I would like to buy a tele custom 1972 similar to Keith richards'. What should I know about the ones that are on the market? Is it a good guitar, where to buy it and how much? Thank you for your help.
Rock and roll,
Mops

Are you after a genuine '70s Custom or a modern "re-issue"/copy ?

Either can be a good buy.

You need to be careful with the real thing from that era because, although many are great guitars...there were more than a few "dogs"

Fender currently do a Mexican " CLassic Series" '72 Custom for a quite modest price.

It might not please the purists in every respect [the front Humbucker for example isn't like the original "Wide Range Humbucker"] but it's a well made & good sounding Tele...especially for the money.

Build quality on the whole is probably better than the originals, which vary an awful lot in weight...and quite a bit in how they feel & sound.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016-12-21 15:38 by Spud.

Hi there. I own two, a "natural" '74 and a black '75. I got the '74 around 1995 for €840 in a shop, the '75 in 2014 for €2400, on the internet.

The '74 has been stripped off of its finish (probably brown) and has been modified during its lifetime (it was possibily fitted with a PAF at some point), although when I bought it, it was close to the original setup (minus the finish).

The '75 kind of popped out of nowhere when I was looking for rosewood Teles. It has a nasty bump on the horn, other than that, it's pretty clean.

On both guitars the neck pickup is just great, on the '74 the bridge is getting old and has a lot less power and bite than on the '75. Both sound good although I may have a preference for the black one which is a bit lighter and vibrates better.

Apart from the pickup, just like for any vintage guitar you have to be able to tell whether it has been modified or not (refinished), ask for as many pictures as you can get if you're looking on the Internet.

Pot shapes can be odd (they are different on my '74 and '75) because Fender would be using whatever parts they had...

The value on these guitars does hold but it's not a killer investment - You will not get this on a recent MIM reissue, but the built quality now is probably more consistent. Today's Fender Custom Shops are better built than my Customs.

I bought a Japanese made reissue about 15 yrs ago for around $500 and I love it. I am a very casual player and keep it in open G tuning. The sound I get from a small Fender tube amp is almost exactly like Keith during 1981 tour. It's eerie really.


$799 for Mexico-made guitar at Guitar Center

Fender Custom Shop has issued a Fender Telecaster Custom ,if you have the money get one of the Custom Shop Guitars because as posters have said there could be issues with the made in USA and made in Mexico ones but on the other hand I have heard good reports on the Fender production out of Baja California Mexico plant

Bottom line

If you buy a Mexican or Japanese "reissue" '72 Custom...you're certain to get a nice guitar at a very reasonable cost.

If you buy a Custom Shop '72 Custom reissue, your'r pretty certain to get a Killer guitar.

If you buy the real thing, you could get a killer guitar, you could get an OK guitar...or you could get a complete plank.

If you have the time to search for the right original guitar and the knowledge to know it when you find it ...great.

If not, you might be better with a modern recreation .

What about about the great Japanese reissue with the ash body?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-12-21 19:05 by MonkeyMan2000.

The Japanese Fenders are almost always nice guitars.

They do vary in spec though...the correct body woods not always being employed in production.

The Mexican Classic Series are comparable in terms of quality but the spec is perhaps more reliable... and they seem to get better & better.

If they remind me of anything...its the early 80s Tokais...and that's a compliment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-12-21 19:12 by Spud.

If you look for Custom Shops, it has been reissued in 2013 (Closet Classic) and 2010 (Limited edition).

Thank you everybody for the feedback.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Quote
Spud
Bottom line

If you buy a Mexican or Japanese "reissue" '72 Custom...you're certain to get a nice guitar at a very reasonable cost.

If you buy a Custom Shop '72 Custom reissue, your'r pretty certain to get a Killer guitar.

If you buy the real thing, you could get a killer guitar, you could get an OK guitar...or you could get a complete plank.

If you have the time to search for the right original guitar and the knowledge to know it when you find it ...great.

If not, you might be better with a modern recreation .

Good tips, Spud. I believe I will go with an American built and buy it first hand. It will be more expensive but I will limit the odds of getting @#$%& over. I am not an expert on the materialistic side of guitars although I have played guitar for the last 40 years. I like the idea of having those 2 very different microphones on the same guitar and that thing looks pretty cool all in black. And the association with Keith makes it a top choice. Where should I shop it?
Rockandroll,
Mops

I have a lot of good guitars, and can easily say that the Fender Tele Custom is my favorite. Its an 80's MIM (Mexico). I bought it for $400 in a gas station parking lot. Incredible neck, and like you say Mops: the combo of those two pick-ups is genius.
Plus, it has the Keithian stamp of approval, so it is high in the coolness dept.

Quote
Palace Revolution 2000
I have a lot of good guitars, and can easily say that the Fender Tele Custom is my favorite. Its an 80's MIM (Mexico). I bought it for $400 in a gas station parking lot. Incredible neck, and like you say Mops: the combo of those two pick-ups is genius.
Plus, it has the Keithian stamp of approval, so it is high in the coolness dept.

I checked with guitar Center website and none are available as in "made in USA" Do you know where I should look for it?
Thank you,
Mops

Where do you live?

Are we allowed to post porn here?

I have seen fairly new Fender guitars Made in USA; from 2013 e.g. I think top of the line guitars are made in US by Fender; the Squier line is made in Far East, China. After the fire in Mexico in the 90's I'm not sure where the bulk of Fender guitars are made.
I think there are many folks here who know a lot about this, but Mathijs is the most knowledge one IMO.

My opinion: stay away from Squier - lousy guitars. Another - my Custom is maple neck. I LOVE maple necks; but many new Customs seem to have Rosewood.

Quote
Koen
Where do you live?

I live in Kensington, md near DC. I don't mind paying more for the American made. I understand that the one for Mexico is good but I want my guitar to be from the USA. I own a couple of guitars and they are american. I prefer French cheeses, Japanese sushi, salvadorean pupusas too.
Although globalisation may make us doubt the importance of "appellation d'origine" , I still believe that "savoir faire" based on a long tradition is essential.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Apart from the Custom Shop, are there Telecaster Custom '72 reissue made in the US ? I dont know.

So I would say you have to either go with the original or a used custom shop from 2013 or 2010. The latter will take some time to track down. Although originals in black with maple necks are hard to find too.

Quote
gwen
Apart from the Custom Shop, are there Telecaster Custom '72 reissue made in the US ? I dont know.

So I would say you have to either go with the original or a used custom shop from 2013 or 2010. The latter will take some time to track down. Although originals in black with maple necks are hard to find too.

Probably in part due to the Keith effect

Quote
Spud

Quote
gwen
Apart from the Custom Shop, are there Telecaster Custom '72 reissue made in the US ? I dont know.

So I would say you have to either go with the original or a used custom shop from 2013 or 2010. The latter will take some time to track down. Although originals in black with maple necks are hard to find too.

Probably in part due to the Keith effect

IMO the maple necks are so much softer than rosewoods.

I have located one American made in NYC: $1400.00. It is double the price compare to a mexican made but I am interested. I want to speak with the seller first. What questions should I ask?
Rock and roll,
Mops

Quote
rollmops
What questions should I ask?

I'm in no way an expert but I'd ask:
- date of purchase
- serial number
- purchase bill
- history and previous owners
- CoA if applicable (Custom Shop)
- has it been modified?
- have the frets been changed? Are they in good shape
- has it been damaged? Bumps, etc.
- As many photos as you can.

If the model is recent (after 80s AFAIK) you can send the serial to Fender (see their website), they will come back to you with the factory setup and dates for the guitar. If it doesnt match what the owner says, stay away.

And anyway : if anything sounds fishy, stay away. If the seller sounds unwilling to answer a question, gets irritated by your questions, doesn't have the time to make a photo or a video, stay away.

Oh and by the way: I did ask Mathijs about the guitar before I purchased it. He was kind enough to give his advice (looks genuine, price ok) from the photos I sent.

Quote
gwen
Oh and by the way: I did ask Mathijs about the guitar before I purchased it. He was kind enough to give his advice (looks genuine, price ok) from the photos I sent.

Thank you Gwen. It's from a store in NYC but I haven't spoken with them yet. I spoke with a Fender dealer from Arizona on the phone who gave me the internet link to the NYC store. The Arizona guy told me that the guitar was a first hand; I am not sure how true that can be. I will call the NYC store and ask the questions. Then if it sounds good I could shedule a short trip to NYC, check out the guitar and also the rolling stones exhibition.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Play it first before buying!

Any love for the de luxe 72?

Quote
rollmops
I would like to buy a tele custom 1972 similar to Keith richards'. What should I know about the ones that are on the market? Is it a good guitar, where to buy it and how much? Thank you for your help.
Rock and roll,
Mops

I think I know how you should go about buying your guitar - watch this [www.youtube.com] .... maybe Keith's available!

Quote
rollmops
I would like to buy a tele custom 1972 similar to Keith richards'. What should I know about the ones that are on the market? Is it a good guitar, where to buy it and how much? Thank you for your help.
Rock and roll,
Mops

What you should know is that in the originals the pickups that look like humbuckers have a completly different construction. Nowadays they just put standard humbuckers into the reissues, but they are hugh differences in sound.

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-12-25 22:31 by firebird.

Quote
firebird
What you should know is that in the originals the pickups that look like humbuckers have a completly different construction. Nowadays they just put standard humbuckers into the reissues, but they are hugh differences in sound.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Thanks ! Very interesting!

I wonder though what pickups are used for the custom shop reissues.

Thanks firebird! Interesting thread. I will purchase a custom 72 and/or a de luxe - please keep this thread going if you have info on facts one needs to know.