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Post subject: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:13 am
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Ok, this is a little complicated and I'm not an expert but I'll try and be succinct and breif. Bought this Telecaster represented as a 1982 American version. When I got it a couple of things jumped out at me. First was it only had 21 frests. I may be incorrect but I was under the impression it should have 22. Also, the neck seemed to be in significantly better condition than the body. It was pristine almost as if it had not ever been played but the body had a good amount of wear, belt rub, minor scratches, a few dings, etc.

So now I'm sort of curious. Peghead is marked "Made in USA" and I recognize the E series serial number as American made (wrong assumtion but I'll get to that). So I pull off the neck. The bottom is marked simply with a very small type DEC 01 1983. The back base of the neck looks like it's stamped in the same small red type "Morena" and in the lower right corner printed in slightly larger black type is "S-15". These don't look to me like any American stamps I remember seing in the past. To add, the body cavity for the neck has NO stamp. Just a hand written large "X".

Now I'm really suspicious... I go back to check the serial number again and it appears to be a Japanese made E series. But is it really? Someone obviously put a fake decal on some POS neck or they used a genuine Japanse neck and added the made in usa. So my first question would be if any of the Japanese versions had no other markings that should be present like an engraved serial number if it were genuine because I've seen the made in Japan before. Now I'm really confused...

So I pull the electronics. White translucent pickup switch, not brown. Single tone pot instead of the stacked double pots I thought should be there. So, the bottom line is I'm a little lost on exactly what I have here. A genuine Japanese neck with a counterfeit decal? A genuine body with replacement parts? An entirely faked POS with some original Fender hardware to make it look authentic? It's sort of weird. If the neck is a cheap fake, it's the best I've ever seen. In doing my reseearch I have found a couple of bodies that appear to be genuine with no markings so I'm not sure there either. The obvious issue is that someone obviously put a made in the USA decal on a non-USA produced neck unless they were just stupid. Stupid enough they used a Japanese series serial number I guess. Nonw of this makes much sense. Just looking for some guidance. I'd add pictures but not sure how to do that.

Also there are absolutely no markings of made in Japan. But the serial number is definately a Japanese produced one. The last thing is that I read there was a lot of issues around 84-85 with the CBS licensing to Japan and everyone over there was making parts and guitars until they put a licensing deal in effect. Any input would be appreciated as I must decide to return this or keep it. I have no problem owning a Japanese version (at a significant discount to the price I paid which the seller is considering) but as I said it could just be a $100 guitar with some genuine Fender stuff installed and a fake decal. What I'm hoping is someone just added the made in USA lettering. By the way, the Made in USA is in italic caps. All that I have seen so far were not.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 12:17 pm
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Pictures would be worth a thousand words.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:12 pm
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Photos, photos , photos


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:42 pm
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How do I post pictures?


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:57 pm
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1- Download your photos on Photobucket or other,

2- Mouse pointer on the first photo, a window will open, choose " copy IMG image"

3- Copy link that on Fenderforum answer window


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:24 am
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http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 2735486986


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:30 am
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Oooops. Guess I only needed one link and then you can scroll through the album. Sorry. Now I know. Thanks stratele52 for the help.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:48 am
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Neck and body look legit to me, don't think they went to 22 frets until later, like maybe 1986. Can't tell you about the electronics though. Not sure what kind of pots and stuff they were using in 1983.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:54 am
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So if it is fake, whatcha gonna do about it? :?


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:01 pm
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Minnesotastrats wrote:
So if it is fake, whatcha gonna do about it? :?



Not sure. Like I said, see how good I can get it to sound. Scrape off the decal and keep it I guess. Might even refinish it to mint because if it's a fake, who cares, right? Just build a beautiful keeper. :-) But I would like to find out if any of it is original before I turn it into a project personal guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:22 pm
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Don't scrape off that decal; from the photos you posted it looks like the 1983/84 CBS Standard Teles - made in the USA. The strings shouldn't go through the body either; it should string up from the back of the bridge.

It looks like at least the bridge pickup was changed to a Duncan, and I think the string tree was changed to plastic/graphite one.

As JasonSD says Fender didn't go to 22 frets on the USA models until the American Standards came out - which "officially" happened in January 1987 but FMIC started doing production runs circa October/November 1986.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:47 pm
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I have a 1983 Tele like yours but in sunburst . Neck 's decals are the same . My serial number are E 32XXXX.
Keep the neck original please. Electronicc look original too.

Body , I don't know , I can't see picture.

Some thing you forget on Photobucket , we must see your picture here , not the link . You may have to choose smaller pictures , I don't know where.

Photobucket is an update, don't work like that before , you must click on "IMG code" and copy on forum answer window.

Image


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:04 pm
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Ok. Getting weirder. I'm looking around on EBay for 83's. There's a bunch of them. All of them claim to be USA models but the serial numbers all indicate made in Japan. They all start with E 3. E + six digits is indicated as a MIJ guitar. What's the deal? Is their a mistake or did someone flood the market with counterfeits?


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:11 pm
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Ok. Now I'm really confused...

Fender says that E3 + five digits is an American made. E + six digits is Japanese. How do you tell? I've never seen the 3 net to the E in any of them. so they're all E+6! This is drivin' me crazy.


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Post subject: Re: Strange Fake Telecaster... I think
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:18 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
I have a 1983 Tele like yours but in sunburst . Neck 's decals are the same . My serial number are E 32XXXX.
Keep the neck original please. Electronicc look original too.

Body , I don't know , I can't see picture.

Some thing you forget on Photobucket , we must see your picture here , not the link . You may have to choose smaller pictures , I don't know where.

Photobucket is an update, don't work like that before , you must click on "IMG code" and copy on forum answer window.

Image



Have you ever checked the date stamp on your neck? I'd be interested to see what it looks like because I can see no difference in MIJ and MIA at this point.


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