Ok so I'm *actually* getting my tele now...

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

The website I ordered a £380 50s style tele from didn't tell me the little part about it not being shipped for more than 2-3 months... I was a bit at a loss and planning on changing website.

Until, today, I walked into my local guitar shop and found an 80s MIJ tele for £350, i promptly had a little play and needless to say am impressed :D. Its second hand so pretty beaten up/scratched in places and I was warned it may need refretting in a year or so, but yea. Still a fantastic deal and I can't wait :D

I had him reserve it for me, my old man and i are popping along with the cash tomorrow to get it :P

Yay!

x

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

Any comments on the deal? C'mon, people! :P

x

[Tom S]

If it's a guitar you really love, then it's a great deal.

It depends on your perspective I guess. I pity you UK guys for the prices you have to pay. For me, I wouldn't pay close to $700 U.S. for a somewhat beat-up 80s MIJ tele that may soon need a refret. But others might.

I dunno, it seems a little expensive, but I'm not really in that market...and I'm not in the UK.

P.S., I'd stick with the brand new 50s for another $50 bucks or so.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Sounds a little pricey if it's that beat up and needs a refret...?? Are you sure it's 'the one'??. I'd suggest looking around a bit more... Maybe you can find something for similar money that's in better shape...?? Having said that though, I mean if this one really speaks to you...?? Bear in mind the extra you'll have to spend refretting it so soon...

Maybe your original idea of the 50's Classic would be worth thinking about some more...?? Another dealer perhaps...??

Keep us posted OK...??

BBB.

[Bogo]

Sorry, I've no experience in foreign pricing or the models involved. For myself I'd probably not be interested in something needing a refret unless it's such a great deal pricewise or something that will have some real future value. I'd opt for new hardware otherwise. But that's just my opinion and subjective. You just need to be happy in what you buy.

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

Well, I did definitely like the sound and feel, and when i say battered its not that bad, mainly just paint scratches which can be easily fixed and that faded back its gotten from years of use... The fretwork will probably last a good year or two before its really that needed, which I can handle when the time comes...

An advantage over the 50's is that I actually get to play it before I buy it...One worry with the 50's classic is that the neck'd feel thicker playing it standing up (i tried it sat down) and yea, I don't get to try it out first. I think my dad might be trying to haggle him down to £300 tomorrow, but its a nice instrument and all the dings are purely aesthetical... The volume knob's lumpy bits are a little worn on one side but I definately like the sound and feel... Its definately talking to me and I like the idea of it having history... Each scratch like a war-wound from an old gig not forgotten... To put it poetically...

From everywhere else the '50s classic is £450 to play first, and online the other place with decent prices I checked out hasn't replied to any being in stock... I really like this guitar, it has character...

I'll probably have another little whack on it tomorrow, and maybe get my mum to go in and haggle him down a little lol...

[BritishBluesBoy]

Let us know how it goes... OK...??

Cheers!

BBB.

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

Yea, I reckon I'll be getting it. Afterall, I had him reserve it for me and he seems like an honest guy. He wasn't trying to push it on me really, and to be honest I didn't notice the fret work until he mentioned it at the end... He pointed out its fine for now but may need refretting in a couple years... Does anyone have any idea roughly how much that costs most places? I have no idea lol.

[BritishBluesBoy]

Hey Man,
I'm not too sure of prices back home but I'd guess somewhere in the region of a couple of hundred quid... (for a complete refret that is - now, it may only end up being a few frets, not all of them... so hard it's to tell really)

BBB.

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

Ouch that is steep... hmm...I'll try and get my mum into town to bargain with the guy, she's good, may get it cheaper and/or with a free set-up/possible refretting some areas... Still, its got history, and I like that. And it sounds good, and it feels great...

Anyways, I'm off to bed, see y'all tomorrow! x

[J-man]

The price you paid is OK, neither a steal nor a rip-off, the main thing is that you like the guitar.

For some perspective to our US friends, a MIM Standard generally sells for $600USD here.

[Willie D]

Keep an eye on those MIJ electronics. I never had any serious trouble with mine, but I've heard of people having trouble with the small pots and plastic switches. But the necks on those MIJs - oooooh la la!

Bear in mind that needing "fret work" and a "refret" are two different things, and where one player might demand a refret others would happily get by with some fret work (crown, level, polish).

Enjoy that Tele, it should be a really good instrument for you.

[chickenpicker]

Hi Mad. Are you getting a case with this guitar? The price is probably comparable with what theyr'e going for on eBay (i.e. a bit high; but if you sell it on, you'll not lose out as long as the market continues to be silly about old guitars).

My other concern is one of authenticity: can you be certain it's a genuine Fender? There are so many fakes now, I'd be really careful to check the finish around the decal; study the serial number etc. (although be careful about suggesting the seller might be involved infraud, of course).

Your problem now might be haggling the price down, since you've aked him to reserve it - although if he values you as a potential future customer, he might include sweeteners such as strings, gig bag, lead, strap etc.

And of course,if it's a "good" guitar, then its condition is not something to worry about unless it's falling apart.

[TDPRI]

Never buy a used guitar for the "asking price". Show up with 300 pounds in cash and tell the guy that's all you have. Take it or leave it.

He'll tell you to get lost.

You walk out the door.

He'll stop you before you get all the way out.

And, don't worry, if you can't live without it and he lets you walk out the door, you can go back the next day and buy it for full price without embarrassment.

My first Tele was a custom shop model. It was in a local store and had been hanging on a wall for a couple of years. It had "shop wear" which is some chips etc. It was missing the case etc. The price tag was $2,700 and marked down to $1,750 and it played like a dream.

I walked in with $950 in cash, asked for the manager, told him I knew it had hung on his wall for at least 2 years. I pointed out the damage and listed the missing case, etc. I laid down the cash. He told me to get lost.

I picked up the cash, told the guy that's OK with me. It can hang on your wall for another 2 years and I walked out.

Before the door closed he ran up behind me and said... "you'll buy it right now today?" And I said yes and it was mine for nearly half the price on the guitar.

You don't need your Mom. You can do it. He wants the cash more than you want the guitar. Never forget that.

Paul Green

[sidneystreet]

Originally Posted by webmaster

...You can do it. He wants the cash more than you want the guitar. Never forget that.

Man, I wish I could be as cool as you. Somehow, I always convince myself that I can't live without the guitar. Plus, I feel bad bargaining the price down "too" much. Maybe that is going to change!!

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

I'm a REALLY bad bargainer, my mum's much more used to this kind of thing, and it will probably be by credit card anyway... They aren't giving me £350 in hand... I bet at least I can get some fresh strings and stuff, and yea, I'm gonna double check the finish around the decal, and there should be a "Made In Japan" on the back of the headstock as well, right?

Hmm...I thought the electronics on Japanese ones were meant to be really good? I have a friend really good with guitar stuff (he won't touch fretting though) who can probably sort any electronics problems out dirty dirty cheap... To be honest I didn't notice the frets being that bad, and it probably would just be fret-work... I've already had it reserved and he said he could only do it if I was defo going to buy, but I'm just going to double check and stuff (especially authenticity) and give it another little play around...

Thanks again and keep advice comin'! :D
x

[Telemaniac]

It depends which model it is - if it's a standard Tele it seems a bit high, if it's a 62 RI it's possibly a bit low, I sold an 80s 62RI for close to £400 a year or so back. 80s MiJs are quite popular, but it's also easy to get the dates wrong, so check it says Made in Japan not Crafted - both have an Axxxxxx serial number but the MiJ will be mid-80s and the CiJ 1997-8. No difference in the quality IMHO but can lead to a difference in resale value.

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

It says Made In Japan on the front of the head stock, and the production code is E something I believe, which I checked and it'll be from the '80s... I'm getting my good friend Tony (well versed in the art of testing out guitars) to come along and check it out and try and get it down in price a little, and my dad may try getting it down to £300...

Well, either way, it beats sitting around for over 3 months for a guitar i haven't even played and as I say, it has character... I'll see what Tony says, he'll be able to haggle 'em down some if he thinks it should be cheaper...

Anyways, this'll probably be my last post before taking the plunge, thanks for all the help people and wish me luck! x

[Fatmanstratman]

Hmmmm... that sounds a LOT to pay for a guitar as you have described it. I have paid under £400 for MINT condition CIJ guitars - INCLUDING shipping from Japan.

You're gonna think I sound like a real old fart now (which I am) but you kind of remind me of my own youngest son (he's 18). When he 'wants' something he'll want it so badly that he'll jump in at the first thing that closely resembles it, even if we say to him "Hey - why not just sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning?". And then the inevitable happens - a couple of months later, and he REGRETS spending all his money on it, and wishes that he had waited.

Still - we all have to go through the "school of life", and you will be no exception, Mad Axe Man! Only YOU can make the decision, and only YOU will have to stand by the outcome. I really, really hope the battered old MIJ is the best guitar you ever buy!

But as you are ASKING for advice..... well, based on my own experience, and strictly IMHO, I would have done what others have said, and spent the extra £30 on a brand new 50's Classic (btw - £380 is a REALLY good price for a 50s Classic - that IS a steal). My 50s Classic is a fantastic guitar. I bought it used (but mint and heavily upgraded) from a friend of mine, and I'm SO glad I did.

£350 sounds like a lot to pay for a guitar that someone else has beaten the crap out of, and that will need some serious money spending on it quite soon.

Please.... just THINK for a while longer before diving in to shark infested waters and spending ALL your cash on something that you may regret later!

Good luck with WHATEVER you choose!.....

[Mad Axe Man From Hell]

Well, thanks for all the advice, but I went and got it. Its got a three month warranty for problems and yea... Basically, I had my friend Tony (much more savvy than I in such matters) come in and check it out, he said its all ok and is a great deal considering. Baring in mind its actually from the 80s, rather than an 80s reissue or whatever... I took the plunge and I must say I love it... When I say battered I mainly just mean a few scratches and chips on the paint work, but paint work only...

I did originally have the '50s MIM ordered, but it would involve waiting (literally) at least 3 months, but this just took me when I started playing it... I reckon I'll change the pups in a few years (or maybe less) and it may need some fret work (Tony said it might just need some crowning in a couple years or so), but I'm happy with my purchase.

I know it may not seem like a great steal, but yea, I like it... Although, I'm a little worried about one thing... There isn't a truss rod hole at the top of the headstock... Theres a little "egg shape" coloured bit where the hole normally is, and I'm a little confused in case its an indication of it being a fake or whatever, can anything clarify as to whether this is as it should be for an "Exxxxxx" Japanese guitar?

Cheers in advance! x