Chambered spruce top Tele's

jlskmi · July 16th, 2006, 02:00 PM

I'm wondering if anyone here would know the exact details & edition size of the chambered Tele's. I've got one for sale on ebay and am getting a lot of questions in regards to how many were made. The one I have does not have a spruce top it has an ash top. I have not run across any other ash tops. I bought it used from Gruhn's about a year ago. Thanks in advance...Jim

Joe M · July 16th, 2006, 02:43 PM

I had one (wish I still did) and was told when I bought it that it was a limited run of ~100. But, there were 3 or 4 different configurations; I don't know if that number was for all the different types or for each of them. MF has been advertising an ash top one for the last several issues of their catalog and the description says "limited quantity". From what I've heard from others, Fender is pretty closed mouthed about how many were actually made, which is the way they are about most of their guitars.

Tom S · July 16th, 2006, 03:28 PM

I'd love to hear some hard facts about these myself, but I'm not very confident that anyone can provide them.

I own a natural spruce-top myself. The best I can ferret out is that these were FSRs, possibly intended for some specific distribution (probably as a special order by some retailer), but ended up in the broader retail channel instead, meaning that instead of one retailer's exclusive, they were ultimately offered by a number of different retailers (e.g., 12th fret, Guitar trader, possibly others). I can't say that this is fact, though, by any means, just hearsay.

As to numbers produced, I'd say it's near impossible to know. Fender apparently won't provide that info, and lacking that, anything else is going to be conjecture. As FSRs, the quantity of each would be in the neighborhood of 100 each to 250 each, but that's not very definitive or reliable.

I think it's fair to say that relatively speaking, there aren't very many of them.

There seemed to be at least three flavors of these chambered teles:
Spruce-top in natural (some may call it butterscotch)
Spruce-top in cherry-burst finish
Ash-top in crimson transparent finish (?) (not sure of the exact color)

It seems the first to get sold out were the natural spruce-tops. Is that because they were fewer in number or just more desireable? I can't say. The next to go seemd to be the cherry-burst spruce-tops. There are still a few ash-tops around for sale new. The three versions may have been made in three separate batches, released one at a time, but I don't really know. Remember, these are my own observations and tidbits of info I've collected here and there, not definite facts, so they may not be accurate.

As for specs, these guitars seem to be virtually identical to the AV52RI (outside of the chambering and the tops, of course) with the exception of the ash-top which came with a rosewood board. I can't recall offhand whether that guitar was offered at all with a maple board, but I don't think so. I also think it was the only one offered with rosewood. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because I don't know for sure. The wiring seems to be modern, they have the delta-tone pot, and they did come with all the same case candy as the '52RI (AFAIK): extra six-saddle barrel-type bridge, ashtray, etc. Tweed case standard.

Anyway, you probably know most of this, and I'm sorry I can't be of any more help. It would be great if someone else could provide more definitive information from any credible sources.

Damn nice guitars, in any case, unique and very cool, IMHO.

OaklandA · July 16th, 2006, 05:50 PM

i have a cherry burst. I was told that only 100 of the natural Sruce tops were made. I've heard varying numbers on the other two models. I've heard both 150 and 250...so who knows?

Now with Fender making another limited run for MF the numbers could get a bit muddled up.

Tom S · July 16th, 2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OaklandA

i have a cherry burst. I was told that only 100 of the natural Sruce tops were made. I've heard varying numbers on the other two models. I've heard both 150 and 250...so who knows?

Now with Fender making another limited run for MF the numbers could get a bit muddled up.

Yeah, who knows. I wasn't aware that MF was getting another run of the naturals...interesting. Well see. They had had another run of the '69 thinline flame listed as due in August, too, but that's completely gone from the site now. Maybe they already filled as many orders as they could handle? I doubt that, so who knows. Are they just testing the waters with the coming spruce top? Hmmmm....

July 16th, 2006, 02:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
jlskmi NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7	Chambered spruce top Tele's I'm wondering if anyone here would know the exact details & edition size of the chambered Tele's. I've got one for sale on ebay and am getting a lot of questions in regards to how many were made. The one I have does not have a spruce top it has an ash top. I have not run across any other ash tops. I bought it used from Gruhn's about a year ago. Thanks in advance...Jim

July 16th, 2006, 05:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
OaklandA Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,611 28 Photos	i have a cherry burst. I was told that only 100 of the natural Sruce tops were made. I've heard varying numbers on the other two models. I've heard both 150 and 250...so who knows? Now with Fender making another limited run for MF the numbers could get a bit muddled up. __________________ ________________________ _________________ ___________ That's what she said.

July 16th, 2006, 02:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
Joe M Moderator Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,198	I had one (wish I still did) and was told when I bought it that it was a limited run of ~100. But, there were 3 or 4 different configurations; I don't know if that number was for all the different types or for each of them. MF has been advertising an ash top one for the last several issues of their catalog and the description says "limited quantity". From what I've heard from others, Fender is pretty closed mouthed about how many were actually made, which is the way they are about most of their guitars.

July 16th, 2006, 03:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tom S Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,211 49 Photos	I'd love to hear some hard facts about these myself, but I'm not very confident that anyone can provide them. I own a natural spruce-top myself. The best I can ferret out is that these were FSRs, possibly intended for some specific distribution (probably as a special order by some retailer), but ended up in the broader retail channel instead, meaning that instead of one retailer's exclusive, they were ultimately offered by a number of different retailers (e.g., 12th fret, Guitar trader, possibly others). I can't say that this is fact, though, by any means, just hearsay. As to numbers produced, I'd say it's near impossible to know. Fender apparently won't provide that info, and lacking that, anything else is going to be conjecture. As FSRs, the quantity of each would be in the neighborhood of 100 each to 250 each, but that's not very definitive or reliable. I think it's fair to say that relatively speaking, there aren't very many of them. There seemed to be at least three flavors of these chambered teles: Spruce-top in natural (some may call it butterscotch) Spruce-top in cherry-burst finish Ash-top in crimson transparent finish (?) (not sure of the exact color) It seems the first to get sold out were the natural spruce-tops. Is that because they were fewer in number or just more desireable? I can't say. The next to go seemd to be the cherry-burst spruce-tops. There are still a few ash-tops around for sale new. The three versions may have been made in three separate batches, released one at a time, but I don't really know. Remember, these are my own observations and tidbits of info I've collected here and there, not definite facts, so they may not be accurate. As for specs, these guitars seem to be virtually identical to the AV52RI (outside of the chambering and the tops, of course) with the exception of the ash-top which came with a rosewood board. I can't recall offhand whether that guitar was offered at all with a maple board, but I don't think so. I also think it was the only one offered with rosewood. Take it with a grain of salt, though, because I don't know for sure. The wiring seems to be modern, they have the delta-tone pot, and they did come with all the same case candy as the '52RI (AFAIK): extra six-saddle barrel-type bridge, ashtray, etc. Tweed case standard. Anyway, you probably know most of this, and I'm sorry I can't be of any more help. It would be great if someone else could provide more definitive information from any credible sources. Damn nice guitars, in any case, unique and very cool, IMHO.