Description
Exc condition / SN#42525
Butterscotch / Black Guard
Factory Switch Configuration
This ’52 Fender Tele Reissue is an easy choice if you are looking for a good Telecaster. It has the Yellowed butterscotch finish and old style black pickguard. It has typical normal pickups and the “ashtray” bridge cover. Perhaps most importantly, it has the factory wiring configuration like the original 1952 Telecasters had. This wiring made the three-way switch work like this: back position engages the bridge pickup; middle switch position engages the neck pickup; the forward position, however, seems to be also the neck pickup but slightly different sound…! This original configuration is easily modified into today’s normal tele configuration of: back switch position = bridge P/U; Middle position = both P/U’s; Forward position = neck P/U.
The back plate has been changed to a fancy custom etched back plate that has a Greek mythology scene depicted.
Everything is pretty faithfully reproduced in these ’52 Tele reissues. The headstock looks great, the Fender logo decal with “Telecaster” name looks great. Nickel copy tuners of old original Kluson DeLuxe tuners. Bone nut.
Maple Neck with a modified “U” shape profile. The fingerboard has black dot inlays with dark side dots on the bass side for visual reference.
The body is in very good shape but does have a couple of dings at the corner of one area of the bass side. The face shows some light swirl-y scratch marks that are pretty superficial. Standard Tele pickups with 1952 correct switching (see below). Ashtray cover is on the bridge. Black pickguard.
ReCap
#1) The original 1952 Tele as well as all of the subsequent ’52 Reissue Tele, all have this slightly quirky configuration of the 3-way switch. This is easily remediated by moving one wire to a different placement.
#2) ALL of the Fender Reissue ’52 Telecasters have misleading serial numbers. I think that Fender wants you to pretend these were all made in 1952.
You have to use pot codes or dates written in the neck pocket or on the end of the neck.
This is a fine guitar in excellent condition. Comes with original cloth tweed case.
