1986 Fender (Japan) Telecaster Custom Electric Guitar

Apparently, these '80s Japanese-made Telecaster Customs were '62 Reissue models. That might be -- but the necks on the ones I've played have all felt pretty dang modern to me safe a steeper, more-vintage radius to the board.

This one is owned by local guitar hero Jimmy Goodwin and he's had it as long as I've known him. The last time I saw this was 8 years ago and at some point in its travels it wound-up with him in Florida playing sweaty gigs and then grew a bit more extra-relic'd and decrepit in -- presumably -- damp storage.

He brought it in a couple weeks ago to get the electronics looked-at, but it needed more than a mild going-over. All the controls were frozen in place with rust and, sadly, the bridge pickup's coil was damaged as well. The frets I'd leveled and dressed in the past were also so tarnished they needed going-over again.

Post-repairs (new wiring harness, mucking-about with frozen saddles, a replacement freebie Squier bridge pickup from my parts-bins, etc.), it plays super-fast and easy and has a good, traditional Tele tone.