Fake 52 tele?

no. The serial number will be somewhere on the neck (like the back of the headstock) or on the bridge in case of 52 RIs. No Fender I’ve ever owned has the serial number on the heel or pocket.

another question...the screws- pick guard screws, bridge screws, tuner screws, pickup screws, etc. are they flatheads or Phillips head screws? On a 52 Reissue, literally EVERY screw on the guitar will be flathead. Not sure about the non-52 AV series

 

everything about it looks like a 52 AVRI EXCEPT the serial number. I’m not sure how similar the 52 RI and the AV were as far as screws, etc probably pretty similar. I’d say it’s AT LEAST an American Vintage, possibly a 52 RI.

my 2000 52RI is overdue for a string change, if I get a chance tonight I’ll take off the neck and post pictures here. I thought the inspector was Gomez, but it may have been Velasco the more I think about it. J Velasco is def a Fender guy though.

 

the funny thing is that “92973” stamped on your neck heel. The serial number of my 2000 is almost identical to that, I think it may even be 92975, but it’s stamped on the bridgeplate.

 

That was correct until the last series of AVs came out in August 2012; with the "revised" AV series they began using the V + 2 digits for the year + 5 digit number format on all models including the AV '52 Tele - but on the AV '52 Tele it's on the bridge plate while all the other models of course have it on the neck plate.

The Fender serial number guide is wrong - the revised format starts when the AV/"Pure Vintage" series came out in August 2012. They just don't have the right year listed for the cut-off date when they are saying that 2014s follow the old format (i.e. every AV model but the '52 Tele have that V + 5 or 6 digits while the '52 Tele has 5 or 6 digits on the bridge plate).

Not the only serial number screw up on the Fender info page - they list the early 2010 numbers as being a "10" + 7 digits while they are really a "10" plus 6 digits.

For what it's worth the serial numbers are entered into that database you can access on the Fender website by hand - but for the life of me I don't know where in the process that happens. I've heard for years that someone at Corona (or Esnenada for MIMs) enters it once the guitar is ready to be boxed for shipping to the warehouse, but I've also heard that the dealer is supposed to enter the info when the instrument is sold (or possibly when it's received by the dealer).

So I wouldn't necessarily sweat that the serial number wasn't found in Fender's system since all the markings are correct and the serial number has the right format for a 2014.

 

I think you can tell by the 5000 different answers here, that no matter who claims to be an expert, nobody knows anything. Just mail fender and be done with it.

 

From looking at the pics, it’s 100% a 2012-2017 AV 52 reissue. Not a AVRI. The screws, finish, pickguard, knobs are all correct for the AV series. To me the best reissues made yet.

 

Fender's serial numbers have never been perfect. The best way to judge originality is the overall guitar. From what few pictures I can see it looks legit.
Here's a 2014 neck for sale the pictures are bad but if you look closely the part number 92973 is the same.
https://reverb.com/item/1449977-fen...-reissue-telecaster-tele-2014-maple-neck-only

 

have you emailed fender? gibson will respond to inquiries about serial numbers. if it's as recent as 2014 i don't see why they wouldn't.

 

I tried ONE number off from yours:



Maybe Fender just screwed up creating the database or stamping the bridge plate, or maybe you're misreading a 6 or 8 for a 0?

But honestly, that's a beautiful guitar and definitely a real AV '52. ENJOY!

 

Here’s my 2000. Oddly, mine is J Velazco with a z and yours is with an s, though I suspect they’re the same person. J Velazco works, or did work, in the Custom Shop.

 

In this case that's correct.

 

Hi.

Yeah, I know. I read the thread title, looked at the pics and thought “Yoinks! This isn’t going to end well...”

Pax/
DeN

 

My 2017 52 reissue is the same way. Reading this thread made me nervous until I saw your post. Lol

It came with the case candy and COA so I wasn't too worried.

 

What does that mean? What was their response? I am curious how deep your rabbit hole goes.