STUDENT NEWSLETTER 8 October 2008 
I know some of you are a little worried about the economy and the future. Don't worry. We got a man with a plan.
Buyer beware! The last guitar to come in was suppose to be a black 1986 USA Fender Vintage '57 reissue. The seller shipped parcel post after charging me for Priority First Class. It took 13 days to arrive after being shipped causing me to be on "guitar watch" for almost two weeks. The fretboard had been sanded to look like "honest play wear" as quoted by the seller. The original pickups had been changed. Two of the potentiometers were newer. The body appeared to be a Squire and had an extra route under the pickguard for a 9v battery. I shipped the guitar right back to the seller. It arrived on Monday but he could not find the time to go pick it up until Thursday when he refunded my money. I am still out the amount of shipping and insurance and a bunch of time. Seller claimed he was "selling for a friend". Watch out!
The hardest guitar to find is a good Fender Telecaster. The Telecaster was the first mass produced solid body electric guitar. Originally called; Fender Broadcaster in 1948 the name was removed because of copyright infringements in 1950-1951. The models made those years only had the word Fender on the headstock and became known as; "NOCASTERS". In 1952 they became TELECASTERS and the name remains today. The design has not changed much in 60 years because it works so well. If the U.S. Army would ever issue a guitar it would be the Telecaster. It is the Swiss Army knife of guitars. Very versatile and the only guitar for country twang. Yet great for rock players like Keith Richards and Jimmy Page.
In the 70s when Fender went to the three bolt necks on most of their guitars; they kept Telecasters with a four bolt neck. I guess they did not want to mess with a good thing. In 1982 the 1952 Telecaster was reissued and made at the original factory for three years. 1982-1984 USA reissues are known as; Fullerton models named after the town where the plant was located. It was a small facility and closed forever by 1985 when Fender moved everything to the Corona California plant. The Fullerton models were all hand made exactly like the original 1952 right down to the slot head screws and hand tooling. All nitro finish. In 1985 Fender opened the Custom Shop that over the years has tried very hard to build the same quality guitars as was made at Fullerton. I jump on every opportunity to buy a Fullerton as I can. Only 4 were made a day. All by hand.
This past month was unusually lucky and I was able to find three fantastic examples. All are 1982. First year. All are four digit serial number. What are the odds?
These are still cheaper to buy than a new Custom Shop Master Built and much better guitars. They will continue to make the master built models because of the high demand. No more 1982 Fullertons will ever be made.
Every bit of my new gear comes from MusiciansFriend.com or Guitar Center for the past eight years. Best prices, selection, and return policy there is. AND they bring it to your door! If you click thru to MUSICIANS FRIEND .com or Guitar Center.com from this web site to buy something, I get an advertising credit and it does not cost you a penny extra! Musicians Friend and Guitar Center is where I get all my new gear. Click on the link below to go there. If the link does not appear on your browser go here and click on the MusiciansFriend or Guitar Center link at bottom of that page.
Always Stay Tuned. A lot is going on around here!
Rock On,
Joe "TheGuitarman" Pacciano, C.G.P.
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