Fender American Vintage '62 Custom Telecaster

(Originally written by pmilani/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
Fender American Vintage '62 Telecaster Custom

Made in the USA, in Corona CA.

Features:

Alder body

Maple neck

Rosewood fingerboard

21 vintage-style frets

Scale: 25.5"

Radius: 7.25"

Nut width: 1.65"

Fender/Gotoh vintage-style machine heads

Chevalet Original Vintage Style Tele Bridge with 3 Brass Saddles and "Ash Tray" Bridge Cover

Chrome hardware

'62 Tele Custom single-coil neck pickup

'62 Tele Custom single-coil bridge pickup

3-way Blade toggle switch

Sold with a Fender deluxe hard case

UTILIZATION

Until now, I used to be exclusively a Gibson fan but I wanted a single-coil guitar in my small collection so I started to try out different instruments. I thought about a Telecaster for a while, especially because of its mythic history... I've seen it in the hands of so many famous guitarists.

The first ones I tested didn't impress me because I was used to the Gibson sound. I found their sound too sharp and their necks uncomfortable.

The neck is very important for me!

When I discovered the Tele Vintage '62, it immediately blew me away.

Its neck is very impressive... I was used to Gibson's slim necks (60) but the neck of this Tele is even more comfortable. I guess it comes from the C profile, the 7.5" radius (which I've heard isn't everyone's taste), the slim frets and the nitrocellulose varnish.

I also tried out the Tele '51. The sound is wonderful but the neck is much thicker (I guess it has a U profile). maybe it's the perfect neck for people with longer hands than mine.

But in all other respects, the Tele '62 is really wonderful (mine has a sunburst finish). Sometimes I look at it as if it were an old furniture. It gives you the feeling of old varnished wood. And I'm sure it will get better with age.

Just look at it, take it in your hands and you'll know it's a high-quality guitar with high-class components. It's a bit minimalist but that's normal for a Telecaster!

Notice that in the factory setting, the guitar was wired in "no tone" mode, meaning that the neck pickup produced damped highs as if the tone control was turned fully down (and when you turned it, the sound didn't change).

The modification for a standard operation requires only three solder points and a capacitor, which is provided in the guitar case.

SOUNDS

This guitar is somewhat versatile: I use it to play blues, rock, jazz and even folk music (no acoustic folk, but Dylan also played a Telecaster). On the contrary, I can't imagine playing heavy metal with this guitar and a shredder friend of mine couldn't play with it. It was not made for that!

But the guitar is great for stuff like Jeff Buckley (Hallelujah for example, although he plays a '51 Tele) because the clean sound is stunning.

Most people are looking for the twangy and aggressive Telecaster sound but I use it for its fine clean sound. It's the paradox of this guitar.

I use it with my Fender Twin amp and a Maxon AD999 analog delay pedal and it's a delight.

Playing with the tone control allows you to get very fine, smooth and subtle lows, as well as bright and crystal-clear highs; The sound ranges from very soft to aggressive (with the bridge pickup) but not harsh, perfect for crunchy blues and rock rhythm parts. It might be possible to make it scream (like Radiohead) but I use my Gibson DC Pro for that.

OVERALL OPINION

As a summary, the American Vintage series is a reasonable choice if you want an old school Fender (real vintage guitars are not affordable anymore!). Right now I'm thinking about a Stratocaster American Vintage '62 because its neck seduced me. I'll probably go broke because they are not cheap, but that's the price of good quality. Anyway I'm sure I'll keep these guitars all my life.

This is the American Vintage '62 Telecaster Custom.
Three-tone sunburst with white threads, a beaut.
Alder body.
Channel "C", maple and rosewood fingerboard with a radius of 7.25 ". 21 vintage frets.
Two microphones Custom Shop Tele with three position switch. I left the configuration vintage, with the Tone knob for the idle position of neck pickup. Anyway use this n'tait not INTERESTED for me and I found the bridge pickup a bit aggressive. So I changed the wiring and OUF
Vintage bridge, three bridges, but comes with another six bridges and bridge the ashtray of the most beautiful effect. J'rigole.
Gotoh vintage mechanical. They do their job.
The beautiful is sold in a stunning vintage carry case.

UTILIZATION

The handle is a treat.

Some small problems adjusting pickup with silent-blocks too short to put in compression, even on another disease Vintage 62. So microphone that can be unscrewed and deregulation. Microphonics. But it is back to normal.

And problem of nut. With a change in the key

SOUNDS

But the sound. Grain, grain forty years ...
There is a real world between my American series with Texas Special, and this marvel. Telecaster one of the best if not the best. This sounds really.

But be careful. A small problem of adjustment of the nut made me stop my guitar and even a little doubt ... Gently another 62 TELE Vintage sunburst me ready t ... H Well, the second guitar, I would never buy. So beware, mine, mine rang me .................

OVERALL OPINION

I tried and bought some. I regret only one Atlantic Blue, reviewed by James Trussardi, fifteen years ago and I'm stupidly separ. Good.

But that's the dream.