butterscotch, no serial?

[olwdillchips]

I saw a Fender butterscotch tele in a local shop, tried it and liked it alot, the guy in the store said it was from around 1990.

The strange thing was, there was no serial number to be found, not on the headstock, not on the bridge, not on the neck plate, he said it could be seen only if removing the neck.

Did Fender ever place the serial number in the 90´s in a place where you need to unscrew the neck in order to see the serial number? There was no "made in USA" to be found either.

 

[lineboat]

You better sniff it out real close.....

 

[SamClemons]

I would suspect it is a non-USA model and someone removed everything but the Fender part of the decal.

 

[jkrischan]

Sounds fishy. , if it's a BSB with a 6 saddle , it might be a AVRI that had the 3 saddle bridge swapped out, otherwise....

 

[rebelwoclue]

No serial number? Usually means at the very least, a modded out cheaper Fender or even worse, a fake/partscaster. The shop needs to prove it is a Fender if that is what they are advertising it as. But if you like it, just make sure you get a good deal for what it is/isn't.

 

[olwdillchips]

Yeah, the thing was, he said it was from 1990, and he wanted 1500 USD (in local currency), and even if it IS authentic, price seem a little expensive.

But, as I said, it felt really good, and it looked authentic to me, there were 3 things that made me a little suspicious though.

1. No serial to be found visible, and what I know, it will ALWAYS be visible somewhere (but I am not 100% sure, so that is why I ask)

2. The tuning pegs looked custom, but I am certainly no expert, so I don´t know. It just did not seem to be original.

3. No made in USA, or Japan, or anything. However, I think I have seen that before on some real Telecaster, that is, with no "made in...". But once again, no expert. So I am not 100% sure.

 

[olwdillchips]

Sounds fishy. , if it's a BSB with a 6 saddle , it might be a AVRI that had the 3 saddle bridge swapped out, otherwise....

No it was a 3 saddle, traditional T-bridge.

 

[jkrischan]

How about some pics?

 

[jkrischan]

AVRI 52 Teles have the serial number on the bridge, so if he bridge is changed there s no SN. They also don't say made in USA on them.if the owner wants $1500 he should be able to prove its real. Never have I heard of serial numbers hidden in the neck pocket. I would be very careful on this one

 

[Doorlord]

52 AVRI only has serial on bridge plate and inside. I took original bridge off mine for safekeeping and replaced with a modified Fender plate, so mine has no serial # at the moment. Open it up.

 

[jondanger]

Is the headstock decal over or under the finish? If you can feel/see the edges of the Fender decal on the headstock, I'd say you can be confident that at least the neck is a 52RI neck.

My 2008 52RI had a serial number under the bridge pickup on a sticker, but I don't remember if my 1998 had one there. To be 100% sure of what you're looking at, everyone will most likely say you'll at least have to take the neck off. For $1500, the shop owner shouldn't protest too much.

 

[telex76]

I'd make him take it apart and show me.

 

[jondanger]

Is the headstock decal over or under the finish? If you can feel/see the edges of the Fender decal on the headstock, I'd say you can be confident that at least the neck is a 52RI neck.

My 2008 52RI had a serial number under the bridge pickup on a sticker, but I don't remember if my 1998 had one there. To be 100% sure of what you're looking at, everyone will most likely say you'll at least have to take the neck off. For $1500, the shop owner shouldn't protest too much.

Correction: under the neck pickup on a sticker.

 

[dannyh]

Correction: under the neck pickup on a sticker.

That was probably the barcode label for the body. The number is the Fender part number for the body (like anything assembled, Fender guitars have individual part numbers for all of the components of an assembly). I believe the part number for an American Reissue 52 Tele body is 0018354. 18354 is usually stamped in the neck pocket as well.

 

[Five-O]

Sorry but I see an opportunity to vent....Never understood why Fender put serial numbers on the bridge and not the body and or neck. Why put something that important only on a part that can and is usually swapped out over the life of a guitar ?

 

[Tommyboy]

...Never understood why Fender put serial numbers on the bridge and not the body and or neck. Why put something that important only on a part that can and is usually swapped out over the life of a guitar ?

Yes, just like the car you drive...it's because they can make more money AFTER the sale if they sell you replacement parts.

 

[John C]

Sorry but I see an opportunity to vent....Never understood why Fender put serial numbers on the bridge and not the body and or neck. Why put something that important only on a part that can and is usually swapped out over the life of a guitar ?

Short of holding a seance and asking Leo I don't think we'll ever know what his rationale for that was. And he found possibly an even worse spot for the serial numbers on the very first Strats - he put them on the plastic back plate over the trem springs. Now those were even more likely to get removed, broken, thrown away, etc. than the Broadcaster/"Nocaster"/Telecaster bridges. Of course they changed to putting the serial number on the neck plate for all models shortly after the Strat came out.

 

[olwdillchips]

How about some pics?

Not sure I would feel totally comfortable going back there with a camera and snapping pics of it from all different angles. But I understand it would help alot, of course.

 

[olwdillchips]

AVRI 52 Teles have the serial number on the bridge, so if he bridge is changed there s no SN. They also don't say made in USA on them.if the owner wants $1500 he should be able to prove its real. Never have I heard of serial numbers hidden in the neck pocket. I would be very careful on this one

Yeah, I feel very hesitant. Maybe it is not the original bridge, even though it is a 3 saddle T bridge.

How do we know it is a AVRI 52 tele? Are all butterscotch teles from 1990 an AVRI 52 tele?

 

[tpaul]

Pics would help a lot. There are lots of little details that might tip us off if it's not what it's advertised to be. If the shop owner is serious about selling it at that price, he should be ok with you taking a few pictures to verify it is what he says it is.