I'll be darned...Fender USA can make a good telecaster!

[pages plexitone]

So I've not been a big fan of Fender USA stuff. I've seen a lot of really bad neck/pocket fits that caused me to wonder if Fender USA could still make a decent guitar. I ordered a 62 AVRI tele and saw this...



My CIJs were always flawless...

So anyway I took a chance on a AVRI 52 Tele... Man, what a pleasant surprise.








It even sounds great! I recorded I can't quit you baby using the neck pickup for everything except the lead (that was on the bridge)

It's here http://www.purevolume.com/joewgorman" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's the secret squirrel mic technique (you can't see my top secret space echo settings though)

[ozzyjim]

Wow that sounds excellent mate, and yeah thats a hot looking tele!!!

Cheers
Jim

[ironlung40]

That's cool. Really, you should expect no less from Fender, but with anything, there are some bad ones put out.

I'm more of a Gibson SG guy these days. I used to be 100% pure fender until I discovered the 61 reissue SG USA model. Anyway, you wouldn't believe the poor quality I've seen come out of the Gibson custom shop....supposedly the custom shop 61/62 reissue SG's are the best money can buy and the most expensive, but I'd take a 61 reissue USA model over em' anyday. I've seen the custom shop models with poorly fitted pickguards, poorly fitted neck tenon covers just above the neck pickup, holes in the wood around the neck tenon that was visible due to the poorly fitted cover, sloppy finish on the headstock particularly around the nut with overspray on the nut, (trying to get this off can result in chipping the finish so nut changes are risky), also seen severe finish bleeding onto the binding on the neck and around the neck joint, and in some more rarer instances poor beveling and rough spots in the wood under the finish at the bevel spots.

Anyway, I've been a fan of fender Japan for a long while. I've got a japan jaguar and it was flawless when I first got it. It always seemed that for the money they were definitely the better player's guitar....but I guess it depends on who's in charge and how strict they are on the quality control.

Sweet tone and tune, though. As always, I enjoy your recordings. I especially like "stray cat blues"

Is that marshall an original bluesbreaker?

[nguideau]

Yeah, great guitar! I have the Hot Rod edition, and like yours, the pocket is tight as a drum and the finish on everything else is really great. I kinda want a regular '52 as well with the standard single in the neck...

[pages plexitone]

Hey guys. Yeah, this is a great instrument.
I do wish the USA Fender guys would make this the yardstick for quality.

I don't think I'll change a thing.

Ironlung my bluesbreaker is a 2003 BBRI. I stuck a marstran RS output tranny in it and returned the circuitry to the original spec...oh and added the G12 Alnico blues.

[nguideau]

I'll take that '62 off your hands, Joe...

[Neiloler]

I'll take that '62 off your hands, Joe...

Haha, yeah, I was just going to say "Yeah, it looks like total crap, send it to me and I'll be sure to huck it on the burn pile..."

[not~again]

Glad to see you got a good one Joe!
They are out there...but, unfortunately, you have to look hard sometimes.

Hope all is well...Yep...tis me...back once again...hmmm
should have used once_again instead of not~again...

Take great care my dear friend!

Oh and Neil...lol...I remember when you joined the forum...you were such a Geek!
Come to think of it, not much has changed! Love you both!

[AJS19]

I'll take that '62 off your hands, Joe...

Haha, yeah, I was just going to say "Yeah, it looks like total crap, send it to me and I'll be sure to huck it on the burn pile..."

I won't take the Tele (have the dream one in my sig), but I'll take one of your LP's Joe.

[pages plexitone]

Hey Mark, good seeing you buddy...

Yeah guys, I don't know really how much of a deal breaker the neck pocket fit is, tone-wise. I just don't care for the looks of it. I sent the 62 back.

Here's what my CIJ 62 tele pocket looks like

[pages plexitone]

I'll take that '62 off your hands, Joe...

Haha, yeah, I was just going to say "Yeah, it looks like total crap, send it to me and I'll be sure to huck it on the burn pile..."

I won't take the Tele (have the dream one in my sig), but I'll take one of your LP's Joe.

Haha...I need all the Lesters I can get man! What's the tele in your sig?

[Neiloler]

Oh and Neil...lol...I remember when you joined the forum...you were such a Geek!
Come to think of it, not much has changed! Love you both!

Haha, it's so true, if anything, I'm even geekier!

[nguideau]

In regards to tone, I have to think the fit of the neck pocket is either total snake oil, or best case, one of those things that has such a small effect on the guitar compared to dozens of other factors that it is negligible to the human ear.

But I would agree that a tight neck pocket is A) a sign of attention to detail during the QA/QC process, and B) in certain situations keeps the neck properly in place (though I think the argument there is that if the bottom of the cavity is a proper fit, a small gap on the left or right side isn't going to matter.).