Up for sale, a 1987 Fender “Order Made” Telecaster ‘52 vintage reissue model TL52-75 in excellent condition and in perfect working order, 100% original save for a refret. This upper-tiered, early “Made in Japan” Telecaster was produced at the Fujigen factory during the golden age of Fender Japan production, with vintage-correct touches including black bobbin pickups, dome-top knurled knobs, brass saddles, and all flathead screws. This particular TL52-75 was produced as part of the Order Made program, which offered numerous non-catalog finish and component options as a sort of Japanese Custom Shop (this Tele is differentiated by its USA-made pickups).

Tonewoods include an ash body and a one-piece maple neck, and this Tele weighs 10lbs 6oz, dishing out plenty of natural sustain and complex midrange response. The USA-made black bobbin alnico magnet pickups deliver a bevy of classic Tele tonalities, with the articulation, twang, and dynamic liveliness associated with the first Blackguard Teles, with focused bite at the bridge and gutsy chop at the neck. This TL52-75 has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender C, good shoulders, measuring .825” 1st fret, .915” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Maple, 7 ¼” vintage-spec radius, limited finger wear through gloss (plain strings) behind frets 1-8
-Frets: Slender, refret, no wear
-Scale Length: 25 ½”
-Nut: 1.650” (42mm), bone
-Tuners: Kluson-style Gotoh
-Serialization: “Made in Japan,” A-prefix serial on bridge base

Body Specs:

-Wood: Ash
-Pickups: TL-Vintage black bobbin single coil (USA-made) x2
-Harness: Untouched solder, full-size Japanese pots date to February, 1987
-Hardware: “Pat. Pend” bridge base with brass saddles, dome-top knurled knobs
-Plastics: Five-screw “blackguard”-style matte black pickguard (limited warping, small chip at corner, UV mottling), vintage-accurate switch tip

The gloss Butterscotch Blonde finish highlights dynamic bearclaw figuring in the ash body in a select few areas, and there is a small UV tanline on top adjacent to the control plate where a sticker was previously applied. Cosmetic wear is limited to faint buckle scuffing on the back at the lower bout, two small chips along the lower bout perimeter, and just a scant few faint marks in the clear coat on the body as a whole. The neck profile retains its smooth ambered gloss, save for shallow chips behind frets 4-5 and 7 that are not distracting to the palm while fretting.

A gigbag is included.