# Tele?



## chuckb (Feb 22, 2011)

Hey guys, I'm new the forum,and have a question? I just recently purchased a USA Tele with a contoured back. I'm starting to wonder if it is in fact a USA made Tele? It has the "fender" logo with "made in the usa" on the front and the serial# Z5019818 on the back of the headstock. I removed the neck to see if there were any markings ti indicate date etc but there was nothing. I removed the control plate to have a look and it clearly isn't usa pots or switch. The switch is one of those square box type switches that are seen on alot of MIM, china ,japan made guitars. The neck is all maple with a maple fretboard. You can clearly see the line where they both meet.The body is almost the same light color as the neck,pine, maple? Anyone have or seen similar guitars like this? Any help would be great in determining if in fact it is a USA made of a cheap knockoff.

Chuck.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

According to the serial number this is the info on that guitar _source_: http://guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx



> Guitar Info
> Your guitar was made at the
> Corona Plant (Fender), USA
> in the Year(s): 2005 - 2006
> ...


From Fender..
U.S.-made instruments: A “Z” followed by a number denoting the year followed by several other digits (A serial number starting with “Z8,” for example, denotes 2008). “DZ” denotes an American Deluxe series instrument, again followed by a number that designates the year and several other digits. “V” denotes an American Vintage series instrument (except for the ’52 Telecaster and ’75 Jazz Bass, which have their own special serial numbering systems), again followed by a number that designates the year and several other digits.


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## ocd4444 (Apr 4, 2011)

Looks like you most likely have a guitar with an American Neck and Mexican body. I have seen guitars go on ebay like this and the reason is because you can buy both pieces seperately and put it together yourself. Where did you buy it from and for how much? I hope you did not get scammed.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

American Deluxe has a belly-cut. Does it have body binding? I haven't looked at the switching on mine but I expect that the S1 setup looks different from a Std setup........


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## chuckb (Feb 22, 2011)

Yes, I was hoping that it was a usa neck. I took the pickguard off and had a look at the pickups and I'm pretty sure thaty are MIM pups. They have that magnet running along the bottom of the pu. The pots and switch are all cheapo as well. May very well be a MIM body. Are there MIM tele's with the tummy contour like on a strat? The bridge has only three mounting screws as well. All tele's that I've put together or worked on all had four bridge mounting screws. I paid $350.00 for the guitar so I guess I got a bit of a deal. I think the body is pine with a maple cap although I'm not to sure ,could also be Basswood?


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I heard that the fender in CAL, and Mexico is only 90 miles apart, and if one of these plants get behind on assemble,and the other one needs work they will ship the USA fender parts to mexico, or vise virsa too help get orders out , so this means that it could be possible too get USA ,and MIM parts mixed up..

Its not hard too tell basswood, its a softwood and white in color , look in the cavities.. alot of difference in weight between basswood and maple.Also basswood has no grain, maple does.


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Without seeing pics, it's difficult to provide any definitive answers. By the sounds of it though, I'm wondering if it isn't one of those cheap chinese knockoffs of a US Fender. I've _never_ seen a bridge with just 3 screw mounts for instance....


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

And, as far as I know, there's no Mexican Tele body with a tummy cut, and the only American one short of Custom Shop is the Deluxe - and, as referenced above, that would have a DZ serial number. I highly doubt you have a single piece or component of genuine Fender there, not even Mexican never mind USA. Lack of markings on the body end of the neck is another indicator iirc.


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

Callaham does sell a 3-hole for American standards, so I'm assuming it's a legit format - don't know when it might have been used. I don't recall seeing a modern Tele with a 3-hole but I haven't really looked that closely and I'm certainly not a Tele expert. My newer MIM is a 4-hole.

Is there an import version of the Tele Deluxe? I think those had the tummy-cut. (sorry at56...didn't see your post before I added this...)


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

There are lots of Tele experts over at the Telecaster forum www.tdpri.com 

Peace, Mooh.


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## ocd4444 (Apr 4, 2011)

chuckb said:


> Yes, I was hoping that it was a usa neck. I took the pickguard off and had a look at the pickups and I'm pretty sure thaty are MIM pups. They have that magnet running along the bottom of the pu. The pots and switch are all cheapo as well. May very well be a MIM body. Are there MIM tele's with the tummy contour like on a strat? The bridge has only three mounting screws as well. All tele's that I've put together or worked on all had four bridge mounting screws. I paid $350.00 for the guitar so I guess I got a bit of a deal. I think the body is pine with a maple cap although I'm not to sure ,could also be Basswood?


350 is your giveaway. Unless the person was crazy or the guitar is falling apart you will never find an American for that price. That sounds right in line with a Mexican made, was it said to you that the guitar is American made or did you just read it on the neck? Is there a serial number on the neck? If so what is it?


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i have two teles. both have contoured bodies and (3-pickup) electronics. one is made by local builder james kruger. the other is a tele deluxe plus from the mid-late 90s. it's american made, but only for a couple of years. at the time, i was browsing through a fender catalog and my girlfriend asked me which guitar i liked best, so i circled that one. on my 50th birthday it showed up in my closet, wrapped in a big, red bow.

it came with lace sensors, but now sports suhr pickups, as does the kruger tele.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Seen one similar to what you describe a couple years ago come through a local guitar shop. Turned out to be a parts caster with fender decals applied.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...i have two teles. ...one is made by local builder james kruger. ....now sports suhr pickups, as does the kruger tele.


Perhaps the OP can post a couple of pix of his mystery guitar? 

For that matter David, could you start a thread on Krueger guitars and post a few pix of your Krueger tele. Jim Krueger makes really great guitars and is all all-around stand-up guy. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing one of his teles from Original Dave at Encore - he had a couple in with suitably manly necks.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Hammertone said:


> Perhaps the OP can post a couple of pix of his mystery guitar?
> For that matter David, could you start a thread on Krueger guitars and post a few pix of your Krueger tele. Jim Krueger makes really great guitars and is all all-around stand-up guy. I'm still kicking myself for not grabbing one of his teles from Original Dave at Encore - he had a couple in with suitably manly necks.


...a guitar with a "manly" neck. that would explain why it spends so much time on the sofa drinking beer, watching hockey and eating pizza. does anyone know if jim has a web site?


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