Hello MARK!
On 25 Mar 98, MARK VANSICKLE wrote to Rich Lockyer:
 MV> But in order to be an accurate analogy for buying the Fender, you'd have
 MV> to have them leave all the fiber-optics & junk in your bowels.
SPEW!!!!
 MV> So what are the nastier aspects of CBS-era Telecasters?  Did they 
iltify
 MV> those too?  Or is it just gen'l production quality issues of the time?
Production quality was a problem.  CBS pushed for volume, and quality 
suffered. It got worse and worse as time went on and production increased.  
Neck shapes were inconsistent (I've played some real dreams and some real 
dogs), body cuts were inconsistent (the basic shape was okay, but Strat 
reliefs varied from vintage depth to barely there), and the pickups sucked.  
The tilt-neck was only a problem on guitars where the neck pocket fit wasn't 
tight.  Some paint colors tended to age poorly, checking and cracking.
If you find a CBS era Fender that you like the feel of, has a tight neck, and 
is still cosmetically acceptable today, then it's going to be as good as 
anything available then or now.
 MV> And, for that matter, what are the major prob.'s with Norlin-era 
ibsons?
 MV> Volutes?
I don't have much experience with Gibsons.
C-ya! Rich
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