What should I do with this Tele?

PFDarkside

PFDarkside

of the Forum
I got this 9 years ago when I was traveling in Japan. I've always wanted a '52 style and this fit the bill. It sounds and plays pretty darn good, but as I narrow my preferences I'm finding there are things I'd prefer to be different.

CIJ '52 RI
Texas Special Pickups
Brass Saddles
Chunky V/U Neck w/7.5" radius & vintage frets



I don't play it nearly often enough because the neck is too chunky for my preference. I'm really liking the mid 60's shape or the modern C shape like my other Fenders. Also, I'm ready to try out some different pickups for a new flavor. If I had my choice I think I'd have:

-Mid 60s profile (oiled back, tinted fretboard/headstock)
-Flatter radius (9.5" or compound)
-6105 or 6150 Frets
-HS Pickup configuration a la Micawber
(Maybe Antiquity/Antiquity, JD/59, BG1400/PG or QP/MiniHum
-Reversed Control Plate w/ Push/Pull for Tap and/or Split
-Compensated Brass Saddles

That sounds an awful lot like a new guitar... Some things like the reversed control plate, new bridge pickup and compensated saddles aren't too big of a deal, but if I replace the neck and rout the neck pickup area, it almost seems like I'd be better off specing out a neck and body, having them finished and building up from there and selling this one as is...

What would you do in my position? Buy a new neck and modify away? Sell and start new?


(Tele on the left is where I'm thinking of going)
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachme...-bsb-reversed-control-plate-club-img_2484-jpg
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

If I had a resonant body I would, without hesitation stick with it and make it the base for my modifications.

I am with you on the flatter radius ... in a perfect world it would be 9-1/2" (or 10") - 14" compound radius for me.

Let me also make a plug for the fine neck work by USA Custom Guitars.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

Sell the guitar as it is. Spend the proceeds on what you really want. i.e. Something American, exactly tailored to your requirements.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

Sounds like a Warmoth build is needed to get the exact neck specs you want. Might be worth it to me. As far as the bridge goes, I'd put a Duncan Lil' 59. It's an amazing pickup. Still sounds like a tele, but it rocks with the best of them.

All that being said, it takes away from that guitar being a '52 Reissue. I think a Fender Classic Players Tele might suite you more since they have more modern appointments. I'd also look into the Custom/Deluxe models too.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

I wouldn't cut up a '52 RI, I'd get as much money out of it as possible and go after what I really wanted. I believe what you want already exists out there, and this '52 just isn't it.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

beaubrummels said:
I wouldn't cut up a '52 RI, I'd get as much money out of it as possible and go after what I really wanted. I believe what you want already exists out there, and this '52 just isn't it.
Click to expand...

Yes... So close, yet so far away. Basically a "player's" '52RI is really what I want. I feel like a pickup swap and saddle replacement is no big deal, but routing etc. is a different beast.

Condition is Very Good.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

PFDarkside said:
a "player's" '52RI is really what I want.
Click to expand...

PFDarkside said:
Chunky V/U Neck w/7.5" radius & vintage frets ... is too chunky for my preference.
Click to expand...

There is no squaring this circle. Early Fifties Broadcasters, Esquires, Nocasters, Telecasters and faithful reproductions have big necks. Period.

The Fender Custom Shop offers various models that look vintage whilst feeling modern. Then, of course, there is always G&L. They build some killer singlecut, screwed-on neck, twang machines.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

The Fender version of the WR are pretty much a humbucker with 3+3 visible screws.
Lollar, The Creamery and the Telenator do authentic WR clones, as do the custom shop.

I might be wrong here, but the guitar I linked almost seems to have the WR as a PAF sized version
 
What should I do with this Tele?

You want to change too much to keep it IMO. There really isn't anything of substance on it that you want to keep aside from the original body. To me, it would be a bit of a shame. I'd just sell that beauty to someone who appreciates it for exactly what it is: a vintage-spec'd, finely crafted Japanese Fender. Get a guitar that meets your wants better.
 
Last edited:
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

Ah yes, the Hot Rod series, that's the one I was thinking of! That would probably fulfill most of the things I'm looking for.

Thanks guys! :bigok:
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

I've never owned a '52 RI but I can speak from experience about spec-ing out your own guitar.

I have a blue 2-piece swamp ash telecaster deluxe that I could not possibly be happier with. Has a 1" rosewood/maple U-shaped neck with a 9.5" radius. The controls would take a while to explain but I can get everything from that steely country twang to piano-like strat neck sounds to fat raunchy p-90 sounds to smooth and singing allman brothers harmonies. It's one of my lightest and most resonant guitars and basically the only electric I play any more. The only thing I would change is maybe getting a tremolo like the super vee maverick so I can keep that vintage tele bridge look and get some extra versatility from having a tremolo.

If you want a guitar that's exactly right for you, I cannot recommend highly enough calling USACG or Warmoth and detailing everything you want in a guitar.

As for having a HS setup, that's what I would go for 10 times out of 10. Unrivaled versatility in a solidbody electric guitar IMO, especially with a spin-a-split. The only caveat is that you might have to do what I did and go with a 1 meg volume for the neck and a 250k volume for the bridge because of how much brighter a telecaster bridge is than a covered humbucker. Otherwise you might have to spend more time adjusting the tone knob than actually playing.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

PFDarkside said:
Ah yes, the Hot Rod series, that's the one I was thinking of! That would probably fulfill most of the things I'm looking for.

Thanks guys! :bigok:
Click to expand...

The 52 Hot Rod tele still has a pretty fat neck similar to yours. You should just sell your tele and then go out and play a bunch of guitars until one really speaks to you.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

Oh man!! I can't believe how many people want a bucker in a Tele. IMO, worst mistake possible. If you want a Tele, get a Tele, otherwise get another type of guitar. There are some really great single coil pups available for a Tele without having to consider a bucker. Even a P-90 would be better than a bucker.

That's a nice looking slab of ash there. I would suggest reshaping the neck to a modified "V" or 60s "C" (really not so hard to do), Put in new pups (QP/STR-2), and the minor hardware changes you want...and end up with a really great sounding, looking, and playing guitar with very little extra expense.
 
Re: What should I do with this Tele?

I'd keep it around specifically because the neck it different. It's a change of pace. You might get into other styles of music at some point, where that neck shape works real well.

IMO, Tele Texas Specials are not good pickups, they're sterile and indistinctive, and that alone would hurt my ability to appreciate the guitar. The Antiquity Tele pickups are a lot like the Strat versions, soft and warm. The Twang Kings bring out a very rich Tele tone. I'd try doing a pickup swap and then keeping the guitar in a safe place, safe from being butchered.
 
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