Fender '72 Deluxe Telecaster reissues

[barnesjd]

I stumbled across one of these on craigslist, and I don't recall having seen one before. As a gibson fanboi I don't pay a lot of attention to fender. I kinda dig the way they look and I like the LP-like configuration. Those big 70s-style fender head stocks look cool too. I'm gonna see if I can find one at GC to try out. Anybody got one of these?

 

[barnesjd]

No body, huh? Maybe I'll get one just to show all you bastards.

 

[the recluse]

I have a 1978 Tele Deluxe, and in my experience the reissues don't really measure up out of the box. The biggest difference is the pickups. The originals have Wide Range Humbuckers with CuNiFe magnets and they have a really good balance of grit and clarity. The reissues have regular alnico V humbuckers underneath the larger Wide Range cover. If you replace the stock pots with 1M pots it makes up some of the difference.

Other observations about the reissues compared to the originals are the weight (reissues are MUCH lighter) and neck profile. The reissues have a much less exaggerated neck profile than the originals. Closer to a C than a U thought they are still a little chunky.

 

[barnesjd]

I have a 1978 Tele Deluxe, and in my experience the reissues don't really measure up out of the box. The biggest difference is the pickups. The originals have Wide Range Humbuckers with CuNiFe magnets and they have a really good balance of grit and clarity. The reissues have regular alnico V humbuckers underneath the larger Wide Range cover. If you replace the stock pots with 1M pots it makes up some of the difference.

Other observations about the reissues compared to the originals are the weight (reissues are MUCH lighter) and neck profile. The reissues have a much less exaggerated neck profile than the originals. Closer to a C than a U thought they are still a little chunky.

Perhaps they are reissues in cosmetics only. Thus far I've only seen these reissues come from the Mexico plant, and I expect to swap out electronics on any MIM anyway. Hell, I'd probably swap American pups too. Oh well. Even if I had one tweaked to my tastes, my preexisting bias tells me I'd rarely pick it up before my LP.

 

[Stramm8]

I haven't owned one but the roadworn version I thought was a great guitar and I would love to find one locally. The neck on those are killer since the finish is "worn" off. Every other reissue of this guitar has that thick poly slathered all over it. I can't stand that.

 

[Mudder]

I played one a while back and it was fine. If I were to get one I'd check out Novak for real close wide range replacements. Real deal wide range pickups are not cheap and not easy to come by.

 

[the recluse]

One thing to keep in mind if you get one with the intention of swapping the electronics is the Wide Range pickups are bigger and have a different mounting screw pattern than regular humbuckers. You won't be able to drop in other pickups unless they are made to wide range specs or you get a new pick guard cut for regular size hums.

 

[jlbaxe]

i have a 2013 Standard Honey Blonde and luv it. I want the road worn player model with the hum bucker in the neck and single at the bridge. I have my moods but they all seem to get played (Les Pauls,tele, strats) fairly even. Tele is great for Led Zep and Stones to.