Fender '72 Telecaster Deluxe Reissue

this is the Mexico manufactured re-issue of the 72 deluxe - 2 humbuckers, strat body carve, large strat headstock, etc. - alder - walnut color

cover band mostly - all the goofy stuff peole dance to - mostly like strats + tweed - but wanted to try this particular tele. Very quiet - more punch than typical tele for sure. It didn't work out for me - I missed that strat out of phase sound big-time sfter a while - this was generic sounding.

Nothing good to say here - particularly don't like the neck - don't get me wrong - a 12" radius can be great ( it is divine on my EJ strat ) but it doesn't work for me on this one. Also ( and this is the clincher ) I could not get this to intonate properly after much tedious trying ( I'm good with guitar set-up ) . For me another problem was that the large headstock got in the way of reaching for behind - the - nut bends ( I realize most wouldn't care about this - but I do )

I only kept it 1 week - store took it back without question. It seemed solid

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have played 40 yrs

other gear I own - everything you can imagine

bottom line ( this might sound dumb I know ) - a guitar either wants to be picked up and played or it doesn't. My strat and my old 64 tele keep me up late this way - they want to be touched and played with ( like my wife )

this thing never told me to pick it up and play it.

Check Fender's website-- it's a reissue of the '72 Telecaster Deluxe. Cosmetically, it looks the same as the original. However, the electronics, specifically the pickups, are not accurate reproductions of the original Seth Lover designed Wide Range humbuckers. But I could care less because I'm not much of a gear snob.

Unplugged, this is a bright sounding guitar, as all Teles are. It also resonates very well, which means it will sound even better through a good tube amp.

The stock Wide Range humbuckers add a definite fatness to the tone, making this guitar a perfect candidate for jazz, blues, and rock, especially. After about two months of playing around, I concluded that the stock neck pup was too muddy for my tastes, while the bridge pup was simply lacking balls. I decided to ditch the stock pups in favor of some hotter output Seymour Duncans: a PG-n and a Custom-b. However, I've finally come to the conclusion that most humbuckers will sound like crap in the neck position of a Tele. Way too muddy. I'm gonna try to get one of those hum-sized P90s and see how those work in the neck.

The main things that impress me about this guitar are its sexy looks and awesome feel. This guitar is just so damn comfortable to play, I can actually justify spending a ton of time (and money) experimenting with different pickups (see above). The maple neck is nice and smooth, ergonomic is the key word here. The medium-jumbo frets are perfect for bends, and chording is a breeze.

I was a little dissapointed with some of the hardware, namely the pickup selector switch, which had a flimsy feel to it and has since been replaced. The stock bridge saddles, although true to the original, make palm muting tricky. The saddle screws also do not hold intonation very well. You better believe that I'll be putting some GraphTechs on this in the near future.

This guitar is very solidly built. I'm sure not all of these guitars have the hardware flaws that mine did, but again, it's not like these can't be upgraded. I would definitely gig with this guitar, if not for the risk of it being stolen. But I'd still gig with it anyway, because its playability is unsurpassed compared to all the other guitars I've ever played.

This is probably one of the best guitars in its price range. If I had to do it all over again, I would physically go to a music store so I could actually inspect the guitar I was planning on buying. But I would still buy this guitar regardless, because it is awesome.

This is a reissue guitar and all specs are to match a 1972 tele deluxe.

This guitar has mojo, especially for gigs! Dual hb's make it quiet however it still has some tele characteristics, like the bite. Honestly I never wanted a tele until I saw and played this one. Neck pu has god bass with clarity, middle pu is a good phased type of sound w/ some bass and bite, and bridge pu cuts thru the mix and has some good bite without piercing. I use this guitar with a Mesa Boogie DC-5 and a fender musicmaster bass amp. BTW this is not your typical tele neck, very similar to my 78 LP Deluxe.

This guitar needs a set up (pu's and action) and some .10's right out of the box. My setup wasn't bad but I have certain preferences.

The workmanship on this guitar is excellent, not custom shop excellent, but it rivals my usa made strats. The neck joint is tight and there were zero flaws in the finish.

This is simple guitar and should stand the test of time. I always bring a backup guitar.

The walnut color rocks, especially with the large black pickguard! Mojo!

Arctic White polyester finish
Telecaster shape
2 humbuckers
2 volume and 2 tone knobs (retro, BIG numbers)
3-way switch on top horn
Strat style fixed tail (6 saddles) with through-body string holes
Fender tuners
12-inch radius maple neck
Strat style headstock
Fender gig bag
Hecho en Mexico

I play through a Blues Junior and get great breakup, you know that kind of dark, crunchy texture from the 2 humbuckers. The tone is way darker than my bandmate's standard '71 Tele (vintage). Basically this shares a body shape with other Teles and nothing else. I personally like the dual humbucker, Les Paul-like sound that goes great with my not-so-technical (read: sloppy) style.

Set-up is very good. Especially in comparison to the Gretsch Pro Jet I bought last year. A couple of things, though: #1 E gave off a lot less volume than the other 5 strings, easily fixed with a little adjustment. Also, moreso than any guitar I've ever played, the fingerboard is very finicky about finger placement. I've noticed that each of my guitars plays truest when my fingers are in a specific place and it always takes a little practice to get that perfect sounding chord when you're playing clean, but this one takes a bit more care and precision. Might be just this guitar.

The neck joint is perfect and the paint and chrome look great. Love that smooth, wide maple neck and fretboard. Factory action is low.

Only had this one for one weekend, but it seems to live up to Fender's quality. It's solid and very heavy (it IS a Tele after all). I replaced the strap buttons immediately with locking buttons. I'd never gig without a backup because strings and I have a rocky relationship at best, but I'll say this one seems reliable.

I bought at a reputable store and got a 1-year warranty. Haven't had to repair it yet.

I've been playing for about 14 years now and have owned quite a few guitars. Most of them have been cheap but effective. I love this Tele. It is really the first mid-range guitar I've owned that I feel can stand up in quality to a higher priced model.

I got the limited arctic white model with a black pickguard and it is quite striking. It has a fat Strat-style headstock that looks cool. The fat neck suits my style of playing.

I had been looking at Strats (even though I don't like the look) and Les Pauls for a couple of weeks before the salesman suggested this guitar. The sound is perfectly individual, and suits my style.

pretty basic: dual humbuckers, two tone controls, two volume controls, alder body, maple neck and fretboard with polyurethane finish, 70s strat neck, fender deluxe gig bag

This guitar is AWESOME! It sounds great for rock, blues, and jazz. Although it's not as beefy as a Les Paul, it has terrific warm and distorted sounds. Its sound is between a Les Paul and Strat.

Great! I played the floor model and took it home. It has great action. My only complaint would be that it is a little heavy, but at least it's not a brick like a Les Paul. Also, I switched out the .009s for .010s.

No problems.

Awesome guitar. No wonder it's gaining in popularity. At this price, it's unbeatable. And, you don't have to dish out two to three grand for a vintage one.

This one was made probably late 2005 because i ordered it in febuary and it came in on a shipment in early March. This is a beautiful sun burst model and from the front the joining of the three pieces of wood is un-noticable. It has some beautiful fiddleback in thewood of the head stock so i was really happy. As soon as i got it i replaced the strap pins with lockers cause those things look like they wouldn;t hold anything. only problem is its very heavy and i dont like the stock .009 strings

THE SOUND IS BEAUTIFUL. I play alot of rock and alternative stuff like Muse. this guitar suits anything really apart from metal which is good casue i hate metal. I also playalot of jazz and the kneck possition sounds so creamy and mellow that it makes me want to cry. this baby can do screaming highs and crushing lows.i havn't found anything i dont like about the sound yet.

The guitar was set up really well except that i dont like the stock strings

Seems very reliable but like any guitar if u drop it its not gonna come up un scathed

Absolutely beautiful guitar with a very original sound. It's a tele mixed with a les paul.

2005 model, Sunburst (the only real color) all other features have been well covered. Purchased off of ebay with aftermarket Grover tuners installed. It did come with a molded hard shell Fender case.
All the stock features are top notch and very unigue to this model of Telecaster...that is if you want a Tele with a 12" radius fret board, which I don't think many Tele lovers really want.

This is THE sweetest sounding Telecaster that I've ever owned, and I've had/have plenty. Really, this guitar sings both acousticly as well as plugged in. Teles have always fit my style of pop, punk, folk, indie, classic rock. I always thought that the nicest Tele I'd ever owned was an original 1976 Thinline, or my "Hard Promises" cover Tele (about a '78), but this guitar has tone like NOTHING I've ever played. Maybe I just got a good one?
This guitat arrived unplayable and not in really great shape, but the beauty of Fenders is that almost anything can be repaired and made playable. After a few hours of dialing this thing in, it just captured me! No 60 cycle hum (humbuckers) but all the full, sweet Fender jangle that you would never expect from any humbucker. If I remember correctly, the hums on my '76 never sounded this good...but they did sound great! My amp sounds "perfect" with just a strait cord into the amp. I can't say this with my other guitars. It will pull off heavy rock sounds, but make no mistake! This is NOT a Les Paul in Fender clothes. An all-mahgany, set-neck guitar achives a certin sound that Fender will never get. But...an Alder-bodied, bolt-on maple neck Fender will give you tones that no other guitar can touch! Nothing here to dislike except that you will have to reset your amp's EQ to get deep, darker tone. But then again, it's a frickin' Fender!

Whatever you've read about Mexican Fenders can be thrown out the window with this guitar. The last Mexican Tele I owned was a '97 Nashville that was built with care and perfection, but had a few corners cut. My luthier commented on how sweet that guitar was and this '72 Deluxe is way nicer! I've never seen a tighter neck pocket...ever! I'd be afraid to pull the neck becasue it looks like its set in. The maple neck is flawless as is the beautful sunburst finish. The body wood is way nicer than my '98 American Standard and although this came with Grovers (and sweet to have) I can't imagine the stock tuners were anything but great.
My only complaint...and its a big one, is why can't Fender put the correct sized hight-adjustment screws in their bridges!?!? There is nothing like raking the meat of your hand over sharp (cheap) long-ass screws sticking out on the bridge! This is frickin' unacceptable!! Figure it out Fender. Guitar player's rest their hands on the bridge and cuss you a lot every time they hurt their hands on your crappy bridge screws!!
I really want to give this guitar a 10 for fit and finish as it's one of the nicest Fenders I've every owned, but those bridge screws bring it down to an 8!

Come on! It's a Telecaster with a polyurethane finish. Beat the hell out of it and enjoy it for life! No back up needed but I always have one. Something with a totally different flavor just to mix things up.

Fender is great as long as you have your original recipt, which I don't.

After 24 years, I've figured what works for me and what dosen't. I enjoy having different kinds of guitar for different tones and flavors as I play a mixed bag of stuff. The one thing that I prefer all my guitars have is the same neck radius (12). I actually like 9.5 to 10 necks, but it seems Fender and PRS are the only ones who make those. My other guitars are a '78 Takamine acoustic, a Dean '79 V and a Gibson SG Classic. They all serve me well, and I only keep what turns me on so there is no junk in my music room. But nothing classic or collectable either. This Tele is just one of those great guitars and I feel lucky I found it. As my son says..."it a keeper, dad!"
I play all of my stuff through a Pignose tube head and a 4x10 Carvin cabinet with a few pedals for some flavor.
I'd definatly buy this same guitar again and am fighting the urge to get another one right now. I get this urge with all the guitars I keep.
Although this guitar is VERY stable due to the "hardtail" bridge, I'd like the abailty to install a B-5 Bigsby but don't think it would look as good as a traditional Tele setup. My favorite feature would have to be the neck on this baby. And the sustain, which, I swear, is more impressive than my Gibson. The SG has the classic, spongy, open-cell-like sustain while the Tele has a tighter, singing sustain. Just awesome!

If you're reading this, you should already know what features this guitar includes. I give its features a nine, only because it doesn't have a tremolo bridge and that is important to some people. Mine is the 3-tone sunburst finish and it's very pretty.

I play a lot of folk rock, classic-sounding rock, and bluesy stuff. I really like the sound of this guitar for all of the above. I play it through a Fender Blues Deluxe amp with a Maxon 808 reissue for overdrive. I've actually had two of these guitars in my posession recently (the first was a loner) and the one I have now sounds better than the first - every guitar is a little different.

The bridge pickup gives great lead sounds and I really enjoy driving it for Clash-like tones as well. The neck pickup is nice and warm, but still keeps a lot of the bright tones as well, which I like. It gives really nice bluesy leads, and is good from jazz chords as well. One thing that I've heard other people mention about this guitar is that the bridge pickup is too bright and thin sounding. Well, the other day when I was taking off the annoying pickguard plastic that comes on all Fenders, I had to unscrew the pickup screws a little to get the plastic out from underneath them. When I did that it meant I had to re-tighten the screws afterwards to get the pickups back to their appropriate height. I got them back to the way they came, but then I thought, why not mess around a little more? So I lowered the bass side of the neck pickup just a little more, and raised the bass side of the bridge pickup. I'm much happier with the sound of the guitar now. The bridge pickup is just slightly fuller, leaving all the bite, but taking the ice-pick quality out of it (which some people have accused it of having). The adjustment to the neck pickup took out just enough mud to make it a very punchy, still very warm sounding rythm pickup. The middle selection also benefitted. I didn't care much for it when I first got the guitar. It just sounded too bland to me, but now I think it sounds really great. Sorry, that's not a good description of the middle selections tone, but you'll just have to mess with it yourself and see what I'm talking about.

Whatever you do, don't buy this guitar in place of a Les Paul, or one of the staples of Fender. It is it's own guitar. Yes, I guess it does fall somewhere inbetween a Les Paul, Strat and Tele, just like other people have stated, but that description does you very little good, unless you can perfectly hear what that mutant guitar child would sound like in your head - and even then, it will probably sound a little different. I give it an 8, because I like it a lot, but I'm not dillusional in thinking it's God's give to guitar players.

Mine came with a small dent in (bummer!), but I liked it anyways and the dealer gave me a discount. The neck needed a bit of adjusting. Other than that, everything was good. Love the feel of this fretboard. It is really comfortable to my hand. I think it's a u-shaped neck. Also, gotta love the tele shaped body, but with the Stratocaster's contour on the back. Again, very comfortable.

And again, try adusting the pickups height if you're not totally satisfied with the tone.

Mine goes out of tune really easily. That's a bit of a pain if you're playing live. Other than that, I don't see how you would have any problems with it.

Reissue of the 72 tele de luxe. "Mexican" made. features 2 volumes and two tone ctrls and a 3-way switch for both fender special wide humbuckers. Body is alder or ash depending on finish... im guessing mine is alder since it has the black finish. The body style is tele, but with a neck pocket to fit a 70's style strat neck, it also features the tummy cut contour, which normal tele bodies dont have. the bridge is fender style thru-body. The machineheads are vintage with chrome finish. The neck is fat as hell, 70's big boy headstock, the frets are big, gloss finish on neck and fretboard.

This guitar is pretty versitile, great for hard rock and plays clean very well too. the bridge pickup can get pretty bright and twangy, close to a tele twang. the neck pickup is very full sounding. overall it has great sustain too. If you havent already i suggest you go to a music store and try one out for yourself...

The action was pretty good from the factory, i switched from fender 9's to ernie ball 10's, the pickups were adjusted fine, and the overall fit and finish is top-notch, I was impressed, the neck pocket is tight, the electronics are quiet, everything feels solid as a rock. Its a very comfortable guitar, it is heavy though.

This guitar would most definately withstand live playing. Its a rock and heavy as hell (i think i neeed a wider strap with this thing) the hardware seems pretty high quality, the finish is tough, the strap buttons were solid ( i switched to dunlop strap-lok anyways) I would probably gig without a backup...

ive been playing for 10 years, ive owned alot of guitars, never really was a fan of fenders until recently, I was planning to hold out and save my pennies for a real 1970's tele deluxe, but I noticed this one for sale at my local music store, it was new but had been dropped and had a few chips in the finish next to the input jack, i wasnt too worried about it, i expressed and intrest in it and i was offered a significant discount. I couldnt resist taking this one home. I am really glad i bought it, its one of the best guitars ive ever owned.

2005 Sunburst Tele Deluxe Reissue. 2 Wide range humbuckers. Maple strat neck.

This guitar rips. It has a "bark" to it that I haven't heard from many other guitars. Bridge Pickup is clear and bright, neck pickup is more mellow and bassy, but blending them together is the key to some great tones. Not exactly twangy like a normal telecaster. the sound is actually quite ballsy and well suited for rock. I play it through a Peavey classic 30 and it sounds great.

Good setup, but with light guage 9's. Will eventually swap them for 10's or 11's, but the factory setup was definately adequate. No complaints. Guitar is aesthetically beautiful and plays great. I was a bit skeptical of a MIM Fender, but as soon as I played it my concerns were alleviated. This is a really nice guitar,especially for the price.

Seems really solid to me. Fenders and cockoaches, as they say. Stays in tune, even after i dropped it.

n/a

Own a blond Washburn HB35, '93 Japanese Jaguar, and an old fernandes strat. This might be my favorite, but the washburn is pretty nice too. Overall, this is a really impressive guitar and value. I definately recommend checking them out.

2005 Tele Deluxe (in black), you all know the features, if not checkout Fender.com for the detailed specs.

What I can tell you is that this is a very versatile instrument with great tones and a great vibe.

SOUND! Boy does it have it. My styles are Blues/Rock/Fusion. I run it through my Mesa Dual Rec, Mesa F-30 and my Guitar Port.
The pickups are excellent, they are low-medium output which to me is the way to go. The sounds are clear and balanced with overdrive, even with screaming gain. I never fell I am falling into that "muddy" sound even when everything is cranked. The clean tones are equally impressive. They are clear and bright, and can get downright jangly for humbuckers when dialed in right. The sounds fall perfectly between a Les Paul and a Strat - not to dark and not to bright. This guitar just begs to be played, its a rock machine.

Finish is black and have nothing to complain about.
The factory setup was fine (stock 9's) and will do my own setup with 10's to get to my personal specs. Also i love the fact that there is a belly cut (like a Strat) makes it very comfortable to play sitting or standing. Neck has a nice carve to it as well. Controls are in easy reach and since i have been playing LP's for 20 years its not an adjustment to me at all.

Very confident in the construction, feels very solid.
This is my 4th fender and never had an issue with any of them.

Never had to deal with them so I can't comment

I have been playing for 20 years now. I have always wanted one of these and always held off. Now this has become my number one guitar, it just has that "Mojo" that people talk of. Its very comfortable to play and sounds great. As i mentioned above - its a Rocker, you pick it up and you just go! There is just such a great vibe with this guitar I can't put it down. My other guitars are a LP Standard, LPDC Standard, Ibanez AS-120, Ibanez AWD82T, Fender American Deluxe Strat, and the 72 Tele Deluxe. This guitar fills the void i had between the strat and my LP's. It a great guitar. and would get another without hesitation.

Cut in U.S., assembled and finished in Mexico
2005 model, 2 Fender wide-range humbuckers, alder body,
maple neck, vintage tuners, 1972 version headstock (large, fat),
"C"-shaped neck cut, "bullet" truss rod adjuster, large frets,
contoured back-body, 2-tone pots, 2-volume pots, black gloss finish,
"fast" laquered neck, 3-way pickup selector located on upper bout,
1972 version large pickguard, 3-bolt neckplate, tight neck joint,
vintage 1972 style bridge, set-up for .009 guage strings,
chrome plated hardware/pickups, black canvas gig bag,
black nylon strap, three hex key tools for adjustment,
22-frets, one-year Fender guarantee

Everything included on this guitar makes it extremely variable, and versatile for an unusually large amount of musical styles and tastes. If anyone were to have preferred nu-metal or hardcore musical styles, they could achieve this by simply switching the pickups to extreme-output models. Amazingly, this guitar is able to be used for any kind of music, like: jazz, country/bluegrass, reggae, hard rock, classic rock, indie, pop, new-wave, industrial, progressive rock, and even classical if you wanted to.

This guitar can suit any style if you use the pickups suited for that style. The included pickups are remarkably versatile, with a large range of tones to discover by rolling the volume and tone pot knobs to different combinations.

Played through a:

Fender Twin Reverb- exceptionally clean and bell like 3-D sounds
Vox AC30 w/mild gain- very rich and complex distortion, not muddy
Marshall JCM 800 w/lots of gain- sharp, full-bodied grind, singing
Mesa Dual Rectifier w/gain- deep, extra-sustaining, screaming, full
Fender Bassman w/mild overdrive- wailing, crying, moaning, sustaining
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe- sparkly clean, with brilliant clean sustain
Line 6 Flextone III on "insane" model setting- absolutely screaming

This guitar seems to have the ability to make effects stand out as well. Played through an Ibanez Tube Screamer on a clean Fender Twin Reverb, it sounded exactly that: "screamy". Small adjustments on all of your rig with this guitar give you many resulting tones, from cascading swan-dives, to twangy slapping, to beautiful deep bell-tones.

The pickups make little-to no noise at all when left untouched, but can create a huge array of feedback types if desired.

The only factors that could vastly improve on the factory settings would be if Fender would have included a coil tap for both pickups for single-coil variations, virtually doubling the available tones that this guitar outputs, smoothing out the rather sharp hardtail bridge, and using grover tuners instead of the factory vintage ones.

Overall this guitar sounds beautiful.

Factory settings were almost perfect for this guitar's nature. Every player requires a different action, neck-cut, and all guitars need intonated and tightened. Out of the box it was very well set up by Fender's Mexican assembly plant. The paint job was smooth and pristine, with a high-gloss black finish. The neck is maple, and laquered to provide a "fast" feel. The hardware was clean, unoxidized, and the pickup switch was tight. The nut was cleanly cut. There is no fret buzz when properly set up, and the intonation was perfect with high-fret chording, as well as single-string riffs.

The guitar is weel-built. It has a tight neck joint, and rugged hardware. Everything on this guitar is built to last a very long time. All guitars that are intended to last should be taken care of, however. It could easily be used without a backup, but it is always wise in case of string breakage with harder playing styles to bring a back-up. There should be no worries of durability here.

Fender is very fast for response, and sends things faster than most guitar companies if necessary. Parts, labor, and warantees are well-respected with this company. They have strict guidelines, but when followed, you recieve great results. It is best to register all of your Fender products if possible.

Overall, this guiat is well worth the mid-ranged price. It is easily modified, well-constructed, extremely versatile, "fast"-playing, rugged, and mildly affordable to most money-saving people. It is very comfortable, and has exceptional sustain, with, deeply rich, complex arrays of tones.

The features are the selling point of this guitar for me. It takes my favorite parts of three major guitars and puts them all together: the cool neck and headstock of a 70's strat, the single-cut of a tele, and the pickup configuration of a Les Paul. Tuners are great. This guitar stays in tune better than any I've ever owned.

I'm pretty disappointed with the bridge pickup. The highs bite too hard, and the bass response on the low E just plain sucks. The mids are smooth and not overpowering though. There is great clarity and resonance when played unamplified, so I know there's great sound potential here. The neck pup sounds fine, but I rarely use it. I'll eventually swap out the bridge pup. I'm pretty happy with the tone controls--very smooth and responsive.

Set up was decent but not outstanding. Definitely major differences in contruction and quality control with this (made in Mexico) vs. my American standard tele. The American tele just feels like a solid guitar when you pick it up. This one is sturdy, but the truss rod is definitely weaker and neck is less resonant. I was a little disappointed with the waxy finish on the neck. Huge globs of wax were left on the string saddles.

So far, so good. I've had nothing but great luck with Fender.

Never been an issue in the 10 years I've played Fenders

I love the look and features of this guitar, and that alone was the selling point. In hindsight, I should have just saved up and bought an original 70's American tele deluxe, but this one will be fine after a bridge pup swap

2005, MIM Telecaster Deluxe Reissue. Black finish, two Fender "Wide Range" humbuckers, two volume and two tone controls, 3-way toggle switch, "CBS-era" Strat-type headstock and neck, 21 Jumbo frets, countoured body.

This guitar totally suits my style, which is very influenced by Keith Richards. With 2 humbuckers, this is a very powerful sounding, yet noise-free guitar. It has a much thicker tone than standard Telecasters, but it is still capable of some Tele-esque "twang", as well. It is an extremely versatile sounding guitar and perfect for Rock 'n Roll!

My Tele Deluxe was setup perfectly and in was very well made and assembled. Everything is very solid and sturdy.

It's built like a tank, and I can definitely use it without a backup. In fact, it is now one of my main guitars!

I have owned Fenders since 1979, and have yet to contact them for any support issues.

I own 19 guitars, including 5 other Teles and 4 Strats. My new Tele Deluxe is now one of my main guitars, along with my '72 Telecaster Custom Reissue. The Telecaster Deluxe and Telecaster Custom are the ultimate Telecasters ever made!

mine is a 2004 model and it is simply awesome. same features as everyone else says: good humbuckers, seperate tone/volume knobs, 3-way toggle switch, blah blah blah you get the idea. (i like using the toggle as an on/off switch.

im not going to lie, i hate Fender with a fiery passion. i play styles that i feel give the humbucker an upperhand and never even considered single coils. when i played this guitar i was in awe. ive never played a guitar that gave a creamy smooth sound for the blues and still had the balls to truly rock out. excellent excellent sound and ive never regretted buying it.

my other axes are a Cort M200 and a Les Paul Jr. which i run thru a Marshall with a Boss Overdrive and Crybaby Wah. this guitar blows the others away. im addicted to playing this (until i buy a Gibson Les Paul Custom hehehe)

this guitar is set up like a Tele but with contours similar to a Strat. the only thing i didnt like was the bridge but i can live with it.

this guitar is as reliable as the sun rising.

never had to deal with Fender

for the price of a midrange guitar this plays like a high end one. cant do much better for $650

2004 Mexican tele 72 deluxe in black. For a run down of all the specs.... Alder body with strat contour on back, C shape Maple neck with bullet truss rod and 21 med jumbo frets, 70's Strat bridge, three-bolt microtilt neckplate, 70s Strat headstock, two Wide Range humbucking pickups.

The neck is great and was the real selling point for me of this guitar. I love the big hendrix stylee 70's headstock. The medium jumbo frets are super comfy to play on, compared to my standard mexi tele, and the neck plays pretty damn fast and smooth even though laquered.

The tuners are decent enough, one thing i would maybe change though is the bridge saddles as i keep my action fairly low and the saddle screws rub into your hand quite a bit when leanin on them. Graphtechs maybe needed??

The sound out of this guitar is nothing short of beautiful. Think glen hansard - the frames, snow patrol, thom torke - radiohead, franz ferdinand. All keen users of this excellent guitar. The pickups deliver a clean crisp tone that just sings. I play through a Marshall AVT 150 at home, then wen in uni halls, an old Vantage vg-15. The pickups however, it is worth mentioning are NOT hot, i would say more of a medium output. This is not a bad thing, but if you are playing metal, then this probly aint the guitar for you. But for literally everything else, this guitar is very very flexible. My sound is indie/indie-rock/rock'n'roll and this guitar is perfect for it. The clean tone on this guitar is probably one of its best features. The bridge pickup although perhaps slightly too bright has a surprising amount of tele twang to it, although being a humbucker. However this is a good thing, you get the best of both worlds, twang and clarity that you can also overdrive and distort buzz free! The neck pickup however is my favourite. Its smooth and perfectly voiced and what some people have said about it being muddy is rubbish as ive tried this on my 2 amps and a couple of others and this is not the case. I love the light jazzy tone with nice bottom end but still well defined, probably due to the slightly lower output.

I play mostly through the clean channel of my marshall with the clean gain turned up a fair bit, then into a boss OD-3 which is a fine, fine overdrive for this guitar. I also use a crybaby wah and the OD 1 channel on the amp for more of a distortion. Compared to the epiphone les paul (with seymour duncan jazz and JB) which i sold to get this, the tone is very different. At higher distortions the sound is definitely not as thick, however i rarely play this heavy and for everything else like the milder distortions, overdrive and clean, this guitar is far better. Compared to my standard mexican tele, it does share a lot of the tone characteristics, but definitely sounds richer and can push a lot more sounds.

The factory setup was actually really good. I have only dropped the action very slightly. The truss rod was set perfect and the neck was as straight as a ruler. I have heard and sometimes seen the mexican loose neck pocket problem. This is not the case on my standard tele nor on this 72 deluxe. In fact the neck fit is super tight and you really couldnt even slip a piece of paper down it. This is as is should be, as the sustain on this thing is awesome.

The guitar stays in tune perfectly as well, and i havnt had any string breakage problems. The strings however, from factory are fitted as 9's which are a little too bright for this guitar in my opinion. I play with ernie ball regular 10's and sounds perfect IMO. The knobs are fender amp style and very cool, no complaints there. The switch is an american part as well as the humbuckers which is always good. As i mentioned earlier, the bridge saddles arent the best (just uncomfy) and the tuners although ok in my eyes could maybe be bettered.

Well here's were i have to slightly critisise the guitar :( Although im sure my guitar may have been a one off problem, i had serious diff's with the neck pickup cutting off. This did not happen at all at first until i adjusted the height of it slightly. (Bridge was fine by the way) I just wanted to drop it slightly as i thought it was overpowering the bridge a tiny bit. Wen i did, i noticed the pickup would start cutting out completely, at random times. VERY FRUSTRATING! I put up with this for a while, and even found the pickups height sweet spot and it wouldnt do it as much. However i would say to anyone with this prob to send it back to where u got it under warrenty asap. I left mine too long and had to get it repaired at academy of sound. The probly wasnt massive or costly, however it turns out there was far too much bunched up cable running from the neck pickup to the pots. This was pulling and putting strain on the pickup solders. As a result the connections started breaking. Im sure this was a one off with this guitar however be warey. The luthier cut the excess wiring and resoldered it for me. And also replaced the cable from the switch to the jack and pots. This was unsheilded!!??.

Now all is playing perfect again i would have no doubts about reliability whatsoever. Teles are solid and can take some serious wear and tear. The gig bag that comes with it however is pretty useless apart from covering it if in your room. If you are going to spend this much on a quality guitar, do what i did and spend the money on a good case for it. Standard hiscox liteflite is the way forward - #70

never contacted fender

Ive been playing guitar for about 7 years now and this is my 4th electric, and the best guitar ive had to date. (squier strat, epiphone les paul with seymours installed, mexican standard tele). Overall this is a brilliant guitar and the fact that it is mexican made should not put people off. The components are mainly american and you are getting a guitar that can compete in both sound and finish to any other fender or similar guitar in a much higher price range. I nearly went for the 72 tele custom, but im glad i held out back last year and got this. Ive played both lots, and the neck on this is way way better, plus a nicer colour of wood. The contour on the back on the body like a strat is much comfier, and the strat bridge looks and feels better. As far as value for money go and features and sound, this could be the best #500 odd you ever spent. And who could deny how damn good this thing looks in black with the 3-ply pickguard and big chrome humbuckers, along with THAT neck.

GET ONE

2003 model. I got a significant discount on it because it has a huge gash in the body. That don't confront me none. Mine is black, alder body. Love the flat (12" I think?) radius and larger frets. Neck feels awesome, not sticky at all though it is lacquer finished. Two buckers, with individual tone and vol, nice for turning down one pickup and flicking the switch on and off. Huge headstock is a plus for keeping bassists in line.

These buckers ROCK. I doubt I'll swap them out, they sound really creamy and phat. Great for rock n roll. The middle position is great for rhythm work, very convincing Stones tones there. Tone controls are good rolled back about 1/3 way; past that, it's muddy. Vol controls work nicely; roll back and does a good job cleaning up without soundy wimpy.

Flawless save the major ding. Neck is airtight in the pocket, love that. HEAVY guitar, which is fine with me, but a lot of people like their Teles light. Fretwork nice and clean, paint is so shiny you could use it as a mirror. Neck has some nice figuring to it.

Seems very solid. I've had good luck with Fenders, this one should be no different.

Don't know.

I really dig this Tele. Great rock n roll guitar.

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.