Keep The 52 RI?

[BS123]

Y'all know I just got a new Fender 52 RI Telecaster. The thing sounds phenomenol; but it doesn't really play any better than my MIM Fender 50's RI Tele does. I love the look of the 52 RI but I do like white blonde better than butterscotch. The wife and the other bandmates like the butterscotch better than the white blonde. The necks of the two Teles are almost identical. The difference is in the electronics. The 52 RI uses really nice electronics and the pickups are fantastic. The MIM 50's Tele uses cheaper electronics and the stock pickups are okay; but not nearly as good. The finish is different also. The mim 50's Tele is finished in polyurethane where as the 52 RI is finished in nitrocellulose laquer.

I could take the 52 RI back to GC and get a refund and just change out the electronics to more match the 52 RI. But then there's collectibility and resale... In 20 years, what will the MIM 50's Tele be like compared to the 52 RI?

I appreciate all help.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Butch -

In the long run I think you'll be happier with the 52RI. That finish will continue to age and become sweeter over the years. I'm with you as far as finish and prefer blond as well, although butterscotch has grown on me in recent months.

I assume it's not a matter of economics. Since you love the sound of the 52 RI, I think you can leave it stock, and use your 50's MIM for experimentation with different pups and sounds, without having to worry about it's value. Both are working man's guitars, but the MIM you can abuse more and still not feel like you've ruined a valuable guitar.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Butch,

I am in agreement with Jeff on this as well - that 52RI is just going to age and get better and better and you will seem like a real idiot for letting it go. I believe you tried quite a few in the shop before settling for it, if my memory serves me correctly. However if you decide to let it go - how much do you think you could make with a private sale, would you be able to make any profit?

Keep both of them and I am sure that you will be reaching more for the 52RI then anything else. Just a clue I voted you keep the damn thing!!

Normanb

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

However if you decide to let it go - how much do you think you could make with a private sale, would you be able to make any profit?

I'm well within my 30-day guarantee with GC. I would just return it for a full refund.

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Well,

I have the 52 RI in my truck ready to return it today. My wife (definitely my much better half) calls me and asks me, "Did you take your new Telecaster back to the store?" "No." I said. "It's here in the truck with me." "Good, I was going to be very angry if you did." She says. I replied, "Nope, I just brought it for a coworker to look at." She was relieved and I realized that I absolutely shall not return it...

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Sometimes the lord works in mysterious ways, I´d say He made the right choice for you

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Since I've never been a fan of the radius on those necks, and the laquered fretboard,
I'd take it back, then use your store credit to find a tele that blows you away.
See if you can get Custom Shop or Deluxe Tele with great wood, electronics, and stellar neck. Upgrading MIM's is alright to do, but if you're playing high profile gigs, you may as well have a guitar befitting of you. The quality of a high end Tele and the modern-ness of your Variax would be a classy way to go.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Sometimes the lord works in mysterious ways, I´d say He made the right choice for you

Butch,

Try as I might I can't really top what Zerb said. Its a keeper :32:

Norman

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

The quality of a high end Tele and the modern-ness of your Variax would be a classy way to go.

Yes indeed... I plan on getting a Warmoth Tele body that's routed for Variax parts and sticking the Variax guts in it. Jeff Miller did that with very good results.

Check it out.

One that's finished.

 

[fusion101]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

I'd say keep it, the resale value alone isgoing to be great and it's just a better guitar all around.

 

[MikeS]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Butch, that's a pretty good comparison of the two Teles, and it's what I gathered from playing both. At the time of purchase I was a bigger fan of the Butterscotch, since I bought my 50s RI the White Blonde has really grown on me. My attitude is that I could swap pups out of the 50s RI for less than I could get the 52 RI, but if I could have afforded the 52 RI that day, I likely would have walked out with it instead. I think the 52 RI is a great tele just to have, and the 50s RI is a great guitar to make some really nice upgrades on.

BTW, how warped was the single-ply pickguard on your 50s RI? Mine's up about 1/8" in the middle, which provided me with a little more ammo in the price battle at GC, but the warped look just isn't doing anything for me.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Keep the 52 ri and make it a player. Those are great guitars. Second only to the relic nocasters. Don't underestimate the wood quality and finish, as they are what give the 52 ris that extra tad of tonal richness. Factor in a refret later on, wilkinson three piece brass compensated saddles and gotoh direct vintage replacement height staggered locking machine heads (no mods needed, light weight), and you'll have a killer working guitar.

What I'm after is a white blonde alder body/maple neck tele.

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

BTW, how warped was the single-ply pickguard on your 50s RI? Mine's up about 1/8" in the middle, which provided me with a little more ammo in the price battle at GC, but the warped look just isn't doing anything for me.

Mine is about as warped as yours. Another thing...

The neck pickup died last night. I was going to install my new 4-way switch and I plugged the Tele up to just dink around a bit and switched to the middle position to get a good level-set of the tone of both pickups in parallel and there was nothing. I switched to the neck pickup alone and there was nothing. I got my meter out and measured. Nothing.... I took the strings off and looked at the neck pickup under my lighted magnifying glass. The copper wire was broken. I don't know how it worked when I forst got the guitar; but it doesn't now. :cussing:

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

butch, which tele has a broken neck pickup? If it is the 50's reissue i have an extra pickup for it. I will send it to you if you pay for the shipping. pm me if you want it. You helped me alot with my latest tele. so i owe you one

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

butch, which tele has a broken neck pickup? If it is the 50's reissue i have an extra pickup for it. I will send it to you if you pay for the shipping. pm me if you want it. You helped me alot with my latest tele. so i owe you one

Hey mrfjones,

I appreciate the offer! It was actually my 52 RI's neck pickup. I took it back to GC and they let me pick another 52 RI out. They had just gotten a new stash in. This one's good to go.

 

[big_black]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

I'd say keep it, the resale value alone isgoing to be great and it's just a better guitar all around.

Diffinately. The MIM is only going to go down in price, where as the '52RI will never most likely never lose value.

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

Well, the original 52 RI, the neck pickup died. I went back to GC and the sales guy gave me a choice of 3 brand new ones out of the box. I chose one that had a beutiful ash grain under what looked like a thinner coat of nitrocellulose laquer. Everything works and I couldn't be happier.

That is, until the next big thing...:scratchch

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

I still like that idea of putting the Variax guts into a Warmoth body, along with your choice of neck, pickups, and hardware. I didn't know Warmoth did that.
I'd still keep your new 52 Reis., but also consider turning your Variax into a Teliax.

 

[strat_master]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

keep the 52 reissues i always belive that a guitar that is great stock is a winer, while those that need uprading may be good but will never come anywhere near that perfect stock guitar. MIM guitars are great but liek miy MIM strat, they need upgrades to make them better and of course the resale value is not as nice either. PLus the 52 teles a timeless classic!

 

[BS123]

Re: Keep The 52 RI?

I still like that idea of putting the Variax guts into a Warmoth body, along with your choice of neck, pickups, and hardware. I didn't know Warmoth did that.
I'd still keep your new 52 Reis., but also consider turning your Variax into a Teliax.

That's my next project...

keep the 52 reissues i always belive that a guitar that is great stock is a winer, while those that need uprading may be good but will never come anywhere near that perfect stock guitar. MIM guitars are great but liek miy MIM strat, they need upgrades to make them better and of course the resale value is not as nice either. PLus the 52 teles a timeless classic!

I wholeheartedly agree!!