Fender Tele Player series set up

This is Si’s Fender Player Series Telecaster straight from the retailer for a set up. The plan was to fit a custom adjustable Tusq nut, Tusq string tree and a precision fret level to set a low, light 1st and last fret action. This 9.5″ Tele – interestingly – wouldn’t go quite to the standard ‘target action’, preferring to be about 0.2mm (approx) higher. This is one of the mysteries of certain guitars (and their necks) which resist explanation. A few weeks later I set up a 9.5″ radius Squier Standard Series Tele which went comfortably lower than the target action. Can I argue why? Not 100%. It *may* be that with brand new guitars I hold back a little when fret levelling (a psychological discomfort with levelling new frets, even where they need it…). Another curious aspect of this guitar was the behaviour of the clear poly on the fingerboard along the fret edges. The light reflection from the poly either side of the frets suggested a fretting method where the frets are laid on bare wood then the poly finish sprayed over as a kind of ‘carpet’… But there was also some evidence of finish ‘crushing’ either side of some of the frets – suggesting the opposite; that this board was sprayed and buffed first and the frets laid on top of that. I prefer the 2nd method (it allows a much smoother and more glossy finish when everything’s finished) but it is vulnerable to cracking / crunching the fragile, brittle finish if too much pressing force is applied. From what I show close up, I’m leaning towards it being the 2nd method… although I just can’t be certain.

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