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Fender '63 Telecaster NOS Time Machine with Adler or Ash Body |
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The '63 Telecaster NOS is one of Fender's Time Machine series guitars which was first introduced in 1999. The NOS means New Old Stock which says that the guitar was made to the specifications originally used back in 1963. Some parts where even made using the original tooling! It’s like the guitar had been placed in a warehouse in new condition and never touched for years. This is the guitar you want if you are looking for a vintage '63 Tele style guitar with original specs in brand new condition. It's also available in relic'd and aged versions as well. The Relic version are purposely distressed to look as though they have been used for years with worn spots, nicks, scratches, rusty hardware, and aged plastic parts. There is however a solid nitrocellulose top coat. There is also a Closet Classic version which looks like the guitar has been in the closet for years with a little wear and has yellowed with age on the finish and plastic parts. The finish also has small hairline cracks that are usually caused by years of being exposed to normal humidity and temperature changes. The 25.5 inch scale length neck is made of maple with a rosewood fretboard. In mid '62 the rosewood fretboard was thinner and had more of a curve to it. This is called a round lam (curved up bottom). The curve matched the curve on the maple neck. Before this time they were thicker and were milled while on the maple neck. The radius of the neck (the curve of the neck) is 7.25 inches which is rounder than the current standard tele of 9.5 inches. Rosewood gives the guitar a slightly darker tone than that of maple. The neck's profile is the more modern 'C' shape which is considered by many to be the faster and easiest neck profile. It has a nitrocellulose lacquer finish which was used at the time. The fretboard has 21 vintage style frets. The machine heads are Fender/Gotoh vintage style machine heads. You'll also find white dot inlays at the position markers. You may be able to make out the original the spaghetti Fender logo on the headstock. The decals have varied over the years with the spaghetti logo being the first. It was replaced with the 'transition' decal in '64. The logo with the reverse F for the first letter was designed by Bob Perine. The body is made of Alder or premium Ash (on the White Blonde model). It's available in White Blonde, Lake Placid Blue, and Candy Apple Red with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. The 3-ply pickguard consists of laminated plastic with a black layer placed in-between two white layers. The 3-ply version was used on custom color Teles at the time. They would over time however turn to a light green (mint green) color which can be found on the Classic Closet and Relic versions. The bridge used is an original style tele bridge with string through body construction. The ’63 Tele’s vintage electronics also has a custom wiring circuit. The original Teles used what is now considered un-conventional but at the time what was used. It still has a volume and tone control knob and a 3-way tone selector (not pickup selector). When the switch was at the first position the bridge pickup by itself would be heard and both the volume and tone control worked normally. When in the 2nd position the neck pickup would be used with both volume and tone working how you would expect. In the 3rd position however the neck would be used with a darker more bassy sound. The tone control did nothing in this position. Guitarist at the time found that they could place the spring loaded pickup selector between settings (similar to what Dick Dale did on the Stratocaster) and get a different tone. Some of the pickups were wired with reverse polarity (accidentally) which one would never notice until placing the pickup selector between settings. Some would give more snarled sound while others would have a more hollow sounding tone. The vintage pickups used are made to the same specs using the same materials as they did at the time. They are made using Alnico3 magnets with vintage enamel coated magnet wire. They have the same twang and warmth you would hear on the real deal. The bridge pickup also has the traditional copper plated base plate which enhances the midrange. This reissue version comes with a black hardshell case with an orange interior, strap, and cable. Features
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