Is this tele a fake?

jonnyburgo

the transfer on the headstock doesnt look quite right, and although the pic is small, there doest seem to be a made or crafted in japan at the base of the neck, what do you reckon?

http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/1989-jap-fender-tele-caster-/1116772655

GuitarMonkey

No it's legit I'm sure. The Made in Japan is on the headstock.

http://www.guitarrepairbench.com/guitar-dating/japanese-fender-serial-number.html#MIJ

I wouldn't pay more than £200 though.

lustycourtier

Thats the Jeff Buckley era model isnt it?

GuitarMonkey

The first few frets look very worn.

Sassafras

Did they make top loaders?

Shouldn't it have through body stringing?

shuikit

The decals on the headstock look all over the place!  

Also, have you noticed that it's listed as a 'tele-caster'?  hmmmm...

MattFGBI

Looks ok to me but trying to authenticate a Japanese guitar from this era is a nightmare! 

The parts look right (I still have those bridges in stock!) and the serial number is correct for the year stated. 

jonnyburgo

Cheers Matt, i just that that the logo looked a bit small or too far from the edge of the headstock

GuitarMonkey

I'd change the bridge. The saddles on these never sit right.

57Deluxe

but he obviously isn't a guitarist - Tele-caster !!!???

underdog

Sassafras;639812" said:

Did they make top loaders?Shouldn't it have through body stringing?

I use to have a toploader mij tele, awesome it was too.

GazLion

Nice I love toploader tele's

blueskunk

Looked at that a few times MrB.

Not sure though

ICBM

lustycourtier said:

Thats the Jeff Buckley era model isnt it?

No, Jeff Buckley played an '83-'84 USA Standard, the one with the top-loading bridge that was made at the same time as the 'Freeflyte' Strat. (His had a Duncan Hot Tele Stack in the bridge too.)

Sassafras

Do the toploaders play as well as the through strung Teles?

jd0272

Sassafras;640165" said:

Do the toploaders play as well as the through strung Teles?

Yup.

streethawk

@jonnyburgo

Legit.

Here's the info:

http://planetbotch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/fender-japan-mij-standard-telecaster.html

jonnyburgo

Well thats sorted then! nice detective work @streethawk

ICBM

Sassafras said:

Do the toploaders play as well as the through strung Teles?

A little differently. The strings feel looser - and if they aren't set up well (too flat so there's not enough pressure on them, which often needs the neck shimming to avoid), sometimes extreme bending can make the saddles tip up onto one screw. They also have a bit of a tendency to rattle and the height screws work loose if you don't threadlock them - it's not the top-loading that's the problem, it's those particular cheap alloy saddles.

GuitarMonkey

Have you bought it yet?

jonnyburgo

No, was just interested in finding out