Fender Japan Export Telecasters

Please read intro first here Fender Japan Export

The first Japanese made models to feature in the US pricelists appear in January 1985. This is prior to the sale to the Schultz team so again we see that the import of Japanese Fenders was not solely due to lack of production facilities. The 1985 Pricelist has the following MIJ Teles
Model 27-5100 This is the Vintage Telecaster 62 Custom with 27-5120 being the left handed version and
Model 27-5000 which is a Telecaster Contemporary with System 1 Trem Unit and HH pickups
The 52 Telecaster was American made and there were also 2 Squier Telecasters from Japan.

Fender Telecaster 62 Custom 27-5100 and 5120

This is a Custom in that it has a bound body 60s style rather than the 70s style custom pickups.
Known Specs
Body Basswood Tinted Finish White Binding
Neck Maple TRA at body end Made in Japan at Heel
Fretboard 21 Vintage Frets 7.25" radius Rosewood
Headstock Small Fender Telecaster on it single butterfly string tree
Tuners Vintage style
Pickups Vintage Tele
Controls 3 postion switch
Nut 1.65"
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage Style 3 saddle
Pickguard 8 hole 3 ply WBW
Colours 3 Colour Sunburst or Candy Apple Red
Years available 1985 onwards

This is very similar to the TL62B-70 of the same era, which as well as the colours above also came in black so I wouldn't be surprised if some black ones got to the west. I have no verified pictures of this model.
This appears right up until the 1999 pricelist with no colour changes.

Fender Contemporary Telecaster 27-5000

Appears in the January 1985 price list and in the 1986 but isn't in the March 1987 so relatively short offering. Replaced by two new Contemporary Stratocasters Boasts a System 1 trem unit and HH configuration

Body Gloss Finish probably Basswood
Neck Maple black TRA at Headstock Microtilt
Fretboard Rosewood 22 Frets 12" radius
Headstock Black
Tuners Black Sealed Diecast
Pickups 2 coverless black alnico humbuckers
Controls 1 volume 1 TBX Tone 3 way switch and toggle switch for coil split
Nut locking
Hardware Black
Bridge Fender System 1 Trem unit
Pickguard None
Colours Black, Pewter, Frost White, Burgundy Mist
Years available 1985 1986
No Left Handed Model
I think this guitar was the same as the Japanese domestic version

One in Frost White

The System 1 trem

1987 Fender Contemporary Telecasters

Two new additions to the price list are the:
The Contemporary Telecaster 27-8200 HSS with a system 1 trem
The Contemporary Telecaster 28-8200 HSS with a Kahler Fulcrum trem
Note 28 on a Squier would indicate China but it was also used on Japanese Fender branded models. These two guitars seem to be identical except for the trem unit


Body Gloss Finish probably Basswood
Neck Maple black TRA at Headstock Microtilit
Fretboard Rosewood 22 Frets 12" radius
Headstock Black
Tuners Black Sealed Diecast
Pickups 1 coverless black humbucker 2 black 6 polepiece single coils all Alnico
Controls 1 volume 1 TBX Tone 3 mini switches for pickups
Nut locking
Hardware Black
Bridge Fender System 1 Trem unit or Kahler Fulcrum Trem unit
Pickguard None
Colours Black, Pewter, Frost White, Burgundy Mist or Candy Apple Red
Years available These only appear in the 1986 and 1987 price lists
No Left Handed Model
Again I think these are the same as the domestic models but other colours were available

A pewter 27-8200

The Kahler version

Fender Japan Export Models end of the 80s

As we reach the end of the 80s the Contemporary Telecasters have gone and we now have new models appearing as Reissue later to become called Collectables. In particular
27-9402 The Blue Flower Telecaster this model was only available for a short time but is the same as the Paisley except for the finish.
27-4902 The Paisley Telecaster
27-7702 The 69 Thinline
27-3202 The 72 Thinline
27-1202 The 50s Telecaster and others
These are mainly covered in my other pages start with my Collectables page and work from there.
Link Collectables
Also appeared 27-5202 Standard Telecaster for just a year before Mexico produced it. This looks to be something like a TL352 and maybe Korean not Japanese. The collectables lasted all through the 90s.

During this period as well as the collectables there were 2 other series of MIJs in the US catalogues. The 90s style telecasters a deluxe and a custom and the HMT series.

Telecaster HMT Thinline Guitars

Not sure whether HMT stands for Heavy Metal Tele or Heavy Metal Thinlines, but these rather unusual Teles launched around 1991. There are three models all with Thinline style bodies and deluxe type neckplates
125-2200 HMT Floyd Rose and locking nut
25-2100 HMT HH
25-2300 HMT Acoustic Electric
The first two were produced for a little over a year, the third one continued a little longer as the Acoustic Electric.
Note the radius of the first two in particular

* The Frontline says Solid Spruce the price lists say it is Figured Maple Top ** The Front line says Silver Lace Sensor the price lists Blue Lace Sensor

Some Pictures First the FR model





Then The HH




Finally The Acoustic Electric

Fender Telecaster 90s Custom 25-2500 and the 90s Deluxe 25-9000

The deluxe appeared in 1995 as part of the Contemporary Series and in 1996 with the Custom as as part of the Special/Deluxe Series. They were available up until 1997. Here is what we know

* I have seen information suggesting there are some of these without fotoflame but so few are about it's hard to be sure.
As far as I can find there are no domestic equivalents of these models

This is the Custom
Any pictures of the 90s deluxe would be appreciated.

Nobster from the Strat and Tele Forums has provided some pictures thanks



As I thought there are some without Fotoflame

This takes us up to the end of the 90s the next pages will be 2000 onwards the link to follow is Export Telecasters 2000 onwards