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Thread: Date of this gorgeous tele?

  1. #1
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    Date of this gorgeous tele?

    Sorry if this is another date question, but I simply can’t work it out. I have looked at published guidance and searched forums and none the wiser. Any help dating it and confirming were it was made?

    This Tele was bought for me. It’s absolutely gorgeous and plays amazing; with ‘that’ Tele twang. I’m so in love. I was led to believe that it is a 1991 Japanese Tele. But would love to confirm this. It could be a made in Timbuktu from plywood and I’d still love it. I’m over the moon as it just plays, looks and sounds amazing.

    I’m not going to remove the neck or anything to inspect any other numbers. But anybody more knowledgeable and intelligent than me work this out? I can’t seem to upload photos. But the neck and the body are just beautiful. What a guitar.

    On the headstock it reads. DES 164,227 PAT. 2,573,254 2,741,146

    It says Fender Pat Pend 78871 on the bridge.

    it’s a lovely bit of wood. Even the inlays are a striking.

    THANK YOU!!!
    Last edited by Hayden; 11-23-2020 at 12:38 AM. Reason: Tidying up.

  2. #2
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    can you post any pictures?

    Taking the neck off a Fender is not detrimental, in fact that is exactly why Leo made them bolt necks in the first place. If yours is a heel adjust truss rod, chances are you'll need to at the very least loosen the neck to get to the truss rod nut. But if nothing else, post some pictures.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  3. #3
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    Finally worked out that we can’t upload photos.

    So here is a link to the photos.

    THANK YOU
    Last edited by Hayden; 11-23-2020 at 12:38 AM.

  4. #4
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    I hope I'm wrong, but the visible edges of the decals on the headstock make me think it's a fake. The headstock is weirdly shaped too.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  5. #5
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    I'd be pretty wary of that one. I've never seen those saddles with grooves on a Fender. Also, every thing on the bridge is aged - except the springs. The supposed wear and tear on the bridge doesn't match the tuners ( which aren't even strung correctly) or the rest of the guitar.

    As mentioned, the headstock shape appears weird in the pictures. Domed knobs.

    Not out and out claiming it's a not genuine but there are certainly concerns that need to be addressed. Even if it has stamps in the pocket I'd still guess some sort of parts-caster. If it's legit I'd guess its a short run special for someone like Musician's Friend
    "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

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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    I’m no expert. But it looks stunning and plays wonderfully. But to be honest, I do have some concerns. I agree the headstock doesn’t look entirely right and the tuners look strange. But was hoping that I was wrong.

    Oh well. It is what it is. I’ll enjoy it no matter what. But if it is a fake of course I’d be disappointed as I was hoping it was a gem.

  7. #7
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    Quote Originally Posted by Hayden View Post
    This Tele was bought for me. It’s absolutely gorgeous and plays amazing; with ‘that’ Tele twang. I’m so in love. I was led to believe that it is a 1991 Japanese Tele. But would love to confirm this. It could be a made in Timbuktu from plywood and I’d still love it. I’m over the moon as it just plays, looks and sounds amazing. I’m not going to remove the neck or anything to inspect any other numbers. But anybody more knowledgeable and intelligent than me work this out? I can’t seem to upload photos. But the neck and the body are just beautiful. What a guitar.
    If you love its tone and looks, then you're gold. Even if it turns out to be fake or some unknown luthier's partscaster, I'd say if it plays well and stays in tune then play it and enjoy it. I think it looks great. However, I noticed the wood grains in the body of the guitar don't line up, almost like the wood of the guitar body was split into halves and then fit together during its manufacture. That could be a common way of manufacturing guitars. I have no idea. When I look at my own tele, the body looks like it came from a single block of wood that was routed out rather than split into halves. I only mention that because it might be another clue that your guitar is possibly fake. Still, I have no idea how Fender manufactures guitars in Japan.

  8. #8
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    I think we've had this topic (or one like it) on another thread, so at the risk of being redundant, here's my take:

    If you bought this guitar and the guy (?) selling it to you pinky-swore that it was a genuine Fender, and you paid genuine Fender dollars for it, then I can understand you being justifiably miffed if it turns out not to be the case.

    On the other hand, if in your hands a Grease-o-Matic Thumpcaster with Shimmy-Shammy makes all the girls want to have your baby and all the guitar heroes want to mimic your sound, then who cares what it says on the headstock, eh?

    I've seen too many outstanding guitar performances to care whether they were playing a name brand instrument of something else. In fact, I have a friend who plays acoustic guitar with her husband (who plays banjo) and they have recorded and have been featured on the local scene fairly often. She plays an acoustic that has no name on the headstock (and although she's told me its brand, I can't remember it). She plays it beautifully, takes care of it lovingly, and as far as I know, has never sought another to either replace it or supplement it.
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  9. #9
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    I'm also questioning this one.
    Not so much the grain of the body - bookmatching is common with flame maple, since it's hard to find peices the full width of the guitar, they's take a less-wide peice and split it down the middle. though this one the grain does appear a bit mis-aligned.
    IT's mostly the headstock that causes me questions - that just doesn't look right for a real Fender. If possible, pop the neck, there should be markings there with the date and a few other peices.
    The number on the bridge is likely the serial number - you can also contact Fender with that number and a discription of the guitar and see what they say.
    But the short part is: You say it was a gift. If it plays and sounds great, then it's great. Doesn't really matter what it says on the headstock.
    |The person who bought it for you might want to know - depending on how much they paid, if they boughht it paying for a Fender, that may not be what they received.
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  10. #10
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Date of this gorgeous tele?

    One of the best Strats I ever owned cost me $125. I gave it to someone because as a lefty, I couldn't take the.controls under the arm and the cut works againist it too.. All hail Jimi for not letting it bother him.

    So I'm with the others. If you like the sound and the way it plays, then you've got a great guitar, actual Fender or not. We've been discussing in another thread about copies of models and outright putting a non legit label on it and pass it off as the real deal. Even though I'm Ric obsessed and wouldn't buy a Rickenbacker.copy (because of the quality of what's on offer, but there are a lot of good builders of Fender type guitars, and not all of them charge a fortune for their guitars.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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