(ARCHIVE) Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993

Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993
Fender Japan '72 Telecaster Custom TC72-70 Black 1993

Fender '72 Tele Custom, made in Japan 1993-4, black. Back in 1972, Fender released a trio of new Telecasters, all wearing their new Wide Range Humbucker pickups, designed by Gibson alumni Seth Lover. The Custom paired this flash new fatness with the traditional single coil in the bridge pickup, along with some LP-style controls for added options. It's a great combo, with the weighty warmth of the neck position balancing convincingly against the snappy, immediate twang of the bridge pickup. This example is a 90s era reissue of that idea, made at the excellent Fujigen factory. It's got a very enjoyable neck: not super slim but not huge, gorgeous tightly grained maple... it's comfy and agreeable and the golden maple has  a gorgeous glow to it. The previous owner, a fine gentleman, switched the stock pickup for one of Fender's relatively new CuNiFe magnet examples: the first truly accurate take on these pickups in forty years, as the magnets were very hard to get for a long while. It sounds glorious: clear and fast, with a gooey warm bass, singing sustain and a harmonically rich midrange. It's lovely for introspective bluesy lines or stoner doom dirges, and definitely has a more three dimensional sound than the stock pickup. There's a few marks around the body, but hey: it's a black Tele from the 90s, it's probably played a lot of punk songs. Swish stuff.

Model: '72 Telecaster Custom
Made: Japan, 1993-4, Fujigen Gakki factory
Serial: Q074334
Finish: black, gloss poly
Body: basswood
Neck: maple, maple fretboard, 25.5" scale, 7.25" radius, 70s U shape
Weight: 3.560kg
Mods: neck pickup replaced, brass saddles installed
Pickups: Fender CuNiFe Wide Range Humbucker (neck), Fender Japan TL-Vintage single coil (bridge)
Accessories: none

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dimples and scuffs on  the end and bottom edges. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, dimples and rub wear on the back and some wear on the edges of the board only. The back has scuffs on both horns and the back and bottom edges, surface scratches in the  elbow area and around the string bushings and a dent on the bottom edge in the waist area. The sides have dimples and a dent on the top horn, dents and scuffs in the elbow area, dents and dimples on the back edge, dents and scuffs near the jack and some scuffs on the bottom horn. The front has dents on the edges up from the rear strap pin and in the elbow area, surface scratches behind the bridge and in the elbow area and some play wear on the guard and horns.
Overall: good condition (7/10)

Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 7/10, minor wear only

This listing is an archived entry. We love to look back and remember fondly what characters we've had through the store, so we keep them around for reference.