Fender '72 Telecaster Deluxe Reissue

The guitar is a 72' Telecaster Deluxe Reissue- its got 2 Fender chrome humbuckers (unlike the double single-coil ones found in the fat strat), maple neck, 3 way toggle switch for the pickups, two volume and two tone controls (one for each humbucker- not found in any other Fender), made in Mexico, included deluxe gig bag. All the other features explained in other reviews.

I'm in my developing stage of guitar playing, so I'm playing through my original begginers amp a Vox Pathfinder 10. Its a small practice amp, but even through that 60 dollar amp this guitar sounds amazing. For a clean sound, when its put to the rhythm toggle the sounds is warm and rich, and when you switch it to the treble you can still get some of those twangy tele sounds. I also use a DS-1 for distortion, and these humbuckers really make the most out of this guitar. I usually leave it in the center position here, and it really gets the kind of sound that I want. I play mostly Zeppelin, Floyd, Guns n Roses and the like, and this guitar really hits that classic cruch tone perfectly.

Everything on the guitar looks pretty good- nice action, and you can feel the Fender quality whenever you play it or fool around with the switches and knobs. The top humbucker might be a little off, but I think that could be adjusted pretty easily.

You can feel the durability on this guitar, as it is a Fender which is obviously known for its quality. I would definately feel confident gigging with this without a backup. Seems that it will last a while.

I have only been playing for about a year, so you should take every other review before mine, but they seem to all say the same thing- this guitar kicks ass. As said before, I play it through a Vox Pathfinder 10 (but im looking to buy a Ad30vt) and a DS-1 distortion pedal, and I also have a Marshall MG10CD and my starter piece of crap, the Squire Bullet. If this guitar were lost or stolen, I would have to pay off the debt that I owe for the original one and probably buy another one. And I'd hunt the guy down and kill him. By far the best thing about this guitar is how it seems to combine everything from all the great guitars- it has the Strat headstock and maple neck and fretboard, the Tele name, and the most important Les Paul humbuckers and toggle, along with the Les Paul sound. Trust me, I've looked around a while to find something that could get all of this stuff in, and this was by far the best and only one to do it. This guitar is just awesome- go out there and buy it!

2004 Mexican reissue. Maple Strat neck (with the groovy, fat 70's headstock) with 21-frets (why - why!?! - does Fender not add a f***ing 22nd fret to their necks? I'll never get that). Black finish, alder solid-body. Two Fender humbuckers with separate tone & volume for each, 3-way pickup selector. Bolt-on neck, old-school Strat-style hardtail bridge with string-thru-body. Fender/Schaller tuners.

Comes with the 'deluxe' Fender gig bag, and Musician's Friend threw in a Fender PT10 stage tuner pedal for free. Whee!!

This guitar sounds flat-out MEAN. I've only had it a week or so, and so far I've just been playing it straight into my Tech 21 Trademark 60 combo amp. I dialed in a "Clean Fender" sound on channel 1, and a "Dirty Marshall" sound on channel 2. Through channel 1, just by tweaking the tone knobs and switching pickups I can get everything from a bitey Tele tone to a nice, warm, round clean rhythm sound for strumming. But the evil nature of this beast comes out when I switch to channel 2 - it quite simply screams, howls, and generally hacks off the neighbors. GREAT rhythm sound, and again, the tonal variety is pretty amazing - I can throw it on the neck p/u, drop the tone, and get a sweet, creamy Les Paul style solo sound, or throw it on the bridge p/u and get a sharp, metallic crunch. Yum.
Only minor complaint - it is a little noisy, i.e. hums, when I'm using distortion and mute the strings. I was a little surprised by this, seeing as it does have humbuckers. But seriously it's not enough to bother me much; just enough to keep it from a 10 rating.

Nice action out of the box. The neck pickup had some sort of adhesive residue on it, but that's easy enough to get off with a little naptha. The strings are a wee bit lighter than I usually play, and the action's pretty low, so I'll probably have to get it adjusted at some point. No flaws in finish, neck, electronics.
BUT - there may be an issue with the high-E tuning peg; I've only had it a week and I haven't changed the strings yet, but one day when I was tuning up it seemed to just stop going - as in, I kept turning the key, but the pitch wasn't going up. I'm not overly concerned, as I have a 1-year warranty and there are several Fender-authorized shops in my area.

My only other concern is with the hardtail bridge - there are no problems or malfunctions, but I guess I didn't notice when I was playing in the shops how sharp some of the edges are on that sucker. I'm going to have to be careful, because I can totally see myself thrashing around onstage and accidentally flaying my hand on that puppy.

It feels like a tank. The finish looks like it's a mile thick, the neck joint is massive, the neck is comfortably fat, the switch and knobs are solid. Even the stock strap buttons are nice and wide (although I may go ahead and throw some straploks on there).
I've played many a gig with only one guitar that was far less well-built than this, so yes I would if necessary play without a backup.

Only had it a week. I'll post again if I do have to get that tuner replaced.

I never thought of myself as a Fender guy, mainly because I tend towards a fatter, humbucker sound and those are rare on Fenders. When I was guitar shopping this time around, I just kept picking up this axe in every shop I went in that had it. The neck just felt right to me (I have really big hands), and the tonal variety is, again, stunning. It's like Fender genetically merged a Tele and a Gibson Les Paul. I always wanted a Les Paul, but honestly I'll never spend over $1000 on a guitar. Especially now that I have this baby.
My only warning is that, if you're primarily a lead player, you might not want this axe because of the slight awkwardness of getting to the upper reaches of the fretboard - I can do it, but I have really long fingers and it's even a challenge for me.
But if you're a rhythm player, or want a Les Paul but can't afford it, this is the guitar for you.

2004, Black, Made in Mexico, 2 wide range humbuckers, alder body , maple neck, set up like a Les Paul-2 volumes and 2 tones.

This guitar really sounds good. It is much fatter than a regular Tele due to the humbuckers but it still sounds more like a Fender than a Gibson. I like to vary my tone with my volume knob and I found that this guitar sounded great wide open (ie volume on 10) but lost a lot of high end and volume below 8.5. I added a .001 cap and a 150 K resistor between the hot and ground on both volume knobs and now I can back the volume down in the 7-8 range for rhythem playing and it still retains clarity and has a more open less muddy tone.It sounds almost like a single coil on the back pickup when it is set on volume 7-8. I then can crank it to 9 or 10 for lead and it is the perfect amount of increase to take a solo. I read about this mod in a repair book and both my strats are set this way and it really give you alot more useable volume range on any guitar. This is a very versatile guitar and sounds great clean or dirty. You can really get a good old Billy Gibbons tone (pre MTV). It sounds like humbuckers but this guitar can still get a nice fat hollow twang through a fender tube amp. If you play a fender,this guitar will be comfortable to you in how it behaves. It has more power and mids than a strat or tele but it is still a Fender in overall personality.

I had a hard time finding this guitar locally so I rolled the dice and ordered it from Music 123. They had a 45 day return policy.
It was set up about like any Fender would be at a music store out of the box. The action was good, intonation was close, pickups a little high for my preference. It came with 9's - I put on 9.5s and set it up and it is really primo. The neck pocket was real tight and the neck is strait grained and had the perfect amount of relief. Guitar stays in tune bigtime. I was a little concerned about the 3 bolt neck after owning a 3 bolt strat that absolutely would not stay in tune( late 70's) but this tele seems real solid. It also intonates better than any guitar I have. I can play a chord anywhere on the neck and it is perfectly in tune. The Tele is dead quiet when you are touching the strings or bridge and I get a little buzz when not grounded- not as bad as single coil but additional sheilding might eliminate this- its not bad but it is not dead quiet like a high end Gibson. For a $600 guitar, way above average `

I have played this guitar out twice so far and it perfomed extremely well- stayed in tune and sounded great. I did put strap locks on it because my only strap has them. One place I played is notorious for 60 cycle hum from tvs etc. and the Tele was dead quiet when grounded to your hand and much much quieter than my strat when I took my hand off the strings. I will use this guitar exclusively in real noisy rooms. it is the only humbucker guitar I own.

Don't know - My 2 strats are an 84 and an 88 and have never messed up

I have been playing 26 years and out for around 20. I am not a full time musician but still play gigs every month or 2, I also play at at a large Contemporary Church 1 or 2 times a month and hit a jam night every once in a while. I play and record at home almost every day. I play blues , rock and roll, country and bluegass. This guitar will handle 3 of the 4. I run through a 67 Princeton reverb(church) or Blues Jr or a GDS 18 watt Marshall clone that I built depending on where and with whom I am playing.
This guitar works with all my amps and is extremely verstile- I give it a 9 overall vs my 84 57 reissue strat which is a 10. Vs other guitars in the under $660 price range- definitely a 10- blows Schecter ,ibanez etc

I just bought a new black '72 Fender Telecaster Deluxe reissue and I couldn't be happier. I've always wanted an original 70's Deluxe, but after I realized the chances of getting my hands on one were slim, I decided to order the Mexican reissue, and I'm so excited to finally have it. (Even the guys in the guitar store were excited when the guitar came out of the box; I guess these guitars don't come through the store that often). Bottom line... this guitar is quite possibly the best electric I've ever played. I guess that's why you see it in the hands of Thom Yorke (Radiohead) and Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)... even Chris Martin of Coldplay uses one once in a while. (I'm calling it the "britrock" guitar)

Specs? Just look on the Fender website. Everything you need to know is there.

I use this guitar for alternative/indie rock, and it's amazing. The bridge pickup can give a nice bright tone when needed, and the neck pickup gives that nice fat sound. My own setup includes a Tube Screamer and Voh Wah through a Fender Twin. It's ideal for the music I play.

Fresh out of the factory box, this guitar played great. The action was decent and the pickups were set up well. Was it perfect? No, but it wasn't far off. Personally, I think any brand new guitar needs a setup.

I think any Fender guitar could withstand a nuclear bomb and still be playable. Ok, maybe not, but you get the idea. Case in point: Stevie Ray Vaughan's #1 Strat... that guitar looks like it had been through the proverbial ringer a few times. Honestly, I think these guitars last a long time, abuse and all.

The warranty on this guitar is 1 year, as issued by the guitar dealer. Haven't had to use it yet.

Overall, this Telecaster is amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better guitar. My favorite feature is probably the neck (who doesn't love that huge Strat headstock?). Even without that, the neck is fantastic. It has a great feel; definitely thicker than other Fenders I've played (especially Strats). The sounds that this guitar is capable of producing are great.

I've been playing for eight years, and my main electric up until this point has been a Les Paul. I think that's about to change...

I picked up this reissue on Friday, and haven?t put it down. I made the mistake of my life selling my ?78 tele deluxe and have been waiting for a reissue. (Guitars last forever - some relationships don?t.....)

Basic features true to the original - two big wide range hummbuckers, two volume and two tome pots, big 70s strat headstock on tele custom body, three way switching.

This guitar was made to push amplifier tubes - no over the top stinging treble tele tones - lots of grit and grind outta the two big hummbuckers. Having played the blues semi professionally for more than 25 years through strats and a variety of overdrive pedals, I won?t require any more wall warts! I turned it up through the clean channel on my Peavey Delta Blues and its got just the right bit of crunch. Select the neck pick up, roll of the tone knob and its creamy. Switch to the bridge and its classic drive. Kicking in the drive channel, and unbelievably there?s still more tone!

Plugging direct into the PA board, the guitar still carries its tone through the solid state circuitry, (less the pick attack and some diminished warmth) Pugged into a Behringer V2 it's outstanding - the Tele Deluxe Reissue screams - in a really great sort of way! Through a 70 deluxe reverb it?s just tone heaven.....

Out of the box the fit and finish jumped off the page - it gleams. Black on black, maple and chrome.... hummmmm..... very sexy. Although tunned down for shipping, the set up and intonation were bang on when tunned up to pitch. The neck is fast and slinky, and frets are all spot on - no buzzing or high spots. Tough to play slide on without raising the action. It?s very, very fast. Tunners are vintage - replace them.

Lost of less than complimentary things have been written about Mexican made Fenders. This is the third one I have owned over the years of a dozen guitars of various makes of both middle and high end axes. Simply stated,MIM Fenders are are good value for money. The 72 tele deluxe reissue is no exception. I have played my other MIM's live and had tones of compliments - they are road worthy and hold their value. I'll take this one on the road with me - it's my new "Number One".

In summary, this is a very affordable, well made, great sounding reissue blues/ classic rock guitar for intermediate and serious players alike. Consider changing the tuners. Well done Fender!

No problems - my dealer is great - there was a loose pickup screw on delivery - fixed on the spot before I left the store! Very appologetic for the inconvenience - they threw in a set of strings!

In my 25 years of performing I've had several guitars. This is the first one I have taken insurance out on through American Federation of Musicians! It's irreplacable! If you like the strat feel and tones, but want that big sound only two full range hummers and ten pounds of solid wood can deliver - this is your axe! Compare it to the 72 Thinline and the Deluxe kicks butt. Consider changing the retro tuners, and upgrade the gig bag to a hardshell case.

In summary, the 72 Telecaster Deluxe re-issue is a very affordable, well made, great sounding blues/ classic rock guitar for intermediate and serious players alike. Well done Fender!

Firstly, the fender 'wide range' humbuckers stand out on this buetifiul guitar. This guitar has the clasic tele shape with a contoured body fot comfort (like a strat) and a large headstock (also like a strat). This is a quality guitar, very pretty and it surely caught my attention when browseing my local guitar shop.Maple neck and vintage tuners add to the unigue look. This guitar is basically a fender les paul with a tele shape, but half the price.
Bullet truss rod.
Many little features that just make the guitar glow.

BUT does the guitar sound better than it looks? Well, almost.For #600 I cant can't complain. The humbuckers sound very warm when in clean. Its music to my ears and when you turn on the distortion this guitar sings. U can get such a range of sounds from blusey to classic and hard rock. But if u seek metal distortion- this guitar is not 4 u.

The guitar was set up well when I first played it. But like most factory settings it needed a few refinements which the guitar shop sorted out for my. I got it intonated for free by the shop owner. Everything else was fine- just as you would expect, really. Nothing to write home about.

Like all teles this guitar is tough. This guitar will last my lifetime and probably live on when im 6 feet under. The finish is very good and thick. But as with all guitars you should avoid scrachtes and bumps by bieng carefull.
This is a solid guitar. But I predict trouble with the pick-up selecter switch. I have heard that they are pretty likely to break within a few years. But mine seems fine. For now.

n/a. I'l let u know when if I ever contact them.

I feel this guitar is well worth every penny. Especially when compared to guitars in the same price range.
U get the jist of it.

The best thing about this guitar in my opinion is the body and the neck. The electronics are fantastic, but the body and the neck are awesome. I really like the way the body forms to you. It is much more comfortable than the straight cuts. The neck has the larger frets that Gibson like to put in their Pauls. They last forever and make bending easier.

The sound of the '70's Deluxe is one of pure beauty. The wide-range humbuckers are not overly hot, but they are plenty for anyone except those who are numbers freaks. You kow the kind: The higher the number goes, the better the pickup is supposed to be. ANyone who knows anything about guitars knows that that is simply not true. I got TWO ORIGINAL Fender 76 humbucker pickups from a man who worked at a dealer in N.Y. for NOTHING. He threw them in with the ORIGINAL 76 Deluxe I was buying from him. He had replaced them with Duncans. Stupid man. He said that the Fender pickups were not any good because they were so weak and that i could have them for free. I checked them when they arived and they are reading the same as they did 32 years ago! Stupid Stupid man. And this fool works at a music store.

These guitars are setup much like most other Fender guitars from teh Mexcan line. Nothing to shout about, but still very good right out of the box. You will notice that I said "Mexican Line" I will explain in the overall rating section.

I would not hesitate to play this guitar at a gig. I have played Fenders most of my life and have owned on or another of them for more than 32 years. I have an Original 76 Deluxe that is so easy to play that I only have to look at it and it starts playing itself.:-) As for playing without a spare: I had to do just this for the vast majority of my playing years and not one time did ANY of my Fender guitars EVER let me down.

I have bothered the fine folks at Fender more than I care to mention and they have always gone out of their way to help me. This company has to have the best customer service that I have had the pleasure to deal with.

I have been playing for 40 years and have owned Fendrs for 32. I own a 76 Deluxe, 76 Mustang, 73 Tele Bass, 81 USA Bullet, 03 Standard Tele, 02 Standard Tele, 03 Standard Strat, 89 Fender Acoustic, 04 Johnson Acoustic, 89 Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and a tiny Fender Tele replica that I put togther and refinished for fun.

The law in my state says that I can do whatever I deem necessary to protect my home, family, and property. Enough said. As far as replacing my guitars: I don't plan on losing them, but I will probably add to them in the future.

If anyone out there likes the sound of humbuckers and the feel of the Fender body, this guitar is for them. Feels great, sounds great, plays like a dream.

One thing that I feel this guitar could do with out is a set of the tone/volume buttons. Really folks, we only need one tone and one volume button. Yes I know that the sound can be adjusted ookoo many ways with the four buttons, but who out there REALLY takes the time to do this? I just crank mine up and play!

Now for the part about it being in the "Mexican Line". I hope that you guys know that this guitar is cut at the same factory that the American guitars are cut at in Corona California. It is sent to Mexico the be finished and assembled. I really hate that "Made In Mexico" crap. I asked a Fender dealer what the difference was between a "Mexican" Tele and it's "American" counterpart and he said "about 60 miles". The frets on the Americen guitars are slightly bigger and the electronics are "supposed" to be slightly better. His words, not mine. Also, some of the American models have the Nitro finish on them. But that is mostly on the Custom Shop pieces.

So, if you know anyone who wants a quality guitar, ANY of the "Mexican" models is a great value. If you know someone who wants a quality guitar that screams and will blow your walls down, something that combines a Les Paul and a Fender Tele, tell them to get the 72 Tele Deluxe.

72 Telecaster Deluxe reissue: Walnut finish on Alder body. Usual 72 Deluxe features. Maple neck. Came with Fender deluxe gig-bag.

I bought this guitar simply because it is:

a: a Tele
b: has 2 x humbuckers (which is out of the ordinary in terms of my other guitars)

Even now (July 04) it is still incredibly difficult to get this model in the UK. Towards the end of June I was looking all over for one and the one I bought from Germany via eBay was the only one I found. Consequently this is fairly uncommon in the UK and I like that!

I was not sure what to expect from a Mexican built Telecaster. I own or have owned American and Japanese Fenders, but this is my first Mexican. All I can say is WOW. Even with arbitrarily selected volume and tone settings, through my Hot Rod Deluxe amp it sounds wonderful.

A little reverb and delay, or some slight overdrive and it just sings. I am not into the technicalities of sound - I simply know what I like and I like this. I can't praise the sound enough. It's exactly what i was looking for, hence 10/10.

I ran this guitar by my friend who is a luthier and he just gushed at its quality. The body is beautifully sculpted and fitted well to the neck. Everything seems solid and plays very well. The walnut finish is a beatiful almost mocha colour and compliments the guitar very well. I just LOVE the strat headstock.

I notice another reviewer mentioned a slightly off-fitting nut. I think mine is also slightly mis-placed. Maybe a fraction of a mm towards the bottom of the neck. I'm mainly a rhythm player so at this stage I am not unduly concerned, though it's a shame that more care is not taken. Hence 9/10.

One thing I hate though is pulling the protective plastic off the pickguard and leaving the little straggly bits of plastic under screws/around pickups etc. This is not a criticism of Fender particularly, and I realise it's there for a good reason, but I feel compelled to remove screws etc to make sure I get all those little bits of leftover plastic off my guitar. What a pain.

The other Fenders I have or have had have always been ultra reliable. You look after them, they look after you. Simple as that. I don't expect this one to give me any trouble.

It has already been used live and will be gigged in rotation with my other Teles. Therefore it will not get beaten through massive use.

Not yet dealt with Fender c/s.

I knew exactly what I wanted, and finally found it. Currently not many of these about and I like the exclusivity of it. Even more unusual Walnut finish adds to the look of the guitar.

A fairly rare guitar anyway I think - Fender have made a genuis decision in my opinion in re-issuing this guitar.

I would still like an original one and hope to get one in the future.

I like something a bit different and this is it. Don't EVER be put off by a Mexican made Fender. If all their output is as good as this one, then you will be pleasantly suprised.

2004 MEXICAN RE-ISSUE OF THE 72 TELECASTER DELUXE. I HAD ONE OF THESE ON BACKORDER FROM 3 PLACES FOR ABOUT 3 1/2 MONTHS. EVEN CALLED FENDER A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH NO ANSWER AS TO WHEN ANY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. FINALLY SEARCHED A LOT AND FOUND A DEALER WITH 2 OF THEM WHICH I PROMPTLY BOUGHT. ALDER BODY WITH MAPLE NECK WITH THE LARGE STRAT HEAD, TWIN HUMBUCKERS, 3 TONE SUNBURST (BOTH), 21 FRETS, STRAT HARDTAIL BRIDGE, AND SEPERATE TONE/VOL FOR EACH P/U, BULLET TRUSSROD AND MICROTILT ADJ FOR THE NECK. THIS IS A REAL WINNER!!

I ENJOY ALL KINDS OF MUSIC FROM COUNTRY TO POP TO CLASSICAL AND USE CRATE GFX-212 AMPS. THE GUITAR WILL SUSTAIN I BELIEVE UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER. I CAN GET ABOUT ANY SOUND I WANT FROM IT AND IT WILL RING LIKE A BELL. SINCE I CAN'T AFFORD MY OWN BAND OR ORCHESTRA I PLAY LEAD USING KARAOKE SONGS WHICH WORKS GREAT. I SET MY STRINGS SUPER LOW AND IT HANDLES IT.

I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY GUITAR FROM THE FACTORY THAT IS TOTALLY SETUP PROPERLY. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TOTALLY RIGHT FOR THE MOST PART BUT THEN AGAIN EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN IDEAS HOW ONE SHOULD BE SET UP TO SUIT PREFERENCES. I WOULD SAY THEY WERE SETUP FAIRLY DECENT. I RE-ADJUSTED A FEW THINGS TO SUIT MY STYLE...NO BIG DEAL. ONE OF THE GUITARS WAS EXCELLENT, HOWEVER, THE OTHER ONE HAD THE NUT INSTALLED ABOUT .030 OFF CENTER AND I HAD A PROBLEM SOMETIMES WITH THE LOWER "E" STRING DROPPING OFF THE SIDE OF THE NECK SINCE I PLAY USUALLY MID-NECK OR HIGHER. I TOOK IT TO JEFF AT IRC MUSIC IN INDY AND HE REPLACED IT IN LESS THAN A DAY UNDER WARRANTY AND YOU COULD NEVER TELL IT HAD BEEN TOUCHED. BEAUTIFUL JOB AND IT IS IDENTICAL TO THE OTHER ONE NOW. I GIVE THIS A NINE ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE ONE GUITAR. THE OTHER IS A 10.

FIT AND FINISH ARE EXCELLENT. STRAP BUTTONS ARE OKAY BUT ANYONE WHO HAS ANY BRAIN AT ALL AND VALUES THEIR GUITAR WILL TAKE THEM OFF AND INSTALL STRAPLOCKS. I USE JIM DUNLOP ON ALL OF MINE. YOU HEAR A LOT OF HYPE ABOUT HOW MUCH BETTER JAPANESE GUITARS ARE THAN MEXICAN ONES AND IT IS A TOTAL BUNCH OF CRAP AS FAR AS I CAN SEE. I HAVE 9 TELE CUSTOMS OF WHICH 4 ARE JAPANESE AND THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. AS A MATTER OF FACT A COUPLE OF THE MIM'S SOUND AND PLAY BETTER.

NEVER BOTHERED WITH CALLING FENDER ON THE NUT REPAIR. I TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE WARRANTY DEALER AND IT WAS PROMPTLY CORRECTED AT NO COST.

HAVE BEEN PLAYING OFF AND ON SINCE AGE 14. I HAVE A TOTAL NOW OF ABOUT 25 GUITARS OF WHICH ABOUT 95% ARE FENDER. I DESPISE MOST GUITARS BECAUSE THEY PUT THOSE STINKING KNOBS AND ADJUSTMENTS RIGHT BELOW WHERE I PLAY AND THEY ALWAYS GET IN THE WAY. I HAVE TO HAVE GUITARS LIKE THE LES PAULS OR THE FENDER CUSTOM OR DELUXE WHICH ARE SET UP LIKE THE LES PAULS. IF THEY WERE STOLEN (PROVIDED THEY CAN GET BY MY ROTWEILERS, A .357 MAGNUM, ADT SECURITY SYSTEMS, THEN BREAK INTO MY FIREPROOF SAFE) OR LOST I WOULD REPLACE THEM IMMEDIATELY, IF NOT SOONER. I WOULD HATE TO RUN INTO THE THIEVES, IF ANY, SINCE I DON'T WANT TO GO TO JAIL FOR ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO KILL....'NUFF SAID?? I THINK I SURELY NEED ONE EACH NOW IN WALNUT AND BLACK!!

Well it's 2004 but Fender wants us to think we're back in 1972 with the 72 Telecaster Deluxe reissue. This new classic is made in Mexico but it might as just might have been built the custom shop. I'm not sure what possessed Fender to reissue the 72 Telecaster Deluxe but they've got a real winner!

The solid alder body comes in black, walnut (the color I got and it has a nice wood grain) and three color sunburst gloss finish. A big black pickguard wraps up the package.

It has a C shaped maple neck and fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. But hold your hats because the headstock is like a 70's strat...big...not the traditional super slim skinny model. The action is low and fast but I pulled out the slide and no fret noise.

But enough about appearance. What kind of engine is under the hood? Two crome covered Fender Humbuckers that growl, snarl and sound downright nasty. Oh yeah! I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT SUSTAIN... it will probably still howl long after the amp is turned off and the kids are sleeping.

The three position switch gives you the choice of the neck, bridge or both pickups. This is not your father's country music Tele even though the bridge pickup can be set to approximate the familiar bright sound of Tele. But this guitar is about rock, blues and muscle. Each pickup has a separate volume and tone top hat knob,

The strings start in the back of the body and run through a hardtail chrome bridge with Fender etched into it. Resonance is not the The strings wind up into the old style tuners (also etched with the Signature "F") that has a string slot and center hole in the posts. This may be the easiest guitar to string and it stays in tune even after being pounded.

The package is nicely wrapped in a gig bag and has three hex keys. All in all for playbility, sound and value this is a winner. A wonderful powerful racehorse that evolved from well mannered showhorse.