and just gave it a strum i was blown away. when using distortion it is a bit of a firecracker. i am used to humbuckers as i have predominantly played my epiphone SG (until recently when i got my new fender strat) so naturally i am not going to get the same amount of grunt but what this tele lacks in distorted grunt it makes up for in gain. in bridge pickup with full tone the distortion is explosive, if you take your fingers off the strings it bursts into feedback so i usually wind the tone back to about half which tames it a bit. in neck pickup you get a nice creamy distortion which sounds amazing especially when combined with a wah. in terms of variety of sound this guitar is quite versatlie, it has a beautiful clean with a killer distortion, which i would mostly reccomend for punk, garage etc. not really a riff guitar. the pickups vary greatly and the tone knob is very useful in achieving interesting effects. all in all it has a solid reliable and versatile tone but stands out more for its clean tone than its distortion capabilities.

I bought this guitar new (apparently) however it appears to have been floor stock for a lllooonnnggg time as vester went bust about 94 i think however i view this guitar as a bit of a find. i cannot say exactly what the set up would have been out of the factory however im sure not much was done to the guitar instore and it was in quite good condition so my guess is it would have come pretty well set up. as the guitar is quite old, although new, and i got quite a good price i guess i cant be too fussy, the guitar came in good nick and appears really well built. the neck is wonderful to play and the body is seamless, the action is fairly mid range not really low or high, better for chords than solo's. there are a couple of dents, one a little nick on the top arch and another on the headstock and one larger dent next to the strap attachment at the base. the guitar was a bit dirty and dusty as it had been floorstock for years so the day i got it home i took it appart and polished everything although it still needs so cleaning around the bridge. the fretboard looks a bit worn and dated but that adds to the charm and the tuning knobs have lost their shine but i was contemplating getting new ones anyway. i havent owned this guitar long so there may be more to discover but considering its age and that it was floorstock it was in good condiiton and still sounded great right off the shelf.

i think this guitar is easily good enough to withstand live playing. it is a solid guitar and a good axe. the finish looks great and i have no doubts it will last for many years to come. the neck pickup is great while the bridge pickup i am less sure, i am looking to perhaps fit a humbucker at the bridge anyway instead of the single coil but still especially for factory pickups they are quite good. the strap buttons are great, they are really fat and solid and i have no qualms with them. i certainly feel i can and could depend on this guitar as i say i have not had it long but am already in love, i would use it on a gig without a backup though i would make sure to change the strings before hand but i do that with all my guitars so... quality dependable guitar, i feel much better about this tele than i would a squire, vester certainly got something very right, shame they went bust.

As the company was sued by Fender (pricks, like they dont have enough money, even tho i own one) there is no company customer support or warranty however the shop i bought it from gave me a 12 month warranty and free service.

I have been playing for since i was 3 but only learning since i was 8 and i am now 18, i have been playing as frontman (guitar vocals) in several bands for about 4 years. i own an epiphone SG and a flamekat and i also recently aquired a fender strat. this tele goes almost to the top of the heap (leaving room for the strat) and now takes the place of my gigging guitar. my only regret is i wish i had asked for more information on the guitar and brand and its history when i bought it. if it were lost or stolen and i could locate another with the same price and gold glitter finish i would most probably buy it again but the chances of that are slim, this was a rare find. i would certainly be very upset and have a bit of a cry. i bought this guitar mainly as a back up, i wanted a single coil guitar to back up the strat but now i think ill move it up to main guitar with the strat reserved for recording. i love the sound and the color and the fact that it was only $400, but mainly the color. ive played several squires both teles jags and strats as well as some other cheaper fender and gibson rips (like stagg and legend) and this kicks them. i dont know what it would retail for out of the factory new but i would much prefer this to a squire and perhaps even a mex fender (cant go past the USA tho). I also feel a little special knowing they dont make these guitars anymore so i have one of a limited number, also i love that they got sued by fender, its just cool, but i can see why, it is so incredibly like a fender in shape and appearance, they didnt even try to alter the shape at all. i love this guitar and while i plan on customising it a bit it is still great as it is. i dont think i would ever sell this guitar as i doubt i could find another guitar that sounds or looks this good for the price that i paid again. if you ever see a vester tele lying around, pick it up and give it a play, you'll probably end up leaving the store with it.

Unsure when it was made, but at a guess, late 80's/early 90's. Jap made, 21 frets and your basic Telecaster copy. Faded blonde colour with black pickgaurd, master tone and colume controls, 3-way switch for the two single coils pickups. Maple neck and Gotoh-style tuners. It's pretty much a straight replica of the famous Fender guitar, just with the Vester name on the headstock. I've compared it with my old bandmate's Squire Tele, virtually identical in colour and shape, though mine is string through body, his has a fixed tailpiece.

The tuners are remarkabley good and the neck has that smooth, playable feel that only maple fretboards have - Teles and Strats should only have maple necks, they play weirdly with rosewood or ebony. The frets are pretty jumbo and aren't that worn, which surprised me and the fretboard has the slightly raised centre in oval-esque shape.

Switch is a bit stiff and the toggle button is ridiculously large, but it works, though scratches a lot. The tone and volume controls are functional, though I do gripe that the volume knob is far too close to the switch, gets in the way from changing pickups. I wish it had the ashtray cover for the bridge, but I can always pick one up from my local guitar shop. I just like having something to rest my hand on when I mute certain chords.

For the price I paid, I am not complaining though. It's had a hard gigging life I'm sure and is long in the tooth now, but for what it is, it's a good basic Tele clone and has all the standard Telecaster features. No bells and whistles, just the basics. Would of got another mark for the ashtray cover. It's just the standard setup, but it works well.

I've played in several bands over the last few years (industrial metal, indie, pop-rock, acoustic folk) and have finally settled into a style I really like and enjoy - emocore alternative rock, which I best describe an Incubus/Jimmy Eat World/Smashing Pumpkins/Foo Fighters kinda sound. I play rhythm guitar and sing vocals. My current setup is:

Marshall JCM 900 4500 50w -> 4x12 quad with 75w Celestions -> Boss CH-1 Chorus -> Ibanez Phase Tone PT909 -> Boss BD-2 Bluesdriver -> Boss TU-2 Tuner -> '61 Reissue SG/Vester Tele.

I got the Tele because I've always liked them asthectically and wanted a single-coil guitar to backup my main axe, a '61 reissue Gibson SG, which is my dream guitar. Against the SG, the Vester Tele (or Televester, as it's been dubbed by my bandmates) was never going to be the winner. The '57 Classic humbuckers on my SG thump the Vester's single coils anyday, and it's a much more full, low-end growl a-la Queens of the Stone Age/Sabbath I get from the SG. It's fair easier to play on and I love the tones I get from it, but that's another review!

However, the Vester does play pretty nicely on clean, though I have to crank the volume on my clean channel to max to be heard. The pickups on this (stock ones) just don't have a hell of high output. The neck one is okay, but the bridge is pretty weak. At 10 master volume on clean, I can only just be heard by my band. The lead guitarist uses a JCM2000 DSL 100, and even on 5, his clean is louder than mine, though the amps are voiced differently and he is using a Les Paul Classic Plus *slobber*.

I've solved the problem by permanently running my BD-2 pedal set for boost rather than the standard overdrive. The pickups aren't hot enough for it to distort much unless I really hit it hard, and it gives a strong volume boost, which is kinda what I needed. It's not as clean-running as my SG on my A-channel, but i get a nice vintagey, clean-crunch, which suits the Televester well. With the Bluesdriver going, I can be heard through the mix of 2nd guitar/bass/drums and vocals much better.

The overdriven channel is where this guitar sounds best. The gain is nowhere near as powerful as my SG, but definitely has that distinctive Tele sound and coupled with the BD-2, it's quite brutal! It's a very bright noise, so I compromise by turning the tone knob down to about half-way, gets rid of a lot of the highs and gives it rather creamy tone, with nice harmonics, very emo-rock sounding.

The neck pickup is very clear, and good for chord work and rhythm playing, gets a nice full bluesy sound. The central position is fairly indistinctive, I don't use it unless I feel I'm getting a lot of bass. The bridge pickup didn't go when I got it (bad wiring, which I expected on a guitar of this age), but I had it repaired within a week of getting it and sings on solos, but only when distorted. Sounds almost empty on clean. I'm a neck-pickup man generally.

I like the fact that it's not powerful enough to feedback a lot, and has a nice trebbly ring, which is good for some of the songs I play lead riffs in as I change syncopate roles with the other guitarist in my band as we share vocals and guitar duties. The stock pickups are probably a bit weaker than even standard Squire pickups and I have toyed with the idea of replacing them with proper Fender or even Seymour Duncans, but I don't really wish to spend too much on this guitar right now.

I can play just about anything on this guitar, apart from very heavy stuff and it even sounds good on Drop-D, which I use on some occasions. It's probably a better rhythm guitar than lead, which is fine, because that's my main role. Again, the price I paid for the guitar is well worth the quality of the pickups. With my current setup, I would rate this as being on par with a Mexican Tele, or a very high-model Squire.

Fairly non applicable - got the guitar after who-knows-how-many owners. But the guy who sold it to me had several Vesters, including a VERY nice SG copy (which was scarily close to my Gibson!) and he had taken care of the guitar, though it had been unused for some time and the bridge pickup needed rewiring.

There are several cosmetic blemishes including a horde of scractches, cracks in the finish on the back of the guitar (which have been seen to and partially restored) and a chip or two on the back of the neck. The electronics were dusty and slightly rusted but all seem to function okay. I had it serviced about a week after i aquired it and it works well now, though I was a bit annoyed with the local shop for not really cleaning out any of the dust or crap on the electronics. I was a bit pissed that it came back with fret buzz as well, so I had to raise the action. No buzz now, but I really have to press down a bit harder, so I'm hoping to adjust this in coming weeks. It plays well enough for the time being.

However, I get the feeling it would of been a very nice guitar off the factory line, especially given the Vester Custom Shop that used to exist, which I'll detail below. Overall, she's a bit rough, but in that worn-in kinda way, gives the Televester a lot of character.

I figure this guitar will take a beating well, because it already has. The tuners on it work well enough, and the frets are in good nick. Even the finish will probably last, though I have considered giving it a recoat and paint, but am growing quite fond of the dirty blonde finish.

Hardware won't last, but only because it's not been taken care of. The pickups are probably the only things I will consider replacing, but only if I can score some fairly cheaply. I'd probably replace all the electronics if that were the case though, no point doing it by halves.

The strap buttons are solid and I've had no worries with them, but I used straplocks on my SG and this will probably earn itself a pair. I only bought it to be a backup, but I've found it to be quite good on certain songs and it has a very indie-feel and tone about it that I find myself liking.

It will last as long as I don't let it get any worse than it was when I purchased it. I would probably never make this guitar my main instrument unless it was completely neccessary, as it just doesn't have the power to keep up with the rest of my band all the time (we play pretty loud and with a reasonable degree of gain!) at this point.

I think it's best suited for a learner or beginner, or someone who plays more at home, but in the right hands, with the right adjustments and a bit of work, it could be a really potent instrument. I'll refrain from making an opinion on this catergory, as it's hard to make a call on at this point, without any modifications done to it.

Vester are now defunct, so no chance of speaking to them. However, I am aware that several years ago, they produced a lot of really superb copies of Gibsons and Fenders that surpassed the Epiphone/Squire replicas and were very sought after, due mostly to their private Custom Shop. I've come across a Vester 335 copy that I bought at the beginning of the year and absolutely thrashed all the Epi copies and even a Gibson I played! In retropect, I shouldn't of sold that guitar, but i did fetch a great price for it.

I'm very chuffed with this Vester Telecaster their copies have really turned my opinion on the brand. In the past, I'd always seen the monstrosities that Vester used to make - very 80's metal-orientated super strats which played and sounded like shit. They did ten times better on their copies.

I'd fully recommend buying any of their Tele/SG/Les Paul/335 copies if you find one at a good price, even if it needs work. Chances are it'll be better than that Epiphone or Squire you've been eying at. Don't let the name or the opinions of others on this brand deter you. My old band laughed when they found out I got a Vester, but when they heard that 335 play, they were blown away. When I pulled out the Tele, they were all lining up to play it!

No warrantly on the guitar, but I did get a 3 month warranty on the service work.

Been playing about seven or so years, since I was about 17-18, but seriously in the last two years. Been in about five bands, owned more guitars than I can shake a stick at. I'm kinda a gear-head about guitar stuff, though I have cleared it out recently and am down to one gigging amp, four effects, three guitars and a practise amp.

I purchased it after trying it out for an hour or so, and eventually made the guy an offer based on the condtion of it, which i felt was fair. It's cost me all of about $260 to purchase and get serviced, which is less than the price of a Squire Tele Standard, which I tried and loathed. Rubbish neck and toneless pickups. The Vester beat it hands down even in less-than-perfect-working-order!

If it was stolen, I'd be down, as I doubt I would/will find another one of these. I'd be continually looking out for other Vester copies thought. I love the fact that it's got such an authentic Tele look and I've had several very positive comments on it so far. Most people assume it's a Fender until they spot the headstock and I have even had one friend/fellow musician state that it plays and sounds just the same as his old US-made Fender Tele that was stock standard.

In comparison to other Tele copies, it's easily on par, if not better than all the Squires out there and has a unique character of it's own. The only thing I wish it had were slightly better pickups, the previously mentioned ashtray cover and more of a gap between the pickup selector (in the bridge position) and the volume knob.

However, if you find one of these guitars, buy it! You will not be completely blown away, but I gaurantee you'll be pleasantly suprised. I'd long wanted a Telecaster since I played in a band that used them exclusively (I had a Squire Strat, my first guitar, which I still own years later!) and really got a liking for them. The Televester was definitely a good bargain for a guitar shape I've always been fond of and I am very pleased with my purchase.

Not sure when it was made. I acquired it in 1989. Made I believe in Japan. Standard tele accoutrements. Body is plywood. No matter to me, it rocks. Passable tuners, bridge, etc. Maple fingerboard. String-through-body bridge. I'm giving a 5 here because it has no more or less than one would expect from my favorite guitar, the telecaster.

I really love the sound here. Okay, played cleanly it of course does not have the resonance or sustain of your classic higher end telecasters. A $50 footpedal solves that problem instantly. However, it does have that great tele sound down in spades. The bridge p/u just skronks and bites all over. Very juicy. Keith Richards FILTHY juicy. Lemme tell you, I have owned 100 guitars, many of them telecasters, and for sound this one stands up! The neck p/u is just as sweet and buttery and bluesy as can be when played cleanly, but overdriven it is just a force to be reckoned with. It sounds bright and bell-like even unplugged actually. For a while, I had a Seymour Duncan 1/4 pound tele pickup in the bridge, but I actually switched back! Mainly due to the mighty whomp of the Duncan being a little much for me. A lot of my playing is pretty subtle. Some of that's because I'm not that great a player. I play through a variety of amps. An ancient Alamo I picked up for one dollar at a yard sale mostly, but I have a couple other cheapies, and on the rare occasion of a live gig I rely on o.p.e. (other people's equipment). I also play through a variety of effects as well as nice and clean a lot. I dont have an issue with the sounds this thing makes on any level.

I got it used, third hand. The original owner worked at the guitar shop where these were sold and likely made some adjustments. Nut and saddle were better than average for an offshore knockoff. My only real complaint about this guitar is the neck. It is okay, but seems stiff to me somehow. Over the years, a fret or two has gotten jagged at the ends. I've even had the high E string get caught under a fret end! But it was in better shape in 1989. The original finish was a very thin layer of gloss black with no undercoat. Came off pretty easily.

Hell yeah! It's a tank. It has withstood more than it's share of abuse, giving itself up to the rankest forms of abuse in the name of experimentation and showiness, live and just in regular duty. This thing has been DANCED on on stage. Have used it w/o a backup many times, and in fact, this guitar has been on stage with at least a dozen different players. It has been on loan for extended periods of time and sort of passed around from one friend to another. It has been repainted about seven times, currently a sickly yellow/gold/green "metallic pea" color which has innumerable dings and scratches. Over the years, the old gal has gathered dust, collected lots of sweat samples, gotten rusty, noisy pots and dirty switches, picked up a lot of hum. She needs an overhaul, and will get one. Of all the electric guitars I have owned, known and loved, she is the only one left, and likely to be the only one I'll ever have. That's due to more than just sentimentality, and that should tell you something about this model. If you can find one, snap it up. Vester made a host of cheapo guitars and basses, many of them hair metal abominations, but their Strat and Tele clones were fine and dandy!

Wha?

I've played for 17 years and never really bothered to learn to rise above a sort of minimal competency level. Not much of a lead player, but good at rhythm and fingerpicking stuff. I mainly play ukulele now. Don't laugh or we're going outside. If this were stolen I'd weep bitter tears. Well, maybe not anything that dramatic, but I would be seriously bummed and dangerously angry. I have seen a couple of Vester strat copies over the years, and the original owner of this one has another Vester telecaster he got at the same time and wisely kept (now his main ax too)--his is in the incredibly cool OTHER finish they offered these in originally--sparkle orange. Beautiful. If mine had been finished that way, it would have stayed that way. Anyway, I have not seen one of these tele copies for sale anywhere, including ebay, for over a decade, so replacing it would be next to impossible. As for other gear, just the few cheap small amps and several assorted stompboxes mentioned above. I also have several ukuleles and a theremin. My wife has a 3/4 acoustic I dig a lot and a baritone uke I play some. I have compared this guitar with many others and I just love this thing.