Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

  1. #1
    Forum Member powerstroke's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    32

    Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    So I ran the serial and then clicked on the model # and it shows the fretboard is supposed to be rosewood.
    Is this common for the thing to be wrong??
    Every thing else looks ok. Color is right etc.

  2. #2
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Such discrepancies do occur -- I wouldn't read too much into it.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  3. #3
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,174

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    What model do you have?
    There's so many variations on Teles that without a little more info, there's no way to have an opinion.
    FWIW, my Tele looks pretty much like yours (from the other thread).
    Though mine is a MIM Standard, with an aftermarket pickguard. Black with the black MOTS PG.
    It's hard to see, but it's in my avatar here.
    Edit: looking again at the other thread, you mention it's an '04 MIM. Those were available with both rosewood or maple boards. The last number of the second group of number (4 digits|) indicates the fretboard - XXX0 is Rosewood and XXX2 is maple.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

  4. #4
    Forum Member powerstroke's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    32

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Quote Originally Posted by jrgtr42 View Post
    What model do you have?
    There's so many variations on Teles that without a little more info, there's no way to have an opinion.
    FWIW, my Tele looks pretty much like yours (from the other thread).
    Though mine is a MIM Standard, with an aftermarket pickguard. Black with the black MOTS PG.
    It's hard to see, but it's in my avatar here.
    Edit: looking again at the other thread, you mention it's an '04 MIM. Those were available with both rosewood or maple boards. The last number of the second group of number (4 digits|) indicates the fretboard - XXX0 is Rosewood and XXX2 is maple.
    Yes same and serial is wrong then...hmm




  5. #5
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,174

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Quote Originally Posted by powerstroke View Post
    Yes same and serial is wrong then...hmm



    But the serial number doesn't have anything to do (directly) with the model number.
    The Serial can tell you where and when it was made - in this case the MZ indicates Mexican built, and the next couple digits have to do with the year, or at least the decade.
    Then comes the model, which is separate. For the MIM |Standard Teles at the time, the model would have been 013-5102-xxx (the |xxx is the color code; IIRC black was 506) The catalog |I'm looking at - 2004 - is saying that it wasn't available with the rosewood neck, I know when I was selling them a few years earlier, 1998 to 2002) they were, at least 98 and 99. The model for that would have been 013-5100-xxx.
    At that time, stock was 3-ply white pickguard, no matter what color.
    In any case, if you like the guitar, that's all that really matters. I definitely like mine, especially since I changed the pickups to Cst |Shop Texas Special Teles and the electronics to a 4-way switch and upgraded pots / caps.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

  6. #6
    Forum Member powerstroke's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    32

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Quote Originally Posted by jrgtr42 View Post
    But the serial number doesn't have anything to do (directly) with the model number.
    The Serial can tell you where and when it was made - in this case the MZ indicates Mexican built, and the next couple digits have to do with the year, or at least the decade.
    Then comes the model, which is separate. For the MIM |Standard Teles at the time, the model would have been 013-5102-xxx (the |xxx is the color code; IIRC black was 506) The catalog |I'm looking at - 2004 - is saying that it wasn't available with the rosewood neck, I know when I was selling them a few years earlier, 1998 to 2002) they were, at least 98 and 99. The model for that would have been 013-5100-xxx.
    At that time, stock was 3-ply white pickguard, no matter what color.
    In any case, if you like the guitar, that's all that really matters. I definitely like mine, especially since I changed the pickups to Cst |Shop Texas Special Teles and the electronics to a 4-way switch and upgraded pots / caps.
    Wow you know your stuff.
    I called fender today and the lady was nice. She also sent me the spec sheet. She wasn't sure why it came up wrong but it was normal on a deeper look up.
    This guitar has a American neck pickup. Number #048609
    I'm not sure what dimarzio bridge pickup but it's awesome.


  7. #7
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,174

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Quote Originally Posted by powerstroke View Post
    Wow you know your stuff.
    I called fender today and the lady was nice. She also sent me the spec sheet. She wasn't sure why it came up wrong but it was normal on a deeper look up.
    This guitar has a American neck pickup. Number #048609
    I'm not sure what dimarzio bridge pickup but it's awesome.
    So obviously swapped out electronics, or at least pickups. That's not unusual - IMO the weak link in those guitars is the electronics.
    If it hasn't been done already, I do recommend swapping out the rest of the electronics - pots, cap and jack.
    I changed my pickups early on, and it was a big change. When I did the rest of them much later, it was like taking a pillow off the speaker - way clearer, crisper and louder sound. That hour's work changed it from a low-middle of the pack to one of my top few guitars.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

  8. #8
    Forum Member powerstroke's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    32

    Re: Fender telecaster serial shows wrong neck!

    Quote Originally Posted by jrgtr42 View Post
    So obviously swapped out electronics, or at least pickups. That's not unusual - IMO the weak link in those guitars is the electronics.
    If it hasn't been done already, I do recommend swapping out the rest of the electronics - pots, cap and jack.
    I changed my pickups early on, and it was a big change. When I did the rest of them much later, it was like taking a pillow off the speaker - way clearer, crisper and louder sound. That hour's work changed it from a low-middle of the pack to one of my top few guitars.
    I'm used to Squires. These have top Notch stuff in comparison. It has cts pots and a decent switch and jack just like my 2015. The American standard pickup doesn't impress. I think it was actually a stock upgrade from the build sheet. I removed it and put a seymour duncan sh2 in there.


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •