Fender Tele Deluxe -> Elite, when did they change from glossy to matte neck finish?

[ChristianN]

The older American Deluxe Telecasters (not the humbuckers versions, but the single could ones that preceded the Elites) had a glossy neck finish that seems to have been sprayed after fret installation, because some of the finish goes over the frets.

The Elite Telecasters that replaced the Deluxe Teles have a Saying finish.

However, there is a transition period, starting in the mid 2000's, where the Deluxe Teles started getting the shaped heels, which then became the Elite heel, with a more aggressive shape.

My question is... Do ALL all, single coil Fender American Deluxe Tecasters have the glossy necks? OR is there a particular year that they were transitioned to satin, BEFORE being replaced with the Elite Telecaster line?

BONUS Q: Does anyone know the year that Fender switched to the compound radius that the Elite Telecasters had? Was the change made when the Elite Telecaster was released? Or before?

This is all somewhat tricky, as Fender seems to have made some changes over time, and their naming of models is a little tricky.

Thanks!

 

[John C]

American Deluxes never came with a glossy neck; they were always a satin finish neck, and yes the finish went over the frets on the maple fingerboard versions. I've played all generations:

- 1st Generation runs 1998-2003 - I owned a 1998 American Deluxe Strat, and while it was a rosewood board model the back was satin. The maple board versions were all satin. I played both maple board Strats and Teles from this generation.

- 2nd Generation runs 2004-2009 - I owned a 2004 maple board Strat (the v-neck model) and it also had the satin finish front and back. Every one of this generation I ever played had a satin finish neck (including the maple fingerboards).

- 3rd Generation runs 2010-2015 - never owned one but played quite a few. Again satin finish back of the neck regardless of fingerboard wood, maple fingerboard also satin finish.

You may be confusing it with the American Standards - they went to a glossy finish on the maple fingerboards in 2008, and that practice has continued through the American Professionals and American Professional IIs. Also sometimes the satin finish Fender uses can get glossy with use and some kinds of polishes, so maybe you have run into a few that had been polished to a glossy (or at least semi-glossy) finish.

As far as the "bonus question": The compound radius neck starts with the 3rd Generation American Deluxe - so 2010. And then was carried forward to the American Elites (2016-fall 2019) and American Ultras (fall 2019 - present).

 

[ChristianN]

American Deluxes never came with a glossy neck; they were always a satin finish neck, and yes the finish went over the frets on the maple fingerboard versions. I've played all generations:

- 1st Generation runs 1998-2003 - I owned a 1998 American Deluxe Strat, and while it was a rosewood board model the back was satin. The maple board versions were all satin. I played both maple board Strats and Teles from this generation.

- 2nd Generation runs 2004-2009 - I owned a 2004 maple board Strat (the v-neck model) and it also had the satin finish front and back. Every one of this generation I ever played had a satin finish neck (including the maple fingerboards).

- 3rd Generation runs 2010-2015 - never owned one but played quite a few. Again satin finish back of the neck regardless of fingerboard wood, maple fingerboard also satin finish.

You may be confusing it with the American Standards - they went to a glossy finish on the maple fingerboards in 2008, and that practice has continued through the American Professionals and American Professional IIs. Also sometimes the satin finish Fender uses can get glossy with use and some kinds of polishes, so maybe you have run into a few that had been polished to a glossy (or at least semi-glossy) finish.

As far as the "bonus question": The compound radius neck starts with the 3rd Generation American Deluxe - so 2010. And then was carried forward to the American Elites (2016-fall 2019) and American Ultras (fall 2019 - present).

Thanks for that information!
A lot of good-to-know stuff!

My Deluxe is confirmed a Deluxe by Fender

Maybe they were all satin, but the finish on my 2002 is certainly different than the finish on my Elite. In comparison, the 2002 is glossy.. Albeit not a high gloss, and like you said, the sheen may have changed. The finish on the Elite is far less less glossy and doesn't go over the frets at all.
Maybe the 2002 is satin and the Elite is "more satin?"... Or maybe matte? They feel way different to the touch. Maybe it's a different finishing juice?

These things, combined with the compound radius makes the neck feel significantly different. To some people, perhaps better, but it's not what I'm used to. For example, as far as the finish, the less "glossy" finish on the Elite feels faster, but my hands are used to the finish of the other neck.. And the shape, radius of the fretboard, etc, so the transition isn't perfectly seamless. I can play OK on the Elite's, but it isn't an automatic thing. The Ultras are even more off... Way more off to tell you the truth.

I'm trying to get a 2nd guitar that is the same, just as a backup and for different tunings.

The other thing throwing a wrench in my operation is that my 2002 Deluxe is black and I can't find any from that generation in black, anywhere! It was kind of repainted, but Fender confirmed by serial number that it was indeed black to begin with. I think the previous owner tried to restore it.

The refinish or fix was kind of a botched job, but i love the guitar so much, that it just adds character. I got it from GC and they had it priced as if it were practically mint. I tried to negotiate due to the finish, but they said it had to be in inventory for a certain amount of time before they could lower the price. My theory is that an employee took it in as a trade for way too much money, for a friend or to make another sale.

The thing is, despite its flaws, I had to have it so I paid up.

I had played hundreds of Teles before, but never found "the one" until this one. Who knows... Someone else might hate it, but it just fits me like a glove! It's made me write more music than any other guitar, and I end up playing it 95% of the time over my other guitars, of which I have 35 to 40 of.

I found other Tele of that era to work for me too, it's just that I'd like another black one.

Anyhow, thanks for the info. I'm either going to have to look much harder, or get another color and perhaps repaint it if I want to keep it. White would be cool too, but I'm not into the tortoise shell binding of that era. Just plain black binding and a black pickguard would have done it.

 

[ChristianN]

- 2nd Generation runs 2004-2009 - I owned a 2004 maple board Strat (the v-neck model) and it also had the satin finish front and back. Every one of this generation I ever played had a satin finish neck (including the maple fingerboards)

Any idea if the Teles also had a different neck shape?

I think the heel's corner was shaved off into a slope (not totally shaved off). If that's the only difference, perhaps I could live with that change for my purposes -- if the rest is the same.

If the electronics changed, that's not a big deal because I change all the guts anyway to something specific.

 

[John C]

Any idea if the Teles also had a different neck shape?

I think the heel's corner was shaved off into a slope (not totally shaved off). If that's the only difference, perhaps I could live with that change for my purposes -- if the rest is the same.

If the electronics changed, that's not a big deal because I change all the guts anyway to something specific.

The neck shape is going to be essentially the same across all 3 generations - Fender's "Modern C" shape. But you are correct - they go from the vintage-style neck heel to that early version of the contoured neck heel where the corner is shaved off with the 2nd generation model in 2004 (and the 3rd generation has that same type of contoured neck heel).

The Elite had a different neck shape - it starts as a C but it flattens out to a D shape as you move down the neck. The current American Elites are a D shape.

Thanks for that information!
A lot of good-to-know stuff!

My Deluxe is confirmed a Deluxe by Fender

Maybe they were all satin, but the finish on my 2002 is certainly different than the finish on my Elite. In comparison, the 2002 is glossy.. Albeit not a high gloss, and like you said, the sheen may have changed. The finish on the Elite is far less less glossy and doesn't go over the frets at all.
Maybe the 2002 is satin and the Elite is "more satin?"... Or maybe matte? They feel way different to the touch. Maybe it's a different finishing juice?

These things, combined with the compound radius makes the neck feel significantly different. To some people, perhaps better, but it's not what I'm used to. For example, as far as the finish, the less "glossy" finish on the Elite feels faster, but my hands are used to the finish of the other neck.. And the shape, radius of the fretboard, etc, so the transition isn't perfectly seamless. I can play OK on the Elite's, but it isn't an automatic thing. The Ultras are even more off... Way more off to tell you the truth.

I'm trying to get a 2nd guitar that is the same, just as a backup and for different tunings.

The other thing throwing a wrench in my operation is that my 2002 Deluxe is black and I can't find any from that generation in black, anywhere! It was kind of repainted, but Fender confirmed by serial number that it was indeed black to begin with. I think the previous owner tried to restore it.

The refinish or fix was kind of a botched job, but i love the guitar so much, that it just adds character. I got it from GC and they had it priced as if it were practically mint. I tried to negotiate due to the finish, but they said it had to be in inventory for a certain amount of time before they could lower the price. My theory is that an employee took it in as a trade for way too much money, for a friend or to make another sale.

The thing is, despite its flaws, I had to have it so I paid up.

I had played hundreds of Teles before, but never found "the one" until this one. Who knows... Someone else might hate it, but it just fits me like a glove! It's made me write more music than any other guitar, and I end up playing it 95% of the time over my other guitars, of which I have 35 to 40 of.

I found other Tele of that era to work for me too, it's just that I'd like another black one.

Anyhow, thanks for the info. I'm either going to have to look much harder, or get another color and perhaps repaint it if I want to keep it. White would be cool too, but I'm not into the tortoise shell binding of that era. Just plain black binding and a black pickguard would have done it.

Interesting - if the body of your 2002 was refinished then maybe the neck was as well. It's probably just a neck that was originally satin but has been "glossed up" by use and polishing. It seems like the finish Fender was using in the 80s and 90s was easier to "gloss up" than what they use currently but that could just be my imagination putting something there.

Yes, black was an original color for the American Deluxes - it would have also had white binding around the top of the body from the factory.

 

[ChristianN]

Yes, black was an original color for the American Deluxes - it would have also had white binding around the top of the body from the factory.

I haven't been able to find a single 2001-2002 square heel in black other than mine, but the date ranges you gave broaden my possible selection. I even though Fender was pulling my leg and only saying it was black because that's the current color.

About the gloss thing, the other 1st gens I played had the same neck finish. Maybe gloss isn't the correct term.. It's just that the finish on the Elite necks is not only satin, but maybe much thinner, so it appears to be more towards being matte, so the other necks seem more "glossy" by comparison.

Anyhow, if it has the same finish and the geometry the same, other than the heel, perhaps the 2nd gens will also work for me. I'm used to the square heel, but some noodling up high can require more effort... In a roundabout way, I kind of use the square heel as a crutch by now, to know exactly where I am but.. Maybe, since only the corner is shaved and some of it is still there, I can get the best of both worlds.

 

[John C]

I haven't been able to find a single 2001-2002 square heel in black other than mine, but the date ranges you gave broaden my possible selection. I even though Fender was pulling my leg and only saying it was black because that's the current color.

About the gloss thing, the other 1st gens I played had the same neck finish. Maybe gloss isn't the correct term.. It's just that the finish on the Elite necks is not only satin, but maybe much thinner, so it appears to be more towards being matte, so the other necks seem more "glossy" by comparison.

Anyhow, if it has the same finish and the geometry the same, other than the heel, perhaps the 2nd gens will also work for me. I'm used to the square heel, but some noodling up high can require more effort... In a roundabout way, I kind of use the square heel as a crutch by now, to know exactly where I am but.. Maybe, since only the corner is shaved and some of it is still there, I can get the best of both worlds.

That's probably the case - Fender has changed up their neck finishes a few times over the years, so while both are satin the finish on the Elite feels different than the finish on the 2002 Deluxe.

Regarding the black color - black was a stock finish on all years of the 1st generation American Deluxe. So from their launch in the spring of 1998 through the end of 2003 they had the same black finish as your 2002. I suspect that they just made fewer black ones after 2001 because they added a bunch of new color options at the start of 2002 like chrome red and candy tangerine.

You can check out the catalogs and price lists from back then at this site: https://guitar-compare.com/catalogs/fender-catalogs/

All the price lists from July 1998 (the January 1998 still has the Tele Plus model; the American Deluxes came out around April 1998) through the July 2003 show black as a stock color for the American Deluxe Tele (note that the first year or so - call it Spring 1998 to mid-year 1999 - American Deluxe Teles have the Nashville configuration with a middle Strat pickup).

And as you say the contoured heel that was used on American Deluxes (2004-2015 - 2nd and 3rd generations) isn't totally rounded off like the Elite or the current American Ultra bodies. While the corner is sanded down it's still almost squared off where the neck meets the body. I found this photo of a 2004 in tangerine on Reverb.com that shows the heel pretty well:

 

[AAT65]

Any idea if the Teles also had a different neck shape?

I believe all the Deluxes had a C-profile neck. When the Elite came out the profile was changed so it starts off a C and becomes a bit more of a D higher up (as the fretboard flattens out). This is supposed to counteract the feeling that the neck gets skinnier as it flattens - I’ve never played a Deluxe so I cannot say if it feels skinny, but the Elite is really really comfortable.
The Ultra has a D profile all the way up and I do not like it at all.