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Tele Spalted Maple HH!!!

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(@musica23)
Reputable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 277
Topic starter  

Hi all! Just wondered if anyone's checked out the new (introduced in March of '07) Fender Tele Spalted Maple w/ dual Duncan humbuckers. I was placing an order at my local store for a different guitar (PRS SE Custom) and decided to try this one out, too. I ended up buying it...just tonight! (Why aren't I playing it, you might ask...I jumped on the internet before bed to read reviews...there aren't any yet that I can find.)

Granted, I've only owned/played it for about 2 hours, but my initial impression is WOW! :o The rosewood set neck feels perfect to me, the pups are great (SD Pearly Gates Plus in the bridge and '59 reversed polarity in the neck), the look is unique and quite beautiful, the versatility of sound is incredible (the pups can be split and there's a 3-way toggle), it's relatively light, very thin and comfortable to play...what else??? The price! :shock: I brought it home (w/ full set-up, hardshell case---not included by manufacturer and not Fender, but a great knock-off, tax included) for $750. It's NOT American-made. It's made in Korea. But at this point I don't care if it's made by me in my sleep. I can't find a thing I don't like about it. I'll keep you posted on that as I am very picky, but I absolutely recommend this guitar for a test drive (at least)! Here's the Fender link:

Special Edition Fender Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH

If anyone checks this atypical Tele out, please let me know if you feel as I do about it. I'm just curious to see if anyone's as impressed with it as I am. Or not. You have to see it to really see it, too. The pics don't come close to doing it justice IMHO. Take care and please get back to me! :)

Love and Peace or Else,
CC


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

Yes, nice. A couple interesting points you didn't mention: The body is mahogany with a maple cap (a la Les Paul), and the set neck also is mahogany. All decidedly very non-Tele/non-Fender, except for the general body shape and scale length.

Enjoy it.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@elecktrablue)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 4338
 

Very pretty! I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it! I hope you enjoy it! :D

..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-

"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"


   
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(@twistedlefty)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 4113
 

very nice, thanks for making my shopping list longer :roll:

#4491....


   
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(@musica23)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 277
Topic starter  

I found more (and better) pics of this particular model, though they still don't quite do it justice:

Tele Pics

Thanks for your interest so far...sorry if I'm giving anyone more to obsess on. :( Oh, how I understand that. As a result of my preoccupation/shopping habits, my hubby had me (made me!) sign a sworn statement that I will not purchase another guitar until at least July of 2008! Of course it won't hold up in court, though... :twisted: (I'll stick to it...he's actually right and has been more than patient and generous.)

So, after my PRS SE Custom comes in, that's it for a year. I can do it! I know I can! (I'll have to stay off this site... :cry: )

Any feedback, btw, on the PRS? I ordered a gray/black Custom stoptail. I had a heckuva time deciding between that and the cherry 'burst, and whether or not to get a trem. Here's that link:

SE Custom

I honestly think the 'burst is beautiful, but I have a cherry 'burst Strat and some other guitars in the red family. The gray/black is also beautiful in person, but not as showy or noticeable, I guess. It's probably less common, too. But I could flip a coin and I'd be happy with either! Anyway, all feedback (especially on the SE trem system...no locking tuners and no more $$$ for any mods!) and opinions welcomed! It may even be too late by now, but I'd be interested to hear what you all have to say. Thanks! :)

Love and Peace or Else,
CC


   
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(@the-dali)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1409
 

I have the Fender Telecaster HH Custom - very similar to the one you just bought and it is a FANTASTIC guitar. Definitely a keeper.

While on the PRS site, I saw this... I love it...

In therms of the Custom, I played one at a local guitar shop and it was a very nice instrument. I prefer the black/grey model with the zebra pickups. I think the trem is the way to go with PRS. You get the best of the Gibson and Fender worlds with a PRS with a trem.

-=- Steve

"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"


   
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(@voidious)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 151
 

I got a PRS Santana SE a few weeks ago - would have ordered a PRS SE Custom (in fact, tried to) through the local shop, but the grey/black with trem was back ordered 2 months. The Santana SE is very similar and I just love it. I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.

I finally saw the grey/black SE Custom in person when I was out of town a couple weeks ago - so, so gorgeous! Enjoy the new guitar(s) ;)

-- Voidious


   
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(@musica23)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 277
Topic starter  

Hey Dali Lima...did you watch the video demonstrating that SH? I really considered getting that and the Custom (until I played the Tele)! It seems perfect for acoustic and electric type stuff and the price is incredibly reasonable. I already have a semi-hollow body (though it doesn't hold a candle to that one), so I went for the Tele. Thanks for the good news about your Tele. I haven't seen those in the stores lately or I may have just as well gone for that instead! Beautiful finishes also, and same pups...right?

As for the PRS, I played one with the trem but it constantly went out of tune. However, it was a GC special, so maybe the problem was due to bad (or NO) set-up and abuse. It's hard to tell there. Long story, but I've made a decision to stay out of GC. (It'll be easier since I'm not allowed to buy anything anyway, but I've really had it with them, and I won't be returning. Not even online. :x ) Anyway, my thought is to play like crazy for the coming year and then, possibly, to buy a higher-end PRS w/trem. (Always scheming... :oops: ) Since I played one finally, I now understand the draw. They really are fantastic as so many say!

Thanks to Voidious, too, for the gray/black comment and good wishes! That helps make me feel that I made a good decision. But what about that trem????? :roll:

Love and Peace or Else,
CC


   
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(@coloradofenderbender)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1106
 

I also own the Telecaster HH, made in Korea. Mine is black, but otherwise looks the same. Very nice guitar, but I don't like the jumbo frets on it.


   
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(@voidious)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 151
 

Well, I haven't really pushed the tremolo too much yet, I don't have any other decent guitars for comparison, and I'm a bit of a beginner, so it's tough for me to give an objective opinion on the trem. :?

But I can say that it generally stays pretty well in tune, as far as I'm concerned - I might tune it one day, play for a couple hours, and come back the next day and find it perfectly in tune still (when I retune). I'm no expert at restringing, either, but I think I did an OK job with that. I went from 9 to 10 gauge strings with my first restringing and it was dead easy to open up the back and adjust the springs to get the bridge perpendicular again. PRS has a setup page for reference:

http://prsguitars.com/csc/setup.html

-- Voidious


   
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(@blueline)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1704
 

I refuse to look at any of the pictures in this thread. Like most of us on this site, I have my own case of GAS and do not need to be influenced by others. How dare you!!! :wink:
Nice gear guys... I are jealous.

Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.


   
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(@the-dali)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1409
 

Mine was simply upgraded slightly... the Duncans were switched out with DiMarzios (PAF Pros) and locking tuners added. I LOVE the guitar. Feels like a baby Les Paul.

-=- Steve

"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"


   
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