American Deluxe Telecaster

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
Hi gang,

I have an opportunity to get a 2006 Fender American Deluxe Telecaster. It looks to be in like new condition and is beautiful. It's the classic butterscotch blonde and I believe the wood is an alder although some of these were made with Ash. It has the S1 switching and the first generation noiseless custom shop pickups (SCN). I'm looking for any feedback on these from any of you that may own teles and especially if you have a 2006 deluxe like this one. I don't have the ability to put my hands on this one because it's out of town. I have played a million telecasters the last few weeks and I like the American Standards the best. I'm not willing to shell out the 1800 for the elites... Any way I can get this one for just under 1000...which is pretty good I think... for a deluxe American Telecaster... Let me know what y'all think.

CG
 

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
Well, personally I shy away from anything with that S1 switching in it ... just because it greatly complicates things if you ever want to work on it yourself ... like swapping pickups and such.
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
Well, personally I shy away from anything with that S1 switching in it ... just because it greatly complicates things if you ever want to work on it yourself ... like swapping pickups and such.
Yeah. I can understand that. Fortunately I never do that kind of stuff myself.
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
I'd say go for it. It's a great guitar at a decent price. I seriously doubt you will ever want to change pickups, but if you did change pickups out entirely and trashed the S1, you can replace the switch, volume and tone pots for less than $40 and have the equivalent of an American Standard Tele. I have 7 Telecasters, of which only one is a American made (unless you count the ones I built). I've played the Noiseless and like them a lot, but I don't have any on my own guitars.
 

Dale

Blues Newbie
I have one from about that time. I don't remember exactly when I bought it but I like it a lot. I have 3
Fenders, a Gibson, an Epiphone and a Gretsch. The tele is my go-to axe for now. The more I play it, the better I like it.
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
OK, what is S1 switching?
OK, what is S1 switching?
David,

It is basically is a button that is built in to the volume control that when pressed changes the pickup's to run in series I think as opposed to in parallel... long story short...it allows you to get the sound similar to a humbucker when the switch is engaged.... it's a really cool feature and was not very complicated on the tele's vs the strats...
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
OK, what is S1 switching?
So I Binged it and apparently it's push-pull switch with a coil tap or similar. If you're doing a mod, you could incorporate the switch or just ignore it.If you want the guitar the way it is, go for it. I have no opinion on the market value.
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
It sounds reasonable to me. How do you feel about it?

:Beer:
I like it. I played one of the later model ones with the N3 pickups but the price was 500 more than this one. Neck profile and just about everything else is the same. I think I'm going to get it.
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
So I Binged it and apparently it's push-pull switch with a coil tap or similar. If you're doing a mod, you could incorporate the switch or just ignore it.If you want the guitar the way it is, go for it. I have no opinion on the market value.
Yep. That's sound about right. They don't make the American Deluxe anymore...they have gone to the elite models and the American standards are going away too beginning in 2017 they are going to a new pro series. When these were new they were around 1500.00.
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
I'd say go for it. It's a great guitar at a decent price. I seriously doubt you will ever want to change pickups, but if you did change pickups out entirely and trashed the S1, you can replace the switch, volume and tone pots for less than $40 and have the equivalent of an American Standard Tele. I have 7 Telecasters, of which only one is a American made (unless you count the ones I built). I've played the Noiseless and like them a lot, but I don't have any on my own guitars.
Thanks ..for making me feel better about my purchase. I now know that I have no where near enough guitars! This tele will be my second electric...along with my Strat and my Accoustic...
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Thanks ..for making me feel better about my purchase. I now know that I have no where near enough guitars! This tele will be my second electric...along with my Strat and my Accoustic...

Oh, I'm sure Kestrou has more Telecasters than I do.
 

johnc

systematic
Pretty much one of my favorite guitars Chris. I would definitely snap it up so long as it is in good shape.

S1 is no big deal, just a fancier way of putting the PUs in series for a bit fatter tone. Same thing is done with the 4 way selector switch mod.

I sold my AM Deluxe Ash Tele (butterscotch) a few years back and deeply regretted doing that, (long story) been looking for a replacement ever since and have even chased up the fellow who bought mine to try and buy it back but no luck.
They are scarce over here in Australia.
Anyway I have been looking world wide as well and a 2nd hand Elite from the UK came up 2 weeks before my birthday in October last and my darling wife said she would go halves if I really wanted it.
No more convincing required, I ordered it and it arrived the day before my Birthday, how was that? Love it Love it Love it! and never to be parted!
I would have been just as happy with the previous model if I could have found a suitable one.
No one should really want to change the PU's on these, the whole guitar is just so nice.
I hope that you get to have the same experience if you go ahead and buy it.

Here's a few pics of mine if you are interested.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s4ou770izyyat7y/AAB4uWlRKVs5NArpPLHDs3cca?dl=0
 

ChrisG

Blues Newbie
Pretty much one of my favorite guitars Chris. I would definitely snap it up so long as it is in good shape.

S1 is no big deal, just a fancier way of putting the PUs in series for a bit fatter tone. Same thing is done with the 4 way selector switch mod.

I sold my AM Deluxe Ash Tele (butterscotch) a few years back and deeply regretted doing that, (long story) been looking for a replacement ever since and have even chased up the fellow who bought mine to try and buy it back but no luck.
They are scarce over here in Australia.
Anyway I have been looking world wide as well and a 2nd hand Elite from the UK came up 2 weeks before my birthday in October last and my darling wife said she would go halves if I really wanted it.
No more convincing required, I ordered it and it arrived the day before my Birthday, how was that? Love it Love it Love it! and never to be parted!
I would have been just as happy with the previous model if I could have found a suitable one.
No one should really want to change the PU's on these, the whole guitar is just so nice.
I hope that you get to have the same experience if you go ahead and buy it.

Here's a few pics of mine if you are interested.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s4ou770izyyat7y/AAB4uWlRKVs5NArpPLHDs3cca?dl=0

John,

That is a beauty! In fact that same guitar is in a local store here and I've played it only once. I swore never to pick it up again because if I do I'm going to buy it and my wife is going to be mad...It's what led me to the American Deluxes. The photos of the one I'm considering look to be flawless. I'm going to reach out to the store tomorrow and make an offer. Thanks for the feedback.

CG
 

CapnDenny1

Student Of The Blues
S1 is no biggy. Just don't press it and it's like it aint there.

There were several different ways it can be used. It's basically 3 or 4 switches combined into one, so you can get clever with what it does. Some do the series thing, or other functions.

Sounds like a nice guitar!
 

JPsuff

Blackstar Artist
S1 switching from Fender.com:

"On the current version of the American Deluxe Telecaster (and its ash-body version), the S-1 switch built into the volume knob puts the two pickups in series when the blade switch is in the middle position (Telecaster pickups are normally wired in parallel). This creates a fatter, rounder tone kind of like a humbucking pickup with the top-end character of a single-coil pickup. When the guitar’s blade switch is in the bridge or neck position, both settings operate normally and the S-1 switch doesn’t do anything." (y)

Hope this helps!​
 

burlew

Blues Junior
Telecasters are great. I have an American Standard (60th anniversary) far left.

I love the neck. It plays faster than anything else I have.

Go get it

db


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