Fender American Vintage '52 Telecaster Fullerton Plant 1982 Butterscotch Blonde Mint Collector quality

A collector grade and extremely rare 1982 Fender ’52 Telecaster Reissue finished in classic Butterscotch Blonde, built at the original Fullerton factory during the very first year of production. This is a superb example of one of the earliest Vintage Reissue instruments Fender ever produced and represents an important moment in the company’s history.

This particular example carries the very early serial number 0190, placing it among the first instruments produced during that inaugural year. The accompanying certificate is signed and dated April 20th 1982, confirming its early production status. Just check out that Ash body, its a thing of beauty!

The guitar is completely original and presents in truly exceptional condition. It appears to have spent most of its life safely stored in its case and shows hardly any signs of use. There are no chips, dings or modifications and the overall condition is remarkable for an instrument now over forty years old. It is increasingly difficult to find early Fullerton reissues in this level of preservation.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s Fender began to recognise the growing demand from players and collectors for accurate recreations of their most famous early instruments. Under the leadership of Dan Smith and with input from dedicated Fender historians and craftsmen, the company launched the Vintage Reissue series in 1982. These guitars were built at the historic Fullerton, California factory and were designed to faithfully reproduce the construction and specification of the original 1950s models. The ’52 Telecaster Reissue was one of the very first models introduced in this programme and is now widely regarded as the beginning of Fender’s modern vintage reissue line.

Even more impressive is the completeness of the package. The guitar retains all of its original paperwork, case accessories and factory items. Included is the original spare bridge pickup, along with the alternative potentiometer and capacitor used for the traditional early Telecaster wiring setup. These parts remain unused and still sealed in their original packaging. The original tweed Fender case is also in beautiful condition and has clearly protected the instrument throughout its life.

Construction follows the classic 1952 Telecaster blueprint, with an ash body finished in nitrocellulose lacquer in the iconic Butterscotch Blonde. The one-piece maple neck features the traditional vintage profile and 21 frets, paired with the familiar 25.5" scale length that gives the Telecaster its unmistakable snap and clarity. Vintage style bridge with three brass saddles and period correct hardware complete the authentic specification.

Tonally these early Fullerton reissues are widely respected for capturing the spirit of the original 1950s instruments. The ash body provides a strong, resonant acoustic character with excellent sustain and lively attack. The bridge pickup delivers the classic Telecaster bite with bright, cutting highs and a tight, percussive low end that sits beautifully in a mix. The neck pickup offers a warmer, rounder voice with surprising depth and smoothness, ideal for blues, jazz-influenced lines or fuller rhythm tones. Together they produce the unmistakable Telecaster twang, articulation and dynamic response that has made this design a cornerstone of electric guitar history.

The guitar weighs 8.12 lb, giving it a solid, resonant feel while still remaining comfortable to play.

Early Fullerton-built Vintage Reissue instruments have become highly sought after by collectors, particularly the first year 1982 examples produced before Fender’s transition away from the original factory. Finding one with such a low serial number, complete documentation and unused accessories is exceptionally rare.

A truly outstanding and historically important Fender. A remarkable opportunity to acquire a near time-capsule example of the very first ’52 Telecaster Reissue from the legendary Fullerton factory.