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Author
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Colo Springs E
Registered: March 2003
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 5288
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Review Date: Wed February 9, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 4
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Pros:
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Tone, playability, uniqueness
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Cons:
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Heavy; Strat headstock
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I'm on the fence, not sure to go with "Great" or "Excellent" as the overall score. Either way, this is an awesome guitar. I must confess, the normal new street price is a bit steep in my opinion (I think they go for about $625 plus tax at places like Musicians Friend). Mine has a MAJOR chip/ding along the edge, so I was able to trade a MIM Fat Strat and an Art & Lutherie solid top acoustic straight up for it. I think that's a good deal, as I would've gotten no more than $475 tops selling those two guitars outright, and I don't have to bother with eBay, shipping, etc. The chip in the finish doesn't bother me at all (it is big though, about the size of a US quarter).
I've heard criticism of these new "wide-range" humbuckers. I can only tell you this: from the moment I walked out the door with the guitar, I started thinking about what pickups I'd swap into it: maybe a Seymour Duncan JB, maybe a "Phat Cat" for the neck (humbucker sized P90)... Well, I'm done thinking about pickup swaps. These pickups sound SWEET through my rig! Great Rolling Stones type tones in there, and I am surprised at how articulate the string-to-string definition is when clean. 2 vol, 2 tone, and 3-way switch is essentially a Les Paul setup. I prefer this to the traditional Tele 1 vol, 1 tone setup.
The vol and tone knobs work well. Backing off the vol "cleans up" the tone greatly, while backing off the tone "smooths" it out. After the halfway point though, both vol and tone are a little dark and "incomplete" sounding.
The neck feels AWESOME! It is fairly fat, with big frets and a nice flat radius--I don't like vintage radius on guitars. I can do monster bends with no fretout, and set with very low action. Though the neck is finished, it isn't sticky at all, even after playing a long time. The neck is AIRTIGHT in the pocket, something that really matters to me. It's got the "bullet trussrod" adjustment, where it sticks way out the headstock.
6-saddle design. Again, some purists won't care for this, but I've always prefered 6 saddles. May eventually throw Graphtechs on it just to spend money. :)
This thing is Les Paul heavy; doesn't bother me, but I know others don't like that. Mine is black, and thus Alder. I think the burst or natural ones are Ash?
The big fat Strat headstock... I've always DETESTED those big Strat headstocks on Strats, and couldn't imagine I'd want one on a Tele--after all, the Tele headstock is the coolest headstock ever invented. But... it's starting to grow on me. Plust I can use it to keep our bassist in line. :)
Overall, a great guitar. If you're looking for an unusual Tele design that has tons of vibe and mojo, give the 72 Deluxe Reissue a try.
Click on link to see both my Teles (the other is a MIM Standard that I finished in sort of a Daphne Blue)...
http://www.pixhost.com/pixe/emhancock/twoteles.jpg
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Think I'll pack it in and
Buy a pickup
Take it down to LA...
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stratovarious
Registered: February 2005
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Thu February 17, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 4
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I just played one at length today. I remember when the originals came out. I bought a Strat then instead. Nobody thought Fender could "do" a humbucker well back then, and nobody knew Seth Lover designed that pickup.
Anyhow, there is a lot to like about these -- even if it is about as un-Tele as it gets.
I heard all the whine about the pickups being no good. I strongly disagree. They sound just like the ones from 1972 -- I remember; they're wonderful, very balanced, articulate and full-ranged. They remind me of DiMarzio's new Eric Johnson humbuckers.
The only thing I want to criticize is the neck. On the one I played it's unlike the original. The reissue's neck was outright huge from the nut on, big round U-shape. That would take me some getting used to. It's even larger than my SRV Strat.
Overall, though, I thought It is a delightful re-issue. Gosh, I love those big, goofy headstocks, especially on this Tele Deluxe!
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--pling, pling, twang, twang
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Heather Anne Peel
Registered: August 2005
Location: Nowhere
Posts: 3000
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Review Date: Thu February 2, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $625.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Awesome vibe, look, feel, sound, playability, construction.
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Cons:
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None.
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Since buying my 2005 Fender '72 Telecaster Deluxe Re-issue in September 2005 it, along with my 2000 Fender '72 Telecaster Custom Re-issue (which I got in November 2002), has become my numero uno guitar! This guitar is awesome! I had a friend and bandmate in the '80s who had a '76 Tele Deluxe in black (mine is too) and my re-issue is every bit as good! I can't say enough about this great guitar, I love it. With the Strat neck and headstock, dual Wide Range humbuckers, the contoured body, sleek maple neck and cool black finish it rocks! My '72 Tele Custom (also with a black finish/maple neck) comes really close, but the Deluxe is my fave. I have 4 other Teles besides these, which are all great, but these are the ultimate Teles in my mind. Total Rock 'n Roll guitars, and the "Keith factor" makes them even cooler! I am very glad Fender re-issued both the Tele Deluxe and the Tele Custom. Highly recommended!
:-)Heather Anne Peel
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maxwedge
Registered: September 2006
Location: little egg harbor N.J.
Posts: 15
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Review Date: Thu December 28, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Had mine a little over a year now, so I am ready to form a opinion. Buy one. Excellent neck and the pickups rock. jim
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jim]
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