Hello,
referring to Fender they changed the models from the older series to the new (vintage correcter) "American Vintage" series in 1998/1999:
http://namm.harmony-central.com/Newp...ge-Series.html
My '52 RI Telecaster is from 1999 and it has a chunkier neck than the earlier guitars. Howerver this "chunkier" neck is still much slimmer than the necks of the Custom Shop Nocaster models.
Klaus