fullerton i.d. inquiry

[dymand68]

anyone familiar with these types of markings on a Fullerton 52? the flat side of the neck has stamped "7 1682"... there is no coa and 3 bridge saddle with s/n is mia, the case is tweed w/ duck foot pull; the pots are dated '81 week 30 and '82 week 09...all opinions appreciated

[mellecaster]

Looks correct for the ones I've seen & worked on....Checking of Topcoat looks authentic also.

[dymand68]

thanks for the reply..does anything other than the pots suggest an approximate date?

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by dymand68

thanks for the reply..does anything other than the pots suggest an approximate date?

The Plastic wiring puts it in that era also.

[dymand68]

you mention "looks correct for the ones I've seen and worked on".... I'm guessing that's more than a few?

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by dymand68

you mention "looks correct for the ones I've seen and worked on".... I'm guessing that's more than a few?

Well actually on the 82-84 Fullertons...maybe (3) total in 25 years ?

[dymand68]

fair enough,
point being you have seen that "VINTAGE" stamp and not a hand written date on necks/bodies from that era,,,this is something i might drop a large chunk of change on, and as many may be...i'm suspect with no bridge and no coa....i do appreciate the input

[user45]

Dan, thanks for sending me the extra pictures. The body top edge radius in new pic sent does look to be the same as my 1982 52, which btw, I bought new in 1982. Also mine has the same reddish line around the top where the pickguard edge is. The cracking in the finish is about the same also. Mine also has plastic wiring as yours, but my bridge pickup wires are yellow and black. The pots in mine have the exact same 378209 on them. I had to replace them a few years ago, but kept the originals.

Mine is a two piece body with the joint in the exact same place as the one pictured.

Somewhere I have a 6 saddle bridge that may have come with it but I never used. If I can find it, I'll send you a picture.

What is different.

My neck has 10-19-82 written in pencil on the heel. Not VINTAGE stamped.

I went and took a closer look at the eBay pictures and I also noticed another difference in the neck. The E/B string tree on mine is closer to the nut by about a 1/4 of an inch. It also bothers me that the waterslide decal is torn and misaligned. I'd say the body is very close to mine as a 1982 but the neck is not at all. However, it's my guess that there was tremendous variability back then, especially in a first year run.

My bridge pickup cardboard top is more gray then black.

Hope this helps.

ETA, I do really like mine, it has a nice slim C shaped neck the plays great. The pickups are great sounding. I've kept it all these years for a reason. The finish on mine is getting a bit fragile, it's thick poly and tends to break off in big chunks if it gets ding. For that reason I don't bring it out of the house anymore. If I could find a neck with the same profile, I'd build a copy of it to use when playing out.

[dymand68]

very helpful, mucho gracias
sounds like the body of your fullerton 52 and this one are right in line...the neck? hmm, maybe early 82? torn sticker at head is pretty odd, nice catch...the current not original owner mentioned that this guitar had a seymour duncan quarter pounder in the neck, and original single coil still in the case, he replaced original lipstick and is current condition....bridge pickup never altered apparently, other than swapping bridges to modern 6 saddle
...if this neck is not original i wonder what it's origin is, the markings "seem" to match the body

[mellecaster]

Here is a link to a supposed 82 Early Fullerton...look carefully at the bottom right pic...and you can see the large stamped "Vintage" on the butt end.
Click Here

[dymand68]

i exchanged a few messages with j the guitarman...based on all evidence i'm convinced mine is authentic and made the payment for my next new used telecaster!!! maybe i'll get a non original 3 saddle bridge eventually.....j the guitarman is proud of that one he has in the link- 4200+?

[user45]

Mine is exactly like this one: http://www.joetheguitarman.com/9%201...ain%20page.htm

Even the date writing looks like the same handwriting!

As I said before, lots of variability in first year runs, we should start a tread that documents the early re-issues and there differences, would help folks like Dan out.

[dymand68]

thanks for the link....yea, guys like dan, errr, me need to be helped out..ha, minimal sarcasm insert
i do know this much!, i'd give a small toe to have the orig 3 saddle bridge w/ s/n that used to be on my next new guitar

[Brock Lee]

"H.Gastellum" is Herbie Gastellum. You often see his body stamp in the 70's "Herb G." He had been around Fender since the 60's. At the time they began hyping Abigail Yabarra's employment as a Custom Shop bonus, they also wheeled Herbie out as "the guy that made the necks". However, for some reason his campaign was not as successful as Abby's.