Mexican Fender Telecaster 72 Reissues


A 72 Telecaster Thinline Sunburst

There are broadly speaking three Telecaster 72 RIs The Thinline, The Custom and The Deluxe. These are easily distinguished, the Thinline is a semi hollow HH with an F Hole the other two are solid bodied, the Deluxe being HH and the Custom SH.

72 Telecaster Thinline

First introduced in 1999 and described by Fender as a faithful 70s reproduction it is in fact a reasonable reproduction of a version 2 thinline. It has an Ash body and was first available just in natural but three colour sunburst was added the following year.


Thinline Natural


72 Telecaster Custom

Also launched in 1999 this is a reasonable reproduction of the 70s custom but the 70s models themselves had some variations in saddles and pickguard. Available in Black or Sunburst the sunburst was alder the black alder or poplar.



72 Telecaster Deluxe

The Deluxe an Alder bodied guitar in Black, Sunburst or Walnut was released in 2004


More detail

Model Thinline Custom Deluxe
Body Ash Semi Hollow Alder or Poplar Alder
Fretboard Maple Maple or Rosewood Maple
Radius 7.25" 7.25" 12"
Profile U* U C
Frets 21 Nickle silver vintage 21 Nickle silver vintage 21 Medium Jumbo
Pickguard White BWB Black
Neck attachment 3 bolt microtilt 3 bolt microtilt 3 bolt microtilt
Headstock Tele style bullet truss rod adj Tele style bullet truss rod adj Large strat style bullet truss rod adj
Controls 1 vol 1 tone tele style 2 vol 2 tone skirted 2 vol 2 tone skirted
Pickups 2 wide range HBs 1 tele single coil 1 wide range HB 2 Wide range HB
Colours Natural Sunburst Black or Sunburst Black Sunburst or Walnut
Bridge 6 saddle strat style 3 saddle tele style 6 saddle strat style

* In some of the Fender literature it says the neck profile is C in others U.

Fender 72 Telecasters Roadworn

In 2010 Fender launched roadworn versions of the Deluxe and the Custom. The Custom was available in Sunburst or Black an the Deluxe in Olympic White or Black. These are essentially just roadworn models of the existing range with no significant differences in the specs. It was a very short run in reality an FSR.


The Roadworns a Custom and a Deluxe

A look at some FSRs

FSRs are Factory Special Runs or Fender Special Runs, opinion seems divided and they are generally for a specific dealer, a different wood or to commemorate a specific occasion, a brand or similar. Sometimes just because Fender want to issue them. There are a number of FSRs for these models here's some of them.

2002 Thinline

This special run was 5 custom colours with a white pearl pickguard. They are based on car colours in theory. The colours are Lake Placid Blue, Daphne Blue, Candy Apple Red, Surf Green and Shell Pink. There is contradictory information on the numbers made, I have heard as few as 25 of each colour often said to be a 100 of each and sometimes more. My view is more as they do not appear to be that rare although certainly not common.


The 2002 FSRs

2012 Deluxe

There was an FSR or more than one in 2012 of the Deluxe in sparkle colours one of these had Vegas Gold, Aqua Flake Blue and Tangerine Flake.


A 2012 FSR

2015 FSR

There has been a recent FSR of the Deluxe with Sparkle Colours Gold Red and Blue.I don't currently have any pictures of these.

Some Miscellaneous FSRs


This is a 2010 Deluxe in Sea Foam Pearl note the standard Tele headstock

Thinline in 2 tone sunburst don't know the year

In 2016 a faded sonic blue FSR Thinline was made as at December 2016 there are still some available at around £950

Below is an Olympic White Deluxe an FSR from 2007

In 2011 there was a run of 300 Customs in Sunset Orange Transparent on Polyester. The body was Ash and it featured two P90s.


Below is a 2009 Deluxe FSR in natural with very figured wood


2018/19 Custom FSR

There is an FSR available currently (March 2019) at around £660 to £690. There are 2 colours Orange Sparkle and Purple Sparkle. Said to be only 200 of each colour made but judging by the number I have seen for sale I am sure there are more than that. Brief Specs
Series:Classic
Body Material:Alder
Body Finish:Gloss Polyester
Neck:Maple, “C” Shape
Neck Finish:Gloss Polyester
Fingerboard:Maple, 7.25” (184.1 mm)
Frets:21, Vintage Style
Position Inlays:Black Dots
Nut (Material/Width):Synthetic Bone, 1.650” (42 mm)
Tuning Machines:Fender® Vintage “F” Stamped
Scale Length:25.5” (648 mm)
Bridge:3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele® with Chrome Barrel Saddles
Pickguard:3-Ply Parchment/Black/Parchment
Pickups:Standard Single-Coil Tele® (Bridge),Fender® “Wide Range” Hum-bucking (Neck)
Controls:Master Volume, Master Tone
Control Knobs:Skirted Amp Knobs
Hardware Finish:Nickel/Chrome
Other Features:3-Bolt Neck Plate with Micro-Tilt™; Adjustment, “Bullet” Truss RodNut, Black Dot Position Inlays.


The 2018/19 Custom

2019
In 2009 the Vintera series was launched, this includes a 72 Thinline a 72 Custom and a 72 Deluxe All details are on the Fender website.



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