i need a new axe and am looking at the Fender / Squire Telecaster range.BUT 1] i cannot believe how many Tele models there are & 2] what would you recommend for a highly funky sound & easy play guitar for my short fingers! and budget of no more than £300.00 / $500.00.
I have a gorgeous PRS Soap bar 2 which is great for rock and Blues but not too great for funk.

Yamaha Pacifica every single day for that money Nothing else will come close really. Unless you start looking at the second hand market

Essential pedal = Boss Blues Driver

iloveannie said:

cheers, just looked on the net and there's lots of models, is it the Yamaha Pacifica Telecaster you have[twin humbuckers], if not which Pacifica do you have?.

If you're talking his clean sound he uses for straight up funk parts I'd say get a Standard Fender Telecaster, they're $359 brand new. As far as distorted tones he uses both different amp distortion settings and pedals. I used the BOSS Bluesdriver for 7 years until recently when I switched to BOX of ROCK, which is made by a one man company from Minnesota, ironically. They are pricey, the cheapest being $299, and that's just distorion. The BOSS pedal is $89 as far as I know. Hope that helps.

GET YOURSELF A FENDER !
Go for the standard model its a little over $300.00 ..There is no standard "FUNK" sound..funk masters rock strats..es 335's..les pauls..custom guitars ect...but if there is one that I could think of as the Definitive funk guitar.. it would be something,RAW, straight up..simple..clean..and SNAPPY ! and that = TELECASTERS..
I have about 17 guitars and the one I reach for the most is my fender Standard Telecaster..I have the hohner as well as an esp tele and a schecter tele..and the cheap fender mexican one I have kills them all !
as far as pedals go..They all have a place..wahs..phase shifters..delays..they all can be Funky in the right hands..If I had to advise you on a distortion pedal to get the "prince vibe" Id suggest a Boss TURBO DISTORTION.
Good Luck

Fender Telecaster, or a Squier Telecaster if you want to keep costs down. Prince's funk sound comes to a great extent from his strong attack on a Tele, not pedals.

Personally I think a Tele is too raw for funk. I prefer a Stratocaster for funky clean stuff. It's also easier to play (the shape of the body). If I were you I'd buy a second hand 80's or early 90's Squier Strat. The contemporary Fender Mexico Strats suck.

I don't see why the PRS would be bad for funk. P90's are bright and clear. They're single coil after all, just like strats & teles.

But then, I think you can be funky with anything, as long as you play it funky.

But I don't think you need a pedal for funk. Funky rhythm is usually really clean.

Your "small" fingers will eventually adjust to the guitar, but some necks are smaller than others. My Strat has a nice thin neck.

Go to a store and try a bunch. One will feel right.

NDRU said:

my PRS does play beautifully, but i just can't get that fat funk tone going. Probably more down to my lack of ability as a player though!.

funkyhead said:

well, something with humbuckers will giver you a fatter sound. I like them better than single coils, personally. I've heard that Prince's Hohner Telecaster has stacked humbuckers.

But some people like the brighter attack of single coils for rhythm, I prefer the fatter warmer sound of humbuckers. Maybe you should try an Gibson/Epiphone style guitar.