Fender’s assumption at the time was that its stable of cowboy-bedecked guitarists would turn in their Telecasters for the more expressive and comfortable new Stratocaster. Leo Fender and the small company bearing his name seemed oblivious to the increasingly popular musical form even after it broke big in 1955 the company aimed its sleek new Stratocaster guitar squarely at the western swing and dance band guitarists who were already playing Fender’s first and more starkly utilitarian model, the Telecaster.
That last thought might seem odd, but it’s true. Neither happened overnight, as both had been in the works for at least a few years, and neither had anything whatsoever to do with the other.
The "Crafted in Japan" decal definitly replaced that year the whole model supply from japan (I read that Crafted in Japan started in mid-90's, side by side with MIJ for some years).ģ) The year range is between, as Joe says, 19 (I'd be curious about some witnesses from players owning fender MIJ "no serial-no pen date-EX(port)" reissue guitars and see when they bought them, talking of brand new guitars: expecially if these odd guitars were crafted before 1997).Toward the end of 1959, with the 1960s fast approaching, a bright future for both rock ‘n’ roll and the Fender Stratocaster seemed far from assured.īoth had arrived in the middle of the 1950s at roughly the same time-the Stratocaster in 1954 and rock ‘n’ roll in 1955. Because my hands grew with it.ġ) The serial A0 on the plate doesn't mean anything, in this specific case.Ģ) Bought in 1999, this guitar is probably one of the last Made in Japan '62 reissue custom telecaster. I love this guitar and the main reason for my date research is understanding its crafting nature (woods, pickups, etc.), comparing it to reviews of similar tele models, and (if something bad happens to it) searching for another one. it is not an easy thing to do and it may not be possible to know the accurate date.”. If there is not anything written, all the parts will have to be analised and compared to the models showed in Fender Japan catalogs over the years.
However, this serial will always begin with the "A" letter (Fender Japan serial number chart will not apply in this case), and unfortunately it will be possible to know only if there is a written date on the bottom of the neck (if the neck is the original from the guitar. “Telecasters - in some japanese reissues, serial will not be showed with the Made/Crafted in Japan decal, instead there will be a "serial number" stamped on the bridge. I had some some doubts about the serial number on the bridge plate because, given that I bought my guitar in late ‘90’s and it was absolutely new (and the serial number on it suggests that it was born 15 years before), some readings around the web hints that that number isn’t trustworthy. Thank you for all and sorry for any english mistake. Here you can see the picture of my tele: I changed some parts (knobs, switch and pots) so I added the orignal parts in one of the pictures. I read somewhere in this forum (i can't find the right thread, but it's here somewhere) that the reissue mij models were not marked with a serial number, and that they could be identified only by analyzing the single components of the instrument.Ĭan someone kindly tell the year of production just looking at my guitar components? The number on the bridge plate is probably not a serial number, so it doesn't count. No number on the headstock, no number behind the neck, no number on the plate and no number in the hidden parts of the body and neck. Some months ago I tried to date the instrument by serial number, but the number was missing. I bought it in 1999 (in Milan): it was a brand new Made in Japan telecaster custom reissue '62, and I kept it with me in the last ninteen years. I am new in this very useful forum and I wish to ask for some help from you about my dear old telecaster.