I decided to take a chance on a used MIM Tele that GuitarGuitar had listed on their website last week.
They said is was 2005 vintage, however the serial number suggests its '94 or '95 so 25+ years old now. It's quite pretty really with a translucent red finish, it has some scuffs and marks but is generally in good shape - very minimal fret wear which is nice.
The scratch plate is new and I suspect the wiring, pots and possibly the HB (factory HB routed however) are all aftermarket too. The bridge says Fender but looks aftermarket as well.
That said, I do have some questions - the tone control pot has a centre dent / stop in the middle of the turn - it sounds like it almost adds highs one side of the stop and adds bass on the other side. Any idea what this is? Having looked under the cover its like 2 pots stacked on top of each other.
Also it has a 5 way switch, is there a standard wiring when installing a 5 way to know what's what?
1 is neck, 3 is both, 5 is bridge. However I'm not sure what position 2 and 4 are possibly a coil split of some sort?
Any info very welcome, thank you.
Comments
(I've always thought it should stand for Total BolloX, personally .)
I don't remember if they were ever fitted as stock to Mexican guitars, they were the standard fitting on the USA Standard series.
I agree that the pickguard and probably the humbucker aren't original - the bodies were routed for a humbucker though, so it's possible. The 5-way switch might be doing all sorts of things - hard to tell without having a look at it, or testing the pickup settings by tapping on the polepieces with it plugged into an amp. A typical arrangement might be bridge, bridge+split neck, bridge+full neck, split neck, full neck - although that needs a slightly more complex switch than a standard 5-way.
Does that help at all?
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I'm sure @ICBM or someone could explain it properly, but 0-5 acts like a normal tone control, then 5-10 sort of takes it out of the circuit altogether so it gets super bright.
Still used on the Fender Eric Clapton Strat, I think.
Most helpful.
Having looked at TBX images I'm 99% thats what it is. Good to know it is not a faulty pot, even if not very well regarded.
This page says it was made in '94 or '95. Which is around the time i got my first proper electric guitar as a young teenager.
https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/articles/214343763-How-can-I-find-out-when-my-Mexican-made-instrument-was-manufactured-
I guess it is some sort of modded hybrid tele. Tbh i like it alot, its in open G tuning at the moment - brown suger sounds great.
I'd like to know what the pickups are, will have a look when i next change the strings.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
In fact I might look to change it to a more normal tone pot.
Assuming that the humbucker has four-conductor + shield output cable, the likeliest permutations in switch positions 2 and 4 are a fake Stratty in-between sound and coil split humbucker.
A few photographs of the selector switch would soon confirm what is going on.
Some of the Fender own brand humbuckers have three-con + shield output cable. The same circuit would still be possible.
It was called a Contemporary Telecaster I believe, a name used for another totally different model as well.
I saw it on the Fender display and asked if I could buy it, the rep sold it to me via one of the Fender dealers at the show. Cost £350.
This model was reviewed in the Guitar Magazine at the time, was described as an unofficial Keith Richards tribute. My copy has long since been binned but I'm sure someone will still have one.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
As per @portobear_65 ;;; - same thing Contemporary Telecaster - or Telecaster Special rings a bell?
Cool guitar!
At the moment I'm looking for:
* Hamer Watson, SS2, Vintage S, T62.
* Music Man Luke 1, Luke II
Please drop me a message.
One was for sale on here around 5 years ago apparently......
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/39315/fs-ft-fender-telecaster-special-1995
I bought it primarly as an Open G Guitar to play 'Stones songs, the neck pup does sound good.
The photo in the for sale thread that @gubble has linked to appears to have identical hardwear so I reckon I have indeed acquired a mid 90's Tele Special. On that basis I'll leave it well alone and enjoy it for what it is.
Incase anyone is interested I paid £399, top money for a used guitar like this - but did have 14 days to return and a warranty. Now I know more about it I'm happy.
Here are some more pictures, There are 4 wires coming from the HB.
The order of the conductor insulation colour codes implies that the humbucker is a Seymour Duncan. This is good but may not be stock.
In the end I bought an Amerexican California Series model, sunburst with Alder body constructed from a spread of timber veneered with alder to look nice (as I described above). The California Tele's had either a Strat Tex Mex neck pickup or the same Korean made humbucker in the neck (think Sky/ Kent Armstrong quality for the Korean humbucker). I think the 5-way wiring is original too for the Mexican Special.
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/89942/caspercaster#latest
The unmarked brass baseplate on your pickup suggests SE Asian manufacture.