Fender Vintage '62 Tele
From the Manufacturer:
The double-bound alder body and multi-ply pickguard that dressed up the ’62 Telecaster guitar distinguished it from its Butterscotch predecessor. And rosewood, originally introduced for cosmetic reasons because maple was prone to showing wear, quickly grew in popularity with the warmth it added to the classic Telecaster tone.
In the spirit of the original, the American Vintage ‘62 Telecaster Custom guitar has a C-shaped maple neck with a 7.25”-radius rosewood fingerboard. It also features a pair of ’62 Custom Tele single-coil pickups, a vintage Tele bridge with threaded steel saddles, and the original Tele circuit with three-position switch.
Comment:
This Vintage Series '62 Telecaster is the latest addition to my collection. I have never really been a huge Tele fan. I have always thought that they looked like a slab of wood with a stick and strings attached. (Technically I guess that describes all solid body guitars doesn't it?) That has changed. I think this is my favorite electric. it plays fantastic and sounds great. it also has a really nice tri-burst and a bound body. This is a SWEET guitar!
Fender setup the wiring of this guitar to match the original early '60s Tele's. With the 3-way switch in the forward position, the tone is quite dark. In the middle position, it is neck pickup only. In the back position, it is bridge only. Some people don't like this setup (and I can understand why) so Fender includes a capacitor and instructions on converting the wiring to the current standard (neck / neck & bridge / bridge). I think I'll leave mine the way it is. After all, why buy a vintage style guitar if you want it to sound just like the current models?
Which brings me to another topic...
Warning... Here comes a Rob Rant!
What is the attraction to "relic" and other pre-worn "new" guitars? I fully understand buying vintage style guitars or if you can afford it, a true collectible guitar that has a nice aged patina and some wear on it. But why buy a new guitar that someone beat up and tacked on a $1000 to the price of because now it is aged and worn?
If that is your thing, I'll make you an offer that will save you some scratch... Buy a new guitar and send it to me, for $100 I'll throw it out in my backyard and let the Florida weather rust the bridge and authentically age it for you. I'll rub the fretsboard and body with sandpaper to authentically wear it in the right places. For an additional $50 I'll even take a cigarette and put some custom ciggy burn marks on it for you . Should take about a month or two to get it aged right
Or an even better idea... Buy yourself a sweet guitar and play the hell out of it for 50 years and you will have a real relic to pass on to your kids and grand kids. Best part of this plan is that you get to put all the wear marks and dings into it yourself through a lifetime worth of actually playing the guitar!
