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Yes it’s Made in Mexico and the price tag is hefty if that is all you consider. However, being a veteran of many an MIM Fender I can attest the craftsmanship and components of this instrument are of a very high quality. The neck is as good or better than any other Fender neck I’ve ever played, and that includes Custom Shop models.There are no flaws to speak of, and I’ve went over it with a magnifying glass. The finish is flawless and looks much more stunning in person than in these pictures (especially strapped on me!)Now let’s talk about the tone: it’s got an open, airy and crisp sound which is not as chimey as a standard Tele but it still retains that famous and aggressive growl when kicked into overdrive. The three-way selector switch and tone knob allow for plenty of tonal expression. I was worried I would need to swap the pickups out but there’s no freaking way!The biggest disappointment? That this fine instrument ships in a gig bag and not a hard case! But if you can forgive this minor shortcoming you will be rewarded with an instrument you will treasure!

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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I wrote the other review here shortly after buying this instrument.At the time I was gobsmacked by how much higher quality the instrument was than what I had expected.I loved the neck shape, the unique but familiar tone characteristics of the pick-ups, and the overall aesthetic.Almost a year on and I’ve found a real problem I need to share with you: this guitar makes it harder to buy other guitars.I can’t find a guitar under $2,500 that I like even as much as this one.I want to add more guitars to my collection: I record music and it helps to have a variety of axes. But I can’t justify the purchase of additional guitars as I’m constantly comparing them to this guitar and (greatly) preferring what I already have.My Gibson Les Paul Classic, MIA Strat, and PRS Custom 22 all spend a lot more time in their cases as I’m drawn to the overall experience of this instrument time and again.In short, not only am I still gobsmacked but I’ve reached the conclusion this is the single best price/performance guitar on the market.It seems Fender isn’t pushing this model very hard, possibly because it’ll compete with their high-end MIA teles.If you buy one, you will be surprised by how far beyond Fender went with an MIM guitar.It’s a forever guitar for me.

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