Dating a Stripped Telecaster Body

peteri

Hi

I've seen a stripped Tele (mid-60's) I'm interested in.

Question - any tips on making sure it's not a partscaster? The neck stamp and heel plate are obvious, but since the body is stripped and it's had a re-wire, any vague certainty that it's nothing more than a body stuck on an old neck with some old pots?

Thanks

SteveRobinson

Do you ever wonder what happened to all those Teles that were routed for humbuckers or Kahler trems in the 1980s?

Of course the body may be original but the finish is the best way to authenticate it and without that it's very difficult.

guitars4you

any markings at all in the neck pocket cavity - and hopefully it should have the shadow from the 'stick' from the original factory spray procedure - Fender bolted a small wooden plate to 2 of the neck screw hole, for mounting/holding the guitar during the spray procedure - removed when finished and it left an oblong 'stamp/shadow'

'Nail' holes - they have moved over the years - neck pocket, bridge pick up cavity, control plate cavity and just above the neck pick-up cavity/near the neck pocket are common areas - depending on the age will depend were these are

p90fool

Did they have nail holes from where the body was supported face down for painting, like some old Strats?

ICBM

Any pics? Sometimes the exact shaping of the body and routing is a giveaway of a repro body, but it's not something that "describes" very well, you have to see it.

I would be wary about using nail holes and pin router holes etc as 'proof', since knowledgable fakers know all about them and they're not difficult to duplicate.

Also check that the central wiring channel is right, a friend of mine bought a "62" Tele from a certain vintage dealer once, and on closer inspection the channel is not routed quite right, meaning that at best it's a modded late-'69 or later Fender body.

GoldenEraGuitars

Pics for sure! 

peteri

Problem is it's on a dealers website.

Ho-hum, hopefully someone doesn't 'nick it' from me:

Will extract some pictures and post tonight - thanks

designerseye88

Took a quick glimpse of this headline and came here for dating advice on strippers. I was a little disappointed ...

IvisonGuitars

peteri said:

Problem is it's on a dealers website.

Ho-hum, hopefully someone doesn't 'nick it' from me:

Will extract some pictures and post tonight - thanks

I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is why (and quite rightly so I might add) are you questioning the dealers description?

If you don’t believe he knows what he’s talking about then perhaps that’s the first red flag to leave it where it is?

peteri

Found a way to do it - no internal shots as yet, meant to be a 66

https://i.imgur.com/UWD1CyN.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/Mxzu2Ab.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/lxi7b6D.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/eaupBN5.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/wClg7ft.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/6KdwTP2.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/hQCDqg7.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/gQcSREW.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/VnyZJpR.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/fhGI0PU.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/dxHKexI.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/nrF9IOc.jpg

 

https://i.imgur.com/L3N959s.jpg

peteri

miserneil said:

peteri said:

Problem is it's on a dealers website.

Ho-hum, hopefully someone doesn't 'nick it' from me:

Will extract some pictures and post tonight - thanks

I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is why (and quite rightly so I might add) are you questioning the dealers description?

If you don’t believe he knows what he’s talking about then perhaps that’s the first red flag to leave it where it is?

Not a case of knowing what he's talking about, I'm sure he does - doesn't mean I'm afraid that matches the advert

More wanting to make sure for myself!

IvisonGuitars

peteri said:

miserneil said:

peteri said:

Problem is it's on a dealers website.

Ho-hum, hopefully someone doesn't 'nick it' from me:

Will extract some pictures and post tonight - thanks

I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is why (and quite rightly so I might add) are you questioning the dealers description?

If you don’t believe he knows what he’s talking about then perhaps that’s the first red flag to leave it where it is?

Not a case of knowing what he's talking about, I'm sure he does - doesn't mean I'm afraid that matches the advert

More wanting to make sure for myself!

Good man! As I say time and time again (and as you know) arm yourself with every piece of info you can, don't go in blind.

bgmartinsbridge

Neck is 67 or earlier and shape stacks up, as dues the logo.

Bridge and saddles are correct. 

Bridge pup looks right. 

Body is dubious, in my mind - 69 to 72.
Has the correct neck body notch for 72 and earlier. 
Could be wrong but string ferrelles are not flat with the body, which would suggest either changed or as above. 
Could be wrong :-) 

IvisonGuitars

For what it's worth, it looks 'ok' at first glance. You DEFINITELY need a neck pocket shot and cavities too though.

guitars4you

bgmartinsbridge said:

Neck is 67 or earlier and shape stacks up, as dues the logo.

Bridge and saddles are correct. 

Bridge pup looks right. 

Body is dubious, in my mind - 69 to 72.
Has the correct neck body notch for 72 and earlier. 
Could be wrong but string ferrelles are not flat with the body, which would suggest either changed or as above. 
Could be wrong :-) 

around 68-72/3 the wiring slot/routing from the neck pick up was changed for a 'tunnel' - as such you see no routing under the scratchplate and an additional hole in the neck pocket on the treble side, at an angle which went through to the control cavity - hope that makes sense

agree about string ferrules not looking flat - maybe just the angle of the pic or maybe they have been changed

agree with @miserneil - need a neck pocket pic and a pic under the scratchplate for starters

peteri

Thanks chaps - will try and get a picture of under the scratchplate, I think it's slightly odd that's not included

And I think one ferrule is definitely changed - any idea why that would be necessary?

guitars4you

peteri said:

Thanks chaps - will try and get a picture of under the scratchplate, I think it's slightly odd that's not included

And I think one ferrule is definitely changed - any idea why that would be necessary?

easily drop out sometimes - often you might not notice as such when changing strings - then you need a replacement - on paper they all look the same, but they are not - Looking again it looks as though 1 might be flat and 5 raised (hence changed)

IvisonGuitars

I know it's not really a lot to go on with Fenders from this period but if it's meant to be a '66 guitar, the serial on the neck plate dates it to an L Series '64....that neck plate must have been RIGHT at the bottom of the parts bin...

Pot dates also required IMO.

guitars4you

miserneil said:

I know it's not really a lot to go on with Fenders from this period but if it's meant to be a '66 guitar, the serial on the neck plate dates it to an L Series '64....that neck plate must have been RIGHT at the bottom of the parts bin...

Pot dates also required IMO.

agree - and to be honest the dealer should be providing this info as a matter of course - granted pots might have been changed but he needs to know - granted solder blobs sometimes means you can't read the pot date info but again in selling this guitar the dealer should provide such info as a matter of policy

ICBM

miserneil said:

I know it's not really a lot to go on with Fenders from this period but if it's meant to be a '66 guitar, the serial on the neck plate dates it to an L Series '64....that neck plate must have been RIGHT at the bottom of the parts bin...

Pot dates also required IMO.

Yes, the serial number is suspiciously low for a '66 - I would actually say unbelievably so, even given the variation in date/number correlation.

Pics of under the guard, the control cavity and the pot codes definitely required.

newi123

designerseye88 said:

Took a quick glimpse of this headline and came here for dating advice on strippers. I was a little disappointed ...

Me too! 

In my own personal experience, strippers are way more fun that telecasters.............