Fender '52 Reissue Telecaster

Thi review is for a 2009 Fender American Vintage Reissue 52 Telecaster. Features? It's as basic as you'll find, but to
those who play seriously, it has proven to be the most versatile
electric ever made.

Unlike all the Strats and Les Pauls, this guitar can easily
sound: woody, twangy, extremely clean, or dangerously over-driven
with ease. It's no question why Fender has continued to make this guitar.
As it comes stock, the #3 position on the toggle (neck pickup only)
w/no tone control does sound dark and muddy, BUT, when the toggle is
wedged between position #3 and the middle, you get a TOTALLY
UNIQUE out-of-phase sound that a Strat will NOT deliver. So much for
converting to the modern wiring. I love the way it sounds now, so I'm not changing a thing.
It's common knowledge that Page used his 58 Tele on
"Whole-Lotta-love", but most aren't aware that it was the same axe used on "Stairway to Heaven", (original albums).
Finally, a tele can't rock? Tell that to Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher,
and a list too long to continue!

Absolutely perfect, and that's saying something these days,
considering I've seen Custom Shop guitars come off the line
that were God awful.

If you can break a Tele, you belong in the WWF!

Every time I've called Carona, they were courteous and
helpfull.

A thought to remember: SIMPLE IS BEST! Ask any of your Guitar
Heros, and that's what you'll hear. Better to have a simple, clean
sounding, comfortable, and durable axe, (that with) different
amps, effects, and playing styles, can DO IT ALL.

My guitar is a 2009 model. Stanard features for a Tele; 2 piece ash body (butterscotch w/black pickguard), fat maple neck/fingerboard, 2 Fender single coil pickups, volume and tone control, and a 3 way pickup switch. It doesn't get much more simple than this. Standard Fender tuners and hardware (3 saddle bridge is installed). Came with the tweed case, 6 saddle bridge, capacitor for modern style wiring (which I have done), guitar cable, and strap. This is a very simple guitar, but extremely versitle.

This is why I bought this guitar - the sound is fantastic! I have had several Telecasters in the past (as well as other single coil pickup guitars) and was never satisfied with the bridge pickup. Single coil bridge pickups always sounded thin to me, and I never liked the way they sounded when the amp was overdriven (kind of fuzzy and hi-fi sounding). This guitar is much different. It certainly does all of the things a Tele should do - the twang, the clean, bright, articulate sounds, but, it also can sound HUGE when overdriven. It becomes thick and fat, but still maintains clarity. This is the first Tele I have had that could produce this sound. I'm mainly a humbucker player (Gibsons, PRS...), but I wanted something that was more bright sounding and could cut through a mix, but still had a big sound. This guitar does that easily. The bridge pickup sounds big and clear, the middle position (set up for modern wiring) sounds thinner and brighter, and the neck pickup sounds deep and smooth. I use this guitar with a Mesa/Boogie F-30 combo amp, with a few basic effects, or a Vox Tonelab SE for headphone practicing and it sounds great through either.

The guitar was set up perfectly from the factory. My dealer (Long and McQuade in Burlington, Ontario - GREAT guys to deal with!) ordered it in for me (they have a difficult time keeping this model in stock), and it was perfect right out of the case! Fretwork, pickup adjustment, action...everything was great. It was set up for 10's and sounds and feels great with that guage.

It's been pretty much been proven over time that a Tele is one of the most durable and reliable guitars you could play. The only thing I have changed (other than re-wiring the electronics to modern specs) is the strap buttons, which were replaced by strap locks. I do this on all of my guitars. I would use this guitar live without a backup with no reservations at all.

I have never needed to deal with Fender, so I can't really offer an opinion here. I don't really expect that I would ever have to deal with them in regards to this guitar.

I have been playing for more than 30 years now, and I have owned a lot of guitars over the years. I currently own 2 Gibson '58 Les Paul reissues, a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion, a Gibson EDS-1275 doubleneck, a PRS Custom 24, a Washburn WP-50, an F Bass, and several acoustics. I am totally happy with the way this guitar sounds, plays, and feels and would not change a thing. Before I decided on the '52 Reissue, I was considering the '51 Nocaster. I love the sound and feel of the Nocaster, and prefer the HUGE neck, but I didn't feel that there was enough of a difference in sound and feel to justify the substantial extra cost, especially since I am primarily a Gibson player and the Tele is not used nearly as much. The longer I play, the more I appreciate a simple, great sounding guitar plugged into a great sounding, responsive amp, and this guitar is ideal for that. For me, this guitar is everything a good Tele should be. I do feel that this guitar is a little overpriced, but I feel this way about pretty much all guitars!

This is a review for '82. & '00. I'll try to compare those two. This is ultimat guitar, so simple beautifull and sounds amazing, but... No rating... Its 1 and 10, wood and strings, rest is up to you!!!

First I got ,00. model and I could use ia in any situacion soundig cleanes cleen but handeled distortion better than my 81. strat (ocd + 79. marshall SL MK2).
And then I got '82 model. The unplugged sound was amazing, like an accoustic!!! But squeeeelling on dist I cane to conclution thah this was a bit different from the other, more Vintage. Both have that buzz from PUs, its a part of the deal -1... So I'll give them 9

'00. neck is faaat U shape, but more naturall then my '57 LP gold top, ond '82. war something between U and C. I like action a litlle bit high no buzz with 009 strings.

You can get in fight with it and YWANG on in tune after that! FOREVER!

No Idea, no need for that...

I've been playing since 10 years old, 32 now, and as a pro for last decade and more I think this is the guitar to carry on a desert island.
It is great soudding and you can play every cind of music with it, except metal, put a humbucker in bridge and there you go.
My main guitars ane EBMM Van Halen, and '57.RI strat and and these two beauties! This is the ultimate classic for a reasonable price! 10

* 2008 '52 American Vintage Reissue Telecaster (USA)
* 21 frets, vintage-style
* Controls: 2 knobs (Volume, Tone Control), 3-position pickup selector
* Pickup configuration (S/S) (Position 1: Bridge only, Position 2: Neck only with tone control, Position 3: Neck only with no tone control)
* Pickups: American Vintage Tele Single-Coil Pickups
* Passive Electronics
* Body wood: Ash
* Vintage bridge with three-piece brass saddles
* Gotoh vintage-style tuners
* Neck: One piece maple, 7.25" radius U shaped neck
* Accessories: Vintage-style tweed hardshell case, vintage bridge with six piece saddles, vintage leather strap (useless!), wiring kit for modern three-way switching

Using a Tonelab LE mostly, and also played through Fender Twin Reverb or Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. This guitar is very versatile!

I must chime in here and comment on what a lot of reviewers have been saying about the neck pickup. A lot of reviewers here (who have been knocking on the neck pickup) are gravely mistaken about their own 52 reissue teles! The factory pickup configurations for the '52 AVRI 3-position selector does not have a neck and bridge combined setting! Position 1 is bridge only, positions 2 and 3 are the neck only, with position 3 having NO TONE CONTROL!!!

People have been erroneously saying that the neck pickup is weak and muddy and dark sounding! Yes, the neck pickup is weak, but it is sounding that way because it is in position 3. Position 2 give you full tone control and you can dial in your tone for the neck pickup!

Trust Fender and other players out there! Would they put out a neck pickup setting that lame? It was done because the 52s had this setting. Anyways, the neck pickup is great! I hardly use position 3 because I personally find it useless too, but in position 2 the neck only with tone control gives me such a beautiful sweet buttery sound. Sounds particularly great when paired with tremelo on Fender amps (called erroneously called "Vibrato" by Fender)

The bridge pickup is very bright and gives you great lead tones, has real balls! The Tone control gives you the ability to dial in the tone you need.

I am going to switch to the modern 3-way switching soon (bridge only, bridge and neck, neck only). Again, the guys here who say they are going to grab a American Std or American Deluxe because the neck pickup sounds better have no idea what they are talking about. Position 3 on those guitars = position 2 on the '52 reissue!!! Position 2 on those new guitars is neck and bridge together, which is not in the vintage wiring scheme of the '52 reissue.

There is a bit of hum on the pickups of these guitars, but I can live with them. The sound is just too good on these guitars for me to change anything. I do have a Fender Custom Shop Twisted Tele neck pickup that I may put in in the future, but I like the neck pickup on this tele so much, it may never get done!

Impeccable workmanship. The nitrocellulose finish is beautifully done. The neck may be a little sticky for some people, and I experienced it in the beginning, but this goes away after you play it a while. The neck has a 7.25" radius, giving a more rounder neck profile. People says this can cause you the fret out on bends, but I think this is a bit overblown. Once you get accustomed to the neck, you can bend notes just fine, regardless of the register you are in. Sure, a 9.5" radius makes things easier, but I personally find the rounder fretboard much more handier to fret and grab chords on.

The factor setup is pretty good, but of course, I have to tweak it to my liking. But it was good enough for me to play before buying it.

The only knock here is the nitrocellulose finish. It gives you a beautiful gloss finish that is relatively thin compared to the newer finishes, but it does require a bit more babying. It is relatively a softer finish and it does react to vinyl and other foams or plastics, so you do have to take precautions on the guitar stands you use and the straps you use.

It is OK, since I baby my guitars anyways.

Haven't had to have any service yet

Been playing for 15 years. I have a Taylor 514 and use a Les Paul Studio also.

I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on this guitar, so there is nothing I wish I asked before buying this guitar. I can't stress enough for people out there to know what they are playing before making opinions on it. Hey, I wondered too why position 3 sucked so bad on this guitar and wondered why it was better on the American Std and Deluxe teles!!! That is why I researched the guitar!!! When I found out why, it made so much sense to me and I knew I could deal with it by simply requiring the pickup selector!

This guitar plays like a dream. It is extremely well-made. Although the MIM Fenders are relatively well-made and in general guitars made in countries like Korea are now of very respectable quality, there is something about American made Fenders that make me proud of American workmanship. In my opinion, Fender American made guitars exceed Gibsons by a mile.

The reason I went with the '52 reissue rather than the American Standard or Deluxe was many reasons. The look and sound of the '52 reissue was the biggest factor. The one piece maple neck with the 7.25" radius is another reason.

Fender American 52' vintage reissue. Only one spec, vintage pickups, ash body, maple vintage neck (ticker, u shaped), 21 vintage frets (thin / not jumbo) and came with a tweed case and various bits and bobs (lead, bridge cover). Guitar is ash bodied, ash has a nicer wood grain than alder etc so they typically come natural or hinted with a colour. The butterscotch hint is nice, its fairly strong so the 100% natural woodyness look is gone but the grain is still preserved and comes through well.

Thankfully is a decent reissue so no horrible S-1 switching system or other milarky.

Body is a little thicker than other guitars I have played (gibson, strat, prs) which adds to the weight (which I thnk a few people have complained about) - but it really adds to the sound.

Feature wise it has exactly what a guitar needs and will ever need, wood + pickups with a few metal gangly bits - simple, no thrills. I have a growing dislike for modern guitars with S-1 systems, auto-tuners etc, especially on a tele given what its typically used for.

The body is a fairly large chunk of wood and it definitely makes a good difference to the sound.

Bridge pickup is unsurprisingly very bright but has a nice sound / ring to it. Neck pickup is also quite bright but very sweet. Gentle chords ring well + sparkle. Can get some good tele sounds from it, (I play mostly blues on it) also some nice / interseting jazz sounds on the neck pickup. The 3rd selection is the neck pickup without the tone control, this comes across extremely bassy + muddy. I believe is was put on the original '52 so a player could fake bass playing, this was before fender released their first electric bass. Its quite a specialist use (set the amp up right or throw on loads of distortion you can get usable sounds) so it probably will be mostly useless. Fender send a capacitor with the guitar to hook it to the tone control and instructions to rewire it to how the modern teles are. Did not subtract this from my rating because this was expected, its how the original '52 teles were.

The guitar is very responsive to how hard you play it and the picking position between neck and bridge. I play through a valve amp and you can get a great range of sounds, especially if you put the preamp or postamp around the breaking point - you can get gentle sounds that ring to well overdriven. It takes well to a bit of distortion. I also threw the gain + preamp quite high and scooped the mid, and it had a fair good shot at a metal sound, albeit with a blues/country twang.

Only downside I have noticed is there is some hiss and when I remove my hands from the metal on the guitar a slight buzz / hum (sounds like a grounding issue) but when I touch the metal the buzz completely disappears. Its to be expected to some degree with single coils although I am unsure about the buzz. Either way, it does not interfere with the sound when playing (even on gentle chords) and shutting of the volume control when not playing is good practice, especially with single coils + feedback.

Guitar is build like most fenders, to a good high quality with a certain cheapness about it. But thats what they and it contributes to their sound, so the build it good.

Had no sharp edges on the frets. Everything seems to of fit together properly, no scratches or other problems.

Shop assistant gave it a basic setup before I got my hands on it so I cant comment on the factory setup. My action is setup nicely so the guitar did not require a fret stoning/polishing (unlike my gibson...).

Did not snap any strings on it (i.e. at the nut, bridge etc)

Only had it a couple months but the guitar is built like a brick. It is literally a chunk of wood with a fat neck bolted on - no thrills. I doubt you could get anything that would seem more simple / reliable. I can see why this guitar suited so well in early elctric blues.

Never contacted them.

I've been playing just over 10 years now, most styles of music (metal, rock, blues, jazz, folk) and I try use and combine them like the typical instrumental players do.

I bought this guitar as I was looking for a guitar with a proper blues sound. I own a fender strat, but it doesnt have the extreme twang teles do. I love the strat for blues, hendrix, funk but bought the tele for the older slighty more traditional blues and to give me some new sounds with bluesy jazz.

I've never liked fender teles, I thought they were ugly and sounded cheap, but as I've explored blues I wanted that sound more. I originally set my sights on a modern tele in an ugly colour (sky blue), but reading specs they all now come with S-1 switching systems, hot pickups and thought this just is not what a tele should be, especially for blues. Noticed this '52 reissue and am really happy with it, its a no thrills hunk of wood that sound/plays great and with the ash finish and stylish black scratch plate + inlays, I actually even think it looks a very nice guitar! - how perceptions can change.

Guitar is 3/4 the price of a standard gibson, 1/2 the price of a top of the range gibson, and a 1/5th the price of fancier prs's etc. This guitar sounds great, feels great and looks great - so it is very good value for money in my opinion.

Tone, volume and three pickup switch with good old vintage pickups at neck and bridge. for guys like me who doesn't want to jot down all combinations between ten dials and equally impressive pickup switch combo, it's easy to dime it and get the tone you want.

I played my guitars through an Egnater and a Fender 65 Princeton Reverb RI. I fell in love with Fender on Fender combo i have and sold my Gibson and Egnater and got myself a few pedals. With the right combination of pedals you can get pretty wide range of rock sound out of this. But then the tone that pretty much everyone here is amazed about comes out if you put it straight through a fender reverb amp with some vibro. If you play blues or jazz, you have to play this guitar before you put down your 1500 for another guitar.

Personally i like high action with a set of slightly thicker strings. I noticed though the neck is not the easiest neck you can play fast riffs and solos but you get used to the neck and frets. It all depends on what you are looking for i guess.

As for finish, i can't complain about the finish. This guitar looks great new, even better with a few scratches and pick marks in my opinion. One of the guitars that i would like to hand down to my kid in the future. Hope my kids play real guitar instead of playing the fake GuitarHero guitars... that's just sad.

It's a tele. you can probably drop it a few times without harming it internally, but don't try it. I baby mine. But it won't crap out on you. Ask those guys who have the original 52's.

Didn't have to contact them for any thing, hope i won't have to in the future.

I had it for a year now and I LOVE IT! I wouldn't trade it for anything else. This guitar is my work horse and will remain in my guitar collection for a while.

2003/2004 American vintage telecaster 52 butterscotch warnish
Second hand but realy " under the bed" condition .
heu ... , how is a Telecaster please ?
very good work, and nice for the fingerboard.
Maybe the warnish is too thick ... maybe...

I play as a professional musican many things between blues and "electric modern jazz", over 30 years of practice, my main guitar is a 64 strat and now i use an USA G&l Comanche as my "horseworking" guitar, i have also other good guitars .
My amps : fender tube amps and one old peavey tube amp. Even if i have a more "top end" amps my favorite is the fender Blues Junior cause : the weight ( easy to play in stereo), the nice sound, also with effects,and the power enough for any situation ( big stage? put a mic in front...)

So,for this tele : Is a singer axe, a screaming rock & rool axe, a "electro acoustic" like axe, a jazz axe, a country axe, a blues axe, a funk machine axe... ! in fact THE MOTHER ELECTRIC AXE REISSUE
Ok some time i do deal the sound with some "Hum... Not an active pickup guitar, back to the roots here ! Not for every body and not a easy guitar. But just for this sound... :D

OH OH ! i think that : Many guitarists, many setups, but for this one only one way : UP ! And dont take care for your fingers if your nickname is "Big bend Man" it hurts the fingers, because the old radius "asked" a very hight action for a modern guitarist , like an acoustic guitar in fact and with the little "banjo" frets... Good for the shred training ! lol
Apart for that, the neck is perfectly shaped and with a flat fingerboard can draw a smile on the face on any shredder ( but the flat fingerboard is a dream eh eh ) .
More up is the string, more the sound is big, and what gift!
You must be present when you play this guitar, otherwise it will remind you to order . And to make good music you must be present! A good music teacher in fact ! For that 10

maple used for pickaxe handle...
ash used for baseball bat... !:D

Like a tank !

Fender dealers are Ok

It is often said that a guitarist who does not have a telecaster in its arsenal is not a serious guitarist,it is also true that a guitarist who has only a good telecaster can do "almost" everything seriously . And this one is a GOOD telecaster .
I don't fall in love too easily ( and not so fast :) for a guitar, but for this one... You can find one for $1000 and an good original for $30,000 , not a good value ?
Hard for the fingers, honey for the ears ...
Please Santa, the same in sonic blues, and one in coral pink :D

I think everything in this category is extremely well done. This guitar has everything to make the owner feel like they've got a very special guitar!

I purchased my 52 tele a few days ago, and I honestly feel like this guitar was made for me. I also purchased a fender supersonic combo along with it, and after some dialing in, the tone is unreal! I've never been so happy with my sound! I play in rock bands and never thought a tele would be the guitar of choice for me, let alone a fender amplifier. I've played Buddas, Boogies, Marshalls, and even some Silvertones...usually with a Les Paul, and this guitar/amp combo tops them all! I'm shocked by the abundance of sounds that can be extracted from such a simple guitar!

When I play this guitar I feel like I'm playing a work of art...it feels that good. The intonation is flawless, the action is perfect, the pickups are set perfectly. I'm also amazed at how well it stays in tune. I could never get my other guitars to hold a tune after aggressively playing, but this guitar seems to be locked in.

It's built like a tank, but we'll see how well she endures.

Best guitar I've ever played...hands down!! I feel like I have a world class guitar that will last me a lifetime...for the price, there is no better value on the market. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an understanding of guitar tone because you will love it!

YEAR MADE: 1989
MADE IN: USA
PICKUP CONFIGURATION: S-S
PICKUP SWITCH: 3-WAY (neck dark, neck, bridge.... or WITH MOD neck, both, bridge)
FINISH: BUTTERSCOTCH BLOND WITH NITROCELULOSE LAQUER
TUNERS: VINTAGE KLUSON TYPE TUNERS (great stuff)
BRIDGE: 50s' TELE BRIDGE WITH THREE BRASS SADDLES (what else could ya ask for?)
NECK SHAPE: FAT 50s' U SHAPE
CASE: FENDER TWEED WITH ORANGE-ISH INTERIOR

This guitar suites what i do very very well. I play blues, rock, country, and jazz. Sort of a Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Page, and the Allman Brothers all rolled into one dude. This Telecaster is as good as any custom Shop Telecaster that is in existance and I own a few of them. Try owning ten FCS Telecasters and then selling nine of them because you only have one that is worthy of being this 52 RI's backup guitar! I am that impressed!!! Besides I dont need that many teles laying around unplayed and neglected. I will be buying another one of these guitars and selling my last custom shop tele on ebay!
This is a very rich and warm telecaster. I had modern wiring put into my tele and it is more versitile now. I still have the old wiring and selector switch in a baggy for pot dating for eventual value. you can get everything from LED ZEPP 1 to Folsom Prison Blues to I wanna check you for ticks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Action is very adjustable for any need you may or may not have. The pickups are adjusted very easily as long as you can work a screw driver. Very rarley is any guitar a one piece body. Telecaster bodies in the 50s' were usually 2-3 pieces so dont be alarmed if you see 3 pieces of wood showing ..... it is normal. Every thing is perfectly routed out and is as clean and as smooth as greased marble. (FIGURE OF SPEECH)

This guitar os a tank. My bassist refers to my tele as the chunk. He has a Gibson Les Paul Bass and calls my guitar a chunk! Wow your back better be healthy if you wanna stand up with it! Even then you will want to invest in a better strap. like a Levy's Wide and Padded Leather Strap or something of the sort! If you sit down then you have no worries. The strap pins are solid and they fold out close enough to the body that it eliminates the need for strap locks. I would deffinatley sell all my guitars and keep only this one!

NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS TO TAKE TO THEM!

I am a semi proffessional musician that gigs about 20-40 shows a year (which is insane if you have to travel a lot by road) I wish I had a whole bunk full of these guitars to keep me company!

Well, it may not have 14 or 15 switches, knobs, toggles, etc. like a vintage B.C. Rich, but it's what I want.

When I think of the most unique electric guitar sound in the world, I know it to be the Fender Telecaster. As unique in its tone generated, as a Rickenbacker 4001, Martin D-28, Mu-tron III or Moog Taurus 1 bass pedals' (for you fellow synthesists'). For what it's worth, most of the Harmony Central reviewers here have enlightened me with their thoughts on equipment via this forum, which are informative in their analysis, and why I always come here. However, there are the occasional guys who express a need to give us all THE LIST of their musical gear. This immediately signals to me that they???re underage and probably believe rap and hip-hop are just as valid as any other musical form. I skip those reviews???.

I first purchased the MIM Fender Standard Telecaster for 300 bucks. The price was an important factor, however, after a 2 hour session of recording with it, I noticed the high E and B strings not staying in-tune. I then sent it back to G.C. here in CA, and tried out the American Standard & Deluxe model Telecasters. They were around 600 to 800 bucks more, but they stayed in-tune. I then forgot about my current economic situation entirely for a brief moment and tried the ???52 Telecaster reissue. 1100 bucks more than the Tijuana version. We all have that moment of self-analysis when we ponder: Should I do this???that???s 12 tanks of gasoline in my vehicle lately.
Pro???s & con???s??? yeh, that???s it???. Do a pro???s & con???s on this guitar to be clear-headed about this.

Con???s: 1400 bucks??? though with nice case.

Pro???s: Widest differential in tone of all the Tele???s I tried out.
The feel of the neck is smooth, unlike the MIM version where I can feel every fret on the side of the fret-board as my hand travels up & down the neck.
The machine heads look very similar to the MIM version, but the ones??? on the ???52 feel as if the machinery knows its purpose for existence, the few times you need to use them.
Finally, a rather esoteric remark I feel needs to be in here from, myself, a guy who DID NOT have the money to lay down for the ???52: The Telecaster ???52 Reissue feels warmer when just playing acoustically. Try sitting in a quiet room with the MIM version and the ???52. There???s an organic side to these electric guitars. Many may not catch it, but it???s there none-the-less.

Well it looks exactly like a Chrissie Hynde/Bruce Springsteen clone guitar. The tint and hue' of it's butterscotch finish are next to perfect in this reissue. At least the one I bought is.

As long as I don't allow a guy with an oversized belt-buckle to play my Telecaster; it's durability should stand the test of time.

None needed.

I give it one point away from a 10. I???m a person who would buy an instrument even if it was made in an Indonesian tree-house, if the quality was sufficient. The MIM and Squier versions that Fender put out, are for your daughter when she puts down her cell-phone and says: Mom??? Dad??? I want to be a guitar player. You buy her one of those. Get your son a quality instrument because he stands more chance to stick with it.

AV RI 52 tele. lightweight and resonant ash body, one pieve maple neck, old school hardware. I had the electronics changed right in the shop into a modern telecaster wiring. everything feels solid.
a lot of case candy comes with it, IMO the only usable beeing the strap which is a nice vintage design.

I am playing jazz, soul and blues. the guitar suits all of these styles. A tele is a versatile guitar 'cause it pretty much puts out what the player puts in. this one is a very sensitive guitar.
I took it to the studio the day after I bought it and it did a good job. the sound is inspiring and versatile.
be sure to have the right amp for the job. I use a polytone and fender tube amps.

the guitar was not set up well at the factory so I had it set up at the store. they fixed the saddle, intonation and the neck-screws and adjusted the pickups. most of the fenders I saw (even the MIM) are properly built but have a poor setup.
don't mailorder and have the shop set it up!

It's a tele!

-

I play guitar now for 30 years and had a lot of guitars come and go. this is a keeper!

New '06 model, got it in March '07. US made, no certificate in the case candy unfortunately. You know the drill for Teles as far as colour, pickups, hardware etc.

I've had it and played it for over a year now, so have held off sharing this until then. Objectivity.

It is pretty understandable that you either 'get' teles or you don't. It is a hard guitar to play, a demanding one. It is NOT an Ibanez Vai or Satriani. Uh-uh.

But it is also brilliant in its aloof simplicity.

I play lots of stuff, and have played a fair bit in my time. I'm not professional any more, but still have lots of gear including some very nice guitars.

Now, to 'Roy' (my nickname for this one - Roy Buchanan, you see). It is unmistakeable in its sound. Yep, the 50-60 htz hum is there. Yep, the bridge pup could peel paint. Yep, get the neck pup modification as it's unusable in the 'vintage' wiring. Yep, the neck is sticky when it's new. That passes after about 8 months - well, it did for me and my sweat residue pattern. Maybe others' sweat types may make that longer or shorter. Seems to dry after a while, It is off-putting.

If you like the tele sound then this is nirvana/El Dorado. If you don't no amount of tweaking and other stuff is gonna help. Fair enough, but I agree with other reviews that this is very much a tele thing.

I do dislike on teles generally the round switch knob, that makes it difficult to switch pups on the fly. But hey, You can put a later version toggle tip on it if you like.

The set up out of the (tweed) hardcase was excellent - haven't really altered anything. Intonation great, action good for me, pickups at good height for that sweetspot sound. You know a good guitar when it stays in tune when you take it off the hanger, and it's been different weather; ie got cold overnight, or hotted up.

It sounds rich when strummed accoustically - another telltale sign of a good'un.

Can't find a factory fault in the workmanship - and I wasn't expecting to. Not disappointed on that score. Fender USA is why. Mex and CIJ can vary greatly with Leo's kiddies. Beware; we've all had a Leo Dog fron Japan or Mexico.

I have always loved the butterscotch blonde, but not to the extent that I have mythologised it and can't see the flaws in this guitar. Simply beautiful. You will notice that the one-ply bakelite scratchboard will buckle a bit over time; the newer teles have more screws.

After a year now the maple is starting to birdseye beautifully.

This thing is - trying to think of a better epithet than 'tank', but I can't, it's a good descriptor - a tank. Tough, substantial, solid.

No doubt you could gig it; so many have. Backup axe? Of course. It does not do everything. It is not a shredder, it doesn't do strat sounds, it has no trem (of course, unless you fit a Bigsby or something), and it has its own distinctive way with overdrive pedals; it likes some, and some it doesn't. Ones that sound excellent with Gibs or strats don't sound good at all with this tele. Nothing mystical there.

Never dealt with them; I do all my own stuff as far as possible and there is great music shop around the corner anyway for stuff I can't. I have heard horror stories about Fender though; but that's hearsay as it hasn't been me. Besides, the store is the point of sale, and in Australia, at least, they are the deemed manufacturer - get your stuff fixed by them and let them deal with finding the sales people of Neptunian Guitar Company located somewhere in China.

Been playing quite a while now (over 30 years....time for my nap, thank you nurse).

Ya gotta have a tele in ya collection - this is the one to have. Maybe the rosewood neck sunburst and bound Nashville one, too (to keep it company!)

I have other guitars that what I play on them suits them; and vice versa. But, I feel I could passably play anything on it if I had to (but I do like tremelo arms, so strats are a must have).

I don't think this guitar is 'overrated' like some here do; but I reiterate you either get teles or you don't , and I don't mean that in any smart-alec or patronising way. No, it's not good for some things - but my Satriani sounds stupid on some things at times too.

This is a classic guitar - it is not The Guitar That Does Everything by any stretch of the imagination. Get used to that.

Nice swamp ash, with immaculate nitro cellulose gloss. The neck's fat but I think this adds to the tone.

The first position (bridge pick-up)on the selector switch has an additional capacitor which makes the sound muddy and bassy - pretty nasty basically!. Whilst authentic, I couldn't see myself using this setting, so I had the guitar re-wired with a 4-way switch allowing both pickups to be combined in series and in paralell (as well as independently) and was blown-over with the results: using the pups in parallel replicates a humbucker - louder and more overdriving (just crank up the trebble gain and presence a bit - instant Keef!).

I also replaced the bridge with a Callahan bridge which has a lower lip so you don't catch your pick on the trebble side. These are very high quality steel and thicker than the standard. This is a pro' tele upgrade which cost about ??70 but gave the guitar greater ring and sustain and a noticable improvement in sound quality. Also reduces squeal at v.high volume/gain settings.

I've owned a range of expensive US guitars, and the '52's are tonally very good indeed. They sound great acoustically - especially after the bridge upgrade mentioned above. Very versatile sounds are possible with the 4-way switch from bluesy to woody/nutty twang. Supprisingly powerful full/rich sounds are possible (think Page on Zep1!)

These guitars are pretty noisy (poorly earthed hummy and buzzy and occassionally the odd pop). This could be cleaned up by changing the pups but hey - these are gun-slinger's axes: not for clean freeks!

The high 7" curvature of the finger board means the action is going to be on the high side, so don't expect to be shreding! The glossy butter-scotch finish on top of grey-grained ash is really lovely - these bodies simply look better than any other Teles! Note, there a bit or rounding at the edge of the finger board which gives a less new feel.

One downer with brand new Teles is whilst they're v.beautiful, part of you wishes you had a battered up old work-horse like Francis Rossy! So who cares if it wears out a bit - love it while it's immaculate, then love it even more as it gets battered to bits - all the better!

No idea.

These aren't to everyone's taste, but if you know ya'onions and have the skill to handle it, and you want that classic tele Bigstar look and sound, nothing else will do it quite as well as one of these bad boys!
(I'd highly recommend the 4-way switch upgrade though, you loose nothing and gain so much more!)

i'd just like to remind people that the selector switch goes (bridge)(neck pickup)(neck pickup with "bass boost") so it will sound muddy on the latter setting. it was designed so people could use the guitar as a bass guitar before fender invented the precision bass. if you want to use the neck pickup i beleive you use the middle position on the selector, unlike the newer models which go (bridge)(bridge and neck)(neck)

Before I start, I want to say that I do like Fender Telecasters, and even copy telecasters. But I bought a Japanese Telecaster years and years ago, and I was not happy with it. In fact I went back to the store with it after two weeks of owning it, to trade it for a Strat.

Here it goes :

I had bought this '52 Reissue, made in Japan. Solid wood, a very heavy wood, Agathis maybe ? Butterscotch blonde, maple neck, black pickguard. 21 small frets. Chrome hardware. Ashtray bridge, brass saddles. Stock pickups, passive type, single neck, single bridge. Vintage tuners. It looked very nice, and was made very nice. Sound was so-so, in the store. Very nice reissue of a very nice guitar. Came with a new black hard fender case that would take a strat or tele.

I soon found for practical use it was all wrong. I don't know the wood, but it was heavy, and felt heavier the more I played. I was in a band, sort of, and it was hard to play for extended periods of time. The pickups sounded, well, weak. They just didn't have any b***s to them. They were noisy, unless I held the guitar in a certain way. On the other hand, the guitar looked good, and I did like the classic features like that ashtray bridge, and the old style tuners. The neck was a nice shape, but the finish felt sticky.

It was set up good, and Don from Ed's Music was a great guy to deal with. The guitar was well made, no question about that, except it was too damn heavy !

If you dropped this on someone's head they'd be dead for sure. The finish was great except the old fashioned varnish on the neck. The strap buttons were not a problem. You could depend on it for it's sturdiness, but it didn't stay in tune for long even after being set up, and checked over. Get a backup with this one if you're playing gigs. Your neck will beg for it.

I bought the guitar from a Fender dealer, who was very knowledgeable. He was good to deal with but I never called Fender for help.

I bought a new one while my Epiphone Les Paul Custom is in the shop getting new p'ups put in. I was reminded of that Japan Fender that disgruntled me years and years ago. I'm liking the options on guitars we didn't have before, like lighter weight bodies, etc. so I can make sounder choices than I once did.
I don't care who bought THAT guitar, they can have it.

This is an update on my previous review - have owned this instrument for a few months now and its been played live on many occassions. This is a terrific guitar - don't be taken in by the muddlesome nonsense that Joel was spouting - if you want a guitar that looks and sounds exactly as they did in 1952, then this is the one. if you don't choose something else - its that simple. Joel has noone to blame but himself for not doing adequate research. As for what was so good about 1952, he should maybe drop Keef a line and others....For what it is, it does the job very well. Also, being a Tele with a nice clubby neck, it challenges your technique, if you have any, that is.

Having taken it out and used it live, it does the job very well. I play an eclectic blend of jazz-funk, jazz and blues and this guitar has an answer to all of these styles. Vintage Tele twang, cuts through the mix very nicely

And the neck p/u is NOT dead.....its a low output single coil with the highs rolled off for rythym work, again, exactly how it was meant to be. if this is not to your liking, get a modern Tele, but its totally missing the point of '52 Reissue

Have had the opportunity to examine this guitar at close quarters and its flawless, just like everything else that flows out of Fender US these days. I also an eight-year old US Delux Strat and OK, its was a costly-ish guitar, but everything is as it should be well done Fender.

Also, for something which is a vintage accurate guitar, the tuning stability is just amazing....

No concerns, built like a tank

Some improvement of late, lets hope it continues

30 years + a player, have PRS Custom Artists, Les Pauls (and other Fenders) + all Mesa Boogie amps.

This guitar is NOT overrated - gives Custom Shop customers (like me) pause for thought - its cheaper and totally accurate...and of course, Fender didn;t have a Custom Shop back in 1952, no did they?

This guitar may not suit all styles, thats fine, but if it doesn't suite yours, there's not need to childishly assasinate it.

How does it suit your music style (and what is that style)?

Not well. And I don't even have a style.

What amps and effects are you using it with?

Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb RI, assorted BOSS pedals

Is it noisy? On what settings?

It is very noisy on all settings

Rich/Full sound? Bright sound?

The sound is about as rich as an ethiopian peasant, scraping fingernails on a blackboard whilst throwing shards of glass in a blender

What kind of sounds can the guitar make? How much variety?

Nothing useable that i've found yet. and what was so good about 1952 anyway? did buddy holly fart that year? if so i bet it sounded better than the sound this guitar makes.

Can't complain, very nicely put together. Actually printing the serial number on the certificate of authenticity would have been a nice touch, mine looks like it has been hand scrawled by a 5yo child with a blue texta!

But no flaws on the instrument, very well put together.

Will this guitar withstand live playing?

The immense 60-cycle hum will drive away any audience in seconds so I doubt I'll ever find out

Would you use it on a gig without a backup?

i wouldn't even use this guitar as a backup

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?

10 years. Several high-end stratocasters, BOSS pedals and Fender DRRI amp.

I have never been so disappointed in my life. For the last 3 years I have been idolising this guitar, and scrimped and saved for the whole time to buy it. I'm not sure what sound this guitar is supposed to produce, but it suits NOTHING that I play, and I'm in a 60s-00s cover band. Perhaps some country player could use the sound, Im not sure. 'Heart of Gold' is about as country as I get, and it evens sounds bad for that.

The neck pup sounds muddy and dead. The bridge pup is completely unuseable as far as I'm concerned. Some reviews here talk about using it to 'cut through the mix'. I have no doubt it can do that. It is so bright and sharp it could cut through the walls of fort knox. Doesn't mean it sounds good though.

My biggest complaint though is the playability of this guitar. I could go outside and find a piece of 2x4, attach some strings and a pickup and it would be more comfortable to play than this hunk o' junk. I have honestly never felt a more uncomfortable and difficult to play neck in my life.

I am amused by all the reviews here that brush over this problem by describing it as 'a players guitar'. LOL! What does that even mean? As opposed to a guitar you hang on your wall to make yourself look cool? I suspect this is a means of assuaging ones ego over the fact that they forked out big $$$, suppressing the knowledge that this is horrible, horrible, horrible feeling guitar to play.

i really feel let down by the reviews here, that I have been reading in good faith for years.

and for the record, no, I'm not a particularly stunning guitar player, probably a 5 / 10. im just a battler looking for a good sound. this boat paddle brings a tear to my eye every time I play it, and they're not tears of joy. they are tears of rage thinking of all the beers, smoke and girls (in that order) i could of spent money on rather than save up for this.

and im not a 'shredder'. i would rather poke a fork in my eye than listen to metal.

AVOID THIS MASSIVELY OVERRATED GUITAR AT ALL COSTS

This is 2007-manufactured US Telecaster '52 Re-issue. Being a reproduction of one of the iconic guitars from the very dawning of the solid body electric era, this is clearly not modern guitar (it obviously wasn't intended to be), features are not its strong suit. What you do get is as others have said, everything you need and nothing you don't. The controls may be basic, but its INCREDIBLY responsive to even small changes, making it a real professional's tool and no wonder so many use it.

Having had experience of the vintage instruments that this is based on, its a VERY faithful recreation, in terms of feel, tone and playability (the important bits), its also superbly put together and a real credit to Fender - you often read of cosmetic flaws on Gibsons, but nothing on the sort on this guitar, or any other recent Fender guitar I've come across. So, on the basis that it does have everything a Telecaster needs and does it so well, it gets a 10 - something this good deserves it.

The classic tele twang - but you can do alot with it besides. Its essentially a vintage-voiced guitar and thats where there the potential for problems lie. Two points. First, people will buy this expecting it to instantly unlock amazing tone - well, it does, but theres much more to it than that. You actually need to BE ABLE TO PLAY THE GUITAR...its not a shredders guitar, nor is it designed to work with today's thrash metal/heavy rock styles - if thats you, buy something else. In otherwords, you need to work with it, a Telecaster an unforgiving guitar and this '52 has a very vintage-accurate chuncky neck (a 'U' profile, as opposed to the modern 'C' profile) and will expose all shortcomings in technique.

Second point concerns the sound - its vintage and if thats what you're looking for, then trust me, there's nothing better. But the neck pickup is very low output (no thrash metal in 52, remember...) and is very muddy and best suited to delicate jazz playing. I have heard stories of buyers returning thier instruments in the belief the pickup was faulty - well, it isn't - thats how the originals sound. The middle and bridge settings have a rich and lush Telecaster honk, which with a bit of overdrive, creates an amazing blues/lead tone, but played 'neat' is spangly clean tone which is more than enough easily enough to cut through any mix. And all this from such a simple control layout....unbelievable.

I play a variety of styles from jazz to funk blues and
I use it with a Mesa Boogie Lone Star (a 2007 model) and dial in the tweed setting and switched down to Class A, you have guitar heaven. The 50w and 100w settings just give other equally gorgeous textures. This guitar seems to love 6L6 equipped amps like my Mesa. Also use a small pedal board containing a Keeley compressor, a volume pedal and a wah, but not much else.

Ths guitar totally meets my requirements and on that basis, it gets another ten

No cosmetic gliches at all, buttersctotch blond finish is beautiful and its all impressively put together, the frets are nicely done and it even sounds nice when strummed accoustically, a testimony to the 'rightness' of the who thing.

No problems so far, you can bash it, its built like a tank, only far easier to the eye, will stand up to anything. Probably wouldn't gig without other guitars......but only because this occupies the same stable as my Les Paul Standard, Custom Shop Strat and PRS Custom 22 Artist, Martin 0028EC...obviously not all at the same gig, but how on earth could I not want to play that lot?!!!

This is where Fender fall down...never been that good - I've had many Fender products over the years but found the support is not as good as might be expected. I emailed the UK website a few days ago, still waiting a resonse. By contrast, have emailed PRS many times on my Custom and have rarely waited more than a few hours. QED.

Have been playing for more than 30 years, have Boogies, PRS, Gibson and other Fenders. This guitar is every bit in the same league as the Gibson & PRS and probably ahead of other Fenders I've owned and on a par with the C/Shop Strat - praise indeed.

This is a brilliant guitar which covers so many bases. Its often been said that if you were allowed only one guitar, most would choose a Telecaster, which is about as good as it gets. Its well put together, sounds, feels and plays wonderfully. Its almost as though I've discovered the secret of time travel, gone back to '52 and brought a brand new one back - makes those Custom Shop instruments which are marketed in this way seem rather expensive.....

This guitar is amazingly good value.

Completely stock left handed 2007 "butterscotch blond" american reissue of a '52 tele. Neck pocket and neck butt are stamped may 2007 and july 2007, so this guitar was made just a few months ago and shipped brand squeaky new from Musician's Friend still in the Fender shipping box. This is the best '52 reissue I've owned.
Nitrocellulous color and clear coats over poly undercoat. Almost invisible seam on the two piece ash body; it took me a while to find where the seam was. The water slide decal on the headstock just says "Fender", not "Fender telecaster", just like the other left handed '52 reissues I've owned.
Came in a G & G tweed case w/ all the case candy except for the certificate of authenticity, but this is my third '52 r.i. tele bought new and I've never recieved one with a certificate. Perhaps Fender doesn't ship the lefties with it(?).
In any case, it's not missed. Came stock w/ the pre '70s wiring, which was immediately rewired for the modern selector switch positions: switch pushed to the front is the neck, middle is both pickups, and rear is the bridge pickup. The stock wiring, although true to the original, is useless. I find it interesting that Fender keeps this as a standard feature for the reissues yet doesn't keep the base coat nitro like the originals.
The color and neck profile on this is much better than the older reissues, being a much lighter and yellower color. The previous reissues had a thicker orange tint. The neck profile is also a bit meatier, but still very comfortable and nowhere near a "baseball" neck. This new one is also lighter in weight than its predecessors. I believe the side of the body where the input jack is installed has also been shaved a bit flatter to compensate for the jack, which I love.
The action and setup were near perfect out of the box; no adjustments were necessary, even when switching to a lighter guage of strings. I wish I could say the same for my '57 and '62 r.i. strats.
My only quibble is the sloppy fret slots on frets 14 to 16. You can see the slots were cut just a hair too deep for the frets. Although it doesn't affect playability or sound, I think Fender shouldn't let this minor workmanship flaw pass on such an expensive guitar. I'm giving it a 9 because of this fact.

The stock pickups sound great(albeit the 60 cycle hum) just like a proper early '50s tele and don't require a pickup swap. This should be the case on any reissue of a classic guitar that is touted as being an "accurate reproduction".
The chrome covered neck pickup has the glassy mellow tone of a classic tele, the middle position is the familiar Fender "quack", and of course the bridge pickup is the heart of the guitar, with its full treble that doesn't sound thin or brittle, just a beautiful rich twang that only teles deliver. Pinch harmonics are a breeze on this pickup.
I'm playing it through the only amps I currently own: 2 early('69 and '71) Marshall 50 watt aluminum panel heads through either a slant or straight Marshall 4-12 cab, both loaded w/ G12H-30 Celestions, the best speakers for these early heads.
I don't use any effects, just a Peterson Strobostomp floor tuner. No overdrive is necessary. I like the true character of the tele's tone to come through, and adding any overdrive just sets the bridge pickup into microphonic annoyance.
The Marshalls can get well into natural overdriven territory easily, and I enjoy manipulating the tone knob for wah wah-type effects and the volume knob for pedal steel swells. I find this "less is more" mentality to be both challenging and rewarding, as it forces me to just play the damn thing and test my technical limits without the aid of any gadgets or toys to cover up poor playing.
One day I'd like to get another amp with reverb and a tube rectifier for more of a Roy Buchanan sound, as well as a softer attack, whereas the Marshalls have a much harder "clang", for lack of a better word. Not better or worse, just different flavors and I'd like to have that variety.

As stated previously, the action was great out of the box, which I've never experienced on a guitar straight from the factory. Whole step+ bends with the light E string on a 7 1/4" neck radius usually are a recipe for choked notes; not so here. Unfortunately, there's also the sloppy fret job I mentioned.
Other than that, the neck/body joint is air tight and the ash grain peeking through the transparent finish is gorgeous.

It's a tele. Reliability and durability are synonymous with this guitar. Still, a backup for gigs when a string breaks is a given no matter how roadworthy the mighty tele may be.

Never dealt w/ Fender directly, and I'm sure the fact that they're a huge corporation churning out guitars by the forestload will prevent me from ever contacting them.

Been playing since high school for 16 years, off and on in bands. Teles are, along with strats, my favorite guitars of all time. Although I was sans telecaster for 4 years, I'm glad I've gotten reaquainted with it. I actually can't believe I lived without one for that long.
Its simplicity(the '52 in particular with its primitive 3 brass barrel bridge) border on genius. You can't beat it for its ruggedness, cutting tone, and basic utilitarian features. It should be regarded as a beakthrough in modern design.

Completely stock left handed 2007 "butterscotch blond" american reissue of a '52 tele. Neck pocket and neck butt are stamped may 2007 and july 2007, so this guitar was made just a few months ago and shipped brand squeaky new from Musician's Friend still in the Fender shipping box. This is the third and best '52 reissue I've owned.
Nitrocellulous color and clear coats over poly undercoat. Almost invisible seam on the two piece ash body; it took me a while to find where the seam was.
Came in a G & G tweed case w/ all the case candy except for the certificate of authenticity, but this is my third '52 r.i. tele bought new and I've nver recieved one with a certificate. Perhaps Fender doesn't ship the lefties with it(?).
In any case, it's not missed. Came stock w/ the pre '70s wiring, which was immediately rewired for the modern selector switch positions: switch pushed to the front is the neck, middle is both pickups, and rear is the bridge pickup. The stock wiring, although true to the original, is useless. I find it interesting that Fender keeps this as a standard feature for the reissues yet doesn't keep the base coat nitro like the originals.
The color and neck profile on this is much better than the older ones I had, being a much lighter and yellower color than the previous reissues that had more of a thicker orange tint. The neck profile is also a bit thicker, but still very comfortable and nowhere near a "baseball" neck. This new one is also lighter in weight than its predecessors. I believe the side of the body where the input jack is installed has also been shaved a bit flatter to compensate for the jack, which I love.
The action and setup were near perfect out of the box; no adjustments were necessary, even when switching to a lighter guage of strings. I wish I could say the same for my '57 and '62 r.i. strats.
My only quibble is the sloppy fret slots on frets 14 to 16. You can see the slots were cut just a hair too deep for the frets. Although it doesn't affect playability or sound, I think Fender shouldn't let this minor workmanship flaw pass on such an expensive guitar. I'm giving this a 9 because of this fact.

The stock pickups sound great, albeit the 60 cycle hum noise, just like a proper early '50s tele and don't require a pickup swap. This should be the case on any reissue of a classic guitar that is touted as being an "accurate reproduction".
The chrome covered neck pickup has the glassy mellow tone of a classic tele, the middle position is the familiar Fender "quack", and of course the bridge pickup is the heart of the guitar, with its full treble that doesn't sound thin or brittle, just a beautiful rich twang that only teles deliver. Pinch harmonics are a breeze on this pickup.
I'm playing it through the only amps I currently own: 2 early('69 and '71) Marshall 50 watt aluminum panel heads through either a slant or straight Marshall 4-12 cab, both loaded w/ G12H-30 Celestions, the best speakers for these early heads.
I don't use any effects, just a Peterson Strobostomp floor tuner. No overdrive is necessary. I like the true character of the tele's tone to come through, and adding any overdrive just sets the bridge pickup into microphonic annoyance.
The tone with the Marshalls can get well into natural overdriven territory easily, and I enjoy manipulating the tone knob for wah wah-type effects and the volume knob for pedal steel swells. I find this "less is more" mentality to be both challenging and rewarding, as it forces me to just play the damn thing and test my limits as a player.
One day I'd like to get another amp with reverb and a tube rectifier for more of a Roy Buchanan sound, as well as a softer attack, whereas the Marshalls have a much harder "clang", for lack of a better word. Not better or worse, just different flavors and I'd like to have that variety.

As stated previously, the action was great out of the box, which I've never experienced on a guitar straight from the factory. Whole step+ bends with the light E string on a 7 1/4" neck radius usually are a recipe for choked notes; not so here. Unfortunately, there's also the sloppy fret job I mentioned.
Other than that, the neck/body joint is air tight and the ash grain peeking through the transparent finish is gorgeous.

It's a tele. Reliability and durability are synonymous with this guitar. Still, a backup for gigs when a string breaks is a given no matter how roadworthy the mighty tele may be.

Never dealt w/ Fender directly, and I'm sure the fact that they're a huge corporation churning out guitars by the forestload will prevent me from ever contacting them.

Been playing since high school for 16 years, off and on in bands. Teles are, along with strats, my favorite guitars of all time. Although I was sans telecaster for 4 years, I'm glad I've gotten reaquainted with it. I actually can't believe I lived without one for that long.
Its simplicity(the '52 in particular with its primitive 3 brass barrel bridge) border on genius. You can't beat it for its ruggedness, cutting tone, and basic utilitarian features. It should be regarded as a beakthrough in modern design.

Features are what u expect. Volume, Tone, and 2 pick ups. Thats all u need baby.

I play this though a blues junior, bit of reverb and a distortion boss petal when required. They say that the Tele ain't good on Distortion; what a load of cr$p. Roll off the tone on the bride or other settings with a petal and see how it sounds. It can play Metal, Jazz, anything. More importantly you be the judge. This guitar with a wah wah is also amazing. I personally hate country music; never thought this guitar was so versitile.I previously had a Ibanez Jem 77FP [yes i admit it; steve vai wannabe] and swap it for this Tele 52 reissue. The other guitar felt like a toy [toneless]; best decision i've ever made. I sometimes feel sorry for the other guy......nah!!

suits me perfectly. Can't complain. Best Guitar i've ever felt. Tried strats, gibson...etc. Doesn't have the feel of this Tele.

C'mon; its a Tele.

Never needed to call them.

Look you can be like everyone else and buy a strat or a gibson LP. I say if everybody betting one way; bet the otherway [quote taken from GlenGaryGlenRoss]. I give the 52 reissue my blessing; A 10.

52 RI tele. We all know the features by now. Everything you need and nothing you don't.

AS many people have noted, its a warmer and darker instument than you would expect, but in a good way. It really sound great, even with the stock pickups. Great twangy bridge and warm jazzy neck. Much better sound from the stock pickups than my American Standard tele. Really excellent sounding guitar.

Finish on mine is flawless. Electronics and fretwork are excellent for a production guitar. Close to, but not quite a match for custom shop Fender Teles.

Its a telecaster. If its not runnig well in 50 year i'll be surprised.

An excellent telecaster, truly vintage sound and quality. A real standout in the current Fender lineup.

This guitar has all the features needed in a Telecaster; no more and no less. I guess some things are just gotten right the first time, like the Tele, the Strat, and the Shure SM57.

I play rock and blues with a smattering of rockabilly and reggae. The Telecaster is well suited for all these styles. 99% of my playing is in my home studio with the rare solo gig. I've settled on a rig that has treated me well for a few years now: Tele (previously a highly modded Mexican model; now this lovely '52 RI - into a Duncan tube-driven two-channel overdrive pedal, an Electro-Harmonix reverb pedal, and an RNC compressor, and finally into a Clark Lil' Bit tube combo w/Eminence Redcoat speaker, which also drives a 12" Celestion in an old Boogie cab.
The sound? As close to perfection as my highly subjective ears have found. I'm totally happy with my tone, after a mere 30 years of tweaking it. Jimmy Vaughan and Keith Richards had a baby, and it's name is "My Rig".

Fit and finish are as good as I've seen. I love the Butterscotch Blonde color. Action was a tad buzzy, but installing Slinky 010's in place of the factory 009's brought it up just right. I slightly adjusted the intonation on the D and G strings and it plays like buttah. I don't blame Fender; any new instrument that gets shipped anywhere is going to shift around some. However, those who do not do their own work should have it set up properly. So many people will shell out fifteen hundred bucks or more on an electric...and then not spend the lousy seventy-five for a nice setup. What a waste. My friend, for instance, bought a Jeff Beck Strat several years ago and pulled this negligence. Come on! The nicest Strat I've ever seen in person and it's never even been tuned up. Or had the strings changed, for that matter. What a crying shame. Oh well. I can only tend my own garden...and if I'm gonna drop a considerable wad of cash on an instrument, I want it performing its best.

I would use this guitar w/o a backup for a gig. Well-built and solid.

Not yet applicable

I've been playing for thirty years and this is the nicest electric I've owned. I would replace it if lost or stolen, right after finding and pistol whipping the thief. A true modern classic, right from the case.

Fender Japan "Keef" type tele. Blonde, maple neck, bucker in neck, SC @ bridge. Brass bridge.

I judge features by what use they are. This has everything you need, nothing you don't.

I was prepared to repleace the PU's when i got this guitar, however no issues at all, they sound very good. The bridge is very vintage tele. The neck is ballsy, bright enough to cut through, like an SG in tone.

I've owned a number of high end guitars. I wanted something that you can bash around, that sounded good and you get a few tones from it. This is it.

My set up is Fender Vibrolux- Marshall Reverb pedal- Boss DD3- Fuzz pedal- Boss TU. I play punky,fuzzy, rock, this set up beats the hell out of any badass amps like jcm 800 etc. Much bigger and better in my opinion!

Outstanding. The wood work is amazing. Would beat many USA vintage models. Mine is a non export model though, search them out, they are alot better. The action was spot on, the finish excellent.

One thing i did have a couple of issues with was the wiring and the pots. The volume pot i replaced and also all the wiring. Had a few crackles etc. To be fair though i worked the guitar very hard!!!

Build like stone.

Not dealt with them.

Outstanding.

Tele isn't about features, but... Medium light (3.8 kg), Butterscotch colour (beautiful). Three piece vintage brass saddles, 7.5 radius. Mine has a not too fat neck, between medium and fat. Vintage frets of course

Acoustically it has a very full, a bit dark tone, rather loud. Plugged in that feeling is even more apparent, it sounds like a vintage tele, the tone is really full and a bit darker than other teles I'v tried. Makes very useful! I always change pickups on my Fender guitars (have replacement picks from my old tele ready to mount) but this time there's really no need for a change. It sounds perfect. Not too much output of course, but quite enuogh and a perfect tone, not too bright.
Had a Tele 50's MIM before, same style. On that one I tried putting on a 6 piece saddle - it totally ruined the tele twang. Amazing how the small details can change things.

OK setup, lowered the string a bit and hightend the pickups. Intonates well despite the three piece vintage saddles.

I would think it's dependable

Been playing a long time, currently have 6 guitars - Strats, a Tele, a Gretsch...
I traded this one with a Mex Tele 50's, which wasn't a bad guitar but, there's a big difference in sound - both from the guitar and the pickups. This one has a special mojo in the sound, Teleish but not too bright