My Beef with Used Fenders

[Scott_F]

How do you know it's the real deal? Seriously... I've been looking at used Telecasters lately. Many of these have been from seller to the next and even though the latest seller is an honest person, how do I know it's not just a bunch of knock off Squier parts?

Sometimes I think I'm better off scouring the pawn shops in hopes of finding another 100 buck MIM with a great vintage tinted neck from a few years of abuse. Thenupdate it. At least when you only pay 100 bucks, if you're getting some knock-off, you at least got your money's worth.

I got that Texas Hwy 1 in last night, haven't had a chance to plug it in, but I wasn't too impressed with the setup. Easy enough. The neck on this thing was supposed to be a vintage tint 52RI, but it looks exactly like the regular Hwy1's. So, is the extra 200 bucks for the 3 brass saddles and two "Texas" pickups?

I'll at least plug it in tonight and give it a good setup. But, when I pulled it out of the box, I was uninspired. Ugh! :smack:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

Scott, any guitar I get, new or old, gets the strings removed and anywhere from a minor fret polish to a fret level, recrown and polish, and complete set-up from the ground up. Doesn't matter whether it's a MIM Fender or USA Les Paul...they all seem to need it. My Fender Custom Shop Tele buzzed on the wound strings from the 5th fret to the 12th fret with the action set like I like it...had to level them. And here in Colorado where it's pretty dry, the frets start to stick out down the sides of the neck within a very short time and need to be filed down. Guitars change shape when they're shipped around the country from one climate to the next. It's normal. A neck doesn't need to expand or contract or change shape much at all to buzz, so it seems that most new guitars are shipped with higher action than most of us prefer. Used to really freak me out when I was younger tho and didn't know how to fix it. Lew

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

There's this used guitar shop in San Antonio called Spacetone Music and they have a lot of great American, Japanese, and Mexican Telecasters up for sale...all used of course...but if you want things like nice fretboard wear and good parts, Spacetone is the place to go. Great shop, great guys too. They're always willing to cut a good deal!

 

[midnite_man]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

....most new guitars are shipped with higher action than most of us prefer. Used to really freak me out when I was younger tho and didn't know how to fix it. Lew

Yeah; but it sure made your fingers strong, and calloused, from playing 'em....didn't they?

lol....Bob

 

[nuntius]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

lol, i've never played a guitar in a shop with a high enough action for me

 

[Scott_F]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

yall seem to be missing my point about all the not-so-real "Fenders" out there... or am I just being paranoid?

 

[Hoss]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

i know what your saying...it's so easy to put fenders together from all the parts out there!

imagine it would be extremely hard to determine the authenticity sitting in a store without taking it completely apart?!?!?!?

 

[LesStrat]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

You can only hope that the designator on the headstock is genuine. Otherwise, I don't know.

That's why you should buy G&L if you want a Fender. And Heritage if you want a Gibson.:wink:

 

[Farkus]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

All so true about the Fenders out there, esp on E-bay. People are selling parts that are 'REAL USA!!!!' and they are not. That being said, often, if you look carefully, you'll see that someone will be offering up a strat (usually) from a given year based on the neck stamp, and the color of the guitar wasn't even available that year (neck is from a different guitar). You have to be so careful with used Fenders that it's almost not worth it (because you don't know what you're getting). That being said, I'm in the process of building one now...heheh

Farkus

 

[Scott_F]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

Off topic, but Farkus, what part of Galveston are you in?

 

[beandip]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

yall seem to be missing my point about all the not-so-real "Fenders" out there... or am I just being paranoid?

that's why alot of people are fender fanatics than gibson, esp, prs, ect. Fenders are so easy to knock off, that people have to study every friggin detail about 'em, just to make sure they're getting the real deal. And yeah, you're Tx Tele should have a 52RI neck. I'd check that out fo' sho'.

 

[Bludave]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

yall seem to be missing my point about all the not-so-real "Fenders" out there... or am I just being paranoid?

I think being a little paranoid is a good thing. You wouldn't buy a used car without checking under the hood would you? I think what Lew is saying is no matter what guitar you buy it is going to need to be set up. I would go one step further and pull the strings and neck off, and begin to investigate its authenticity if that makes you feel like you are not getting ripped off. What I do is bring the guitar to my Tech., who happens to be one of the most knowledgable techs regarding vintage equipment that I know. If he gives it a thumbs up I buy it. If not it goes back!

 

[Farkus]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

Off topic, but Farkus, what part of Galveston are you in?

Around 69th street...I guess you'd call that the beginning of the West end...I work for UTMB

Farkus

 

[Scott_F]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

I grew up in the Texas City area, have a beach house down in Sea Isle. Galveston is my second home, nasty brown water, stinky seaweed and all!

 

[Farkus]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

I grew up in the Texas City area, have a beach house down in Sea Isle. Galveston is my second home, nasty brown water, stinky seaweed and all!

Hehehe...yep, the water sure is nasty. With Ivan coming in the other day, we actually had some cool waves. Lots of surfers down here...

 

[Simon_F]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

Scott & beandip -

I don't understand what you mean about a 52RI neck on a Texas Tele. Assuming this is the guitar you're talking about, the Fender spec says it has a 12" radius and modern C shape. Surely a 52RI neck would be 7.25" radius and U shape?

http://www.fender.com/products/show.php?op=3&partno=0113502

The Texas Tele neck should have 21 frets, whereas the regular Highway 1 has 22.

Assuming Fender has the specs right. :22:

Or were you just talking about the neck finish?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

You just have to memorize all the minor details that differenciate one strat from the next. Personally, I only like Am. Stds, American Series, Deluxe's, and Custom Shops. I can always tell by the truss rod, fret number, bridge, etc. It's a little more blurred with the Jap and MIM strats, so you've got to pay close attention to how they number their serial numbers, and all the small details.

 

[beandip]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

Simon, quoted right out of Musicians Friend: "with one-piece '52 maple neck with 12" radius". Even the one I played, it felt like a 52 neck. But, Fender seems to always screw up their descriptions somehow, but it's understandable, look at everything they offer, and someone has to describe it all.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

No, this one has a 12" radius, no doubt. I'm at a bit of a loss about the 52RI neck thing as well. I figured, it had something to do with the tint perhaps, but it's hardly tinted if at all.
The truss rod adjustment is in the heel though. Maybe that's the "big deal."

It's going back. I don't want to have to take off the neck to get to the truss rod.

On the plus side, the Texas Tele pups don't sound bad at all.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: My Beef with Used Fenders

try taking off the pickguard, some have the access to the trust rod adjustment right there, the 60's reissue i had for a while gave access to the heel truss rod ajustment. oh yeha and all the rest of my teles have the truss rod adjustment in the heel but i have never really had to use it beyond one which needed set up badly when i got it.