Fender '72 Tele, made in Japan 1993/4, natural finish. Sometimes, you need your guitar classic, classy and understated. This sleek creature will surely scratch such an itch. The iconic Tele shape is emboldened with the big black CBS-era decals and a 3-ply black guard, offsetting the golden hue of the beautifully grained sen ash body and the aged maple neck and headstock. With a little play wear on the board, a handful of dings and some natural yellowing of the lacquer, this has a charming played-in look that beats a crispy clean finish any day. The neck is a great piece of maple: strong, straight and sturdy, and feeling super slick owing to the hundreds of hours of play time already on the clock. Plugged in, the light sen ash body adds a warmth and depth to the chime and twang of the single coils. The tone is bright and sparkly, but with a reassuring balanced low end and a rich, open midrange. These Fujigen-era Telecasters punch well beyond their price and are enjoying steadily increasing fame; once you play this one it's easy to understand why. Winner!

Model: Fender Telecaster '72 Reissue (TL72-65)
Made: Japan, Fujigen plant, 1993/4 (serial Q003548)
Finish: natural (NAT), black 3-ply guard
Body: sen ash
Weight: 3.395kg
Neck: 1-piece maple inc maple board, 25.5" scale, 7.25" radius
Mods: none
Pickups: Fender Japan 'TL-current' single coils
Case: none

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a couple of minor marks on the end and bottom edge, nothing nasty. The neck has some play wear on the board and bottom edge, mostly on the first three frets, as well as some minor marks on the back; it feels very smooth in the hands. The back has a handful of dimples and light scratches around the place, nothing nasty though. The sides have a handful of minor dings: on the top horn, on the shoulder area and near the input jack. The front has a few small marks too, again nothing major: dimples on the top horn, behind the bridge and near the knobs, as well as some minor chips on the top edge in the shoulder area. Overall: good condition (7/10)

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good. All electronics tested and working properly. The frets have some normal wear, plenty of height in them left and they're fairly even; 6/10 for life left. Wearing fresh 11/49s.