How authentic is the '52?

[dubele]

I was wondering......are the '52 re-issue specs absolutely true to the original?

I just bought a DRRI and learned on this forum that the DRRI is not absolutely the same as the original.

For the '52, I'm talking about parts, color, shape.....everything.

One thing I notice is that when I see a picture of an original '52, the color is doesn't seem to be the same as what I have. Mine is butterscotch....and has a slight orange hue to it.

How about the pups??

[lightice]

The colour is different cause it has aged over the years. Thus becoming faded, the pickups are supposedly the same, alnico 3.

The reissue has a poly undercoat, which is unlike the original which is fully lacquer.

Parts wise, they are the same, maybe the tooling is different, but essentially they should look and feel the same.

[aznrambo481]

don't pickups change over time as the magnets weaken slightly?

[lightice]

Yes it does, but fender allegedly weakened the pickups to make them 'aged'.

[sidneystreet]

Originally Posted by dubele

...One thing I notice is that when I see a picture of an original '52, the color is doesn't seem to be the same as what I have. Mine is butterscotch....and has a slight orange hue to it...

The color is a huge stumbling block for me, also. I would have bought a '52 Reissue years ago if I could have found one with a finish resembling any early 50's tele I have seen (aged or closet classic). The modern Fender butterscotch blonde finish is an abomination to my eyes. It doesn't look like a brand new 1952 tele, or an aged 1952 tele. They should just start finishing them in vintage blonde like the Baja and Nocaster, and be done with it.

[Mark Davis]

It depends on how critical you are.

There are lots of little differences like body radius headstock shape color finish pickups but from 10 feet away in a bar they look good enough.

I dont think Fender has made 1 reissue since they started in 1982 thats exactly like the originals but several independant builders have made some amazing clones

[GTO]

For the '52, I'm talking about parts, color, shape.....everything.

Aside from practical considerations, such as the electrics, the main differences are colour and body shape. The colour in 1952 was a beige blonde that faded and aged to either butterscotch, or honey blonde. The current colour is only an approximation of an aged guitar. The body shape is different in that the current '52 doesn't have the distinctive neck pocket ledge that all Telecasters and variants had for the first ten years of production. There are also numerous other detail differences, and these, along with the above, are 'mostly' dealt with accurately in the CS Nocaster.

[0le FUZZY]

...Most of the 1952 Reissues after the initial 82 models are zack-tick-lee like a real 1952 TELECASTER.

...They don't haff the protruding lip but sum originals dent either.

...They don't haff the "D" stamp but all the 52 originals dent either. Onlee about haff I haff ceen dew.

...The routers hump is much less obivious.

...The sweet spot is much less rounded.

..

...The cavities are the same rite down tew the 100th of an inch in depth, width and length.

...The switch and tuners are quite different yet are good copies. Caps and pots are much different.

...Bridges spec out the same but are marked tew show the repro.

...The jack support plate (Inside) is mounted at a slightly different angle and a liddo thicker and made of different material.

..

...Decals are now built with a much better mix and don't fall off and/or deteriorate as before.

...Color? Well it waz werked on by the best of the best at Fenner fer many years in the beginin. They did the bess they could tew compromise and contemplate watt wood be the bess for the market. They stressed over it fer months and months. I like watt they ended up with.

...There iss much more but----------------------the bass-mint won't care.


...

are the '52 re-issue specs absolutely true to the original?

... NO! but they are very close and exact in sum aspects.






0le FUZZY