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From Fender – “The American Vintage series introduces an all-new lineup of original-era model year guitars that bring Fender history and heritage to authentic and exciting new life. With key features and pivotal design elements spanning the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, new American Vintage series instruments delve deep into Fender's roots—expertly preserving an innovative U.S. guitar-making legacy and vividly demonstrating like never before that Fender not only knows where it's going, but also remembers where it came from. 

The American Vintage Series has long presented some of Fender's best-selling guitars (their early-'80s introduction, in fact, was one of the first signs that Fender was “back” as the CBS era ended). Today, Fender has boldly cleared the slate to make way for a fresh American Vintage series with new features, new specs and the most meticulous level of vintage accuracy yet. Rather than just replacing the previous models with different ones, we've completely and comprehensively re-imagined the entire vintage-reissue concept—restoring original tooling dies, voicing new pickups, reformulating vintage colors and more—based on actual vintage guitars we tracked down to make sure we had it right. We did the work, and it shows, because there's pure tonal magic in each new American Vintage instrument.” 

The bottom line is that Fender has spent the last 40 years re-learning its past and with the American Vintage range has homed in on what it sees as the three essential vintage Teles - the quintessential ash-bodied Blackguard '52 (this one); the slimmer-necked '58 and the rosewood 'board '64. 

The Vintage Series is crafted with meticulous attention to correct reproduction detail, often using original tooling. It is some of Fender's best work outside of the Fender Custom Shop. 

Nowhere is this re-dedication to detail more evident than on the American Vintage '52 Telecaster. Premium features include an ash body with a single-ply black pickguard and thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish in lighter Butterscotch Blonde, deep maple neck with “U”-shaped profile and generously rolled edges, “barrel” switch tip, vintage tuner spacing for truly straight string pull over the bone nut, vintage-style bridge with three brass saddles, and knurled chrome domed control knobs. 

And this ‘52 AVRI sports the classic Bakelite-style single ply black pickguard – the reason Teles from this era are referred to as “Blackguards”. 

This USA Vintage '52 Reissue Tele was manufactured in 1982 and is in original, unchanged condition. Apart from some very light marks on the pickguard, this 44-year-old guitar presents pretty much as new. Frets show very little wear, and there are no marks anywhere on the top, back, sides and neck.  

Weight is a medium 8.11lbs, and the sweet sounding specially voiced Tele pickups replicate the original '52 sound, but with Fender’s “modern” wiring which means the neck pickup is clean and clear, rather than a muddy mush as per the originals. 

Although the official colour of these is “Butterscotch Blonde” the nitro lacquer is very light in colour. It could almost be called “natural” as the lacquer is so light & thin that it allows the beautiful grain of the solid ash body to show through in all its glory. 

Comes in its original Fender tweed hard case in excellent condition. 

Specs: 

Scale length: 25.5” 

Action at 1st fret: 0.5mm 

Action at 12th fret: 2.0mm 

Neck depth at 1st fret: 21.4mm 

Neck depth at 12th fret: 23.22mm 

Nut Width: 41.9mm 

12 fret width: 51.55mm 

Weight: 3.68kg / 8.11lb 

Finish: Butterscotch Blonde (Nitrocellulose) 

Body wood: Ash 

Neck wood: Maple 

Neck Shape: ‘U’ 

Fingerboard: Maple 

Radius: 7.25” 

Frets: 21 

Pickups: American Vintage Tele Single-Coils 

Controls: 1 Volume, 1 Tone, 3-Way Switch 

Hardware: Chrome 

Bridge: Original Vintage Style Tele Bridge with 3 Brass Saddle 

Tuners: Single Line "Fender Deluxe" Vintage Style 

Pickguard: Black 1-ply