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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:37 am
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OK, so I've now picked up the guitar from a local tech. Bare Knuckle pickups and a Callaham control plate with a 4 way switch have replaced the Fender Noiseless and S1 switching. What a transformation, it sounds stunning. The buzzing was, as anticipated, the result of Fender failing to fit and earthing wire, so the tech sorted that out as well. It's really unforgiveable that this should happen with a guitar that costs as much as this. It's an American made model after all. I wouldn't expect this on a cheaper model let alone a deluxe, particularly with the great reputation that Fender has gained over recent years for quality control. Plus, looking at the forum, it would appear I'm not the only one to have experienced this with a 2010 model. Did they have Stevie Wonder in on work experience for a week? Anyway, I contacted Fender UK a couple of weeks ago pointing out the fault but they have chosen to ignore me. Even when you go onto the USA site you are directed back to a UK email address. In the past you could contact the States direct and having done so in the past have always recieved a prompt and helpful response. Not the case in the UK it would seem. Can anybody in the USA post the email address for Fender USA so I can contact them to point out my dissatisfaction with Fender UK and to point out the original fault with the guitar. Totally recommend Bare Knuckle pickups, fantastic product and service. At least some people in the UK still respect their customers. All the best, David.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:16 pm
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David,

Glad to hear everything worked out for you in the end. I'm not sure why the US customer service email address was taken off the site. It used to be ConsumerRelations@fender.com but I'm not sure if that account still exists. Please let us know where you get with the whole situation.

Lee


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:57 pm
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Cheers Lee, I'll give that a try. I'm not really expecting much but just though it needed bringing to their attention. It shouldn't have happened and I feel I deserve some sort of response considering the money I spent. I'll keep you posted.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:58 pm
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Cheers Lee, I'll give that a try. I'm not really expecting much but just though it needed bringing to their attention. It shouldn't have happened and I feel I deserve some sort of response considering the money I spent. I'll keep you posted.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:02 pm
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ohiho1010 wrote:
I didn't know you build too?


Hey Lee, maybe I misspoke. Commissioned is a better word. The body and neck were cut by an incredible builder here out west. The body has the tummy cut and forearm cut, the neck is a perfect match of my Am Dlx with the compound radius.

The neck and body were then sent to MJT finishing in MO and painted then beat up to match Beck's Esquire. At that point, I added a Callaham set of Distressed Telecaster Hardware and pick guard including compensated saddles. The bridge pickup is a special hand wound pickup from Jason Lollar.

Basically, it is a dead ringer for the Fender CS Beck Tribute Esquire, but with modern appointments that make it a better player to me. Considering it is made with better components, has better intonation, plays better and was crafted by hand, it is really hard to justify a $8,000 sticker on the headstock.

I will continue to buy Fender Tele's (in fact I have my second American Standard on order), but while I am waiting for Fender to get their act together and deliver upon their orders, I will build my own guitars and support quality artisans.

Simply put, Because Fender cannot deliver guitars that are ordered on a practical basis, I will spend my money on similar guitars. Fender's own issues with delivery is costing them thousands of my dollars.

Ordering a guitar like you did in May of 2010 and still having no insight to when you will receive it or where it is in production is horrible, unforgivable customer service. I like being able to shoot my builders an email for a photo update and know where it in the process. My Beck Esquire is 100% hand built in the USA using all USA components and by artisans in 4 different states and still was delivered in under 2 months. Fender should be ashamed that you put your hard earned money down and they have not met your order.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Fender guitars. I think they are the best mass produced guitars in the USA, but Fender really needs to get its act together when it comes to processing orders.

Don


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:09 am
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That sounds like a superb build. Really. Is this your first guitar with an ash tray bridge and body contours? I remember us talking about bridges earlier on. Now that you essentially have Beck's guitar, you're going to be able to play just like him too right? What Am. Standard did you order? Is that the natural/maple neck you've had on order?

The whole situation has been rather unfortunate. This is my first Fender experience and this is never what I imagined from a company with their reputation. I just hope they do a really nice job on my guitar. That's my main concern at this point. I've already waited close to a year so if it comes with some of the issues I've seen here and there on the forum, I'm going to be very upset. They make some fantastic guitars and I can maybe tolerate the wait and lack of customer service for this guitar, but I will be very skeptical in the future when buying a Fender guitar that I can't walk out with the same day. Probably not such a good thing for them considering I've got thousands in my equipment and the spending isn't going to stop anytime soon. 8)


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:10 pm
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Hello Guys. I had a reply from Fender apologising for the problems I experienced. That's all I was wanting and expecting really, rather than being ignored. It is quite worrying though some of the stories knocking about. They've done such a great job of rebuilding their reputuation since the mangement buyout of CBS it would be a shame if complacencey was starting to creep in. In the last 25 years I've had a number of American made Strats and Teles. Some have been better guitars than others but the one thing they all shared was the quality of the finishing which is entirely down to quality control. Ohiho 1010, I wish you all the best with you're Tele. I'm sure these problems are few and far between and when it finally arrives you'll be pleased with it. I can't fault the rest of my guitar, light weight bodiy, great playability and fantastic looks. Now I've had the Bare Knuckle pickups and Callaham control plate fitted plus the original fault sorted I couldn't be happier. I can see me keeping it a long time.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:57 pm
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David,

I'm sure everything will be fine with my guitar too and thanks for the kind words. After all, I wouldn't wait so long if I didn't think the juice would be worth the squeeze!


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:34 am
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ohiho1010 wrote:
That sounds like a superb build. Really. Is this your first guitar with an ash tray bridge and body contours? I remember us talking about bridges earlier on. Now that you essentially have Beck's guitar, you're going to be able to play just like him too right? What Am. Standard did you order? Is that the natural/maple neck you've had on order?

The whole situation has been rather unfortunate. This is my first Fender experience and this is never what I imagined from a company with their reputation. I just hope they do a really nice job on my guitar. That's my main concern at this point. I've already waited close to a year so if it comes with some of the issues I've seen here and there on the forum, I'm going to be very upset. They make some fantastic guitars and I can maybe tolerate the wait and lack of customer service for this guitar, but I will be very skeptical in the future when buying a Fender guitar that I can't walk out with the same day. Probably not such a good thing for them considering I've got thousands in my equipment and the spending isn't going to stop anytime soon. 8)


Hello Lee,

Yes, that is this is the guitar with the body contours I was speaking of. And yes, I am waiting for the American Standard Natural/Maple.

Although my Deluxe arrived with a dead pickup, the guitar is fantastic. It used to bum me a bit that it is a three piece body (Really Fender? Your Deluxes are three pieces?), but in the end, I just enjoy the guitar, it is well built, quiet, and looks great.

Here is a secret, the pickups on an American Standard are very, very good. The neck pickup is superb. All I do to my Standards is put a four way switch in them (makes the parallel setting available), and install a better jack.

Please keep me in the loop on your Deluxe. I will PM my email to you!

Don


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 7:45 am
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Don,

You are not going to believe what happened with my Tele. I'll send you a message.


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:28 am
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I am so dying to know what is going on. I just got the American Standard I ordered in September. It is really nice, but a six month wait is pretty ridiculous.

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Don


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:45 am
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Don,

Another beautiful guitar. Which do you find yourself playing the most? I tried to send out an email to you yesterday but it keeps sending it back. You didn't get anything from me did you?

Lee


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:20 am
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ohiho1010 wrote:
Don,

Another beautiful guitar. Which do you find yourself playing the most? I tried to send out an email to you yesterday but it keeps sending it back. You didn't get anything from me did you?

Lee



Hello Lee,

Is that a trick question? I don't want to get any of them jealous!! I play my Beck the most. I know the purists will shoot me because it is not a Fender, it is a Relic, and it has the body contours, but I like it the best. The reason it is my favorite is because that although it appears to be an exact replica of Beck's Esquire, I built it specifically to my spec's. It has all the favorite pieces of all the guitars that I like. However, all of my guitars have something special and I like them for different reasons. All of my Tele's have D'Addario 10's on them.

My 2010 CV50, Frankenbender is my first modded guitar. It is cool because of the ability to do all the country bends and the drop D option. The pickups are Lollars (Vintage T in the neck and Special T in the bridge), All of the electronics have been upgraded, and I had to go with a Tort Pick guard. This is just a monster of a guitar that started life as a sub $300 Squier. The only thing I wish was changed is the neck, would love to have my Am Dlx neck on it. May change it in the future.
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2009 Classic Series '72 Telecaster Custom
I didn't mod this one at all. It was a great guitar, but the 7.25" neck radius was not for me. I sold it, for about $50 less than I paid for it. Worked out well for both of us.
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2010 American Standard Telecaster, 3 TSB, Alder.
This is a great guitar, I put in a four way switch and new jack. Great stock pickups. I bought this while I was waiting for my American Deluxe to arrive. It is a great weight and sounds fantastic. I can't bring myself to replace the pickups with Lollars.
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2010 American Deluxe Telecaster, BSB Ash
You know the story of this one, I waited a long time for it to arrive and it didn't match the specs that Fender had on the website when I ordered it (they had just cut and pasted the specs from the Alder Deluxe over). There is no body contours and the neck was significantly bigger than I anticipated. However this turned out to be the neck I love the most and I am now using it on all of my builds. This guitar is stock, and it sounds great with a lot of gain, as the pickups are so quiet.
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2010 Ron Kirn Signature Barnbuster. This guitar is made from reclaimed lumber that was once a circa 1850 Cotton Gin in Louisiana. Ron built it to my specs and it was a great guitar as delivered. It originally had Ron Kirn hand wound pickups, but they sound best driven hard through a tube amp. My wife is pregnant and that situation doesn't happen often enough so I installed a set of Lollar specials, and that is the only mod. It is a great guitar, the neck is a bit fatter than my Am Dlx, and the action is super low and fast. Ron builds works of arts. I will post a few photos, as I have never posted this one here.
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2010 Beck Esquire
I wanted a Beck Esquire, but with two major differences: 1. I didn't want to pay $10,500 and 2., I wanted it to be a complete player. The body and neck were made by Tommy at USACG. The neck is a perfect replica of my American Deluxe. The Body is two piece swamp ash. Tommy put the cuts in to match the original Beck. The body was then sent to MJT Aged Finishes, where Mark and Matt helped me pick the color I wanted (Beck's original looks many different colors in many photos, and I have seen a CS version up close and it is more white). I selected a color that I like best. They then did a fantastic job on aging it, much better than any relic job I have seen from Fender. All of the Hardware is from Bill Callaham and his distressed kit. It was super pricey, but it is high quality stuff. I went with the compensated saddles brass saddles so it would still appear to be like Beck's but have better intonation. The pickup is custom from Jason Lollar, called a J-Street. Total cost of this guitar was more than my American Deluxe, but less than my Ron Kirn. My favorite electric guitar.
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And then of course my Ash Standard which came in on Friday.

Don


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:54 am
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Don,

I take it you got your wife that table!!!??? Hahaha good stuff. How do your new standards feel and sound side by side (although the 3 tone is modded)?


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Post subject: Re: American Deluxe Tele
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:40 am
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ohiho1010 wrote:
Don,

I take it you got your wife that table!!!??? Hahaha good stuff. How do your new standards feel and sound side by side (although the 3 tone is modded)?


The two Standards are very consistent. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference blindfolded. The necks are identical, and they sound very much alike. I am not one of those people who can claim to hear the difference between ash and alder. It is my opinion that the electronics and hardware contribute far more to an electric guitar's tone, and in this case they are identical.

Don


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