String ferrules on a Telecaster

Happy new year gang,

just purchased a new 75th anniversary commemorative edition Telecaster and have noticed that the 6 rear string ferrules are not flush with the body. Q is, should they be flush with the body.? Mine not being flush are sticking out about 1mm. I have seen numerous tube videos where luthiers have slightly countersunk the hole so the ferrules sit flush.

No big problem for me, but did Fender not do the flush fitting due to time consumption and get this or all new Telecasters out the door. I bet if it was a MB it would of been done.

Cheer’s,

Anthony.

String ferrules on Fender's Telecaster generally stand proud of the body's surface by about 0.5 mm while conversely, those installed on hardtail Stratocasters are mounted flush to the body. Just one of Leo's idiosyncrasies I guess.

Yes thanks. I also read, “from 1950 to 1966 the ferrules were flush on a Telecaster, post ‘66 the ferrules protruded.”

It shouldn't be too difficult to countersink the ferrules -- about an hour I should think, including time to de-string and re-string. Work slow and methodically and use a sharp boring bit (no power tools!). A small, strategically-placed drop of adhesive inside the recesses will hold the ferrules fast to the body.

The ferrules on my '95 Am Std Tele are not flush with the body. The ferrules on my '07 Baja are. Never noticed or thought about it until now.

The ferrules on 1950s "blackguard" Esquires, Broadcaster, no-casters, and Telecasters were installed flush.

Like Keefoman1's, the ferrules on my '95 Am. Std. Tele were not flush. The ferrules had a small flange, or lip, on them and the holes were not counterbored for the flange.

I ended up removing those ferrules from the Am. Std. Tele and installing them in my USACG T-Style, which has counterbored holes for the ferrules and they were a perfect fit and were flush.

They sell a flush fit version with no flange. They may fit in the op's guitar without modification to the guitar.