Fender American Vintage '52 Telecaster 1982 (Fullerton Plant) w/ Tweed Case SN0216
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Why spend $70K on a real 52 when this is as close as it gets and its under $4K, plus you can gig the hell out of it and not feel bad. This guitar has the look, vibe, sound, smell, and playability you have dreamt of your whole tele loving life. Even the case has total vibe. This is still a 44-year-old guitar, so it is in its own right "Vintage"
The 1982 Fender Telecaster American Vintage Reissue (AVRI), specifically the '52 Telecaster model, featured vintage-accurate specifications such as an ash body, a maple neck with a 7.25" radius, and vintage-style hardware and electronics. This model was part of the first year of Fender's revered "Fullerton" reissues, known for their high quality and connection to original Fender production methods.
Body Material Solid ash
Body Finish Nitrocellulose lacquer topcoat with a poly undercoat (e.g., Butterscotch Blonde)
Neck Material 1-piece maple
Neck Profile Slim "V" or "U" shape (varied slightly)
Scale Length 25.5"
Fingerboard Material Maple
Fingerboard Radius 7.25" (vintage style)
Frets 21 vintage-style frets
Nut Material Bone
Nut Width 1.650" (approx. 42 mm)
Pickups Two American Vintage Tele single-coil pickups
Controls Master Volume, Master Tone
Switching 3-position blade switch (with vintage "dark circuit" wiring option included as a kit)
Bridge Vintage-style Tele bridge with 3 brass saddles (a 6-saddle bridge was often included as an extra)
Hardware Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard 1-ply black
Tuners Fender/Gotoh vintage-style tuning machines
Case Original vintage-style tweed hardshell case
Noteworthy Features
Fullerton Production: These guitars were made in Fender's original Fullerton, California factory, often using the same machines as the classic 1950s and 1960s instruments, making them highly collectible.
Period Correctness: They were the first attempt by Fender to create a truly period-correct reissue, though early models had some minor historical inaccuracies, such as slightly different headstock shape and 12th fret marker spacing compared to the original 1952 models.
Included Accessories: The guitar came with a package of original accessories, paperwork, a certificate of authenticity, and sometimes an extra bridge and wiring kit to convert to modern specs.
Finish: The finish was a "flash coat" lacquer designed to age more like vintage instruments, distinguishing them from the thick poly finishes of the late CBS era.
These articles detail the vintage specifications and historical context of the 1982 Fender Telecaster American Vintage reissue series:
The only non-original part is the saddles. For tuning stability, they were swapped for Fender Vintage 60s Telecaster threaded steel saddles.