This is the guitar I’ve gigged for 15 years.
It’s been all over the country with me. For a long time it was the only guitar I gigged. And even now, with plenty of other options in the room, I still find myself reaching for it.
It’s the Fender Richie Kotzen signature Telecaster. And this isn’t just a piece of gear to me.
I’m a huge Richie Kotzen fan. He’s my favourite guitar player. I got into his music around 2010, and I knew about this guitar back then. Once I managed to pick one up for a good price, I got even more into his playing, and it went from there. I’ve seen him live in the UK at least four times now.
So here’s my honest review, after 15 years of owning it.
Watch the full review here:
The Specs (Briefly)
Ash body with a flame maple laminated top. Maple neck with a large C profile and a satin finish. 12-inch radius, 22 jumbo frets.
DiMarzio pickups: a Chopper T in the bridge and a Twang King in the neck. Master volume, and a series/parallel rotary switch instead of a tone knob.
Gold hardware, one-ply cream pickguard. Made in Japan.
That’s the spec sheet. Now let’s talk about what actually matters.
What I Love
The neck. It’s one of the widest, fattest necks I’ve ever played. I love big necks and the way they fit in my hand, and this one is superb. It’s even chunkier than the Wide Fat neck on my PRS McCarty.
But I want to be honest here. It’s not for everyone. If you like a slim, fast, shreddy, flat Ibanez-style neck, this might feel like a baseball bat in your hand. For me, it’s incredibly comfortable and makes the guitar very playable.
The pickups. The DiMarzios are excellent. The neck pickup gives you that classic, bell-like Tele clean tone. The Chopper T in the bridge is basically a stacked humbucker, but it’s voiced like a Tele. You get humbucker power with Tele character. And the middle position is a great blend of the two.
The series/parallel switch. I never use tone knobs. On any guitar. So swapping the tone knob for this switch is very welcome. Flick it and you get a boost that’s great for lead playing. That gives you four genuinely usable sounds, which is more than I can say for some of my guitars, where there are positions I just never go near.
The comfort cut. It takes away some of that traditional Telecaster squareness. It’s a lot more comfortable to play.
Made in Japan. I love Japanese guitars. I’ve got three now, and I rate them as highly as USA-made guitars.
The tuning stability. This is a big one. It’s probably the best of any guitar in my collection. It doesn’t move on a gig. Sometimes it’s perfectly in tune straight out of the case. It takes Drop D really well, and it settles in quickly after a fresh set of strings.
For a gigging player, that’s massive. You’re not reaching for the tuner between every song.
It looks great, too. Gold hardware, cream pickguard, sunburst finish. Although the gold on mine has long since rubbed off. Fifteen years of gigging will do that.
What I Don’t Love
This is an honest review, so here are the downsides. And they’re real.
It’s heavy. Almost as heavy as a Les Paul. I guess that’s part of where the big sound comes from. But over a lot of gigs, your back will know about it.
The bridge isn’t quite classic Tele. I really like the Chopper T, and it’s very close. But my Baja Tele and my Ibanez Tele, with more traditional single-coil bridge pickups, nail that classic Tele twang better. It’s a trade-off: you get humbucker power, but you lose a little of the traditional Tele character.
It died on me once. One gig, it just cut out completely. A wire had come loose inside. I think I over-turned the rotary switch and snapped a wire. Easy to fix, and it can happen on any guitar. But it’s not a memory I’m fond of.
Is It Right For You?
Before you go hunting for one, be honest with yourself on these three things:
- Neck. Do you like a big, chunky neck? If slim and flat is your thing, try one in person before you buy.
- Tone. Do you want humbucker power with Tele voicing, or pure traditional twang? If it’s pure twang, a standard Tele will suit you better.
- Weight. Can you live with something close to Les Paul weight?
If you answered yes, yes, yes, you’ll probably love it.
The Verdict
This has been my number one gigging guitar for 15 years. I still reach for it whenever I need something I can rely on.
If you want a huge neck, humbucker power with Tele voicing, and a guitar that’s built to be gigged, it’s superb. If you want a slim neck, traditional twang, or something lightweight, it might not be for you.
And that’s fine. It’s not meant to be everything to everyone.
Would I buy another one? Absolutely. In a heartbeat.
Have you played a Richie Kotzen Tele? Or is there a guitar you’ve owned for 15 years or more that you still reach for? Let me know in the comments!
And if you’re in or around Colchester and want help getting the most out of whatever guitar you’ve got, book a one-to-one lesson with me. You can see all the options on my pricing page.
Until next time, take care and enjoy your guitar playing.