Is the 52 RI discountinued or just hard to find?

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Ortho

I think in the midst of this, while appreciating the 52 RI (not necessarily the price) there's no need to be more "Fender" than Leo. Leo Fender clearly saw inherent issues with the original design (microphony, intonation) and worked on that original design and regarded his later designs with G&L as his his best work.

Amusing that you'd point this out. It is said the boys at G + L bullied Leo into letting them introduce the ASAT Classic, a sort of re-introduction of the AV52.
He did not want to. He liked the ASAT Special just fine.

Of all the many G + L models, which one has big issues with pickup squeal?

The ASAT Classic, of course.



++

Here's my current thought. If you find the AV52 too expensive to buy, just make one yourself. No guitar is easier to assemble and get sounding great. FMIC is just trying to force you to do something you've been meaning to do all along, so get after it!

[Ortho]

Boris b, thanks for following up on this. Gotta love it when even Leo Fender might be accused of hating Fenders.

[tomtheguitarguy]

Originally Posted by Scott Auld

Ok, so your beef is that retailers are overcharging

It's not $2K, it's $1480. Remember? And that's with the dealer markup. You are blaming FMIC for what is partly dealer profit.

And .. it's not $1480 worth of hardware and labor ... it's $1480 worth of demand.

I think he was referring to this post:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

The only time they were priced right was when they first came out at $600 with tweed case.

Retail now is $2300 and the steet price at most places is $1840 in the USA.

They are good guitars just overpriced.

[Mark Davis]

The problem is they arent $1480 they are $1840 see the link.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...&CJPID=1571798

[Aaron G]

"And that's with the dealer markup. You are blaming FMIC for what is partly dealer profit"

Fender makes a whole lot more than the dealer does. If you want your local dealer to stay in business they probably need to make a little something to pay for rent, insurance, floorplan, inventory, lights.... Besides, FMIC is the party who decided the price.

[Mark Davis]

The 52 ri costs the dealer $1150 they sell for $1840 so the dealer is making close to $700 profit out of that comes his costs utils pay the help insurance etc.

[garytelecastor]

I think one thing that is being overlooked is the after-market demographic.
Fender is doing the same thing Gibson is doing.
They know that their guitars are likely to appreciate in value and they are trying to compensate for that in the new market.
It's not like Fender doesn't realize that 57 strat can go for 50K+.
I think it makes them angry that they do the work and the buyer makes the profit so they are striking out.
Remember the Les Paul market when 50's LP's started to bring inflated prices? Suddenly new LP's started selling up to 5K.

[tele12]

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

Today's '52 RI's come with a case. Back in 1951 a case was an additional $39.95, which makes the total $229.45

Now you can compare ...

We could also say the 51 is more equivalent to a CS Nocaster which is now $2900.

[BuddyLee]

Originally Posted by tele12

We could also say the 51 is more equivalent to a CS Nocaster which is now $2900.

OH SNAP!

[tele12]

Originally Posted by Ortho

Pick up a current Les Paul Studio or one of the faded series medicrioties. Look at the price tag while you play one and say, "Hey, at least it's not that bad." Focus especially on the halloween green tuners...

A Fender MIM Roadworn sells for $949 and comes with Tex Mex pickups that sell for $70 for the set. A MIA Gibson Les Paul faded Vintage Mahogany sells for $799 and come with Burstbuckers that sell for $200 for the set.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by tele12

A Fender MIM Roadworn sells for $949 and comes with Tex Mex pickups that sell for $70 for the set. A MIA Gibson Les Paul faded Vintage Mahogany sells for $799 and come with Burstbuckers that sell for $200 for the set.

Which simply illustrates that Gibson not only rips people off on the LPs they buy, but gouges them deeply on the pickups, also.

Fender lets you into the party, so long as you behave yourself just so. Gibson bars you at the entry door. What's the difference?

[Post Toastie]

Originally Posted by garytelecastor

I think one thing that is being overlooked is the after-market demographic.
Fender is doing the same thing Gibson is doing.
They know that their guitars are likely to appreciate in value and they are trying to compensate for that in the new market.
It's not like Fender doesn't realize that 57 strat can go for 50K+.
I think it makes them angry that they do the work and the buyer makes the profit so they are striking out.
Remember the Les Paul market when 50's LP's started to bring inflated prices? Suddenly new LP's started selling up to 5K.

We need to remember that Fender and Gibson made 1 thousand to maybe 4 thousand guitars a year in 50s.Now they make many many many thousand guitars a year now so i don't see the idea that they need to compensate by overcharging for the new market ? In the future we may have a shift away from guitars and then all this overload of non collectable guitars will rear its ugly head.

[ADK Teleman]

Guys, I have to weigh in here. I love Fenders. I play them exclusively...Why? because I choose to. I have yet to pay any of the crazy prices you guys are talking about. I shop around and look and always get deals. I also see if these places like MF, AMS and Sweetwater really do beat prices of the competition. So far AMS and Sweetwater have beat MF and all the music store deals I have brought to them. Case in point...MF had the 20% off Fender products in the month of OCT...I called AMS told them and asked if they would honor it on an AM Standard Tele...not only did they honor it...they dropped the price to $1,000 even. I am willing to pay Fender's prices because I have never had a bad guitar or amp from them....just my 2 cents.

[usc96]

Originally Posted by Scott Auld

The Nocaster is being discontinued, but the 52RI will be forever. I hope.

The Nocaster is being discontinued?????

[Scott Auld]

Originally Posted by usc96

The Nocaster is being discontinued?????

In 2010, yes. Unless they changed their mind.

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Scott Auld

In 2010, yes. Unless they changed their mind.

Or so Mr. Eldred very carefully let everyone hear him say.

It will go dormant for a little while and be re-introduced with a "Nacho" type neck.

Everyone lives happily ever after.


And a 1953 Model offering will be introduced, bringing back what was once the No-Caster CS neck of 2009. More happy people.

[Ortho]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Which simply illustrates that Gibson not only rips people off on the LPs they buy, but gouges them deeply on the pickups, also.

Fender lets you into the party, so long as you behave yourself just so. Gibson bars you at the entry door. What's the difference?

And no mention of the rest of the "high quality" Gibson Faded Mahagony except the Burstbuckers...neck, tuners or sound? Good luck also keeping soft mahagony not roadworn...

In 2010, there will be fewer Gibson dealers (or previous dealers taking in new stock) and even higher prices...

[Twangman56]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

The problem is they arent $1480 they are $1840 see the link.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...&CJPID=1571798

True. But I purchase a new one from GC for $1450. Returned it and purchased an HR 52 for $1550 which they had to unpack from the shipping box, it was definitely not a display model. Just sayin'. Oh, and I suck at negotiating for a low price.

[amileaway]

I've seen a couple in the UK going for £1400 - £1600!

[drmathprog]

Is this the same model that the Fender WEB site calls "American Vintage ‘52 Telecaster®"?

[johnspierce]

Well, I bought my 52 RI brand new in 2005 for full list at the time which was $1195. I was thinking (at the time) it was a stupid thing to do, but I played the guitar in GC several times and it was just "home" -- and it still is!

Most 52 RI's are selling for at least $1000 on ebay, up to $1200 depending on condition / which way the wind is blowin', so I'm thinking my investment in 2005 is looking pretty darn good! It's still the best guitar I have ever owned.

I'm just sayin...

[jam]

The February price increase was an obscenity and a slap in the face of one of the most loyal brand cults ever.

JAM

[mellecaster]

Seems like this Thread has kinda "Jumped the Shark" ??

[sneakyjapan]

Originally Posted by BuddyLee

Um, last time I checked Fender Japan made a superior crafted guitar than Fender Mexico or Fender USA... the only thing they lack are good pups.(probably stipulated by Fender USA so the guits are not 100% superior to the USA models).

.

interesting since some of the Japanese Fenders come with USA p`ups...and have done since the beginning. Both my 1982 Fender Japan JV 52`s certainly did, and US made electronics too.
I own my share of FJs, personally there are very few current models that interest me...top end DiMarzio model and maybe some shop orders, but we don`t get to see them up here `cause most of the chains don`t have branches in this city. Better, well......Fender Japan has some real nice moels, some very average ones too...I bet if we looked hard enough...or maybe not that hard... we could say the same thing for MIMs and/or MIAs. I`m real happy with the MIJ Fenders I have and love my two 1997 MIA 52`s RIs as well.

[Telemarkman]

Originally Posted by tele12

We could also say the 51 is more equivalent to a CS Nocaster which is now $2900.

If we talk about specs, that's true.

But the 1951 Telecaster and the '52 RI were/are both regular production models while the CS '51 Nocaster isn't, so it's not really comparable.

Sorry to be nitpicking, but in all fairness we have to compare bread and butter to bread and butter.


As for the OP's question, the '52 RI has always been scarce in Norway. You'll only be able to find 1 or 2 specimen in our largest music stores, and they're all a considerable distance away from me.
Any Fender dealer can order one for you of course, but you don't get a chance to try it in advance.

With Norwegian prices now ranging from appr. $2900 to $3200, even at $1700 (incl. shipping and VAT) from Wildwood (2005) I think I did a very good deal.

[jam]

Originally Posted by mellecaster

Seems like this Thread has kinda "Jumped the Shark" ??

Chat happens.

JAM

[BuddyLee]

Originally Posted by sneakyjapan

.

interesting since some of the Japanese Fenders come with USA p`ups...and have done since the beginning. Both my 1982 Fender Japan JV 52`s certainly did, and US made electronics too.
I own my share of FJs, personally there are very few current models that interest me...top end DiMarzio model and maybe some shop orders, but we don`t get to see them up here `cause most of the chains don`t have branches in this city. Better, well......Fender Japan has some real nice moels, some very average ones too...I bet if we looked hard enough...or maybe not that hard... we could say the same thing for MIMs and/or MIAs. I`m real happy with the MIJ Fenders I have and love my two 1997 MIA 52`s RIs as well.

It would make sense that the '52 RIs come with USA pups, but I am sure that my '68 RI Antigua came with junk. The pups sound like crap and the pots are garbage. The neck may sound better with a nickle silver cover, but I am replacing the electronics asap.

Other than that it is the best playing Tele I own, even better than my '52 Hot Rod. The neck and fretboard are perfection. The fretboard is as slick as snot, and not a fret-out anywhere on the neck.





Just look at how nice that piece of maple is... I wonder, do they use Japanese Maple? I have never seen maple with that grain before.

[morroben]

Are they hard to find? I see them all the time. Fender shops have them new and I see them used quite a bit. There was one that appeared to be in good shape (from the pics) on the local Craigslist for $900 a couple of days ago.

edit: I guess they didn't have any takers. It was re-listed today at $800.

[wrk2321]

I almost picked up one for $1400.00 local,that included the case and a different wiring set up in case i wanted to change it.But i had to step back and re-think what i wanted to do before throwing that much cash down.

[BuddyLee]

Originally Posted by morroben

Are they hard to find? I see them all the time. Fender shops have them new and I see them used quite a bit. There was one that appeared to be in good shape (from the pics) on the local Craigslist for $900 a couple of days ago.

edit: I guess they didn't have any takers. It was re-listed today at $800.

I would buy it if I lived there and had the cash.

[sneakyjapan]

[quote=BuddyLee;2121341]It would make sense that the '52 RIs come with USA pups, but I am sure that my '68 RI Antigua came with junk. The pups sound like crap and the pots are garbage. The neck may sound better with a nickle silver cover, but I am replacing the electronics asap.


Just look at how nice that piece of maple is... I wonder, do they use Japanese Maple? I have never seen maple with that grain before.


though I see lots of Japanese maple trees over here, I`ve never seen a really big one, not like we grow em back home. ESP uses Canadian maple.
Not all FJs come with US p`ups and electronics...depends on the model. The plastic switch and tiny pots are standard on production models that I see, but they list which models come with US stuff in catalogs. The Antiguas are not in any of my catalogs...not unusual `cause it happens all the time especially with shop orders.