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Fender 50's Telecaster, where are these made?


Lloyd Rummell

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New ones are made in Mexico.

 

mc5nrg is right, for years (through the '80's and into the '90's), this model was imported from Fender Japan. By '92, NAFTA was in effect and FenderUSA opnened their Mexican plant and by the mid '90's had replaced almost all of their CIJ stuff with MIM.

 

The CIj ones werew made of basswood, the early Mexican ones of Poplar and for the last several years, the MIM ones have been Alder.

 

-Y.

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Originally posted by Wyatt



The CIj ones werew made of basswood, the early Mexican ones of Poplar and for the last several years, the MIM ones have been Alder.

 

 

The MIM 50's Classic Series Tele has always been ash. Standard Series MIM Teles have been poplar and alder depending on the production year.

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Fender Japan never went away, but when the Mexico plant opened, Fender cut way back on exporting from Japan, and served that market with the Mex stuff for the most part. Most of the models that are offcially exported out of Japan in big numbers are short run "LE" models, like - IIRC - the tele with Bigsby, or the Competition Mustang models. There are here in the UK a number of retail specialists who do stock the CIJ line... in fact, as the buzz grows about these (and the price on the US guitars continues to soar), I'm seeing more CIJ models in stock over here. IMO, the CIJs are somewhat better than the MIMs, but then it seems to me that the range is produced over there with generally better components. The fit and finish seem to me a little superior, maybe consistency is better. That said, my experience with the MIM line is definitely limited, as only the Standard Strat, Std Tele, and J Bass in that line are produced left handed, whereas the CIJ stuff is all made left handed across the full range. For my money, the CIJ guitars with the better components - e.g. the 52RI - are every bit as good as the US equivalents. Not "almost" or "80%" or "90%", but every bit as good as the US models. Here in the UK, they also work out at just about half the price. Bit of a no brainer, really.....

 

I want to add a few more Fenders to my collection - definitely a few Teles. The CIJ range is where it's at for me.

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Originally posted by Lloyd Rummell



Are they worth the 699.99 price tag?

Is the quality about the same or better than the MIM standard Tele?

 

 

The classic series use better pickups than the standards. I feel that the cosmetic details such as tinted necks, vintage tuners, and colors are superior to the standards. I've owned both a MIM standard strat and tele and I wasn't impressed with them. They felt cheap. I've liked most classic series models I've played.

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I made my own using and SX butterscotch Tele as a base and two vintage GFS pickups. I relic'd it to the dismay of those who, although they hate SX, hate relic'ing more, decal on the headstock, it's the bomb, plays and sounds great like the real 50's I have had the pleasure of playing, and came in at less than $200 total.

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The 50's, 60's and 70's Classic Series are all MIM.

 

There currently are, and have been for a long time, similar models from Fender Japan. The MIM and MIJ/CIJ are (sort of) parallel universes. It isn't as though MIM has somehow "taken over" from FJ, although that may be the perception in some markets due to advertizing and relative availablity.

 

 

I have an MIM 50's Tele and an MIJ 62 RI Strat...both very nice guitars!

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