Fender American Deluxe Telecaster Ash [2004-2010]

(Originally written by poufinou/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
It's not easy to overlook Fender's huge product range! They don't have a lot of different models (Strat, Tele, Jaguar and some others), but the options available are endless... From new products to reissues and signature, relic and vintage models, the choices are overwhelming... and it's not easy to find the guitar that matches your needs best...

Short history: Clarence Leonidas Fender, named Leo, was not a musician. Not at all! But he liked electronics. In the mid 40's he started buying amps and lap steel guitars with his first partner: Doc Kauffman. He had already worked on solid-body guitar prototypes. As a reminder, the first marketed solid-body guitar was the Electro/Rickenbacker developed by George Beauchamp (who patented the electromagnetic pickup) and Adolf Rickenbacker. It was the the A-22 (1931), better known as the "frying pan". Later came some prototypes and limited series like Les Paul's famous log (1941), which amused the guys at Gibson's pretty much, and the guitar made by Paul Bigsby for Merle Travis in 1948.

Leo Fender built his first real prototype in 1949 under the name Standard Electric. He renamed it Esquire, introduced it at the NAMM Show in 1950 and marketed it during the same year. But Leo had introduced a model with only one pickup, so when dealers started receiving a guitar with two pickups they felt a bit lost. Leo decided to sell this dual-pickup guitar under the name Broadcaster and reserved the name Esquire for the signe-pickup model, which he wanted to market later. But at the same time Gretsch was selling a drum kit named Broadkaster so they asked Fender to change the name. Leo removed the headstock sticker from the first guitars he sold, which as a consequence didn't have a name anymore (and today are known as "NoCaster"), and chose the name Telecaster as a tribute to the first steps of television.

This model was conceived for production in series: flat-top ash body without glued top, bolt-on maple neck with non-glued maple fingerboard. It was easy to customize this guitar and exchange damaged parts. The guitar also had two single-coil pickups, a one-ply black pickguard, a 3-way toggle switch, a volume control and a "mix" control. Tele and Esquire models used the same body. The instrument had plenty innovative features: in-line machine heads (headstock shape and tuner design was probably inspired by Paul Bigsby's 1948 guitar!!), an innovative body shape which was fully different from the "Spanish" and "Hawaian" inspired competing models, a very powerful single coil pickup in the neck position with metal housing for high-frequency attenuation, a less powerful bridge single-coil pickup placed on a metal plate plaque, which added 10% of power and produced that famous brilliant and twangy sound, three adjustable saddles (one saddle for two strings), six body-through strings. The 3-way toggle switch was originally presented as a tool that allowed the instrument to sound as a guitar or a bass (Leo launched the first electric bass-the Precision Bass-one year later). The toggle switch provided the following combinations: one position for the neck pickup with a low tone control, one position for the bridge pickup with a high tone control, and one position for the bridge pickup with a "mix" control (instead of a tone control), which allowed you to mix the sound of both pickups to have more low frequencies. This very brilliant and twangy sound with a short sustain immediately had a big success among country music guitarists. And the solid-body tidal wave started!

Later came a few enhancements: the electronics changed to provide a tone control and the three pickup selection we know nowadays was introduced. Other versions became available towards 1958 (alder body, rosewood fingerboard, custom finishes, etc.)

Made in the USA.

Premium ash body.

'52-type maple neck with U profile.

Maple fingerboard.

Radius: 9.49"

22 medium jumbo frets, pearly inlays.

Two Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Tele pickups.

Volume control with S-1 switching system, tone control.

3-way toggle switch combined with the two S-1 settings.

American Tele bridge with six chromed brass saddles.

Fender®/Schaller® Deluxe tuners.

Chrome hardware.

1-ply black pickguard.

Scale: 25.51"

Neck width: 1.69" at the nut.

Strings: Fender Super 250L Nickel Plated Steel (.009-.042)

Sold with flightcase.

It's the Deluxe version of the New American Standard. Excellent manufacturing quality even though this guitar was conceived as a very basic instrument. Mine has a clear vintage touch: ash body with the "butterscotch" finish of the first Telecaster models, the 1-ply black pickguard and the maple fingerboard, which increases the typical twang of this guitar.

Some details are new: revised saddles, slimmer varnish for a longer sustain... nothing revolutionary!

The three saddles of the original model were replaced with six individual saddles for a better tuning!! The pickups are noiseless single coils for an enhanced signal to noise ratio. The modern electronics provide more versatility than the original.

The S-1 system on the volume control allows you to wire the pickups in series, instead of the usual parallel solution. It provides a rounder and fuller humbucker-like sound with a higher output level. This system is only effective when both pickups are on, obviously. The change isn't evident when you use only one pickup.

I chose this one out of the endless Telecaster models available because it is faithful to the features of the original model, and it adds some modern improvements that provide it a wider sound range and a more accurate tuning.

I give it a 9/10 regarding manufacturing quality. It's a high-end instrument even if Fender is not Gibson or PRS.

UTILIZATION

The '52-type neck with U profile is pretty thick. Either you like it or not! In spite of the cutaway the access to the upper frets is not very easy, and the bolt-on neck doesn't help much. In short, it's a Telecaster!!

As a reminder, Leo Fender developed the Stratocaster from the feedback of musicians already using the Telecaster. So he could have improved playability and comfort using a dual cutaway and an ergonomically chamfered body.

The guitar is rather heavy.

But tit is easy to play.

The S-1 system on the volume control is not very convenient. A push/pull solution would be more convenient and reliable.

Another annoying detail is that the output jack is slightly recessed so you can't use right angle connectors.

On the other hand, a small advantage is that the guitar is sold with strap locks.

Due to these small disadvantages I give it an 8. It's simply unforgivable for a Deluxe model from an experienced company like Fender!

SOUNDS

The unplugged sound is very good and the sustain isn't as short as I expected.

Once you plug the guitar you get the twangy Telecaster sound straight away... but not the usual single coil noise.

The S-1 system shows its true versatility as soon as you play with both pickups. The sound becomes bigger and fuller, but it doesn't lose the sharpness of single-coils pickups. Blues players will get a more mellow sound. You obviously won't get a real humbucker sound but the versatility is clearly improved. The higher output level will also allow you to get a crunch sound simply by the way you attack the strings. It's a pity that the S-1 system is not more practical and reliable.

The sustain is ok.

This Telecaster is faithful to its ancestors but it is no stranger to these modern times. If you are thinking about getting the Hot Rod model with a humbucker, try this Telecaster, I find it more versatile.

I give it 9/10 because of the S-1 system, which is not very practical nor reliable.

OVERALL OPINION

In a review about a Fender guitar, it seems to me that the most important thing is to describe why the model is interesting compared to all other versions. If I just say that my Fender is super, I don't help anyone to choose the right Telecaster among the endless models available.

This instrument is faithful to the spirit of the original instrument: ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, butterscotch finish, 1-ply black pickgard, two single-coil pickups. But it also adds some improvements: six saddles for a better tuning, S-1 switching system for more versatility, and noiseless pickups. The Deluxe finish and especially the pearly inlays give it a high-class look.

The sound is faithful to the original but more versatile.

This guitar is a tribute to the authentic 50-52 Telecaster with a more modern sound.

It's a good choice if you're looking for a high-end authentic Fender without some of the disadvantages of the original model.

Compared to this guitar, the Hot Rod version is less authentic and versatile because of its alder body, rosewood fingerboard and custom finish. The tuning reliability of the Relic model it not as good due to its 3-saddle bridge.

This version is a first-class compromise... But it's all a matter of taste.

The American Ash Telecaster Deluxe model 2004, is as its name indicates the top model series made in the USA. The body is ash (the guitar is heavier than conventional models alder). The neck, maple, has 22 frets. The key type 52 'maple also the standard model is broken down into little rosewood. The two Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Tele pickups come with a 3 position switch (neck, double bridge) and the system S-1 switch that allows dual-position to the microphones in parallel (classical) or in series. Finally, two knobs for volume and tone.

UTILIZATION

The neck of this guitar is a treat. There are feelings of a telecaster with a level of finish that allows anything and everything, if you miss a note with this guitar, it is impossible to accuse the sleeve or the frets (which is the least we for a guitar in this category). Access to acute is correct (it is neither a Start nor a Rickenbacker). Useless to try to put a capo in the 14th box, but everything goes well and very well in the higher fields and this on any string. The form ... it's a telecaster is no surprise. The ash body makes the guitar heavier but quite reasonable.

SOUNDS

Sound: Typical of the telecaster. crystal clear sound, very "punchy". This guitar is known for its acute that it can get, and this is accompanied by a remarkable presence in low and medium. The new noiseless pickups are wonderful. Some fundamentalists of vintage telecaster blame these microphones to distort the sound 52 ', and it is possible that there is a difference, but this guitar that perfectly highlights the slightest nuance that you will bring to your game has no breath! Nothing! (Finished noisegate). The system S-1 switch, which can put both pickups in series, a fourth color makes this guitar sound: the sound is boosted (there is also a significant difference in volume compared to three other positions of the selector) . You lose a lot by then but it becomes more acute and sustain medium (already excellent position "classic": it's a telecaster). Coupled with a Vox AC-30 TB, the result is amazing. Fender amp on: beautiful, but a little too sharp slap, but it's history and taste settings. We find immediately the tone color of guitar playing telecaster (johnny Grennwood, Jeff Buckley, Andy Summers ...)

OVERALL OPINION

This guitar is a very, very, very, very great guitar. Both typical and versatile (to some extent), it allows a set fine and precise in any style (except perhaps metal, and still is to be tested). If we were to find a fault ... no, I do not see. For the price: Fender catalog and store, this guitar is € 1849 (highest price), but it occurs at a lower price on the net. Feel free to negotiate with the dealer, it is well worth it.