We Play'em.... that's it.

Went down to Vintage Guitar Center in Hollywood today... as I say, each day is a learning situation... always stay open to NEW things to learn, and this is one of them. Musicians play music, but we don't know all about guitars. We may know our particular instrument itself, like we know our old lady, but hopefully not Sam's old lady down the block. Tiago works in the Vintage Room, and was friendly and very helpful (also, they are all super knowledgeable). First off... Vintage Guitar Center in Hollywood (the Vintage Room) verified that before they sell any guitar they thoroughly check it out (pickups..ie. ohm readings, wiring, pots, neck, struss rod etc). I have also previously been given a disc with photos of all the parts of your guitar (when I once bought a '57 Strat from them years ago... by the way, it was a great playing guitar). So it is highly unlikely an instrument bought from them will falter in some odd way... even 10 months later... even if it was actually gigged. The price you pay is probably an extra 20 percent over Cheapie.com. If you buy Vintage, this place is the only way to go, and like people always tell us; pay the bit extra! (Don't be like my Dad who put our house on the market and told the painter to only put one coat of paint on it, because he was selling it...guess who was looking a peeling paint 2 years later?) To the point: in A.R. Duchossoir's Fender Telecaster Book (Tiago said it is one of the best Tele Books out there, and luckily I own one too).. on page 63, the book points out that Tele's from '53 to '67 have a DIFFERENT set-up (this will be on your test). "In 1952 the assembly was modified by Leo Fender to incorporate a real tone control, but in doing so Leo DISCARDED any two pickup combination. The post-52 wiring thus provides the following settings: F= neck pickup alone with pre-set bassy sound but NO tone control. M= neck pickup alone with PROPER tone control, R= bridge pickup alone with PROPER tone control." Now, after '67 "The wiring was finally modified to provide a more TRADITIONAL (read FAMILIAR) 2-pickup switching: F= neck pickup alone WITH tone control, M= both pickups together WITH tone control, and R= bridge pickup alone WITH tone control". I give this 'techie' info like medicine for all musicians out there to learn a little about "How them things work"... maybe in this small way, we can all get a little more sleep at night.