Fender Bullet Owners Club

[eyerish]

I did some horse trading and at the local Music store I finally picked-up a guitar I wanted to buy from them for awhile.

A 1981 USA Fender Bullet.

Hardtail,string through,burst with a beautiful tele neck. My photo skills suck,but believe me. The neck is gorgeous.

[eyerish]

[todaywefall]

hey - im new to this Tele .

always a fan of fender and found this page to be my favorite only because
I am looking to replace a fender bullet H2 that I once owned about 10 years ago.
Being my first guitar ever I do regret the sale and want to get an identical instrument for keeps now. If anyone wants to part with one Seriously I am interested in the purchase. I am in Tx but we will discuss the transfer/ship.

WANTED : 80's Cream/white Fender Bullet H2


joshuadmay@yahoo.com

[yoreel]

A big welcome to the club eyerish, is that a bit of birds eye maple on that neck or just camera flash ?

Also a big welcome todaywefall,
I guess someone may be looking that has one & wants to sell, let us know if you get one.

Leeroy.

[jamie cowan]

I just bought an 84 squire bullet neck for a tele I am building .. It sure feels good.

[eyerish]

Originally Posted by yoreel

A big welcome to the club eyerish, is that a bit of birds eye maple on that neck or just camera flash ?

Also a big welcome todaywefall,
I guess someone may be looking that has one & wants to sell, let us know if you get one.

Leeroy.

Thanks

Oh and as you all know its an 82 not an 81. I am a yutz but at least I am a nice yutz.

There is birdseye and flame and beauty grain. This neck is really good lookin'. The guitar is a great player too.

I have had lots of usa bullets over the years. Most I bought when they were new or withen a few years of that. The thing I noticed was how easy the necks would twist. But overall I dig the US bullets.

There is a standard us red bullet at the same store. I may vie for that one as well. The wild thing is. It weighs like a les paul.

[Gaolee]

The necks twist? Hmmm.... I must have got lucky with the one I have, although it is Japanese or Korean or who knows.

Anyway, the P-rail and switching pickup ring are here, as are the various pots and other bits to put it together. Since it's been bastardized in the past, I don't feel bad at all modifying it completely. I still don't know what color I want to paint it, since the current rattle can paint looks awful. But, I'll take photos as the project progresses, assuming I actually remember my camera.

[yoreel]

That's the first time I have heard about twisted necks on the USA Bullet, I have quite a few USA Bullets & some 80's Squier Bullets - Japanese & Korean, none have twisted necks, some set up better than others, but there are none I would call bad or that have issues or are hard to play.
I can't see the Bullet necks being any different to any other Fender neck really, the 2nd generation necks are all slim profile - so I suppose the fact that there is less wood could cause twisting.
There will always be good & bad with all models & I have played a few what I would call bad strats & teles in my time, its a fact of life really.

The only visibly twisted neck I have come across recently was an old WD tele neck, but I guess some necks could be bad from the off & come from bad wood stock. Another thing that could affect things, is previous owners that were not big on TLC, maintenance & storage conditions.

[yoreel]

Originally Posted by Gaolee

The necks twist? Hmmm.... I must have got lucky with the one I have, although it is Japanese or Korean or who knows.

Anyway, the P-rail and switching pickup ring are here, as are the various pots and other bits to put it together. Since it's been bastardized in the past, I don't feel bad at all modifying it completely. I still don't know what color I want to paint it, since the current rattle can paint looks awful. But, I'll take photos as the project progresses, assuming I actually remember my camera.

I would say modify to your hearts content & it would be great to see the refurb in photo form.

[eyerish]

The twisted ones I had were a creme USA bullet standard a creme bullet delux,both the first Gen Tele bodies. Maple necks of course. I had a 2nd gen walnut USA bullet with a Rosewood board that I bought twisted. I thought I could live with it. It sat in its case for about 6 years. I sold it to a person I knew from the Corona Fender Factory around 1995.

I have had maybe 15 USA bullets over the years I kept for myself,Then sold. A few bought new. The stores were blowing them out nearly as soon as they got them. Do not know why as they were and are fine little gits. I just acquired this one(see further above post). So 3 out of 15 is significant. Not too worry though. USA bullets are great little guitars.

I have my eye on a red bullet standard 1st gen. Rosewood neck.

[yoreel]

Originally Posted by eyerish

The twisted ones I had were a creme USA bullet standard a creme bullet delux,both the first Gen Tele bodies. Maple necks of course. I had a 2nd gen walnut USA bullet with a Rosewood board that I bought twisted. I thought I could live with it. It sat in its case for about 6 years. I sold it to a person I knew from the Corona Fender Factory around 1995.

I have had maybe 15 USA bullets over the years I kept for myself,Then sold. A few bought new. The stores were blowing them out nearly as soon as they got them. Do not know why as they were and are fine little gits. I just acquired this one(see further above post). So 3 out of 15 is significant. Not too worry though. USA bullets are great little guitars.

I have my eye on a red buller standard 1st gen. Rosewood neck.

Thanks, I appreciate the info, 3 out of 15 is significant & its all worth bearing in mind when buying any guitar & good to hear from people like you that have owned a fair few bullets over the years.

When you say maple necks on the 1st gen tele shaped bullets, I assume you mean maple board ? I have not seen a 1st gen bullet deluxe with a maple neck yet, but that no way means they don't exist & not sure whether it makes them a rarity, there are a few 1st gen maple necked standard bullets around, initially it was not an option in the bullet range, but the maples appeared sure enough.

Can you remember anything about that 2nd gen rosewood board bullet, as that was not an option either ?

The only 2nd gen strat shaped USA Bullets that I have seen with rosewood boards had 1st gen necks refitted, or were mid 80's Squier bodies with USA 1st gen necks.
Again - I am not saying they don't exist, because I firmly believe that the Fender factory had loads of parts lying around that were used on the Bullet range & maybe not meant to be used, I mentioned about the black bullets a few pages ago - black was never an option according to the Fender promo & ads - maybe there were rosewood board options available & they just have not found their way onto the market yet ?

[eyerish]

Originally Posted by yoreel

Thanks, I appreciate the info, 3 out of 15 is significant & its all worth bearing in mind when buying any guitar & good to hear from people like you that have owned a fair few bullets over the years.

When you say maple necks on the 1st gen tele shaped bullets, I assume you mean maple board ? I have not seen a 1st gen bullet deluxe with a maple neck yet, but that no way means they don't exist & not sure whether it makes them a rarity, there are a few 1st gen maple necked standard bullets around, initially it was not an option in the bullet range, but the maples appeared sure enough.

Can you remember anything about that 2nd gen rosewood board bullet, as that was not an option either ?

The only 2nd gen strat shaped USA Bullets that I have seen with rosewood boards had 1st gen necks refitted, or were mid 80's Squier bodies with USA 1st gen necks.
Again - I am not saying they don't exist, because I firmly believe that the Fender factory had loads of parts lying around that were used on the Bullet range & maybe not meant to be used, I mentioned about the black bullets a few pages ago - black was never an option according to the Fender promo & ads - maybe there were rosewood board options available & they just have not found their way onto the market yet ?

Yes I mean the fretboard. Old habit.

The maple necked 1st gens I bought new at the store. They had been there awhile and I bought both at the same time,for a super cheap price. I liked the string through on the delux so I played that quite a bit. Over time I started to see the twist. As in cork screw. The standard I played rarely but took it out to a gig with me to let the bass player checkit out(1986/87,thereabouts) He started to fiddle with it when he showed me the slight twist. Less pronounced then the delux but there. It was a beautiful neck too. flamed and eyed and all..

The walnut one. Had a rosewood neck that may or may not have been original to the body. It belonged to A person whom I had sold a lot of gear to. His band as well. He was always pretty trustworthy and I rarely found something not to his say on the matter. He said he bought it at pomona guitar store in 83/84(I don't remember) He said it was straight for years(I bought in 1995) Then when he was giving it to his kid he saw the twist(corkscrew again) It wasn't real bad and was still a player but visually it was a drag. While holding it in player position you would look towards the head and see the bass side at the head turned towards the treble side. I never found anyone who thought they could fix it. Back then these were still the "Cheap" student guitars they were intended to be,so no one wanted to mess with it. I sold it to a tele playing friend of mine and he put a tele neck on it in 1996. I don't know if modification was needed. It looked and played great. He was still playing it in his band in 2004. To correct myself. I bought the walnut 2d gen in 95 and sold it late 96.

So yeah Fender put out way more then their catalogs ever stated. Were these something unusual I don't know. A creme 1st gen standard with a rosewood neck was offered to me in 2002. I turned it down as it had the corkscrew and a hoop de doo as well. I like the USA bullets. I just look for or ask about the twist before I buy. The 83 burst s-3 deluxe I just bought is a sweety.

[eyerish]

The 1st gen red USA bullet standard at the store I just bought the 2nd gen from has rosewood. The whole guitar weighs like a les paul. I am really interested. But they don't charge for them like the student models anymore,thats for sure. LOL.

[eyerish]

in this post the poster has to the right in a photo a 1st gen creme with a maple fretboard. I dont see rose on the 2nd gens though

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/guitar-ow...ml#post1974173

[yoreel]

Originally Posted by eyerish

in this post the poster has to the right in a photo a 1st gen creme with a maple fretboard. I dont see rose on the 2nd gens though

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/guitar-ow...ml#post1974173

They are my guitars - The red with maple is the first Bullet I got that impressed me, its the Bullet Deluxe with a maple neck I have never seen.

I have many more now due to a bad GAS attack, but still no rosewood 2nd gen Bullets.

[eyerish]

Originally Posted by yoreel

They are my guitars - The red with maple is the first Bullet I got that impressed me, its the Bullet Deluxe with a maple neck I have never seen.

I have many more now due to a bad GAS attack, but still no rosewood 2nd gen Bullets.

You said you had not seen a 1st gen tele shape with a maple fretboard and in your picture the far right is a 1st tele shape with maple. Thats what I was pointing out. I have seen all the versions in all the configurations. I was a jobber and I also worked at a couple of music stores including GC.

Whats the story on the one to the right. You said to me that they were not offered that way. You appear to have one there.

You know ol' fender, pre,during and post CBS are pretty notorious for going off the map with their configurations.

[Gaolee]

Well, you can bolt just about any neck to any body with a little work and enthusiasm. It's no surprise the factory did all kinds of funny things, since we do funny things to Fender guitars all the time, because we can. They could do the same thing, only with access to bins and bins of parts.

[yoreel]

Originally Posted by eyerish

You said you had not seen a 1st gen tele shape with a maple fretboard and in your picture the far right is a 1st tele shape with maple. Thats what I was pointing out. I have seen all the versions in all the configurations. I was a jobber and I also worked at a couple of music stores including GC.

Whats the story on the one to the right. You said to me that they were not offered that way. You appear to have one there.

You know ol' fender, pre,during and post CBS are pretty notorious for going off the map with their configurations.

Maybe you read it too quick - I said I had never seen a 1st gen Bullet DELUXE with a maple neck.

The 1st gen maple necks, differ from the 2nd gen necks in that they have walnut skunk stripes as opposed to the later 2nd gen maple skunk.

The red/maple is a joy to play & the reason I got into the USA Bullets, I was so impressed with the neck, the ivory/maple has loads of mojo, a lot of wear on the fret board & even a cigarette burn on the headstock, it is not so good to play, but I have not spent any time setting it up, so it could probably be better.

I know I have two - I was just pointing out that the promo & advertising never mentioned maple neck options, which stated the 1st gen Bullets were available with a maple neck & rosewood board.

But as we all know with all things Fender, more options were available for various reasons. I think workers just used up what was around in the factory at the time, the bullets were not meant to have painted numbers on the knobs, we all know that they are strat knobs, so I guess the workers just picked up painted strat knobs because they were there.

[yoreel]

I would be interested to hear about any twisted neck problems concerning the USA Fender Bullet, anyone else experienced the problem ?

"eyerish" has come across quite a few on the many he has owned over the years, I have 23 USA Bullets & two USA Bullet Basses & none have twisted necks.

Also if anyone has any info as to the theory behind twisted necks ?

[eyerish]

Originally Posted by yoreel

I would be interested to hear about any twisted neck problems concerning the USA Fender Bullet, anyone else experienced the problem ?

"eyerish" has come across quite a few on the many he has owned over the years, I have 23 USA Bullets & two USA Bullet Basses & none have twisted necks.

Also if anyone has any info as to the theory behind twisted necks ?

I can say I have never come across a twisted Bullet Bass neck. Those I have seen/handled and heard about, have always been top notch.

I think USA bullets overall are top notch,just saying.

The red one I mentioned I am interested in has the slightest to it so I noticed. Right at the headstock. I may still buy it as it is nearly imperceptible. I think the rosewoods are less likely to twist,for obvious reasons.

I just went and looked the red one today(tomorrow is payday).