Need your opinion on this Fender Telecaster Classic 50s Mexico

[NewbieTele]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I would like to ask for you kind help in checking this Fender Telecaster MIM Classic 50's if it is a genuine Fender. I just bought it online (used) and it delivered to me today. I saw that the decal is look like a sticker on the headstock instead of a water slide decal. I have attached photos for your consideration and your help means very much to me. Thank you so much.
https://www.picz.in.th/image/1.dWaakdQ
https://www.picz.in.th/image/2.dWaa3ZS
https://www.picz.in.th/image/3.dWaa9Pn
https://www.picz.in.th/image/4.dWaaTmg
https://www.picz.in.th/image/5.dWaaw9W
https://www.picz.in.th/image/6.dWaa1b2
https://www.picz.in.th/image/7.dWaaKp1
https://www.picz.in.th/image/8.dWaagQD

[OldStrummer]

Your pictures aren't loading, or are glacially slow. Can you find another picture host? Or, it could be my browser, but I'm unable to help.

[NewbieTele]

Your pictures aren't loading, or are glacially slow. Can you find another picture host? Or, it could be my browser, but I'm unable to help.

I try upload to another site. Here are photos of the Telecaster

https://ibb.co/xzPsXNh
https://ibb.co/gZbdDrh
https://ibb.co/HrJ4phM
https://ibb.co/P9Sj1bB
https://ibb.co/X4YFTgr
https://ibb.co/J51r6Bv
https://ibb.co/4S9Tdnh
https://ibb.co/P6Wb2X8

[phantomman]

The fourth photo does give me pause but the instrument otherwise seems to be authentic.

[OldStrummer]

Well, that's better. Only images 4-7 have any revealing data, in my opinion. #4 shows the peeling decal, which to me is a major red flag. Also, Fender's own online two serial number lookup features fail to return any results. However, two other non-affiliated sites both indicate the guitar was made in 2004-2005 at the Ensenada, Mexico plant. The three-barrel bridge suggests a vintage-type build, but I am not familiar enough with "throwback" issues, so I would wait for someone else here with more familiarity (and we have them here!) to weigh in.

I do have a question, however. You already bought and paid for it, apparently sight unseen. What prompted you to do that? Even more importantly, how does it sound? If it's everything you thought it would be, does it matter if it's authentic Fender, or a partscaster?

[Don]

I don't know a lot about these guitars, but that logo looks wrong. The wrong type of material (adhesive rather than waterslide), material too thick, jagged cut out, font too bold... Also, would the neck pickup use flat head screws rather than round head? The tuners in the back view don't look right, either.

[NewbieTele]

The fourth photo does give me pause but the instrument otherwise seems to be authentic.

Thank you Phantomman. Now I think that the decal is fake because it is on top of the clear coat and it is peeling off a plastic sticker.

[NewbieTele]

Well, that's better. Only images 4-7 have any revealing data, in my opinion. #4 shows the peeling decal, which to me is a major red flag. Also, Fender's own online two serial number lookup features fail to return any results. However, two other non-affiliated sites both indicate the guitar was made in 2004-2005 at the Ensenada, Mexico plant. The three-barrel bridge suggests a vintage-type build, but I am not familiar enough with "throwback" issues, so I would wait for someone else here with more familiarity (and we have them here!) to weigh in.

I do have a question, however. You already bought and paid for it, apparently sight unseen. What prompted you to do that? Even more importantly, how does it sound? If it's everything you thought it would be, does it matter if it's authentic Fender, or a partscaster?

Thank you for your reply. If it is a partcaster, it is fine to me as long as all the part is genuine or of a standard quality part. The most disappointed to me is that the shop should honestly gave details about the fake decal on the headstock. I'm now contacting the shop if I could get a refund. Cheers.

[NewbieTele]

I don't know a lot about these guitars, but that logo looks wrong. The wrong type of material (adhesive rather than waterslide), material too thick, jagged cut out, font too bold... Also, would the neck pickup use flat head screws rather than round head? The tuners in the back view don't look right, either.

From all info I got now, I think it is not a genuine classic 50s and maybe a partcaster. I'm now trying to contact the shop for more explanation on this guitar. Cheers.

[NewbieTele]

Hi everyone, I'm back. I'll tell the rest of the story.

This morning, I leave a chat message to the shop that I have a concern about my guitar is not genuine Fender Tele Classic 50s especially on the headstock that the decal made of some kind of plastic and it is peeling off and I also leave my phone number. Later, a guy calls me back asking about the guitar and told me not to worry if it is some kind of their mistake that let the fake Fender slip through their eyes, they will take responsibility. He said that he has never experience things like this before (they shopped used guitars and shipped from Japan to sell in Thailand) and then he asks me to try to pull the sticker off to see what will happen and kindly ask me to record a clip so he can see it too. So, I pull the sticker off, and the Fender logo is still on the headstock (I don't really get it why previous owner need to put a protection sticker on it). Now, I'm more than happy that I got what I expected, and the shop is very responsive to their customer. I would give them 10/10 for their service.

I have attached photos of headstock without protective sticker.
https://ibb.co/z2R0V5v
https://ibb.co/QMy3Hwk

Thank you all you guys given me tons of information and suggestion.

[phantomman]

Glad that we could be of help.

How does the guitar play and sound?

[NewbieTele]

Glad that we could be of help.

How does the guitar play and sound?

Yesterday I had mostly been upset about the headstock issue, so I didn't really plug it into an amp. (the other reason is that I don't want my wife to know that I got a new guitar yet) Will try it tonight.

[phantomman]

No sweat......just buy her some shoes.

[NewbieTele]

No sweat......just buy her some shoes.

That's a great idea! Win-Win

[Don]

Hi everyone, I'm back. I'll tell the rest of the story.

This morning, I leave a chat message to the shop that I have a concern about my guitar is not genuine Fender Tele Classic 50s especially on the headstock that the decal made of some kind of plastic and it is peeling off and I also leave my phone number. Later, a guy calls me back asking about the guitar and told me not to worry if it is some kind of their mistake that let the fake Fender slip through their eyes, they will take responsibility. He said that he has never experience things like this before (they shopped used guitars and shipped from Japan to sell in Thailand) and then he asks me to try to pull the sticker off to see what will happen and kindly ask me to record a clip so he can see it too. So, I pull the sticker off, and the Fender logo is still on the headstock (I don't really get it why previous owner need to put a protection sticker on it). Now, I'm more than happy that I got what I expected, and the shop is very responsive to their customer. I would give them 10/10 for their service.

I have attached photos of headstock without protective sticker.
https://ibb.co/z2R0V5v
https://ibb.co/QMy3Hwk

Thank you all you guys given me tons of information and suggestion.

That's interesting. Early Fender guitars had the logo on top of the finish. I'll bet someone put that sticker over the label to make it look more like an early Fender guitar (though it seems like. goofy reason to go through so much trouble). Enjoy the new guitar!

[OldStrummer]

That's interesting. Early Fender guitars had the logo on top of the finish. I'll bet someone put that sticker over the label to make it look more like an early Fender guitar (though it seems like. goofy reason to go through so much trouble). Enjoy the new guitar!

Maybe a previous owner just put a clear protective coating over the logo.

[NewbieTele]

That's interesting. Early Fender guitars had the logo on top of the finish. I'll bet someone put that sticker over the label to make it look more like an early Fender guitar (though it seems like. goofy reason to go through so much trouble). Enjoy the new guitar!

That would explain the case. Thank you Don :)

[NewbieTele]

Maybe a previous owner just put a clear protective coating over the logo.

Thank you for your help, OldStrummer :)