crunchee Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 (edited) I snagged this Tele Cabronita (the TC in the NTCD) at DGS Madison tonight after it showed up in the DGS online inventory yesterday, after giving it some long thought overnight: https://www.davesguitar.com/collections/all-products-latest/products/classic-player-cabronita-tele-12 I'd wanted one since they came out several years ago, but missed out on the chance. Some things in the item description had me scratching my head, though...such as the 'standard cast/sealed tuners' stated in the description (they look like vintage Kluson-style repro types to me, not the square-bodied Fender-branded sealed tuners that often show up on these guitars); and I also thought that Fender was using ash with a 'White Blonde' finish in 2012 on MIM Teles and Cabronitas, not alder? The color makes it tough to tell either way (thanks a LOT, Fender ); and the weight doesn't give much of a clue either, as all my Fenders/Partscasters (alder and ash) sit in the upper 7 lb. range also. The other 'unique' thing about MIM Cabronitas (some might call it a drawback), is that the original bridge is a three-screw baseplate-mounted type, not the traditional four-screw Tele baseplate-mounting type, and appears to be patterned on the old three-screw Fender American Standard hardtail, regarding mounting screw placement and string spacing. The maker of the currently-installed bridge on this guitar is also a mystery, as it's not mentioned in the DGS item description; but from looking around online, it does look a lot like the Rutters' 'La Burrito' bridge to me, so maybe it is, and/or maybe it isn't (no affiliation): https://ruttersguitars.com/la-burrito-bridge So, anybody else want to try to unravel this mystery? Edited August 28, 2023 by crunchee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topekatj Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 Looks like a cool score, appears to be ash to my eye (the grain ‘veins’). Can’t help on the bridge— Let us know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveL Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 Hi, I had one of those a few years ago... nice axe, agree, that does look like a Rutters. definitely looks like a nice upgrade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchee Posted August 30, 2023 Author Share Posted August 30, 2023 (edited) Remember that I said the guitar had what looked like vintage Kluson-type tuners, instead of the standard modern square cast/sealed housing'd Fender tuners? I took a closer look at the DGS photos, and I noticed that 1: The tuner post bushings looked like the larger modern 'screw in' types, not the vintage 'push in' grommet-style bushings, and 2: On the back of the headstock, there weren't any visible screws holding the tuners in place. I did some on-line digging around, and guess what? These are apparently those tuners: https://www.fender.com/en-US/parts/electric-guitar-parts/tuning-machines/classicgear-tuning-machine-set/0990802100.html So look Ma, no tiny screws to futz with, and no drilling! If you've got a recent-model Fender, the tuners just drop in and install, just like the standard modern cast/sealed tuners. I'd never knew these tuners even existed, has anybody else encountered them? They sure look like a good way not to mess up your headstock with a drill ! Edited August 30, 2023 by crunchee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cboss Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 The are on my brothers slash edition Gibson, I was just marveling at them the other day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topekatj Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 Hey @crunchee: what’s the story on those pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchee Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 29 minutes ago, topekatj said: Hey @crunchee: what’s the story on those pickups? I hope to find out tomorrow, as FedEx didn't pick up from the DGS store in Fitchburg until yesterday (Tuesday). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchee Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 (edited) 16 hours ago, Cboss said: The are on my brothers slash edition Gibson, I was just marveling at them the other day How did he manage to do that without drilling? Or is this a different tuner and system that Gibson uses, meant only for Gibsons? AFAIK, the 'contemporary dual-pin mounting system' that I'm referring to (and referencing to in the above Fender link), is only compatible on Fenders that use said system, unless he made them fit by drilling. Edited August 31, 2023 by crunchee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cboss Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 5 hours ago, crunchee said: How did he manage to do that without drilling? Or is this a different tuner and system that Gibson uses, meant only for Gibsons? AFAIK, the 'contemporary dual-pin mounting system' that I'm referring to (and referencing to in the above Fender link), is only compatible on Fenders that use said system, unless he made them fit by drilling. It came that way, he bought it new Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchee Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 On 8/30/2023 at 9:40 PM, topekatj said: Hey @crunchee: what’s the story on those pickups? Not bad, they're crisp and clean when I want them to be, jangly and chimey for sure, it makes the guitar sound like a similar-but-distinctly-different flavor of Tele, if that makes any sense. The 3-saddle bridge seems to work great for this guitar, and I'm pretty sure it is a Rutters bridge, but I haven't looked under the bridge to see if there's any I.D. marks on it yet. This guitar's great for Tom Petty stuff and BritPop, and anything else that uses a lot of rhythm playing, IMO...and I'm definitely itching to try the guitar out through tremolo effects. I wish Cabronitas were around back when I had a Rick 330 and 360! The PUs kinda sound somewhere like between a PAF and a Tele PU, with more oomph than a single coil (they are humbuckers, after all). Good for blues and even jazz, too! I dunno how well they compare to a TV Jones PU yet (I don't have or have played any guitars that have those), so I'd have to listen up on YooToob samples. I did once have a Gretsch Electromatic G5420T with stock 'blacktop' pickups on those, those were similar and OK for that guitar, but they didn't make the same impression on me that the Fidelitrons did...maybe it had something to do with them being in a hollowbody guitar? The only drawback is that I have to control the tone from the amp (no tone knob on the guitar), but that's no big deal to me...at least not yet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topekatj Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 Hey Crunch: if one wanted to preserve the aesthetic of a single knob but add a tone control you could incorporate a jazz bass style stacked/ concentric pot to the equation. https://reverb.com/p/fender-001-9268-049-62-jazz-bass-250k-slash-500k-audio-taper-concentric-solid-shaft-volume-slash-tone-potentiometer Does your cabro feature a back tummy cut? Coincidentally, Dave’s has another ash bodied cabro on the ‘verb with the same Rutters bridge. https://reverb.com/item/73066798-fender-limited-edition-cabronita-tele-19 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchee Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 33 minutes ago, topekatj said: Hey Crunch: if one wanted to preserve the aesthetic of a single knob but add a tone control you could incorporate a jazz bass style stacked/ concentric pot to the equation. https://reverb.com/p/fender-001-9268-049-62-jazz-bass-250k-slash-500k-audio-taper-concentric-solid-shaft-volume-slash-tone-potentiometer Does your cabro feature a back tummy cut? Coincidentally, Dave’s has another ash bodied cabro on the ‘verb with the same Rutters bridge. https://reverb.com/item/73066798-fender-limited-edition-cabronita-tele-19 I'm still in the thinking stages about a double-decker knob, those came to mind when I was looking at Cabronitas before. I don't care for belly cuts on Teles, if I wanted one I'd buy a Strat. I saw that Cab at DGS though, I like the butterscotch color but the one I got in white blonde is nice (much cheaper, too), with a cool 'Jimmy Bryant' vibe, plus the ash grain shows up much better in person than it did in the original DGS photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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