what's your favourite Fender USA Tele year/period and why ?

[moonman2]

Hey guys, tell us your favourites and why.
Personally, I like the more recent (current run), but I prefer the modern saddles instead of the newer issued bent steel bridge (6) saddles.
- btw what year did they change to these again ?

 

[john_cribbin]

Now there's an impossible question! We all love pre CBS as they are 'real' Fenders. So there was CBS bean counting, questionable QC in the 90's etc etc. Currenly the Fender website lists 100 different Tele's, so there's something for everyone. I'm a realist, so on price alone vintage is out of the question. I'm happy for something under 10 years old that hasn't been abused. Gotta be three brass saddles though, six saddles, well that's not a real Tele! Like I say, there's something for everyone in the Tele family.

 

[moonman2]

I like 3 saddle bridges, but my hearing is very acute and any intonation that can be improved for me is a must for my own piece of mind;-)

 

[frankthomson]

I like the usa American standards from 97 to about 2000
I like the milled saddles and the pups, esp the neck pups

 

[pondcaster]

2012 AV64 for me. LPB more specifically. As others have stated in many other posts & I wholeheartedly agree, the AV64s are just exactly what a Telecaster should sound like, imo. Plays like a dream, too.

 

[soulman969]

Discounting the late '70s and early '80s they all are. The QC was awful. The current production models are probably as good as any Fender has ever made. I tend to favor the guitar itself as opposed to what era it's from. There are good ones and bad ones in all of them.

 

[christhee68]

How about early 50's? I've never played one but lots of people seem to think they are pretty ok.

 

[Middleman]

I thought the 2011 anniversary models were some of the best guitars Fender has made in the last 20 years.

However, every once in a while I will come across an early model from the 50s, that will reset my sensibilities. Not every 50s but the quality of the lumber i.e. old growth maple, ash and alder produced some amazing sounding guitars.

We live in a time of harvested i.e. farmed timber. A lot the modern guitars sound exactly the same, good , but finding the gem in the gravel is a little harder.

 

[xtrajerry]

I like anything with a vintage bridge and a big neck.. typically 50's but late 60's had some big necks too.

 

[FredDairy]

I've been playing Fender guitars since 1993. I had an American Standard Tele and still have the American Standard Strat from then. Those weren't great guitars...

I've owned a lot of reissue Fenders since then. American, Japanese, and Mexican.

My 2012 '52 PV RI is the best 50s reissue Fender I've owned or played.
My 2012 '64 PV RI is the best 60s reissue Fender I've owned.
My 2013 MIM Classic Lacquer is the best MIM Fender I've owned.

Since 2012 Fender has really raised the bar.

 

[TeleTown]

I like anything with a vintage bridge and a big neck.. typically 50's but late 60's had some big necks too.

+1 Love them fatties!

 

[Twang Tone]

I like the AV52RIs from 1998 to 2001 the best. Those seemed to get the prettiest grain in the ash body, and mostly 2-piece, centre-seam.

From the Custom Shop, I like the early Time Machine Series '51 Nocasters from late 1999 when Fender brought the Relic work in-house, to around 2001. Those Relics are on a par with the current Masterbuilt Teles.

Thanks,