NG(s)D Tele x 2
Received two teles yesterday in exchange for the godin multiac I had up for sale.
First is a recent MIM baja in mint condition, lighter than the one I had previously and has been upgraded with slotted saddles and has had a very good fret dress.
Edit: apparently it was bought originally and the upgrades done on behalf of some dude who was in saxon at some point or something, very tenuous provenance
Second and much more interestingly is a mid 80s MIJ 52 RI in candy apple red.
No date markings in the neck pocket or on the neck but the SN dates it to 85-6 though I know that doesn't mean anything. Certainly looks older with the neck darkened to a lovely, genuine amber.
It's in VGC but has certainly been played and will probably need a refret at some point, one very minor paint chip and the scratch plate has the usual warp on the top edge and has been worn shiny from pick scrapes.
Despite been strung with cruddy old 9's still rings like a bell acoustically.
It has full sized pots and a decent switch but the pickups do have plastic coated wire so aren't US ones as I'd hoped (outside chance I know). So probably upgrading the pickups and electrics might be on the cards at some point.
The CAR is unusual as I suspected, and the neck and neck pocket are both marked TL-52-EX which reading http://xhefriguitars.com/page9.html indicates it's a special edition.
All in all very pleased with itThere has been some questions about the MIJ EXTRAD guitars. The Extrad is a Japanese "Custom Edition" guitar, which is just under the Japanese Custom Shop models. They are dead on replicas of the original vintage Fenders, shot with 100% nitro and often use USA electronics. They made 52 Teles, some very nice Strats, some even with Lace Sensor pickups. The quality is better than Fender USA excluding the USA Custom Shop models.They were made in Japan too, so do not think they were made in USA and shipped to Japan. Just read the history (above) of Fender Japan and that is easy to understand!
You can tell if you have an EXTRAD a couple of ways. Often they wil have EXTRAD written on the back of the headstock or by the serial number. Some will only have EX on the part numbers located on the neck socket of the body or the heal of the neck. (See above) Many of the mid-1980s models will also have FENDER stamped on the neck plate.
Some poorish quality pics from the godin's new owner, the baja looks like a baja blonde with black plate
Last edited by paganskins; 20th December 2011 at 09:22 AM.
As MR forum gets so high up in google search results I'll also give a big up to the guy I traded with in way of a reference for anyone who googles him in the future for similar reasons.
He's William (Bill) Keightley of Worthing, West Sussex and was apparently a music shop owner and has done/does guitar repairs.
Pleasure to deal with and even sent the teles first without any comeback or protection with only my ebay, MR and basschat feedback to go on.
Nicely done - the CAR looks superb!
Excellent work.
I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said "The only thing better than buying a Telecaster is buying two Telecasters".
Originally Posted by jalapeno
I'm not usually one for red guitars but really like it in this case, wholly inaccurate for a 52 I supposeNicely done - the CAR looks superb!
Excellent work.
I believe it was Oscar Wilde who said "The only thing better than buying a Telecaster is buying two Telecasters".
cheers
I've been put right on the extrad thing by the tele gurus over on tdpri. Ex in the model name just means export (probably), the link above is full of duff info apparently. It's just a bog standard mid 80s 52RI just in an unusual colour and damn cool with it.
Love the Candy Apple Tele! That'd go nicely with my '85 Candy Apple Jap Strat
Love the Candy Apple Tele! That'd go nicely with my '85 Candy Apple Jap Strat
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