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Thread: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

  1. #1
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    Default Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I bought one of the Cozart Telecasters off ebay and found it to be a pretty good instrument. They have just started discounting them. My only complaint is that the frets are sharp and need to be dressed. Thought I would pass this along.

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    Registered User Seonachan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    A few months ago they were selling for $160, so the "discounted" bit looks more like marketing strategy, but that's still ridiculously cheap for an electric tenor. Of course the flipside of that price point is the gamble that it might need a lot more than sharp fret ends addressed. But even then, short of getting a lemon, it could be worth it.

    Here's the ebay listing for those interested (NFI on my part). Here's a video review by Mike Soares of Soaresy fame. And a pic for posterity:

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    Registered User mreidsma's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Neilca, can you confirm something that Mike Soares said in his video review? Is this truly a full size Telecaster body with a short neck on it? The photos are all at angles that make it hard to confirm.

    I built a tenor strat style guitar using 4 pole bass pickups with the perfect spacing for tenor (not wide Eastwood spacing). It looks like the same pickups are on this, and they sound great! I figured this Cozart would be worth it as a modding platform so I don’t have to make another body or neck, but would prefer a scale body to match the neck.

    Thanks!
    Matthew

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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by mreidsma View Post
    Neilca, can you confirm something that Mike Soares said in his video review? Is this truly a full size Telecaster body with a short neck on it? The photos are all at angles that make it hard to confirm.

    I built a tenor strat style guitar using 4 pole bass pickups with the perfect spacing for tenor (not wide Eastwood spacing). It looks like the same pickups are on this, and they sound great! I figured this Cozart would be worth it as a modding platform so I don’t have to make another body or neck, but would prefer a scale body to match the neck.

    Thanks!
    Matthew
    They are the same size bodies. Here is a side by side with my Squier Telecaster
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    I have also done conversions, but I can't do it and match this price.

  5. #5
    Registered User mreidsma's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Thank you! The benefit of the full size body is now all the various pick guards and such are available to you without having to cut your own. Certainly tempting!

    -Matthew

  6. #6

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I've been curious why people like Warmoth don't offer conversion necks.
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  7. #7

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I have also done conversions, but I can't do it and match this price.
    Any insight on your conversion method? I would love to get my hands on a tenor guitar, but I can't justify spending $600 on an Eastwood and these Cozart brands make me nervous. Plus having a unique tenor instrument would be great.
    Last edited by CriticalCanine; Feb-24-2023 at 9:47pm. Reason: Fixed quote

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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    The blue guitar is the tenor the yellow is an octave mandolin. The Cozart is a good piece I really like mine.
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  10. #9

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I just now ordered one. I'll let you know my thoughts when I get it. Before then, though, anything I should expect to adjust when it does arrive?

    Thanks for any help.

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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I haven't changed anything yet. The frets are still sharp but I continue to play it. I do prefer the CGDA tune. When I get time, I will dress the frets and do a setup, but for now it plays well enough right out of the box.

  12. #11

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I bought the second to last one yesterday, not realizing it's a full-size telecaster body. Seems like it could look/feel a little ridiculous with the smaller and shorter neck. We'll see.

  13. #12

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    After more thought I cancelled my order. The seller kindly refunded the money. I’m interested in a Telecaster-style tenor from Mike Soares. Someday when he has them available again I might buy one. I’ve owned one of his electric tenors and I’m confident his quality control.

  14. #13

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by subby13 View Post
    I bought the second to last one yesterday, not realizing it's a full-size telecaster body. Seems like it could look/feel a little ridiculous with the smaller and shorter neck. We'll see.
    Back in the day tenors were made by putting a tenor neck on a regular 6-string guitar body, so there should be nothing untoward about this. I believe Eastwood made one with a smaller body, as did Fender so it's all over the map.
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  15. #14

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I have been learning guitar on a Squire Mustang guitar for about for only four months, so I am really new to the whole world of guitars. But I really liked the sound from the Fender Alternate Reality Telecaster tenor guitar that I accidentally stumbled across while surfing Youtube. Since I am new and not fully committed to a tenor yet, I didn't want to spend too much on a trial tenor guitar and the Cozart fit in my budget.

    My Cozart Tenor Tele arrived yesterday. I am learning on a Squire Mustang and I find the full-sized Tele body very well balanced and comfortable to play. My only negative comment is that it arrived VERY out of tune - the C string was just sagging and the others were at least a full note below what they should be. It took quite a while for me to get it in tune, mostly because I am new to the whole guitar thing. The seller could provide no information on the string gauges, only the he "thought" is was just normal tenor tuning.

    I am anxious to start learning, but my first impression is that I would really like a tuning that would provide a more "bottom." Any suggestions on a tuning that may provide that? I assume that whatever tuning is suggested will also require new strings.

    Thanks for any advice or comments. I look forward to being a part of this forum.

  16. #15

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by strandbj View Post
    I am anxious to start learning, but my first impression is that I would really like a tuning that would provide a more "bottom." Any suggestions on a tuning that may provide that? I assume that whatever tuning is suggested will also require new strings.

    Thanks for any advice or comments. I look forward to being a part of this forum.
    Welcome to the cafe.

    There are a number of things going on. By nature of the tuning - tenor - the voice sits in the upper-middle of the frequency spectrum. A common tenor tuning is DGBE which is the same as the 4 high strings on a guitar tuned to E standard, so the lower end is missing by design. A 5-string tenor tuned FCGDA will get you pretty close to the same voice spread as a guitar with the lowest note being a mere semi-tone higher. You could try down-tuning to FCGD and see if that works better for you - best to find the tuning you want before you start switching strings as tuning affects tension which affects string gauge.

    The nature of a Telecaster is the voice is meant to be full of "twang" and can get pretty nasty when played solo so it lacks "bottom" by design. I've never understood the appeal of Tele's.

    The pickups are not going to give your tone any girth. They are single-coils which tend to be high-end focused; cheap pickups can get quite brittle sounding.

    So to answer your question, different string gauges will make a slight difference but you're putting lipstick on a pig which will always be what it is.

    Cafe member Fox is best to ask about string gauges. Hope this helps.
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  17. #16

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    After studying recommendations on the Eastwood web site, I decided to tune my Cozart in DGBE "Chicago" tuning since many of my guitar lessons center around the top three strings, GBE. Eastwood recommended 34 - 26 - 17 - 13 for the string gauges in this tuning. My Cozart came with 38 - 26 - 16 - 10 gauge strings. I re-tuned it with these strings and WOW, it sounds great! I was able to play some of my guitar lessons instantly on it, and I really like the feel of the full-size Telecaster body with the short 23-inch scale.

  18. #17

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Is anyone using DGBE "Chicago" tuning?

  19. #18

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by malarz View Post
    After more thought I cancelled my order. The seller kindly refunded the money. I’m interested in a Telecaster-style tenor from Mike Soares. Someday when he has them available again I might buy one. I’ve owned one of his electric tenors and I’m confident his quality control.
    Check out Mike's Youtube review of the Cozart Tele-tenor. He was impressed. The two minor issues he mentions were not present on the Cozart I recently received.

  20. #19
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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by strandbj View Post
    After studying recommendations on the Eastwood web site, I decided to tune my Cozart in DGBE "Chicago" tuning since many of my guitar lessons center around the top three strings, GBE. Eastwood recommended 34 - 26 - 17 - 13 for the string gauges in this tuning. My Cozart came with 38 - 26 - 16 - 10 gauge strings. I re-tuned it with these strings and WOW, it sounds great! I was able to play some of my guitar lessons instantly on it, and I really like the feel of the full-size Telecaster body with the short 23-inch scale.
    I have not tried the DGBE tune yet. If I read this right, you used the original strings?

  21. #20

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Quote Originally Posted by neilca View Post
    I have not tried the DGBE tune yet. If I read this right, you used the original strings?
    Yes, I used the original strings. I first tuned it to the standard tuning CGDA, and the E string was so tight I thought it was going to pop! From my very inexperienced point of view, I would say the DGBE tuning suits these strings better and I like the sound better too.

  22. #21

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Glad to hear you found a tuning that works. DGBE is called "Chicago" tuning which is a modified version of 4ths. Tenors came out first as banjos that followed mandolin's tradition of tuning in 5ths, usually CGDA. The appeal of tenors for me is 5th tuning. I have lots of regular guitars for the other.

    AFAIK Chicago tuning came out of the early recording studios where tenors were re-tuned largely because few knew how to play in 5ths. When I was starting out tenors were usually given to the new kid because there were fewer strings to learn.
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  24. #22
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    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    I would recommend trying GDAE, just buy a set designed for that tuning, playing in 5th is great on a four string, there are lots of really easy two finger chord shapes but try out some tenor banjo tunes too.

  25. #23

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Cozart is now offering their Tenor Tele in white. $190

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  27. #24

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    neilca, subby13 & strandbj: I'm wondering how you are getting along with your Cozarts?

    I have a red one and yes the fret ends are sharp, but overall it is very nice. The stock strings are nearly useless. I tuned it GDAE and it is very light around 50 lbs. of tension. CGDA was way too tight for me. I tend to use it unplugged and again, I really enjoy it. Neck to body ratio is appropriate and I like the full size body on these. (Thanks Verne you taught me a new word - untoward.)

    A couple of things of note:

    It is a 22" scale instrument not 23".

    Matthew (mreidsma), At first I was somewhat excited as I thought, like you, about pickguard replacements. The neck and bridge on the Cozart are narrower than a six string and the single coil neck pickup is 4 pole versus 6. So an Esquire pickguard would work if you cutout the smaller pickup hole, but the neck and bridge cutouts will be wider on a standard Tele pickguard.

    fox, your recommendation made me search for electric tenor sets and I discovered that GHS has a line of strings for electric tenors in both CGDA & GDAE.

    I do not like the saddles having adjustment screw that are so long. I have a replacement bridge to install and will share once I get around to putting it on.

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    Again, overall I like the guitar, and for the price I don't mind putting a few dollars into it. I do notice the 22" vs 23" scale length difference - faster, less stretch. For $200 and free shipping in the US (I believe I read elsewhere $300 to Europe), it is hard to beat.

    Thanks for everyone's posts!
    Last edited by Denko; Feb-04-2024 at 2:49am.

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  29. #25

    Default Re: Cozart Tenor Telecaster

    Here's something somewhat related - I like the fact that this is 22" as I have been looking for alternatives around 21", of which there are none. A few days ago I took a look at the Rickenbacker 325 and was shocked to see it is a 21". Aside from being a 6-string it's the only one I know at that scale. Apparently John Lennon used one extensively playing mostly tenor voicings (as I read on a guitar forum).
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