Mike, here are the platform particulars. You can tell why I chose this over other more expensive models, I like the way they put this one together, lol. Let the tweaking begin and remember that Brad and Mike are going to help make this "the Telecaster" to own

COLOR/MSRP/PART#: White Blonde
$1,071.99
0131502301
Body Body Material: Ash
Body Finish: Polyester
Body Shape: Telecaster®
Neck Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25" (184.1 mm)
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Vintage-Style
Nut Material: Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 1.625" (41.3 mm)
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Electronics Bridge Pickup: Vintage-Style Single-Coil Tele®
Pickup Switching: Custom-Wired 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Volume Control & No Tone Control w/ Capacitor Activated for Darker Tone, Position 2. Normal Volume/Tone Control, Position 3. Volume Control Only
Pickup Configuration: Single Pickup
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
Hardware Hardware Finish: Chrome
Bridge: 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele® with Chrome Barrel Saddles
Tuning Machines: Vintage Style
Switch Tips: "Barrel" Style
Pickguard: 1-Ply White
Control Knobs: Knurled Chrome
Neck Plate: 4-Bolt Vintage Style
Accessories Case/Gig Bag: Deluxe Gig Bag
Included Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag
Miscellaneous Strings: Fender® USA Super 250R, NPS, (.010-.046 Gauges)
Other Features: "C" Shape Maple Neck, Knurled Chrome Knobs, Synthetic Bone Nut

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

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This is the Blues. Are you listening?

Right.

SBLS pictured and spec'd the Classic Series Esquire, and that seems a good platform for what we decide to do - Tele, Strat, or whatever. That MSRP converts to around £500/$799 on the street, either side of the ocean. Seems the right ballpark figure, to make this thing do-able for a reasonable proportion of Forum users?

Of course, adding things like Bigsbys and other non-standard items pushes the price up, but not stupidly much, I hope?

Also, if a bunch of Fender's own Forum users were ordering an FSR guitar direct from the Company, would we find ourselves paying nearer to street or MSRP? I wonder how that works out...?

Cheers - C

PS: oh, by the way, am I right - I don't think Fender have a Tele with a Bigsby in the catalog at the moment? That sort of adds to the interest of the Esquire+Bigsby, to me at any rate.

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I'm hoping they will ask dealer's cost of us. That should represent a 10-20% drop from the street price which the company appears to control. As far as specs are concerned, we are still juggling an awful lot of variables. Sympathetic to the desires of one of our members, IMHO we are talking Esquire here with the questions of specs. I echo Martian's preference for a full adjustable bridge, and the Bigsby gives it a certain touch. I would respect Eldred's input as to the preferred body and neck woods for this guitar depending on finish. His videos seem to suggest that if we're using alder in the body we ought to be using flat sawn maple in the neck, and quarter sawn maple for an ash body. As far as neck carve, they've done this style guitar with a u;v;and modern c, depending upon vintage. Though not my preference, I suppose a 'modern c' would fit most hands. I prefer a satin finish on a neck for playability, and lighter tint on it if we are doing a light finished body. The Eldred wiring and an Abby-wound pickup for sure. As far as logo is concerned, I could go either way...conservatively with a neck plate and something on the back of the headstock, or include the forum logo on the scratchplate.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I'm happy to fit with the crowd as far as the carve shape is concerned, but if it's any sort of Tele it has to be a fat handful, right? A modern C? Uh-uh. A Tele with a skinny neck - no no no! That's so wrong!

After all, we're not the Ibanez forum, are we?

Cheers - C

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The modern C was Mike's contribution. However, in keeping with vintage spec's, one might defer to that, but then have to do away with the Bigsby and the fully adjustable bridge. Consider vintage vibe in a modern package. " The wheels of the bus, go 'round and 'round, all the live long day."

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"Another day in paradise!"

Well, part of Mike's job is to give the public what they want, I guess.

On the other hand, I've noticed he often holds strongly to Buddy Rich's maxim: "The customer is always right - except when he's wrong." So I'm a little surprised about that modern C on an Esquire...

Still. This is the Forum FSR: we can have whatever we please. Er - once we've agreed on something, that is...

Cheers - C

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Sorry mate....that was Miami Mike's input.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Aaah - oops!

Still, those two gentlemen must be so used to people mixing them up by now, neither will mind.

Glad to hear ME isn't putting C necks on Esquires after all, though. Phew!

Cheers - C

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Ceri, Doc, I like the maple neck, other than modern C, lighter tint satin finish (one piece, not a maple fretboard), Bigsby because of those added +'s it brings, lol and Mike E helping with electrical features, electric exciting stuff there.
I will follow everyone's ideas and recommendations though, I don't want to hold back progress because I would very much like a Telecaster again and an Esquire style is more than I hoped for

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

This is looking like a pretty good plan here guys.

But what about those of us on here that are lefties?

So far all of the ideas i can see for guitars on here are great and id buy one if it was around $1000, AU. i just cant afford to pay american strat style money here in Australia. Gotta remember this is an international forum too.

Affordable and left handed available. The rest is looking good. Particularly that tele

Excellent input. Hoping that the Forum's elder lefty (Chet) will come on here too as every long time member values his viewpoints and ideas very much.

ps: I prefer jumbo frets rather than the thinner vintage or medium jumbo, what does everyone else like?

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

So...again, what is the most you would be willing to pay?


Once a budget (targeted one) is determined, it's much easier to discuss specs, parts, etc.

My gut feeling is that Fender will have no interest in doing a special run of forum guitars for less than about $1500 each.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

29 pages and still no agreement on a guitar or price point.

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Bill

Patience. There's alot on his plate at present. He's aware of our discussions and this pet of ours is, unfortunately, not a high priority as I see it. It'll get there. Meanwhile, this will afford you additional time to continue scavenging for empty soft drink containers and cash in those deposits to boost your FSR guitar kitty.

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"Another day in paradise!"