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NGD...Q: What's Black & Blue & Blasted?


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A: My latest guitar:

https://davesguitar.com/products/fender/limited-edition-sandblasted-tele-14/

This is my first Fender USA-made (as opposed to a Fender clone put together with USA parts) guitar in a VERY long time.  It looks promising, has a two-piece ash body, old-style Tele bridge with brass saddles, and a '70's style headstock logo.  With the exception of the sandblasted ash body, it's essentially an American Special Tele.

I'd remembered reading about Fender making these Ltd. Ed. 'sandblasted' Teles and Strats a couple of years ago; so when I saw this particular one at DGS, I went to Google to comparison shop for similar ones from past sales/listings on Reverb and Ebay...turns out, there was once a used American Standard Tele version for sale a few years ago at DGS...i'm including that old link here.  I think of the two, I prefer the version I snagged over the American Standard version:

https://davesguitar.com/products/fender/limited-edition-sandblasted-american-standard-tele-11/

I'm a fan of wood finishes vs. fancy paint jobs, which is what got my attention with this Tele in the first place, especially since it's made from ash.  Has anybody here owned one of those 'sandblasted' guitars, or at least played one of those?  Any thoughts?  In the meantime, I'll be waiting for it to arrive in the next few days.

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38 minutes ago, bubs_42 said:

Nice, I ended up with a Lifton Case for my 58 Reissue from Dave's last night. About a 3rd less then i've seen them go for, shipping and tax included! 

Come to think of it, I didn't get charged tax that I know of, as I purchased direct from the DGS website, rather than from (or through) Reverb.  DGS didn't charge me for shipping either, and they usually didn't when I purchased guitars from them before.  Amps and cabs, on the other hand, DGS did charge for shipping.

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12 hours ago, RobB said:

Nice Tele, crunch! Thank GAWD you actually bought something from a site you’ve been pimping (“no affiliation”) for so long. 

   I was wondering if crunchee was getting a cut.  Lol.       Btw. 7.6 lbs not bad at all.   Some of the lower priced usa stuff (Gibson. Fender etc) can be really heavy.  

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18 hours ago, RobB said:

Nice Tele, crunch! Thank GAWD you actually bought something from a site you’ve been pimping (“no affiliation”) for so long. 

 

5 hours ago, DaveL said:

   I was wondering if crunchee was getting a cut.  Lol.       Btw. 7.6 lbs not bad at all.   Some of the lower priced usa stuff (Gibson. Fender etc) can be really heavy.  

 

I've mentioned a couple of my DGS acquisitions here on the board before, one of them being my 'Cabronita'-style Partscaster, as seen currently in the 'Single Cut' gallery...funny thing is, DGS didn't mention the stainless steel frets, the 'baked' birdseye maple neck, or the Glendale hardware at all:

https://davesguitar.com/products/kit/aged-tele-custom-recent/

Another that I still have from DGS is my stripped-finish Fender Mike Dirnt Precision Bass...I need to take a new photo of it to post here one of these days, as I've changed the old 'parchment'-colored pickguard to a newer three-ply black/white/black one.  In the meantime, this will have to do:

https://davesguitar.com/products/fender/mike-dirnt-precision-bass-06/

Neither one of these are going anywhere if I can help it.  B)

 

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Got this Tele yesterday.  It's kinda turned all my preconceptions and expectations about Fender USA on it's head.  Either that, or I got one that was built on a good day.

First thing, the fit & finish on this thing is as good as any bolt- neck guitar I've ever had.  The neck joint is super snug, absolutely no gaps to be seen in the neck pocket.  Plus, the two-piece ash body is very well matched, right down the center line.  The neck is straight and the guitar was set up very well, and I love the jumbo frets.  It even has a nice sound when played without being plugged in, I mention that just in case anybody asks.  :rolleyes:

Second thing...if this Tele is 100% stock, then apparently it's got Fender American Standard Tele PUs and a 'Greasebucket' tone control, from what I could find out online.  The dang thing SOUNDS like a Tele when plugged in; really twangy, really chimy, bright when played up the neck (that 'Greasebucket' circuit seems really effective and useful, if that's what it's got), but has really punchy lows too.  All in all, I'm liking it A LOT.

The only problem I have now is that I want ALL my ash-bodied, maple-necked Teles to sound this way.  They sound good as is, but they don't sound like THIS one.  I've gotta go figure out the variables now...does it sound like it does because of the PUs?  Because of the 'Greasebucket' circuit?  Or both?  Or because of something else?

The 'sandblasted' finish is nice, though the Sapphire Blue paint is REALLY flat, as in no shine at all.  I like the looks of the body, but that body finish seems to me like it would show wear pretty easily...and you wouldn't want to play this Tele right after eating Pizza or Fried Chicken!  Seems like the only wear evident is pick scratches on the pick guard and a few light marks here and there, but there's practically no fret wear; so it didn't get played much over the last four or five years.

It didn't come with a case, though it did come with a suspiciously new-looking Fender gigbag (it still had the hangtags attached to the handle), so it makes me wonder how this guitar was stored before.  I have empty Fender-style cases from previous guitars 'just in case' (no, I didn't keep them just so I could buy a new guitar...but it didn't hurt to have them handy!), so I've got it well protected.

In the meantime, I'm debating about using some 'Tried & True' Original Finish (polymerized linseed oil and beeswax) on the body to protect the finish...I used this stuff on the stripped body of my Fender Mike Dirnt P-Bass with nice results.

My conclusion about this guitar is:

Now, I want another one that sounds and plays like it!  Hmmm...I wonder if ALL of these 'sandblasted' Teles from this series sound like this?

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6 minutes ago, crunchee said:

In the meantime, I'm debating about using some 'Tried & True' Original Finish (polymerized linseed oil and beeswax) on the body to protect the finish...I used this stuff on the stripped body of my Fender Mike Dirnt P-Bass with nice results.

Don't do it. Leave it stock.

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14 minutes ago, Boomerang~Junkie said:

That is beautiful - wow.

Full tone report - PLEASE.

Great get - congrats.

I kinda gave a 'mini' tone report, in the third and fourth paragraphs.  This guitar (or one just like it) sounds like it belongs on a Modern Country recording, if it hasn't been used on one already.  It's got that 'in your face' Tele quality that I can find all over 'Hot Country' Radio.  Keep in mind though, I don't use pedals, I just play straight into a 18-watt Marshall 'TMB' clone head.  I'm curious to find what other player's opinions are of those pickups and the 'Greasebucket' circuit, if anybody here has one of those guitars...especially in an ash bodied Tele.

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3 hours ago, Boomerang~Junkie said:

 . . . . the "Greasebucket" circuit, huh. 

I am now even more intrigued. 

This article is talking about it's use in a Strat, but the principle appears to be the same for a Tele, too...and the circuit DOESN'T make the sound dirtier when it's used...maybe this is where that 'in your/my face' tone quality is coming from::

https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/12311-mod-garage-the-fender-greasebucket-tone-circuit

Edited to add:  It's not just for Country either, it loves to be cranked up too!

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