Authentic Mexican Tele?

[makems]

How would I check that a Mexican Tele is authentic?
I'm looking at one where the Fender headstock decal seems to have bubbled and the nut doen't fit perfectly (it seems about a millimetre too wide).
I don't mind taking the neck off to check the serial number but .... what should I find if it's authentic?
Serial number is MN8456898

Mike

[oramac7891]

Comes back a 98/99 made in mexico-based on the serial number

[makems]

Ive looked at the pots which are CTS and the serial numbers are consistent with the serial number on the headstock.
The neck pickup is very quiet compared to the bridge pick up and has that sort of buzz you get when the battery is going on a pedal (know what I mean?)
I've taken the scratchplate off and there are no markings at all on the pickup - should there be?
I'm wondering if this pickup is original or not.

[soulman969]

You could check the reading you get from each pickup. If both are stock pickups the should be the same Alnico V's I have in my 95 MIM.

The neck pickup in mine is 7.28k and the bridge is 7.15k. If the readings aren't somewhere in this range then it's possible the bridge pickup was replaced with a "hotter" pickup and the readings would be much higher.

Conversely if your problem is with the neck pickup the reading might be much lower or based on the symptoms you describe maybe just a bad ground. Trace the ground (earth) and see if it's well grounded. Other than that all I can think of is a broken coil or a bad solder joint where the wires connect to the pickup. You may want to look at that too.

I'm sure some guys with more experience than I will chime in if there are other or more likely possibilities.