NGD Bargain

crunchman

My daughters were in a show today, and we had to drop them an hour before it started.  There was a music shop down the road, so I thought I'd pop in to kill some time.  Found this among the no name copies:

Excuse the dodgy reflections in the picture.

Japanese Fender for £399 

The guy in shop told me he bought a job lot of guitars from a guy who used to import them, but was quitting due to ill health.  The serial number looks like it's a grey import of one for the Japanese domestic market.  Looks like old stock - serial number is 2012 if I've interpreted it right.

It's a 6 saddle top loader rather than through body, but it sounds good, nice and light weight, and it rings unplugged.  Quite chuffed.

Jack_

I don't want to put a downer on this, and I could be wrong, but that doesn't look genuine to me...

I thought you only got those 3 hole mounting bridges on lower end copies? And the headstock shape doesn't seem right.

I hope I'm wrong mind.

@ICBM will probably know.

**Please don't interpret this as me being a dick, I'd genuinely love to be wrong**

robgilmo

Should it not be ''crafted in Japan''?

Winny_Pooh

They chaged back to "made in japan" a couple years ago. Need to see closer pics to say for sure.

crunchman

The serial number looks ok.

This one on Ebay has the same bridge:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-TELECASTER-1994-5-Made-in-Japan/292607571970

Or is that dodgy too?

JezWynd

Looks real enough to me. What a great deal!

crunchman

Found another one on Ebay with that bridge.

This is on Youtube as well.  Bit blurry to see full details of the bridge but looks identical to mine:

Edit: 2012 date on the youtube video ties up with the serial number on mine.

Another edit.  Found this Ebay link from TDPRI.  Can't imagine they would be letting fakes up:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/like/183237139626?lgeo=1&vectorid=229529&item=183237139626&rmvSB=true

You had me worried for a bit there.

Jack_

In which case I stand corrected and good score.

Winny_Pooh

HNGD!

GoldenEraGuitars

HNGD

gringopig

.

DulcetJones

My Squier Tele, bought new in 2009 or so has the same bridge/tailpiece   and is also a pretty good sounding guitar, even unplugged.  Also, I just bought a brand new Fender Paramount electric/acoustic that has "Crafted in Japan" and "Designed in USA" on the inside label.     Either way, nice looking find.

crunchman

DulcetJones said:

My Squier Tele, bought new in 2009 or so has the same bridge/tailpiece   and is also a pretty good sounding guitar, even unplugged.  Also, I just bought a brand new Fender Paramount electric/acoustic that has "Crafted in Japan" and "Designed in USA" on the inside label.     Either way, nice looking find.

This one does sound good unplugged, and it's a good weight as well.

robgilmo

If it were a Squier it would be an Affinity, Standards are string through, the Affinity bodies are thinner than Standards.

RMJ

I have a pretty much identical guitar but from 1994. Made in Fujigen. Mine has toploader bridge too. I had a shim put in the neck on mine to allow the saddles to be raised 

TA22GT

That's a nice guitar mate and a great score at that price. Enjoy!