I bought this tele for 400.00 serial # E324217 USA made I was told it was a 1983 which the serial number matches that but what model I can't seem to find a pick with that style finger board any Idea's this is my first tele, neck pup is a lace sensor not sure what the bridge is. here is a couple of pics.
Guitar isnt authentic.
No block inlay neck standard production Fenders were ever made to the best of my knowledge.
Looks like a Warmoth neck or custom neck. Pull the neck and look at the heel and see if there are any markings. Probably a fake decal on the neck.
Looks like a quality parts guitar though, and worth the price otherwise.
Check the pickups. You may heave an original Fender body, and thats just about worth the price of admission right there.
I don't think the pickguard is original. Lets see what others say.
I pulled the neck the heel of the neck is stamped john cruz above that is a white tag with R. Chumbra stamped on it, also in pencil 06-28-88
holy Shiite! You may have just scored the holy grail ; A custom Shop Fender Tele. That is, John Cruz was(is?) one of the most noted custom shop Fender Luthiers I think, along with Cunetto? I need someone who knows to set this straight. I cannot figure out why it has the E-series decal though. I do not think these e-series necks were signed. Anyway, now it remains to authenticate the body! No matter what, that neck, if its straight, is worth about a grand! Congrats!!!
the neck is perfect, and it plays like a dream, I just never seen a neck on a fender like this before with the square inlays, it is a ash body, I'll have to take the rest apart tomorrow. I'll post more pics where would I find any identifing marks on the body?
Cool score! I like the block inlay's very sharp look on Tele IMHO... I dod know that Ronni Baker Brooks play's a strat with the same block inlay's...
Post a better pic of the headstock please.
Gris, on the picture above showing the heel of the guitar the stamp on the very bottom reads John Cruz and then on the paper label it stamped R. Chumbra and then on the butt of the neck the date is written in pencil 06/28/88 This is weird I've never seen one like this before and the decal doesn't even look like a water slide it looks original, the pickguard is a aftermarket allparts guard. I sent fender ssome pics of it and the neck to see if they could identify it we'll see if I hear anything back.
Last edited by majwild1; 08-30-2009 at 05:23 PM.
Well I took it all apart the body is stamped in neck pocket 5/12/88 so it is a original body, according to a post I found on telecaster.com another fella had the same issue with the serial# when cbs sold fender they continued using the same serial number scheme, and had to be verified by the neck date vintage series, but the block inlays still was getting me I posted on fender.com and got a response back from mike eldred he stated that they did make production block inlays on tele's but very limited and rare.
Could be a previous owner had the balls to do what I didn't have the balls to do to my Epiphone...actually I still might do it someday...
No, if they made some with inlays like these it's likely original, as I can't say I've seen or heard of too many Tele's with them as a mod.
Yeah, they did build them like that. I've seen red ones but not that color. Nice guitar.
"No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim
String tree, decal, slab board neck, adjustment on to of neck and serial number are consistent with what was being built in 1986 - 1988or so.
Furthermore, the bridge, the tuners, the 1 string tree, the Schaller strap locks, the neck label, the stamps and other markings are consistent with one:
American Standard Telecaster....
I have seen tons of American Standard Stratocasters/Telecasters with E3 serial numbers from that Era. Looks just like this one except for the blocks....
http://www.elderly.com/items/30U-11713.htm
Now, the John Cruz thing is also somewhat consistent - John joined Fender in 1987 and joined the Custom Shop in 1993 and became a Master Builder in 2003 (source: Fender CS Website) so he was indeed around in the regular shop then. Essentially Fender started producing in Corona in November of 1985 and from parts still made in Fullerton which had closed. First American Standards appear to be from 1986. Ramping up American Standard production was in 1987 when Cruz seems to have come aboard and generally all American Standards (Teles or Strats) built between 1986 and 1988 can pretty much be considered low production almost hand made guitars.....
The Custom Shop was started in 1987 and every guitar I have ever seeen to come from the early days are clearly marked with a stamp on the back of the neck....
That said, with the two neck stamps of the inspector and John Cruz, it could be very well that that is some kind of factory job.......may also be after market but send some pictures to the Fender PR department and John Cruz and you may get an answer - it would be worth a try.....
"Sorry" - John Belushi as he smashed a guitar in Animal House
Interesting piece - looks like a modded early-run American Standard Tele. It looks like the block markers were added but it was a good job (no real filler, etc.). The Lace Sensor was added (that type of chrome-style Lace wasn't used until 1996 when the Tele Plus switched from HS Laces to the "Nashville" configuration.
American Standards probably date to October/November 1986; I think the latest Amercian Standard Strat with an E3 or E4 serial number is about March 1988; looks like FMIC took longer to use up the E3/E4 serial number Tele decals.
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