Up for sale, a 1996 Fender American Vintage ‘52 Telecaster in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. One of Fender’s most popular (and since discontinued) USA-made vintage reissue models, this Tele is faithful to ‘52 “Blackguard” spec, boasting a gloss Butterscotch Blonde nitro lacquer finish on an ash body, with vintage-spec touches including brass saddles, a five-screw pickguard, and flathead screws throughout.

The ash body and one-piece maple neck result in a lively, resonant acoustic platform with plenty of midrange punch and treble zing, providing an ideal platform for the pickup pair. Featuring alnico magnets, black fiber bobbins, cloth-covered leads, and flush-mount bridge pickup pole pieces, these pickups can chime and twang with the best, delivering the percussive cut and bell-like clarity that put Fender on the map more than seven decades ago. Weighing 7lbs 11oz, this American Vintage ‘52 Telecaster has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Wood: Maple
• Shape: Medium C, measuring .835” 1st fret, .890” 12th fret
• Fretboard: Maple, vintage-spec 7 ¼” radius
• Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, no wear
• Scale Length: 25 ½”
• Nut: 1.650”
• Tuners: Kluson-style
• Factory Markings: Neck heel date stamped Aug 06, 1996, neck pocket pencil dated Jul 29, 1996

Body Specs:

• Wood: Ash
• Pickups: American Vintage single coil x2
• Controls: Volume, Tone, three-way pickup selector (vintage wiring: Bridge/Neck/Neck + Dark Cap)
• Harness: CTS pots date to the 25th week of 1996
• Hardware: “Pat. Pend” bridge with brass barrel saddles, dome-top knurled knobs, flathead screws, control plate
• Plastics: One-ply “Blackguard”-style five-screw black pickguard, ‘50s-spec switch tip
• Serialization: Five-digit serial on bridge base

The gloss Butterscotch Blonde nitro lacquer finish is very clean, with cosmetic wear limited to pick scuffing across the guard and some faint scratches in the clear coat on the rest of the body. The original nitro lacquer on the fretboard and headstock face has ambered deeply beyond its factory shade, while the neck profile has been refinished in a lighter shade (also lacquer), smooth to the palm.

A hardshell case is included.