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Post subject: Telecaster American series x American Standard
Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:23 pm
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Hi guys!
Is anybody here can tell me the differences about the Telecaster American series and the Telecaster American Standard?
Thank you.
Eduball


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Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:51 pm
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I'm assuming you're talking about an older American Series versus the current American Standards. Probably the best way to start the discussion is to go back to the beginning of these guitars, and tell the whole story.

When the current ownership of Fender (Fender Musical Instrument Co. or FMIC) bought Fender from CBS in 1984 they only got the names, designs, etc.; no factory. FMIC was only going to import guitars, but had a change of heart and built a new factory that opened in 1986. They started off making the Vintage Reissue but then brought out a new series of "modernized" guitars called the American Standards at the end of 1986.

The 1st generation American Standard Teles had 22-fret modern C shaped necks, 43mm nut width, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets, sealed tuners made by Schaller, two string trees with rollers on them, a new bridge with a flat metal plate and 6 cast steel saddles, "American Standard" pickups, 3-way switch, volume, and the TBX tone control. The TBX is like two tone pots in one - it acts like a regluar pot from 1-5; "5" on a TBX is like "10" on a standard pot. There is a "detent" at "5"; when you go from 6-10 it rolls off bass and accentuates the treble. Circa 1996/97 the TBX was replaced by the "Delta Tone" system, which acts like a normal tone pot from 1-10 but has a "detent" just past 10 that takes the tone control out of the circuit. I know Fender changed pickups on the Strat with the Delta Tone but I don't think they did for the Tele. Guitars are available with alder or ash bodies (depends on the color) and with either maple or rosewood fingerboards. Cosmetically they used white/black/white pickguards on most colors. The 1st Generation American Standard ran from late 1986 through July 2000.

The American Series Tele replaced the 1st generation American Standard in July 2000. There were several updates - the neck now has rolled edges to feel more broken in, they now have staggered height sealed tuners which eliminate 1 of the 2 string trees, cosmetics are updated from plain white to parchment on colors using white pickguards. The pickups were also updated, but they continue to use the Delta Tone tone control. The American Series ran from July 2000 through the end of 2007. There was also an "American Ash Tele" that ran from about 2002 through 2006 that tried to "merge" the American Series features and the American Vintage '52 Tele features; it had a 42mm wide "U" shaped neck and American Vintage '52 Tele pickups that was only available in butterscotch with a maple fingerboard. However, you could still get a "regular" American Series Tele with an ash body simultaneously.

The 2nd Generation American Standard Tele replaced the American Series in January 2008. This is the current version with the new bridge with bent saddles instead of cast saddles, updated pickups, updated neck shape that is now 42.8mm wide, now has a glossy finish on the maple fingerboard models, updated pickups, and new finishes. With this generation the American Standard Ash tele has all the same features as the "regular" alder-bodied model but with an ash body and different finishes.

Sorry, probably more than you wanted to know but hope this helps.


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Post subject: Telecaster American series x American Stand
Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 1:32 pm
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Hi John C.
Thank's a lot for your explanation. That's really helped me.
By the way, which one dou you prefer?


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Post subject: Re: Telecaster American series x American Stand
Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 6:36 pm
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Eduball wrote:
Hi John C.
Thank's a lot for your explanation. That's really helped me.
By the way, which one dou you prefer?


Eduball - I'm a Strat guy; I only occasionally dabble in Teles. I've just been around long enough to remember the changes in these things. To tell you the truth I prefer the vintage reissues to the modern guitars. The only Tele I ever really bonded with (and should have kept) was an MIM Classic 50s Tele in white blonde. That being said I prefer the new 2nd Generation American Standards; the neck is somewhat closer to vintage. If you can find one and you like the vintage neck, then those old American Ash Teles from 2002-2006 would be a good choice.


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Post subject: Re: Telecaster American series x American Standard
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 11:09 am
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John C

I have a 2000 American Series blue, maybe pearl blue, Tele with TBX tone control and rosewood

fingerboard. You mentioned Fender switched to Delta Tone in 1996/97.

I have had no luck in finding information about this guitar.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks


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Post subject: Re: Telecaster American series x American Standard
Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 1:23 pm
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sf blues tele wrote:
John C

I have a 2000 American Series blue, maybe pearl blue, Tele with TBX tone control and rosewood

fingerboard. You mentioned Fender switched to Delta Tone in 1996/97.

I have had no luck in finding information about this guitar.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks


Hi; did you buy it new? If so then it really isn't outside the realm of possibility that the assembler at Fender was out of Delta Tone no-load pots and snagged a TBX to put into the guitar. I remember reading a story back in 2008 that someone bought a brand new American Standard Strat from a large, reputable dealer (one that does a number of Fender Custom Shop Dealer Special model guitars) that came direct from Fender (the shop got the guitar, unboxed it to shoot photos, then reboxed it until sold) with a Highway 1 pickguard assembly on it that an assembler had put in by accident.

If it was used then it is likely that someone preferred the TBX to the no load tone control and modded it along the way.


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