I'm with CV on this. $899 is stupidly low for that guitar. if they were trying to pass it off as new they sure did a poor job. i have some serious doubts as to the reality of this little tale.

some pictures of the guitar, and the receipts, and the corrections would go a long way to quelling my skepticism.

I don't understand the complaint you got a 52' Telecaster at at half its new cost. For one thats one year old that looks new thats a steal!
I would have known something was wrong the moment someone said it was a new guitar knowing they sell for 1600.00+ and the price on this one was 899. which is a great price for a used one. Where is your complaint? If I was the store I would have gave your money back and priced it more appropriately 1299.

Considering a new Vintage 52 Telecaster is a 1600.00 guitar I would say you screwed the store even used it is worth much more then you paid.

Anyway, I go into one of our local family owned music stores in our town. I won't say where or who, just to be nice.
I spot a Fender Telecaster '52 reissue on the wall for sale. I look at the tag-it says $899 with case. That sounds like a good deal for a new guitar. I try it for a while and end up buying it. They assure me the guitar is new, but they will have to mail me the manuals, warranty card, etc. I take the guitar out on my next gig, and a guy walks up to me on a break and says, "that looks just like my old Tele I just traded in". Well, we talk a while, and he looks at my Tele, and says "this has the same serial number as my old one". I asked him how long he had it and he said about a year, but he said he never played it much, so he traded it in for an acoustic. I took the Tele back to the store, and told them my story, and just how unhappy I was. The store manager said it must of been mis marked or something, and offered me a set of new strings to make up for it. Instead, I told him I wanted a store credit for the difference of what I paid for it as new, and what it should of sold for as used. That came out to about $200. I kept the guitar, but I've never gone back there. I never got my manuals or warranty card either. Did I handle this right, or should I have done it differently?