Along with my 6120TM, 6118T-120 and my other Strats I finally decided on a Tele. Always wanted a sunburst one but all my Strats are sunburst and so are my 3 LPs so I decided on this one… I actually love this guitar, it’s totally different from any other guitar I have. I should have got one of these years ago….

Another shot

Oh, it’s a “1997” American (USA) 52' Re-Issue, all stock except for the modern re-wire mod which was in the case with instructions from Fender

That's really pretty! I've played a few in stores over the years and have always really liked them. Prefer the modern wiring vs the '52 wiring. They're hellish expensive over here in the UK, so I ended up getting a used Highway 1 to satisfy my tele cravings.

Enjoy!

John

I had one years ago, almost exactly like it. It was a great guitar except the damn jack kept falling apart. If I could only have one guitar I think it would be that telecaster.

Yeah, I'm lov'n it, and I think I got a really good deal at $900 with case and candy.... currently around $1,100 to $1,200 used on eBay, and I got to play it before I bought it…

Man, that butterscotch is the prettiest color for those Teles. Bet it sounds spanking through that little tweed.

Very nice, love the wood grain.

"currently around $1,100 to $1,200 used on eBay,"

And that's the point I was making about the cost over here in the UK. Most used 52 Reissues are around £1000 - £1200 over here - that's like $2000!

Most US stuff over here costs more or less the same in pounds as the price in dollars! Looks like you picked up a REAL bargain at only $900 dollars.

Those are excellent guitars the sweetest of the sweetest. What a good deal you got.

I bought one new back in 96,(well,i actually traded in a 1990 Ric 325V59 in mapleglo,stupid, i know ) ,it was very similar to yours,the neck on mine was dark too.

I couldn't bond with the neck in the end and sold her in a bid to gather money for my 57 6120. Should've kept it and just got a new neck,great sounding guitar so it was.

I bought one new back in 96,(well,i actually traded in a 1990 Ric 325V59 in mapleglo,stupid, i know ) ,it was very similar to yours,the neck on mine was dark too.

I couldn't bond with the neck in the end and sold her in a bid to gather money for my 57 6120. Should've kept it and just got a new neck,great sounding guitar so it was.

JC, the neck is a little dark but I have a REDDOG neon sign in the room so it probably looks a little darker than it really is. I think the darker neck makes it look a little more aged. IMO.... but it's a very nice playable neck and I don’t have another like it, all the other maples are light in color…

Congrats! I love my '52 RI - I was never happy with the neck pickup (love the thick neck, though!) so I replaced it with a Joe Barden pickup. Huge improvement for my needs.

I've had a lot of guitars come and go - the '52 RI Tele is a keeper. If I had to sell mine, it would be for only something super important.

Here's a pic of mine just before i sold it.

nice.... that’s about how mine looks without the REDDOG neon reflecting throughout the room on it....lol

Beauty. Congrats. Here's a shot of "General Lee", my 52 RI Hot Rod Tele. The 52s are the best teles on the planet...

i have 2 of those babys ,,,,,,, best guitar ever , enjoy

BTW StuRat, what are your impressions of that tweed Twin and how does it compare to the Gretsch Exec?

General, Well they are totally two different animals; the Fender is an EC Tremolux (not the twin), hand wired in the US, point-to-point wiring. It sounds really amazing for only 12 watts, the bass response and tone is utterly amazing with the Tele, SRV Strat and my 60’ Custom Shop Relic Strat. It can sound a bit muddy but only if I really crank it up with the neck pup and a heavy guitar but the lead on it is really sweet. I mostly play at lower volumes... I run a Fender 63’ RI Reverb Unit with the Tremolux as it has no verb. Now the Executive on the other hand is utterly amazing also with my 6120TM 6118T-120. So technically you really (or I) can’t compare the two. I don’t know which one I could NOT do without if it came down to it. Next on my list is a Victoria Regal II. I would have bought that instead of the Tremolux but I traded a guitar for it and it worked out good on my side of that deal and the Tremolux was brand new. I couldn’t see spending the $1999 ($2795 retail) price on it out right. I figured I would get more use from the amp than I would the guitar. Plus I had 2 of the guitars….lol (2004 50th anniversary Strat w/54’ CS pups) the one I kept sounds pretty good through the Tremolux also but the Tele, SRV and 60’ sound the best. I get suck on both of the amps, if I pick up a Gretsch and Exec and can’t put it down and vice versa with a soildbody and the Tremolux.

How's the RodRod sound, I thought about that when deciding on a Tele, just went this route for now since this was my first one....

oh i have a tech Q for you two guys ,,, with my 52's they give some wiring parts to change something over in the knob thingie ,,,,, what kind of sound difference is there with that

Thanks for the lowdown on the amps StuRat. I've been looking at the EC Twin but so far haven't been able to part with my 65Twin RI. Was hoping someone here had some experience with that one. The Tremolux is also available but it would not be powerful enough to cover the work I need it for and I can't justify having one just for practice, as much as I'd love to have one of those too...

The Hot Rod is much the same as your piece except for the mini humbucker, which I find is an excellent choice for this model if you are looking for fatter, jazzier/pop tonal possibilities. I love it. Also the radius is flatter (12 vs 9.5). This suits my style and hands better than the standard RI. After trying both instruments side by side, I opted for this route even though, in some ways, I prefer the visual aesthetic of the single coil instrument. Anyway, it'd be easy to switch over if ever I wanted too. Which, BTW, I probably never will...

Anne, the wiring part are included to "modernize" the tonal possibilities with your tele. Essentially it replaces the bass position switch with standard 3 way pickup settings. The mod is an easy one for any tech who knows how to solder. Personally, I'd go that route if I had too...

Thanks for the lowdown on the amps StuRat. I've been looking at the EC Twin but so far haven't been able to part with my 65Twin RI. Was hoping someone here had some experience with that one. The Tremolux is also available but it would not be powerful enough to cover the work I need it for and I can't justify having one just for practice, as much as I'd love to have one of those too...

The Hot Rod is much the same as your piece except for the mini humbucker, which I find is an excellent choice for this model if you are looking for fatter, jazzier/pop tonal possibilities. I love it. Also the radius is flatter (12 vs 9.5). This suits my style and hands better than the standard RI. After trying both instruments side by side, I opted for this route even though, in some ways, I prefer the visual aesthetic of the single coil instrument. Anyway, it'd be easy to switch over if ever I wanted too. Which, BTW, I probably never will...

Anne, the wiring part are included to "modernize" the tonal possibilities with your tele. Essentially it replaces the bass position switch with standard 3 way pickup settings. The mod is an easy one for any tech who knows how to solder. Personally, I'd go that route if my tele didn't already come stock with this configuration...

Yeah, mine had the up-graded wiring....don't think I would have liked the bassie sound...lol. I don't know what it would have sounded like but can only imagine I would not dig it...

General, I would have rather had the twin but since I have the Executive I figured the Tremolux would do fine and the fact that It was part of the guitar trade thing it worked out the best for me. I would try them both. The Tremolux does get a bit muddy the louder it gets but at the volume I use at home its perfect for me…. Has just enough break-up to sound a little like SRV on the strat and has that country pluckin clickity popping bottle like sound on the Tele…. It just sounds good to me. It’s kind of the sound that I thought I’d never have and now I do….if that makes any sense….