NUGD, or NUTD

[Scozz]

I bought a 2016 in the lake placid blue finish, I’ve been looking for a mid teens Tele in LPB, (at a good price), for a while now. One showed up and I bought it.

I changed out the stock modern 6 saddle bridge for a vintage 3 barrel bridge, and I’ve got a set of vintage Kluson style tuners ordered to replace the modern style stock tuners. Really for aesthetics only.

Really nice guitar, plays and sounds great and I’m digging the blue, in really nice condition with cts pots, switch, and jack.

But there’s something kind of weird with this guitar.

For some reason, it looks like, (to me anyway), a previous owner had the control plate, and the neck plate, etched with a Custom Shop logo of sorts. Also the same neck plate also has the mim serial number etched on it above the supposed Custom Shop logo.

I don’t know anything about Fender Custom Shop guitars, hardware, logos, or anything really. With the exception that Fenders Custom Shop guitars are USA made in their Corona shop, and I’m pretty sure Fender Mexican made guitars does NOT have a Custom Shop in their Ensenada factory, lol.

These supposed Custom Shop logos look wonky to me too, fake, poor reproduction. I don’t understand why anyone would try to pull something like this off, if that’s the case. I’m planning on buying regular Fender neck plate and control plate to replace these.

First pic is with the stock bridge…

 

[efstop]

HNGD!
That's a sharp looking Standard. I have an Arctic White one that I'm going to modify with a vibrato and WRHB.
I like the color but the pick guard has too many screws I changed mine to a 5-hole with no pickup mount screw holes.

 

[LocoTex]

Beautiful.....but, would look incredible with a tort pickguard.

 

[LocoTex]

Not custom shop.

 

[Brazilnut]

Nice tele. Pretty color.
Ever since James Burton said that the brass plate bridge with individual saddles was a tone and sustain-improver, I have gone that route. The ashtray bridge with brass barrels looks really cool, but the plate bridge really delivers the tone.

 

[Grenville]

Lets see a clearer pic of the front and back of the headstock. That logo looks wonky.

 

[Scozz]

Not custom shop.

Right, that’s really the point I’m bringing up. It’s obviously not a Custom Shop Tele, it’s not even a miA Tele, lol!

I guess I just can’t get past the attempted deception, or whatever the reason.

 

[Scozz]

Lets see a clearer pic of the front and back of the headstock. That logo looks wonky.

If you’re talking about the Custom Shop logo, yes, that’s what I said in my op, in fact I used the same word, “wonky”.

Here’s the headstock pics you asked for…

 

[LocoTex]

Just a 2016 MIM Tele.

 

[CB91710]

There was a series of MIM models that had a "Custom Shop Designed" neck plate.... they are a frequent source of outlandish claims and inflated prices on the used market.
But that engraving on the neck plate is not how they looked... and the block lettered font isn't something Fender uses.
Previous owner had that plate made by one of the custom engravers on eBay or Amazon... same for the control plate.

No big deal... both are cheap enough to swap out before you decide to sell it. I couldn't in good conscience sell it as it is, and even owning it like that would bug me.

Enjoy it... the MIM models are very good. I almost bought a Baja Tele in '18, but bought a Strat instead.

 

[Grenville]

If you’re talking about the Custom Shop logo, yes, that’s what I said in my op, in fact I used the same word, “wonky”.

Here’s the headstock pics you asked for…

I actually meant the headstock logo looked wonky - but actually I see now the black text and gold shadow is legit.

But yeah, I think the questionable custom shop logos are just somebody having fun.

 

[Scozz]

There was a series of MIM models that had a "Custom Shop Designed" neck plate.... they are a frequent source of outlandish claims and inflated prices on the used market.
But that engraving on the neck plate is not how they looked... and the block lettered font isn't something Fender uses.
Previous owner had that plate made by one of the custom engravers on eBay or Amazon... same for the control plate.

No big deal... both are cheap enough to swap out before you decide to sell it. I couldn't in good conscience sell it as it is, and even owning it like that would bug me.

Enjoy it... the MIM models are very good. I almost bought a Baja Tele in '18, but bought a Strat instead.

Thanks for that info, yeah I’ve already got an order placed with Sweetwater for a Fender neck plate and a Tele control plate.

I emailed Fender and they provided me with all the specs of the guitar including the model number that shows the lists the color of the guitar, Lake Placid Blue.

There were also pics of the model in LPB, and you can see the stock control plate and neck plate are plain, nothing etched in either of them. Not even the serial # on the neck plate, that some models have.

 

[CB91710]

Thanks for that info, yeah I’ve already got an order placed with Sweetwater for a Fender neck plate and a Tele control plate.

I emailed Fender and they provided me with all the specs of the guitar including the model number that shows the lists the color of the guitar, Lake Placid Blue.

There were also pics of the model in LPB, and you can see the stock control plate and neck plate are plain, nothing etched in either of them. Not even the serial # on the neck plate, that some models have.

Ya, 2016-2019 or so all of the MIM neck plates were blank. The US models with micro-tilt had an engraved neck plate... 2020 or so the MiM models started getting the engraved plate, I think it was just the "F" script, where the US models had the full "Fender" logo.
Models without micro-tilt... I'm not sure about Teles. The US bass models had the same plate as the US Strat but without the 5th hole.

Only reissues and some Custom Shop models had the serial numbers on the neck plate. Standard production, that stopped in 1976.

 

[Scozz]

Ya, 2016-2019 or so all of the MIM neck plates were blank. The US models with micro-tilt had an engraved neck plate... 2020 or so the MiM models started getting the engraved plate, I think it was just the "F" script, where the US models had the full "Fender" logo.
Models without micro-tilt... I'm not sure about Teles. The US bass models had the same plate as the US Strat but without the 5th hole.

Only reissues and some Custom Shop models had the serial numbers on the neck plate. Standard production, that stopped in 1976.

Great info man, thanks.