CIJ Fender TL-72 Legit?

[lm420]

Hi Guys,

Great forum here! Lot's of very helpful information! Please help me identify if my CIJ Tele TL-72 is legit or not, it does feel, sound and look very legit but after opening the neck, I didn't find any date stamps or any marking on the neck pocket, although it has those small pin holes which are common in Japan made guitars. There is a "D2" stamped on the neck heel and no date as well, so the body and neck may really be a match. The gap for the truss rod access is also bigger than what I normally would see in legit Teles, it seems like it has been made bigger in the factory because it is also finished with the final poly top coat.

The previous owner claims that the guitar was bought used in Tokyo some time ago and the only modification done was the change to US Pickups. I am attaching some pics for your reference. Please do have a look and give me your trustful opinions. I have read somewhere that most Japan made Fender Teles have those neck stamps on the heel and neck pocket but not all. Any info would be of great help.

After going through the Net, I conclude that it could be a 1994-2000 TL-72-65 and even saw it in the 1993,94,97 Twang Catalog, but still puzzled why it doesn't have those markings, thinking that the Japanese are stamp-happy.

Here are the pics:









Here's the shot with bigger gap:


Neck:


Ferrules insertion look great:


Please Help!

[lm420]

Anyone? :)

[sneakyjapan]

Nothing marked on the bridge plate?

[lm420]

It just says the typical Fender Patent Pending, no serial.

[sneakyjapan]

Well the number on there would`t be the serial since there is one on the neck...I own a 72-55 Fender Japan tele from the Zinger series...had two identical ones but sold one off...and they were marked 72-55 in the pocket and on the neck plus they had the blue 55 sticker on the back of the headstock. In your case...there is nothing like that, certainly looks good in some of your pics...I have seen those tuners before, the body looks like sen...a good sign...your pots however don`t have made in Japan on them like mine...but I don`t own any CIJ models...mine are all older, MIJ versions so I`m not as familiar with the CIJ stuff. Anyways...mine is a -55 model meaning it retailed for 55,000 yen in 1985 when it was made and pencil dated...so not high end but it doesn`t matter...it plays and sounds very good to me and thats the important thing...it might not impress many folks on the inter net but thats not why I buy guitars.

[Jupiter]

I've never seen one without the model number stamped in there, and the back of the headstock is rounded off quite a bit more on my CIJ....

[lm420]

Thanks for your answers! Would it be really be possible though that Fender Japan doesn't really put any stamp marks on the pocket and in my case just a D2 on the neck heel? It seems to be a match, no date/model stamp on the pocket and just a "D2" on the heel. The pots only says A250k, any more other clues? :)

[surfoverb]

i have a cij 72 from 2007 i stripped and refinished in nitro. 1 piece body, matched with a cij 52spl micawbre neck makes a just under 7lbs beast of a Tele

[lm420]

Very nice re-finish! surfoverb!

[kinkstah]

As far as my experience goes with Fender Japan Telecasters, which I happen to like very much, this one seems legit to me. Many details fits the TL72-65 specs: bodywood looks like sen/ash, 2 string trees, headstock decal, 8 hole 3 ply (B/W/B) pickguard, steel saddles... The electronics also seem stock (at least, they look the same that on the few FJ Teles I've owned or still own), right down to the caps (green, chicklett shaped), between tone and volume pots (most probably a .047 µf) and across the lugs on the volume pot (0.001 µf ?). BTW those mini pots are most probably stock.
According to Fender Japan, your guitar would be a 1997-2000 model (http://fenderjapan.co.jp/support.html)
Anyway, nice guitar : enjoy!

[lm420]

Thank you kinkstah, I also have a gut feel that it is 100% legit, just slightly surprised that it doesn't have that darn neck stamp. You're right, after inspecting all components and after going through the net and looking at similar models from the same period, the pots look stock and never modified. Cheers everyone who took time helping me out! If anyone out there has got more input, it would be most appreciated.

[Five-O]

I have a couple of Japan necks, which are great by the way, and yours looks legit to me. As for the body and other components, I'm unsure, but whatever it is I'd love to have it, all in all its one sweet looking Tele.

[PinewoodRo]

Looks very nice. I believe that up to 1996 they were 'Made in Japan'. the 'Crafted in Japan' is from 1997.

[kylef]

surfoverb - how did you strip the poly from the body?

Have a TL-52 I am thinking of doing the same thing on.

[Martinp]

I love the tanlines

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by kylef

surfoverb - how did you strip the poly from the body?

Have a TL-52 I am thinking of doing the same thing on.

easy-my hands and lots of sandpaper and time. Took about 10 hours of sanding.

I think I started with 400 to get most of the color off, then 600 to get the very thin poly seaer off, then 800 and done (ready for grain filling)

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by lm420

Very nice re-finish! surfoverb!

thanks! shes a looker allright.

[JesterR]

Looks like 71 fender, not 72, because it does not had bullet on truss rod, like 72 model.

[kinkstah]

I may be wrong, but I think "bullet" truss rod is a feature that came on Customs and Deluxes models -maybe Thinlines too (as well as the 3 bolt neck), but not on regular (standards) Teles.

[JesterR]

TL-72:
http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/tl72.html

TL-71:
http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/tl71ash.html