8502-American Ash Telecaster Club

To those of you that know and love this model....Welcome!

To those new to this Telecaster....
Let's hear it for the rarest of them all....The American Series Ash Telecaster, (8502 Model). Manufactured only from 2003 through 2007, in Corona, Ca. USA, and based on some of the 52' RI specs, with some very modern appointments.

Such as: "Modern Vintage" Pickups (only on this production model).
Chrome plated brass saddles
Steel Bridge plate
Delta-Tone Switching

Available only in Vintage Honey Blonde (black guard), and 2-tone Sunburst (white guard). Though some of the earlier Blondes had a white guard.

[IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll4/troubador6/374723.jpg [IMG]

A great model.

Would have done a beautiful job of reinforcing people's perceptions that the USA models were the ones to have, had this model been made available to more customers.

The failure to back this model up with serious inventory numbers, as well as the same for the Texas Tele, still has me scratching my head about FMIC.

Ah, the Telecaster that Fender failed to promote. Unless I should happen upon a real 50s tele for a silly price I don't see me ever replacing it. Even then I suspect I'd prefer the neck on this one. I have put in a 4 way switch but I can't think of any other change I could possibly want to make to this excellent guitar. In fact I'm thinking of reversing the mod because I hardly ever use the "humbucker".

I'm with BB....a great model. I only recently sold mine as I needed a jazz box more.
With the tort guard it was the best looking, sounding and playing Tele I've ever had.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/jazzrat/8502%20Tele/IMG_2314.jpg

I've always liked these, though I have never owned one. Was the body routed for two singles like '52, or did it get the H/S/H routing that is common with the American Series?

i have that same guitar. It was my first tele. It was exactly what i wanted. maple neck and ash body. The pickups are good too. I plan on keeping it stock.

hello hello hello !!!
its really nice post......
i want to join the club, what is the procedure:?::?::?:

I've always liked these, though I have never owned one. Was the body routed for two singles like '52, or did it get the H/S/H routing that is common with the American Series?

Mine is routed H/S/S like the Nashvilles. I think this is standard.

I did have an 8502 tele and foolishly sold it in favour of a G&L (please don't hate me!) ASAT Classic Bluesboy (semi-hollow, no f-hole). There was definately something special about that 8502's neck. It felt just perfect to my hands. Again, I should never have sold it. Thing is, I've played other teles with the same neck specs (on paper) as the 8502 but they never feel as right or the same. Can someone comment to explain why this might be the case? Please PM me if so. Thanks!

I've never quite known what model my tele is until I read this and think I may have just found out! It's a 2 tone sunburst with a one piece neck, the ash body and all that stuff listed. The only thing I found comparable in pics was the deluxe with the S1 switching but mine never had that. Is there a diffinative way of finding out? I bought it 2nd hand so just picked it up, played it and fell in love.

Kid, of you have a stock bridge plate with the 3 mount holes below 6 through holes arrangement, and your plate is magnetic (steel) that makes it virtually certain you have a 8502 model. There is a Classic Custom plate that may be magnetic also, but it has a little lip on top of the back edge of the plate. Every other Fender 3 mount holes below 6 thru holes type plate is chromed brass, I understand. If you got the steel plate, that's the Holy Grail. Bill Callaham and Glendale Guitars make a steel plate for those guitars but each is super easy to identify as aftermarket.

I have that!! The 3 screw mount and the steel magnetic bridge plate!! This is great, I've wondered fot ages what type I have and now I know, cheers Bubanov ;-)

Any idea what these are worth? I paid £700 (UK) for it a couple of years back...not that I'm thinking of selling it mind...

I have that!! Any idea what these are worth? I paid £700 (UK) for it a couple of years back...not that I'm thinking of selling it mind...

To give you an idea about prices, since this model doesnt come up for sale very often:

I was about to buy one (in honey blonde) for $925, including shipping, and in fact I did buy one, or rather I paid for one. But then the seller (the OP of this thread and founder of this club) changed his mind and decided to keep it for himself.

As wrong as that was, he was nice enough to give me a lead on another one
being sold on Craigslist in Philly . . . after some prodding, I got the guy to agree to ship it to me. That one, a 2 tone sunburst, cost me $800 plus shipping.

I'll be posting some pics of it and formally applying for membership in the club later.

Sounds like I paid a pretty reasonable price for here in the UK then. Wonder if they'll go up in value due to the limited run?

Gotta say that what a previous poster said about the neck is spot on - when I first played it what struck me was just how comfortable and smooth it felt. Never had that instant ease with a guitar before. Maybe I'll get some pics up on here later this eve..

One more thing, what is the neck profile on these? I've heard some saying U shaped but I'm pretty sure mine's a C....

Can someone explain why the 8502 neck felt so good to me (back when I had one) vs. other guitars with basically the same neck specs (on paper)? Is it the satin finish perhaps?

The Truth About The Blues;

http://www.fenderforum.com/userphotos/photo.php?id=35630

One more thing, what is the neck profile on these? I've heard some saying U shaped but I'm pretty sure mine's a C....


Chunky C?

Yeah, this "U" shaped neck stuff from Fender is just marketing speak.

They're trying to differentiate this one from the slim C neck on a regular series.

They do this on several models.

I haven't yet had a chance to take any pics of my 8502, but when I do I will be sure to get some nice pics of the neck. I dont know much about either the art or science of determining which letter of the alphabet a neck shape most resembles, but I can tell you that the neck on the 8502 is certainly chunky. I havent measured or done detailed side by side comparisons (yet), but if memory serves it is at least, if not more, chunky, than the AV52 and the 52 Hot Rod.

Here's my official application for entry into the 8502 club.

I'll get some comparison picks showing this neck vs. some other teles later.


http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss214/nvilletel/8502%20Tele/IMG_2119.jpg

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss214/nvilletel/8502%20Tele/IMG_2146.jpg

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss214/nvilletel/8502%20Tele/IMG_2121.jpg

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss214/nvilletel/8502%20Tele/IMG_2128.jpg

nvilletele,

Welcome to the Brothers of the 8502!

Anybody have an idea what the nut width is on these 8502s?

The reason I ask is that I really like the feel of the neck on the '52 Hot Rods (the one with nitro and the mini humbucker). Anybody know if the 8502 is similar in terms of profile, frets type/width, and profile?

From searching here and elsewhere I'd think the two necks would be similar but I figured I'd throw that out there in case somebody has played both or has more information. Thanks!

The 8502 nut width is the so called vintage width spec, 1mm more narrow vs a modern American Tele neck. A subtle but profound difference.

The 8502 neck should be similar to a fiddy two hot rod, but would have the extra fret.

The 8502 nut width is the so called vintage width spec, 1mm more narrow vs a modern American Tele neck. A subtle but profound difference.

The 8502 neck should be similar to a fiddy two hot rod, but would have the extra fret.

Thanks for the information! I'm been looking at a '52 AV Hot Rod - and I like the U shape neck - with at least that width nut. My fingers suffer from middle-age spread or some such and anything narrower - feels cramped to me. I guess my point is - I have a chance to buy a 8502 from a friend and wanted to know what to expect out of the neck before I bothered him. Thanks again.