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Post subject: How can I tell if my Telecaster is Ash or Alder?
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:45 pm
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I'm brand new to electrics-actually just started playing acoustic 5 months ago. Purchased a new Tele Deluxe(serial number DZ6103112). It is a Sunburst but I can't tell if its a 2 color or 3 color. The dealer told me it was an Ash body(I was told by a really good player that Ash seems to resonate better??). This Tele came with a lot of tags, one of them says it is the Deluxe Alder wood, but it really looks more like the Ash on the website(has the "aged" maple fretboard).

A single sheet of paper that came with it has at the top: American Deluxe Telecaster Upgrade 0101600/1602, directly under that heading is: American Deluxe Telecaster Ash 010702.

No matter what its made of it plays/sounds great. I'm just wondering what its made of.

What is the difference in the 2 color and 3 color sunburst(I have only saw this one sunburst model-all others at the store are solids)?

In the spec sheets on the Fender website there is mentions of a neck difference between the Alder and Ash woods. The Alder has a Modern "C" shape, while the Ash has the "U" Shape of the '52 Tele. How do you tell the difference between necks(such as a visual difference or is it more of a feel difference).

I removed the pickguard to clean off the glue residue from the clear plastic cover that came on it(had to restring it since the strings were old), while I did this I noticed a white, dry powder in the cutout where the neck Pickup was located. What does this powder do(my guess is antistatic powder or is it a dryed antistatic grease?) Its not sawdust.

By now you can see I'm a very raw, green player. I'm used to working with technical/electrical things so none of this is overwhelming to me-just new stuff. I generally learn quickly and like to do things correct and within the specs as outlined by the company who makes whatever i'm using.

Thanks for any help on any of these questions.

The guitar sounds great by the way(I don't but the guitar does!).

Daryl Crisp


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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:34 pm
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Three color sunburst has a bit of a orange hue between the center of the guitar and the darker edges, where the sunburst transitions from transparent to opaque. Two color sunburst doesn't have the orange. Looking at the different Fender models on this website can give you a guide.

Ash has a heavy looking, distinct grain (think baseball bats), where Alder tends to be much more subdued. Weight can vary with both.

The powder you're describing sounds like dried polishing compound from the factory, but I could be wrong.


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Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:50 pm
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Alder is the classic Stratocaster body material, though the original models were made of ash. Alder is easy to work with because it doesn't require a lot of pore fill. Alder has a full-bodied sound, but doesn't have quite the "bite" of ash.

Twangy, porous, and heavy are words that describe ash, although northern ash is heavier than swamp ash. Ash is the classic ingredient of the Telecaster sound. It also has good bottom end. If this is the guitar that you bought, it is ash.

http://www.fender.com/products//search. ... 0101702750

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Post subject: Re: How can I tell if my Telecaster is Ash or Alder?
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:04 pm
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OK anybody...I just tried swapping out the black pick guard on my Am Del Tele with N3 pups. Now my neck pup went out. I’ve checked everything. Sometimes it cracks a bit, but nothing. And now i have a grounding buzz on top of everything else. Nothing is disconnected anywhere. Tele was noiseless and beautiful for a year until last month. I bought it new from Guitar Center .com. It is one of the first American Deluxe Teles with N3 pups. Trans red Ash. This is a drag. I think the pickup is bad or shorted. When I press on one end of the neck pick up it signal comes in and out. It’s the end that has a thin copper ground going from the red pickup base to the just under chrome cover. Anybody have an idea about what’s happening. I’m getting ready to buy a new N3 neck pup.


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Post subject: Re: How can I tell if my Telecaster is Ash or Alder?
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:57 am
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Post subject: Re: How can I tell if my Telecaster is Ash or Alder?
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:24 am
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Wow! Hi-jacking an almost 5 year old thread. That is so lame. :roll:

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Post subject: Re: How can I tell if my Telecaster is Ash or Alder?
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:55 am
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How cool is that ! I might do it again.


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