Reissue Tele -- '52 or '62

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

I've noticed there are quite a few Tele players on the forum, but I'm not sure if this is the right category for a Tele post -- at least a Tele is a "no peddler" (most of the time).

Anyway, my question is what are the main differences (in sound, construction, materials, or whatever) in the current '52 and '62 Tele reissues? None of the music stores in my area stock either of them so it's kinda hard to get a good comparison. I understand that the '52 has a real bassy neck pickup that's really not too usable. Other than that, I know virtually nothing about either, other than the '52 has a swamp ash body vs. the alder body of the '62, and I believe the '52 has brass bridge pieces while the '62's are steel (I might be wrong). Thanks ahead of time for your input.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Scoot over to the Telecaster Discussion Page (www.tdpri.com) and ask the same question. You'll get more information than you can shake a stick at. The '52 RI is wired as they were back then, with the super-bassy position, but this easily be changed to a more modern circuit -- if you buy a new one, the extra parts are already in the case. You might also be interested in Fenders 50's Classic and 60's Classic Telecasters. The 50's model is ash with a maple neck & fingerboard, and the 60's model is alder with a rosewood fingerboard. Each has cosmetic features from the appropriate era. Both models come from Fender's new factory in Corona, Mexico -- and they're highly regarded models among the players.

David Biagini · From: San Jose, CA, USA

I have a '52 Reissue and I love it. I had the wiring changed to the modern setup which makes the neck pickup very usable - I can make mine sound like a hollow-body jazz guitar. The bridge pickup screams, and both pickups together give that classic Tele tone. A very versatile guitar.

The basic differences between the '52 and '62 are:

Neck: '52=maple, '62=rosewood fingerboard
Neck shape: '52=thick, '62=thin
Bridge: '52=brass, '62=steel
Body: '52=ash, '62=alder

In my opinion, the '62 has a more mellow tone than the '52.

As the previous post mentioned, the Telecaster Discussion Forum is a good place for more info. Also try Fender's web site at www.fender.com

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Let's move this over to the Music forum.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Love my 52 RI. Don't know about the 62.

Read my (and others) post at http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum10/HTML/001889.html
-j0ey-

Steve Feldman · From: Central MA USA

I also have a '52 and you couldn't pry it away from me! I had the PUs re-wired as well, and I also had a real good shielding job done on the cavities so it's really very quiet for a single coil. But this thing just screams when pushed through my Fender Blues DeLuxe, or I can get as twangy as you like through my Vibrasonic. Either way, though, the tone is just incredible.

The only criticism I have is that the neck radius is relatively small (~7.25in, I think; I don't know if the '62s had the larger radius...), and so it's sometimes tough for me to bend strings cleanly.

But it's a great guitar.

[This message was edited by Steve Feldman on 03 March 2002 at 12:05 PM.]

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

1952 Tele = no binding on body

1962 Tele Custom = white binding on body

I have a '62 RI Tele it is a great sounding axe.

Tim

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

Thanks all for the great input -- I'm still open to anyone who wants to chime in.

-- Steve F. -- I'm not positive, but I believe all of the Tele and Strat 50's and 60's reissues (I don't know about the 70's) have the short radius fretboard you've mentioned.

I'm used to playing a Martin which, I believe, has a much larger fretboard radius, so I'm not sure how I'd adapt to the small radius fretboard. Then again, the electric and acoustic are two different beasts, so I'd have a lot more to worry about than just adapting to the fretboard radius

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 03 March 2002 at 01:14 PM.]

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

Tom,

I don't know about the '62 reissue, but I do know about (and remember) the originals! As a matter of fact, a close friend of mine still has his 1962 standard Telecaster which I get to play from time to time.

Telecasters of the 1962 era had REALLY slim/thin neck profiles, and came standard with a rosewood fingerboard and no "skunk stripe" nor walnut headstock plug on the neck. If you wanted a maple neck in 1962, you had to special order a maple fingerboard (and they were kinda difficult to get in 1962). That's why the majority of late 1959 through 1968 Tele's have rosewood fingerboards. All Telecasters from late 1959 through 1968 production, regardless of fingerboard type, lack the "skunk stripe" because the truss rod was installed before the fingerboard was glued in place.

Back to neck profiles for a moment: after about 1963 the necks begin to feel like they have more "shoulders" to them, but still not "clubby" like the 1970's guitars. But those 1962 necks were really slim-jims.

Bridge saddles on all Telecasters from about 1958 - early 1968 were threaded steel.

Blond Tele's built in the 1960's mainly had ash bodies. The sunburst and custom colored guitars had alder bodies. The standard 1962 Telecaster came with a single-ply white pickguard held in place by 8 Phillips-head screws. The Customs had 3-ply "green" (actually white nitrate celluloid with a greenish tint) 8-screw pickguards. Incidently, ALL 1964 Tele's came with a "green" pickguard. By 1965 (mid "L" series), there were no more "green" factory-installed pickguards.

I would think that the '62 reissue model would or should be very close to the characteristics of the original 1962 guitars, and sound and play at least as good as the originals (maybe better).

Hope this proves helpful, Tom.

Tim R.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Well although this is totally subjective..I'll give you my take. I'm 53 and my opinions are now cast in solid rock, just a little up front note. If you don't believe me just ask my wife !

I have owned and played probably a dozen or more Tele's thur the years. All good players, all great investments, but who knew..who cared !!

I played the longest on a '69 blonde with rosewood. I played for a while on a '61 and 62, couldn't really tell the difference but didn't like the feel of those two. Rosewood necks but not a good feel for me. Both had good twang.

I just aquired a 52 RI from around '89, yes they all come with the neck pickup in max bass tone but that can be reversed in 5 minutes or less. I doubt there are many players using a 52 RI that have not made that capacitor change.
ALso the 52RI's have brass saddles so that may influence your Tele tone.

The 52 RI that I just acquired must have had a re-fret as it now has jumbo frets . I now rate this as the best playing and sounding Tele I have ever owned. The body weight is a tad less than the 60's series and way less than the new Tele's. Ash body's. ALso the Butterscotch finish with the maple neck and black guard is my favorite looking Tele, but that may just be me. This guitar is a keeper for life and then some as my daughter has already claimed it as hers once I stop playing. ( women !!)( oh yeh she wants the Sho-Bud too )

Now for the long term, I know I have a strong opinion here and many will disagree.. I have never bought an Instrument thru the years that I did not feel I could re-sell and recapture the value. All of my Fender guitars were no exception. The classic 50's Tele's are very good in the playability dept and purchase value department. The made in Mexico thing just does not cut it if you will be looking to "move" the guitar in the future.Some Japanese Tele's did manage to hold some value but in comparison to the good ole' USA made Tele's , NADA !

That being said, the 52 RI's in my opinion are the premier Tele on the market, doesn't matter which year or what condition. These guitars fill both worlds for Tele players everywhere, they look great ,play great and sound great and they are the hot ticket item for re-sale in the Tele market and I doubt that will change.

It appears that you can find a 52RI in very good condition for around $900 with the tweed case, so I would assume that the difference between getting a Mexican guitar advertised for just over $600 and the 52RI for around $900, I would find the extra $300 and go for the gold.
In the end though, it does come back to your personal taste , how does the guitar feel to you and how does it sound. It's aways personal.

Just my less than a penny's worth..
TP

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 04 March 2002 at 04:58 AM.]

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 04 March 2002 at 05:02 AM.]

Tom Olson · From: Spokane, WA

Tim and Tony,

Thanks very much for the add'l input -- I'll definitely take your thoughts into consideration. I'm hoping I can can get to play each of them to get some first-hand impressions -- but it's not likely to happen here (maybe I'll scoot over to Seattle if I can locate a store that has one of each in stock).

Thanks again.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I have a '62 reissue that I'm very happy with. I have it set up as a jazz guitar with heavy flatwound strings. Through a Fender Blues junior amp, it gets a lovely warm jazz tone that rivals an archtop - even with single coils.

Tele · From: Andy W. - Wolfenbuettel, Germany

I had alot of old Telecasters, 50s and 60s guitars but I really love the one I have now. Its a "custom-built" copy of a late 53 Esquire(okay, with added neck pickup). I was thinking about getting me a new 52 Reissue but I never liked those wimpy necks. Some No-caster Relics are quite nice, with beefy necks but overpriced.
But those No-caster pickups are unbelievable, the one I have now sounds better than any old one I heard before. And they are cheap as well. Would improve any new Tele !!
Oh and btw, my home-made guitar looks better than any new Fender relic but was much cheaper ( if you don't count the endless hours)

other than that I'd try the US-made 62 custom instead of the 52.

my 2cents
Andy

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1959~60 Sho~Bud D-9 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : 1959 Gibson Super 400CES :1957 Standel 25L15

My steels and more

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Andy W. Very fine indeed !!

TP

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Yes, very nice.

As long as we're showing custom Tele's, here's my bender guitar:

More at http://pedalsteel.tv/InstDisk/Pages/Bender.htm

Harry Hess · From: Blue Bell, PA., USA * R.I.P.

Love my '52 re-issue. The ash body has that classic tele tone.

My '52 re-issue beats the hell out of the 3 early 60's teles that I owned in the 70's, it also beats the hell out of the '59 that I used to own.

All of my "true" early 60's teles and the true '59 that I owned had alder bodies. I had no idea of what "real" tele tone was till I got my '52 re-issue with that ash body. In my opinion, the ash body just can't be equaled.

Regards,
HH

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