The Telecaster Plus (Club?)

[dankeewolnir]

Kill Switch...

By the way... something discovered by accident when ordering some cables is the way to have a Kill Switch radio head style without having to install it or take the 3way bridge splitter out.
The Planet Waves Circuit Breaker Cable has a spring loaded Kill Switch Button on it for changing guitars with out walking over to your amp to unplug first... The button is perfect for doing the kill switch thing on a nasty rock tune... Just dont push it all the way to where it clicks, and it operates just like the button Johnny Greenwood had installed on his Tele Plus... works flawlessly, and the cables are 30bux buy one get one free ebay...lifetime warranty.

 

[Hi-Fi Jim]

I'm in the Club!

Hello all. After researching this forum for much helpful information on Tele models, I purchased a Tele Plus V.1 from craigslist. I had been tempted to buy a Tele Plus new but I opted for a Strat Plus instead back in '91. I still remember the salesman saying something like, "The Strat Plus is nice but that Tele Plus is a tone monster." He wouldn't let me leave till I tried it. Even though I went with the Strat, I couldn't forget that wonderful Tele. The salesman was right, these are tone monsters. I just happened to find another '91 model (like my Strat), except this has just a few miles on it compared with my shiny Strat. I purchased it locally off a working musician who needed the cash. This axe looks like it's been through the mill, but it feels just right. The back of the neck looks like Ringo used it for practice, yet it feels fast with just the right thickness (a bit thicker than the Strat Plus neck). This guitar is heavy! And solid. I can't see any evidence of the top being a cap (by looking at the worn through edges), could this be a 2 piece swamp ash body? Thanks to all the members here for their information, thoughts and contributions. I'm a happy camper.

 

[bigboyneverleft]

Hello all. After researching this forum for much helpful information on Tele models, I purchased a Tele Plus V.1 from craigslist. I had been tempted to buy a Tele Plus new but I opted for a Strat Plus instead back in '91. I still remember the salesman saying something like, "The Strat Plus is nice but that Tele Plus is a tone monster." He wouldn't let me leave till I tried it. Even though I went with the Strat, I couldn't forget that wonderful Tele. The salesman was right, these are tone monsters. I just happened to find another '91 model (like my Strat), except this has just a few miles on it compared with my shiny Strat. I purchased it locally off a working musician who needed the cash. This axe looks like it's been through the mill, but it feels just right. The back of the neck looks like Ringo used it for practice, yet it feels fast with just the right thickness (a bit thicker than the Strat Plus neck). This guitar is heavy! And solid. I can't see any evidence of the top being a cap (by looking at the worn through edges), could this be a 2 piece swamp ash body? Thanks to all the members here for their information, thoughts and contributions. I'm a happy camper.

Nice score!

 

[Hi-Fi Jim]

Thanks bigboy. I was iffy because of the wear, but it plays and sounds so nice and I'm starting to love the look.

 

[timetraveller]

I love how this guitar sounds, too bad that I have to sell it...

If any of you wants a "Jonny greenwood" tele plus, check the classifieds section.

 

[logan2z]

I love how this guitar sounds, too bad that I have to sell it...

If any of you wants a "Jonny greenwood" tele plus, check the classifieds section.

Beautiful Tele Plus. Being a '93 Tele Plus owner I hope you get your asking price : mrgreen:

 

[timetraveller]

Beautiful Tele Plus. Being a '93 Tele Plus owner I hope you get your asking price : mrgreen:

Thanks logan!

For this model, color and year, even higher prices has been paid, mine is on the lower side, believe me.


I've seen many tele plus sunburst selling in the 2200-2500$ range.

If they are in other colors, prices drops 500-1000$, many of the people looking for this model wants the "greenwood look", so even sounding the same, they usually refuse getting a black one, for instance…

It happened to me too, hahahaha!

 

[logan2z]

Thanks logan!

For this model, color and year, even higher prices has been paid, mine is on the lower side, believe me.

I've seen many tele plus sunburst selling in the 2200-2500$ range.

If they are in other colors, prices drops 500-1000$, many of the people looking for this model wants the "greenwood look", so even sounding the same, they usually refuse getting a black one, for instance…

It happened to me too, hahahaha!

You're probably right. Being a Greenwood fan myself, your listing piqued my interest - until I did the conversion from Euros to US$ My Blueburst Tele Plus will have to do for now. The color, while not my absolute favorite, has grown on me.

 

[daniel o]

anyone know what kind of lace sensors came stock in the V2 Tele plus? is this the only version that had the strat like cut away on the back side?

 

[Fixins13]

Being a big Mikey Houser fan, I've always wanted a Plus in Firestorm red but not having the money, I've always wanted to make my own. I've never actually held one and I couldn't find a schematic. I was watching a youtube video made by a Japanese guy talking about some Radiohead mod he was about to do with a push/pull and a kill switch but before he got into it, he went thru how it worked in a stock configuration. The last piece fell into place when he explained what the mini 3-way did. I went on Lace's website grabbed a couple wiring PDF's and modified them to be what I think is a stock 2 red Lace as a humbucker and 1 single blue layout. Makes me wanna dust off my Partscaster and give it another go. I haven't tried it yet as I don't have the parts so if you know something is wrong, lemme know and I'll fix it.

 

[hipabilly]

Does my new Modern Player Tele Plus qualify me for this owners club?

It's solid pine, strat pup in the middle, split-coil humbucker at the bridge. Just love the way it feels and sounds. Infinite tonal possibilities.

 

[Carzee]

New owner of a 91 or 92 ver 1.

It is a twin of Hi Fi Jim's Tele Plus up above a few posts. Identical body (necks are different, mine's rosewood). Mine is the latter version with the tiny toggle switch on the control plate - Jim's is the 'earlier' version 1.

...and it was local, no shipping. It has a large rectangle SKB hard case with Fender USA moulded-in logo.


...and has anyone seen the blue burst Tele Plus ver 1 on feebay right now ---- for about $1800!!!

 

[logan2z]

...and has anyone seen the blue burst Tele Plus ver 1 on feebay right now ---- for about $1800!!!

That guitar has been for sale for a looooong time. Same goes for the Firestorm red Tele Plus for $1700. Nobody seems to be biting at those prices. I paid a little more than 1/2 that for my '93 Blue Burst Tele Plus and that seems to be current market value.

Congrats on your new guitar, she's a beauty!

 

[Carzee]

Calling it Angelo after the previous owner. I'm the 3rd owner.

Neck pocket is stamped Aug 1991.

Has the orig SKB case and one bit of candy -the Lace Sensor pamphlet. Sold by Fender Australia (a 'legit' import).
Pics:

 

[logan2z]

Calling it Angelo after the previous owner. I'm the 3rd owner. With orig SKB case and one bit of candy -the Lace Sensor pamphlet. Sold by Fender Australia (a 'legit' import).:

Yummy!

 

[Carzee]

Thx, its pretty minty.

BTW, Angelo is near retirement age and has a large guitar and gear collection which puts my GAS into perspective.

I'm just uploading about 24 pics to an album 'Angelo' -here on TDPRI's gallery.

Another from the pamphlet:

 

[Carzee]

My "Readers Digest condensed" info and specs from the Tele Plus Club thread so far...

There were two variants of the Tele Plus: commonly known as V1 & V2.

Both versions are made in the USA at Corona CA and have the 'modern' Tele standard specs such as 22 frets (on both maple and rosewood fretboards), American std tuners and string trees, non-vintage modern type steel bridges with individual steel saddles, modern 8 screw pickguards.

Duly notable is the distinct change in direction the instrument took when it changed versions. The Plus went from having thick Les Paul like humbucker tones with the Red and Blue Lace pickups in the V1, to the more traditional Fender Tele sounding cleans with the Gold Lace pickups in the V2.

Both V1 and V2 had an even rarer variant: the Tele Plus Deluxe, which had a modern Strat trem bridge fitted. The Deluxe also came with a 'storm' finish (firestorm deep red and black, blue and black). Wiki says it had "Schaller locking machine heads and a Wilkinson roller nut (changed to LSR in 1993)."

Pickups:

The V1 has a single Blue Lace pickup in the neck position ('2068 FLS' part 99-2068; a Silver neck version was available: '2067 FLS' part 99-2067) and two Red Lace pickups ('2066 FLS' part 99-2066; a Blue bridge version was available: '2065 FLS' part 99-2065) in the bridge position (separate double coil pickup ring and hardtail bridgeplate). The Laces fitted had black pickup covers.

The V1 has a 3 position control switch, plus a mini-toggle switch wired to the bridge set to enable either use together as a humbucker or separate single coils (no toggle fitted to the very earliest Tele Plus made available about 1989).

The V2 has 3 single pickups (think 'Nashville Tele') and a 5 position control switch and came out around '96 or '97. It has a Fender Tele Gold Lace Sensor in the neck position and.... in the bridge position (at an angle like a Strat bridge pickup) and.... a Fender Strat Gold Lace Sensor in the middle position. There is a 5 position control switch, plus a mini-toggle switch for 2 more tones....

Controls/loom/cavities:

The V1 uses a good quality 3 way switch (unbranded in my 1991 V1 except some part numbers '49161 6MLR MX' at the mounting tab). It uses a 250K volume pot (CTS brand in my 1991 V1) and a TBX tone pot setup with a resistor and a tone cap (in my 1991 V1 its a small orange chiclet marked with an 'IC' logo, '022 K' underneath and '250 T' under that).

The V1 uses a 3 way mini-toggle switch for the bridge pickups, which is a 2Amp 250VAC/120VAC, marked '7211', then C & K' and then 'USA' under.

The V1 output jack is std Tele.

The V1 cavities are coated with a glossy/glassy black shielding paint and there is a grounding lug screw into the body atop the center 'mound' of the control cavity.

The V1 has a 'swimming pool' cavity under the pickguard for the neck pickup and a single humbucker-size cavity for the bridge pickups.

The V1 bridge plate has a ground wire (black) onto the back of the volume pot as per Std Tele, but its goes thru its own single-purpose wiring tunnel; a Std Tele commonly has a tunnel used by both the grd wire and bridge pickup wires.

The V1 pickups have their own wiring tunnels. The Red Lace bridge pickups have a orange and a white wire, twisted together. The grd wire is green. The Blue Lace neck pickup has a orange and a white wire, twisted together. The grd wire is black.

V2... ?

Neck:

"Fender" logo 4 bolt plate with micro tilt. The thicker Fender plate spec, not the skinny.
Modern C shape; thin, but not Ibanez thin.
Its 9.5 radius (I added this since I'm pretty sure about this).
The edges are not rolled.
American Std series tuners, chrome.
American Std string trees (single or twins).
Truss-rod adjuster at headstock.
The serial number is on the front of the headstock with Fender logo etc, Made In USA.
The V1 was 1.650 at the nut.
The V2 was 1.6875 at the nut.

Body:

The V1 body is ash and has a swimming pool rout. Bursts are bookmatched ...or not.

The V2 body is alder with ash veneers.

V1 and V2 have a std Tele neck pocket (not contoured as per the American Deluxe that superceded these Plus models). Thru body stringing. Finish was poly, not nitro.

Straplocks. Most pics show Schaller-Fender type straplocks. Whether they are 'std' I am not sure.

Weighty reputation... some are 9lbs and some heavier, maybe 10lbs. Seems to be no such animal as a 7 or 8lb Plus,

The V2 Deluxe has a Stratocaster-like belly contour at the top back part of the guitar, making it very comfortable to play. It also has single binding on the body.

Tele Plus finish:

Some colors seen so far:

V1: black jade, mystic black, black burst, ebony frost, teal burst, trans red, blue burst, 3 tone sunburst, natural, red burst with black edges.

V2: crimson burst, blue burst, brown sunburst, 3 tone sunburst, ebony frost, transparent honey blonde.

List prices:

Tele Plus Deluxe was $775 (1989)
Tele Plus was $859 (1993)

Years Produced:

Should be a simple thing, but its not. What was available when...

------------------------- if anyone has an old guitar magazine review of the Plus V1 and V2, please chime in with any changes or relevant specs........

 

[Carzee]

How do they get this Firestorm finish? Looks like a lot of work. (this is on ebay as a 1990 V1)

A good link for the answer on Firestorm and Icestorm -and other finishes- (but mostly interesting info on the Strat Plus) http://xhefriguitars.com

 

[Carzee]

List prices:

USA
Tele Plus Deluxe was $775 (1989)
Tele Plus was $859 (1993)
Tele Plus was $875 (1998)



Years Produced:


First available V1: 1989
Last new orders V1: 1995, after that... 'limited stock' available. Some customers brought new V1s in stores up to about 1999.

First available V2: 1995
Last new orders V2: 1998

V2 case candy incl. 'Fender care booklet, strap, cable, tools, polish rag and locking strap buttons'.

 

[joaopazguitar]

It's solid pine, strat pup in the middle, split-coil humbucker at the bridge. Just love the way it feels and sounds. Infinite tonal possibilities.

Love mine, too But I have the other one, the charcoal! Among other things, the neck is right on target for me!
We need to compare notes one of these days