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View Full Version : 1965 maple cap telecaster need help!

MYPETGOAT
12-01-2009, 02:12 PM
Hi guys. I'm pretty good with vintage guitars and Fenders, but this one has me totally perplexed. It's a 1965 Fender Telecaster, maple cap, with a skunk stripe. I've never seen one ever in 30 years. Until now.
I've never seen a maple cap neck with a skunk stripe. Neck is factory dated JUN65B. Pots are dated '65 and body is correct nitro. Serial number is "L" series. There is a slight crack where someone tried to replace the nut. Some overspray on back of neck, but decal is 100% fine and original. Any help? Could this have been sent back to Fender to recap?
Thanks!
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t1-1.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t0.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t2.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t3.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t4.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t5.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t6.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t7.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t8.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65t9.jpg
http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss317/hobokenvintage/65ta.jpg
MYPETGOAT
12-01-2009, 08:13 PM
I guess nobody can help.
Csapo
12-01-2009, 09:27 PM
Beautiful, beautiful Telecaster.

I would email Fender customer service. I've always gotten a quick and thorough response.

Did I mention that you have a beautiful Telecaster? You do!!!!
musicofanatic5
12-02-2009, 01:31 AM
I can barely see any definate line indicating a maple cap, either along the fret edges, or at the radiused transition between the nut and the headstock. Is that crack at the "seam"? Does the walnut t.r. anchor plug intersect this seam?

The only info I can find is Duchossoir's Tele book where he says maple caps became an official option in '67, they were "available well before 1967, either on a replacement or c\ustom order basis".
Dunno what he means by "replacement"? As far as I know, Fndr did not replace fretboards; I don't think they even replaced frets, they replaced necks! Frets wore out? New neck. Erlewine tells of feeding replaced fndr necks to the woodstove all winter long, and having to shovel out hundreds of frets in the spring!

I dunno what you've got there, but if you've got a macro setting on your camera and some better light, submit some more photos. I would like to see what the butt end of the neck looks like.
Big White Tele
12-02-2009, 01:37 AM
Yea, I can see the Maple cap, looks just like my 68, but without the skunk. Experimentation with different fretboard materials, and different methods of assembly, I would guess.
kelvinator60
12-02-2009, 06:24 AM
Can you see a cap seem line at the base of the neck? I wonder if this is a factory refurb of an earlier Telecaster. I have a gold guard Jazzmaster that had a '65 '66 style Sunburst on it that was obviously a factory refin so they did do refurb work and restamp things at that time. It would have been weird for them to recap that neck when it would be easier just to replace it.

Also it looks as if the cap goes through the skunk stripe. All in all a cool guitar. I bet it plays great.
Stadler Guitars
12-02-2009, 08:16 AM
Fender took custom orders for maple fingerboards as soon as they switched to rosewood. They used whatever tooling and process was current to apply the maple board. Here's a 1964 without a skunk stripe:
http://i876.photobucket.com/albums/ab330/stadlerguitars/FullersSparkle.jpg
MYPETGOAT
12-02-2009, 10:55 AM
Thanks for your input guys. The guitar is super cool and I really dig it. I believe that it is "right" and correct.
But it has all the experts scratching their heads.
Thanks again for the input.
Bobby D
12-02-2009, 11:04 AM
it looks correct to ME.......and although RARE, they did do maple caps before 67/68.......VERY nice tele......:beer

have seen maple cap strats from 64/65 before.....
musicofanatic5
12-02-2009, 11:05 AM
Can you see a cap seem line at the base of the neck? I wonder if this is a factory refurb of an earlier Telecaster. I have a gold guard Jazzmaster that had a '65 '66 style Sunburst on it that was obviously a factory refin so they did do refurb work and restamp things at that time. It would have been weird for them to recap that neck when it would be easier just to replace it.

Also it looks as if the cap goes through the skunk stripe. All in all a cool guitar. I bet it plays great.

Do you mean "through the plug behind the nut"? That's what puzzles me. As I know Fndr, they would NEVER do this. As you substantiate, I always heard Fndr, and their authorized repair stations, just chucked any neck that needed work. Leo always claimed it was the beauty of his design. My guess is it was a non-factory refurb. The photos supplied are nowhere near distinct enough for me to discern anything about this.
musicofanatic5
12-02-2009, 11:13 AM
it looks correct to ME.......and although RARE, they did do maple caps before 67/68.......VERY nice tele......:beer

have seen maple cap strats from 64/65 before.....


"Maple caps before 67/68"

Yes, this has been substantiated ad nauseum. It's the walnut t.r. anchor plug and the glue seam intersecting it that is the problem. Fndr would never do this. I would stake my reputation (Fndr enthusiast since 1965; repair technician since 1973) on it.
Stadler Guitars
12-02-2009, 12:04 PM
Fndr would never do this.

Surely not. The walnut above the line looks like it is a different piece than the rest of the plug. The guitar will suffer from doubts of originality. Removing the nut might shed some light. It could be ugly repair work.
MYPETGOAT
12-02-2009, 12:31 PM
It has the correct stamped Fender Neck date JUN65B. Decal is also 100% correct. So it IS a '65 Fender neck and corresponds with the rest of the instrument's appointments.
But I don't understand the skunk stripe.
MYPETGOAT
12-06-2009, 09:33 AM
Got some different opinions here. Any other tele experts wish to chime in? I appreciate it. Thanks!
jkats
12-06-2009, 10:24 AM
You should post this on tdpri.com and I'm sure the Tele historians there will help you out. FWIW, I've been playing since 1965, have owned Teles since 1973, have done lots of buying and selling -- retail and personal -- and repair work, and have even owned a 1967 cap neck (1967 with transition decal and big chip at the end of headstock -- sold it in 1982 and regretted it ever since), and I've never seen a neck like this one. It also looks like the headstock plug has cracked -- maybe a truss rod anchor problem?
openG
12-06-2009, 12:21 PM
what about the color of the wires in the control area, that is late 67/68 wiring colors..
jads57
12-06-2009, 02:07 PM
Check it out w/Dave Rogers at Daves Guitars Lacrosse,Wi. He has quite a collection of Fenders
MYPETGOAT
12-08-2009, 10:50 PM
Jeez..I caused quite a controversy over there at the tele forum. Didn't mean to.
esoteric pete
12-08-2009, 11:13 PM
i have never seen a 65' neck with the early logo like that...im suprised nobody has mentioned that yet.
mrbungel
12-09-2009, 12:45 AM
Spaghetti logo was used until late '65.
This one is June 65, logo is correct.
musicofanatic5
12-09-2009, 12:17 PM
It has the correct stamped Fender Neck date JUN65B. Decal is also 100% correct. So it IS a '65 Fender neck and corresponds with the rest of the instrument's appointments.
But I don't understand the skunk stripe.

Maybe it "IS a '65 Fender neck", but I seriously doubt it's originality. Just dunno why anyone would go to that much trouble, but fall that short of getting it right?