American Deluxe Fender Telecasters

The first question is what is a Telecaster Deluxe, the answer anything Fender says is a Deluxe. The original Telecaster Deluxe was a CBS era two humbucker model release in 1973 until 1981. This is covered in my CBS pages. Then models were released with all sorts of pickup configurations and called deluxe, although there were two HH models in 2004 see later.
Non USA models tended to be double humbucker models


American Deluxe Telecaster 1st Version 10-5500 10-5502

Rather than 2 Humbuckers it is a Nashville Tele but not called that.
Specifications
Body Top Bound Alder or Ash with contoured back
Neck 1 piece Maple C shape with microtilt Bi flex truss rod
Fretboard 22 Medium Jumbo Frets Rosewood or Maple 9.5" radius
Headstock Standard Tele with 1 round string tree Fender Telecaster on front Serial no on back
Tuners Chrome Deluxe cast sealed
Pickups 2 Fender Vintage Noiseless Telecaster Pickup Coverless black at bridge chrome covered at neck
plus 1 white covered Strat Noiseless pickup in the middle
Controls 1 Volume 1 Tone both chrome knurled; Black Tipped 7 way selector
Nut approx 43mm
Neckplate Fender Corona California on
Hardware Chrome
Bridge 6 saddle flat with through body stringing chrome
Pickguard 8 screw laminated tortoiseshell
Colours Alder body 3 Colour Sunburst, Black or Crimson Transparent
Ash body White Blonde, Natural, Teal Green Transparent or Purple Transparent

Pictures

American Deluxe Telecaster 2nd Version 10-4600 and 4602

Launched 1999 described in the 1999 Frontline as the top of the tele chain. Still not two humbuckers but two Vintage noiseless pickups with Fishman option. The model with the Fishman is later described as The American Deluxe Power Tele. and given the numbers 10-5700 and 10-5702
This model carries on through to 2002
Specifications
Body Top Bound Alder or Ash with contoured back
Neck Maple C shape microtilt and Biflex truss rod on later models
Fretboard 22 Medium Jumbo Frets Rosewood or Maple 9.5" radius
Headstock Standard Tele with 1 round string tree Fender Telecaster on front Serial no on back
Tuners Chrome Deluxe cast sealed
Pickups 2 Fender Vintage Noiseless Telecaster Pickup Coverless black at bridge chrome covered at neck
Controls 1 Volume 1 Tone both chrome knurled; Black Tipped 3 way selector
Nut approx 43mm
Neckplate Fender Corona California on
Hardware Chrome
Bridge 6 saddle flat with through body stringing chrome
Option to have Fishman Power Bridge with individual volume, tone and string output controls
Pickguard 8 screw laminated tortoiseshell
Colours Alder body 3 Colour Sunburst, Black or Crimson Transparent
Ash body White Blonde, Natural, Teal Green Transparent or Purple Transparent

This is an Ash in White Blonde


Version 3

This is really two guitars the Ash Telecaster Deluxe 10-1702 and the Telecaster Deluxe 10-1600 and 10-1602. Both launched in 2004 with some differences other than the body wood. it lasted in that form until 2010.
Specs

Ash Deluxe Deluxe
Body Ash Polyurethane Finish Belly Cut Alder top bound Polyurethane Finish Belly Cut
Neck U shaped Maple with a Vintage tint C shaped Maple with Satin Polyurethane Finish
Fretboard Maple 22 Medium Jumbo Frets Maple or Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
Headstock Standard Tel with 1 round string tree Standard Tele with 1 round string tree
Pickups 2 Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Tele pickups Chrome at neck coverless at bridge 2 Samarium Cobalt Noiseless Tele pickups Chrome at neck coverless at bridge
Tuners Deluxe Staggered Sealed Diecast Deluxe Staggered Sealed Diecast
Controls Chrome Knurled 1 Volume 1 Tone S1 switch Chrome Knurled 1 Volume I Tone S1 Switch
Pickguard Varies with Colour Varies with Colour
Bridge American Tele 6 Chrome Saddles American Tele 6 Chrome Saddles
Colours 2 Colour Sunburst with 3 Ply Mint Green Guard or Butterscotch Blonde with single Ply Black Guard 3 Colour Sunburst with 3 ply Mint Green Guard Aged Cherry Burst or Candy Tangerine both with 4 ply white shell guard and Montego Black with 1 ply Bevelled Gold Vinyl guard
Neckplate Square type Deluxe Shape
just the same two colours catalogued throughout Olympic Pearl with a brown shell guard was added at some stage



This is The Ash





The Alder



Telecaster American Deluxe FMT and QMT

Also released in 2004 were these two numbered 10-1670 FMT and 10-1680 QMT. A return to the true Deluxe concept of two Humbuckers and obviously Flame Maple Top and Quilted Maple Top.
They lasted until 2006 Specs for the two models are identical except for the top.
Specifications
Body Bound Alder with QMT or FMT Belly Cut
Neck Maple Modern C shape microtilt and Biflex truss rod satin poly finish deluxe style neckplate
Fretboard 22 Medium Jumbo Rosewood only* 9.5" radius
Headstock Standard Tele with 1 round string tree Fender Telecaster on front Serial no on back
Tuners Chrome Deluxe cast sealed
Pickups 2 Fender DFH-1 Humbuckers Coverless black
Controls 1 Volume 1 Tone both black knurled; Black Tipped 3 way selector S1 switch on volume control
Nut approx 43mm
Neckplate
Hardware Chrome
Bridge 6 saddle flat hard tail chrome
Pickguard None
Colours Amber, Tobacco Sunburst, Black Cherry Burst or Blue Transparent

* Strangely in the 2004 Frontline the narrative says Rosewood board but the Specs section says Ebony





The above are FMTs






QMT




The headstock is the same on both models


The 2011 American Deluxe Telecasters


Described as new models in the 2011 Frontline 11-9400 and 9402 and the Ash 11-9502, these are quite similar to their predecessors.


Ash Deluxe Deluxe
Body Ash Polyurethane Finish Belly Cut Alder top bound Polyurethane Finish Belly Cut
Neck Modern C shaped Maple with a Satin Urethane Finish Modern C shaped Maple with Satin Polyurethane Finish
Fretboard Maple 22 Medium Jumbo Frets Compound radius 9.5" to 14" Maple or Rosewood 22 Medium Jumbo Frets Compound Radius 9.5" to 14"
Headstock Standard Tel with 1 round string tree Standard Tele with 1 round string tree
Pickups Noiseless N3 Alnico V Tele pickups Chrome at neck coverless at bridge Noiseless N3 Alnico V Tele pickups Chrome at neck coverless at bridge
Tuners Deluxe Staggered locking Sealed Diecast Deluxe Staggered locking Sealed Diecast
Controls Chrome Knurled 1 Volume 1 Tone S1 switch Chrome Knurled 1 Volume I Tone S1 Switch
Pickguard Varies with Colour Varies with Colour
Bridge American Tele 6 Chromed brass Saddles American Tele 6 Chromed brass Saddles
Colours Butterscotch Blonde or Wine Transparent added White Blonde for Wine Trans in 2014 3 Colour Sunburst, Aged Cherry Burst, Olympic Pearl or Tungsten Tungsten replaced by Candy Apple Red in 2014
Neckplate Deluxe type Deluxe Shape




The Ash Model in Butterscotch Blonde and Wine Transparent






The Alder Model


Other Models

There is a Custom shop custom deluxe with several variations I am not featuring that here.
There is a Thinline Deluxe covered in my Thinline pages.
There are some AVRIs also not featured

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