Fender Ultra Tele Deep Dive

#knowyourgear #thegeekystuff
The New Merch is finally here!!!!!!!!!
www.kyg.altacolor.com
Find this model and other fender Teles here
sweetwater.sjv.io/Gmjvx2
00:00 intro
00:24 Specifications
02:47 The Geeky Stuff
09:02 Tech Tip
11:45 Sound Demo
17:31 My Thoughts
How To Fix Fret Sprout
• How To Fix Sharp Fret ...
How to set your intonation
• How To Intonate Your G...
Fret Polishing video
• Ranking The Top 10 Gui...
How To Do A Fast And Great Guitar Set Up
• How To Do A Fast And G...
Emerson 4way switch kit
sweetwater.sjv.io/eK49aZ
4way switch
sweetwater.sjv.io/1r502B
Treble bleed
sweetwater.sjv.io/ZQdOqW
PRS Sonzera V2 amp (this is the amp I am using in this video)
sweetwater.sjv.io/AWo9BD
Fret Rocker
stewmac.sjv.io/Xx7exX
MusicNomad String Action Gauge
sweetwater.sjv.io/4eZJQ0
Notched Straight Edge
stewmac.sjv.io/Ea7Na2
Notched Radius Gages
stewmac.sjv.io/15JN59
Neck Chape Templates
stewmac.sjv.io/Ry4O2y
Digital Calipers
stewmac.sjv.io/4eZrgG
Test your fret ends
amzn.to/3Qznyus
What tuner do I use?
imp.i114863.net/ORXJqN
Join me on Instagram for cool giveaways and more guitar content
/ phillip_mcknight
Join Know Your Gear Facebook for other videos and posts
/ knowyourgear
Want to have your product on an episode ? Contact us here
[e-mail]
Check out the Know Your Gear Podcast
iTunes: smarturl.it/KYGitunes
Spotify: smarturl.it/KYG-Spotify
KZbin: smarturl.it/KYGyoutube
iHeart Radio: smarturl.it/KYGiheartradio
By clicking some of the links above you are supporting the channel with the purchases you make. Thank you

[@danbgt]

I love your channel. I’m an old guy. Played drums for years. After a 43 year long career in the engineering field, I retired. 8 years ago. About 4 years ago I needed something to keep my hands and brain busy. So I started learning to play guitar. I have learned a lot but discovered that my engineering background keeps creeping out and the technical/mechanical aspects of the instrument really intrigues me. Your channel is one of the best for this stuff! Thanks!!

[@raoulduke344]

Are there any changes you would make to the design (electronics or furniture), coming from an engineering background?

[@danbgt]

@@raoulduke344 No. I actually see guitar design more as art than engineering. There are some structural aspects to it but no matter the structure it still has to sound good. Or right. Particularly true with acoustics. Which is what I mostly play. As far as electronics is concerned I don’t know squat. That is one of the things that I like finding out about on this channel. I spent most of my career doing heavy structural design on offshore oil platforms and floating equipment. The structural part of an electric guitar seems to be somewhat cut and dried.

[@2bikemikesguitartopics145]

Dan, you sound like me, but I did 44yrs in electronics and planned to learn to play guitar as a retirement hobby. I started in 2013, but more than that, I learned to modify electrics in guitars, fret leveling, changing and cutting nuts, etc... I show all that on my channel. You are welcome to come see what my hobby has grown into.

[@richardleblanc8789]

Hi, I'm Rick. I'm also a retired engine assembler who is board as well. I'm a guitar player. I've been looking for any musician to play with. I'm from Mass. N. of Boston any chance you live anywhere nearby.

[@raoulduke344]

@danbgt I know that they structure of an acoustic has been changed a little, with the inside having scalloped bracing in later designs. Yeah, I think Fender and Gibson basically got the design pretty much exactly right the first time, and anything they missed out was already perfected by today.

[@titus2120]

I’ve been casually reviewing your works for a few years now. This is the first technical review I’ve ever run through. Ans you hooked me from the beginning. Well done, sir. Very well done and very interesting. And finally, thank you for so many awesome reviews. This has definitely been a learning experience. Thank you.

[@DanielBobke]

If you get a $2000 guitar and the frets are sprouted out of the box - you send it back. I would fight with them on that.

[@fenderlead1]

Not at all! Simply means that the guitar was built in a humid environment but has spent too much time in the dry environment. A few days/weeks in a properly humidifier environment and that will go away by itself.

[@rjejames28]

​@@fenderlead1they could store the guitar with 2 way humidifier pouch in the case if that really is the issue.

[@DudeMcGuybro]

@@rjejames28 A humidifier pouch isn't going to do much in a case. It might help in a bag of weed but not something as big, and as loose with air as a guitar case lol. You just have to let it adjust to the environment and make your adjustments as needed.

[@rjejames28]

@@DudeMcGuybro they make them for instruments, they are designed for them to go in cases. I have used them before, boveda they work well.

[@Miguelsotelo0]

They’re covered by warranty. Take them to me!!

[@ernieb3626]

I CANT BELIEVE THEY THINK ITS THE CUSTOMERS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO CORRECT THIS TWICE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND NEVER HAD TO IN THE DISTANT PAST. GEAT VIDEO THANKS PHIL

[@lawrenceashworth7668]

Getting back into building electric guitars after not picking one up for almost 32 years. I have picked up a lot of tips on working on them from watching you. Really enjoy your channel! I’m trying to build for the beginners who want a good guitar at a reasonable price . Actually sold my first one this past weekend to a friend of mine for his son . Also made one for my step son for his birthday and you would have thought he one the lottery! Keep the videos coming !

[@enidsnarb]

I like your pickup sound demos because you move fast enough through the different positions for a person to hear even the subtle changes!

[@Aceroxx02]

I have a hardtail Strat I put together a couple of years ago. I had TWO sets of staggered locking Fender Tuners...3 long 3 short. I mixed the two sets and put all 6 short on my Strat and the other 6 long ones on a guitar I was selling. Nice to see Fender finally doing the all 6 short in one set on their own!

[@chadbouterse8617]

@@thomaspick4123 agreed, but faster to string change and less likely for an inexperienced guitar player to wind incorrectly…. I mean cruise control isn’t necessary on a car, but I want it 😁

[@Blinkerd00d]

@@chadbouterse8617 nailed it. That's the only reason I use them. I had one of my ibanez artcore hollowbodies fall over and broke off a tuning peg so I got the locking tuners as replacements- I now have them on all of my electronic guitars just bc I could change out strings in a fraction of the time. My American strat has the newer Fender brand black locking tuners and I was amazed at how smooth they are AND the finish is flawless.

[@warrenbutterfield4208]

Thomas Pick with the simple pithy wisdom here….👌🏻🎸

[@gregdittman7610]

Man I wish I’d found videos just like this much earlier in my gear buying. Very well done. No wasted time. All useful.

[@JeffRevell]

The easy fix for the fret sprout is to nip the fret tang so that it doesn't run to the edge of the neck. There are quite a few brands who do this and they never get the dreaded sprout. I think the problem for Fender is that this requires at least two more steps in the process (nipping and then filling the empty fret slots ends) and they don't want to invest the time and personnel to make it happen. I would think that this wouldn't be the case for such a premium instrument but I guess not.

[@DudeMcGuybro]

Yeah my MIM Mischief Maker had some gnarly fret sprout. Took it to a shop, and for 20 bucks had the fret ends taken care of, frets polished, restrung, and intonated. Quite a deal I'd say. I'd do it myself but too much frustration causes me to have seizures.

[@warrenbutterfield4208]

Made in Mexico… Did you have to drive down there to get all that done? Seriously…Where in the hell do you get all that work done for a measly 20 bucks? Assuming it was done properly and done well.,. I’ve been doing all my own for years. I don’t even want anybody touching or scratching my guitars. These things take time to be done right… Without risk to the instrument or its finish. Speed kills when you are working on a guitar. I’ve seen simple screwdrivers do more damage in seconds than some players do in years.

[@warrenbutterfield4208]

Don’t get me wrong. Not saying you did anything wrong or the guy at the shop either. That’s just a lot of time and effort if it’s done right for 20 bucks. Hope you threw him a tip 🤠

[@joetate8563]

Fender and Gibson don't have to do a good job with fretwork. All of the flannel shirt, skinny jean wearing hipsters that can only buy Fender and Gibson are the reason their quality control is garbage, and why their prices are so INSANELY high for what you get. Why would they expend the extra time and efforts to make it worth what they overcharge for the instrument if all you trendy idiots keep paying those ridiculous prices for an instrument that is sub par to instruments 1/3 of their cost? But at least you can say "I only play Fender" or "I only play Gibson".

[@Mountainrock70]

@@warrenbutterfield4208 small shops use to be cheap like that so you come back and buy gear. Paving the road for future work and guitar sales, something forgotten these days by most

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

This is my #1 in Texas Tea. I was in the shop the day it arrived and got lost for hours playing it. As my one year sobriety gift, I chose this over the Silver Sky and Fender 60s Tele reissue. I just fell in love with the neck and overall sound. All were under $2k at the time, tho.

[@richardlewis1243]

Congratulations on your sobriety, 31 yrs on Feb.

[@homeboyjon4885]

Congrats, Dude!

[@aaroncurry279]

Congrats on your one year sobriety anniversary. When you feel the temptation, ask the good Lord for strength, crack open a cold iced “Texas Tea” and of course your sweet tele.

[@enriquemendez1507]

3 years sober here and got myself an American pro ii in Olympic white. So nice to see other musicians who survived addiction and getting the instruments they love

[@robinwaldrop9127]

I had a Texas tea tele regret selling it

[@vincerusso5619]

Very comprehensive review 👍🏻👍🏻

[@badbob]

Great video as always. Im not a big tele fan but I always find your vids informative and interesting. Rock on.

[@trev3971]

Because of the strap geometry versus a Strat, I've never felt like belly cut Teles needed a forearm contour. Sticking with only the belly cut keeps the stage-facing aesthetic without giving up comfort.

Interesting. I'd choose the front contour before the belly one, which I don't see as significant for comfort.

[@trev3971]

@ I think which one you prefer depends on the size of your belly ;)

[@nitromeda]

​@ the belly cut is ALL THAT MATTERS for my rib comfort 😂

@@nitromeda 😆

[@markleadbeatter6196]

The comfort carves are very subtle on MK’s and aren’t all that visible from the front on my examples, perhaps because of their flamed maple tops

[@MichaelEMJAYARE]

The Ultras are really cool. Definitely wish I had a Tele and a Strat like that, love the series/parallel options

[@tomgraz7548]

Most comprehensive guitar review I've ever seen. Excellent.

[@yoster77]

I am very, very sensitive to fret sprout, fret dressing, etc. If I pick up a guitar (and I don't care how expensive it is,) if I don't like the frets, it goes back. Even if every single other thing about it is amazing. Agree with me or not Fender, that's just how I am. If Fender doesn't want to address it, perhaps they partner with the resellers to include a free fret dressing as part of the purchase. You're paying for a premium product here. When I buy a premium product, I don't want the onus to fix something put back on ME, especially when it's 100% brand new. I totally get it if it needs maintenance/fixing down the road - that's a different topic. I'm talking brand-new experience.

[@sleepless_160]

100% Thats what happened when I recieved a 1000€ Charvel… right out of the box the fret ends felt sharp and uncomfortable so I didn‘t even bother to give the guitar more than 2 hours of playing before I put it back in the box and sent it back 😂 I felt especially robbed because a week before that I had a similarly priced PRS SE Custom 24 in my hands and the neck and frets were soo good, but I sent that one back aswell because one of the PUs was faulty… I don’t understand how some of these established guitar companies ship guitars in such conditions… in the end I settled for my 400€ Harley Benton and it plays like a dream… probably the best option for my college ass 😅

[@davidhoward8951]

I need you to work on My Guitar the intonation of threats the neck adjustments 04

[@chrisnash8411]

I love Telecasters ! I've always had at least three in my arsenal ! Thanks for the video Phil!

[@davidtguitar]

Thanks for the video! And good links to the other videos, very practical

[@GregoryKisiel]

I like that you are a pro at what you do. Can learn a lot from you. Thank you. I love playing the guitar and making music, but I love looking after my guitars myself, changing the pickups, switches and caressing them. Cheers and until the next video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@markleadbeatter6196]

You’ve got to love that brands like Michael Kelly, that fit things like the series switching and coil splits in their mid range guitars, plus they have belly cuts and comfort carves for modest money

[@kirkscobey3031]

They also use Lollar pickups as well as the Rockwell. Both sound good but more wiring options on the upgraded Lollars

[@musicalmotors]

I love your channel. You explain things really clearly and simply. I’m currently working on an acoustic with a few uneven frets. I saw you pound the frets down with a brass hammer in another video. When do you use the hammer vs. sand down individual frets vs. use the longer fret leveling bar? Thanks!

[@mygtr2021]

very detailed explanation, thanks for your time and attention to making this video..

[@CatharticGuitar]

Thanks Phillip. I like watching you review these. Keep making these videos. Big fan.

[@williambock1821]

The best feeling guitar I’ve ever played was a maple neck Elite Tele grabbed off the wall at an Akron Guitar Center in the 2000’s. Think it cost about $1100 at the time. It had a REALLY nicely rolled finger board. Beautiful cherry burst. Pearl pick guard. Gorgeous tele.

[@sunn_bass]

Nice deep dive into this Tele. I like the looks and sound of this model. As for the fret spout issues, it's is way more common now than in the past, but I think it's more complex than just blaming the quality of the wood or the drying process as many do. If it was just from the wood having too high of moisture content, then necks would be twisting and warping at a much higher rate after the neck dries. Even wood cracking would be more common if moisture from improper drying were the issue. Same for simply saying the wood quality is not as good. So while wood quality and moisture may be part of the issue, I really think a lot is simply sloppy craftsmanship and poor fret cutting. Just look at the out of the box setup most guitars have these days. I've seen truss rods that have no tension, nuts so high as to make the instrument unplayable until it's slotted properly, and a host of other setup issues. Just seems like with as much work companies do to make a nice guitar these days, they cheap out on the setup and fret job. Saying all of that, they generally do a good job leveling, a decent job crowning and it's all over the place on the finishing touches for frets such as polishing, fret edge cleanup, etc. Again, great video Phil.

[@sveablu]

I have a 2013 American Special Tele with a maple neck that I bought new. That neck is still perfect after 10 years. The FB edges are nicely rolled and there is absolutely no fret sprout. The neck is the best part of it. If only.....

[@rexrathtar3893]

But do you agree?

[@johnnewton1830]

@@rexrathtar3893 Totally!

[@georgekingston6389]

So fascinating to see you set about assessing that guitar - marvellous, thank you.

[@Tobyson1950]

I have this exact model! Thanks for a great review. I will be keeping it. 😊

[@JulesFox]

Great review. Comprehensive coverage of the instrument. Nicely done I suspect fret sprout is due to the age of the wood. Back in the 70’s and 80’s even 90’s older wood was available - pre-aged, however turn-around from younger felled trees to finished instrument is a lot shorter nowadays.

[@bryangoodwin6626]

Yup , good observations. 👍🏼

[@edhusz7555]

Exactly what I think, too. Growth based economy, mass production, mass consumption, so there is almost no good old dried wood left.

[@TexanUSMC8089]

I wouldn't say it sounds like a traditional Tele, but I would say it's a beast. Wow.

[@brandonanderson2066]

I agree. In some cases they sound more strat like. I still might get one, they rock.

[@1RobHunter1]

I appreciate the honesty on the review. Great video! Thank you.

[@christophereaton4694]

I love your detailed accurate analysis. Pretty clear you know your stuff. You're fair and informative.

[@christophereaton4694]

That might be my next guitar. I want a Telecaster very much.

[@frankwebster9110]

I love this guitar. Outside of the noiseless pups that come on Ultras, those guitars are perfect IMHO. I would love to see a demo of how to roll the edges on a guitar that has the squared off fret board edge! If it already exists, plz link me in the right direction! Love these "geeky" type videos. Always learning!

[@hollywoodactress]

Fret sprout on a 2k guitar is not good 😢

[@ohplezz]

That's Fender quality nowadays unfortunately.

[@DanielBobke]

@@ohplezz I have purchased 3 Fenders over the past 5 years - two MIJ (but shipped from their warehouse in California), and one used one from GC (2009-2010 MIM Strat). I also have a partscaster that I built that includes a MIM Fender neck I got from a friend - NONE of them have any sprouted frets. In fact, the only guitar out of the 15 guitars I own that had any fret sprout issues was a $400 Harley Benton. A fantastic guitar overall, but I had to clean up the ends and I can't really complain for $400.

[@ramencurry6672]

For me, I have all my new guitars inspected by a reputable repair center and worked on no matter how expensive the guitar is. Even if I paid $10,000 for a guitar I would expect some minor things to be taken care of

[@rickyanthony]

​@@ramencurry6672 Why would you EXPECT that for 10k. Might as well give them money

[@tmaciol]

I would file a complaint with Fender. Then take it to the nearest Fender authorized dealership/ technician and have them correct the fretwork at Fender’s expense. With a guitar “Made in the USA” in this price range, I definitely would demand more.

[@jonathanrupolo4726]

Thank you! Your videos are so informative

[@russmarx4396]

Thank you for all your knowledge and input.

[@ezbowers]

Man i just love hearing you talk about guitars Phil. Keep it up 💙

[@ravenbom]

The current Fender Noiseless Tele neck paired with a Vox is my favorite pickup sound right now. Very bell-like chime and full. The bridge isn't really ready for chicken-pickin, because it's not as pokey, but I like that it's not as ear shattering. For NON-COUNTRY, the noiseless bridge makes the Tele work in more styles, imo. But I mean, that neck tone is so sublime, I have a hard time using any other position.

[@gnoogie]

yeah noiseless pups thru an ac30 top boost channel will punch you in the face haha. they honestly sound similar to Texas specials now that I'm hearing them

[@brandonanderson2066]

I also like the necks in these

[@SuperShecky]

I've seen fret sprout ever since I started playing in the early 80s. My own Am Std Strat bought brand new in 1988 had fret sprout that pushed up the finish away from the wood. It still has some areas where the lifted finish chipped off at the fret slots. Honestly, it's been the youtube age that the issue of fret sprout seems to have become a point to really complain about. This isn't an excuse. The way Fender puts finish over the frets has always bothered me, too, since so many other manufacturers have figured out how to ship guitars without that kind of "character", for a lot less money.

[@Voxguitarsrock]

Good info Phil. Thank you.

[@gergemall]

Sweet sounds ❤

[@Rodrat]

My theory on the fret sprout as not a guitar maker but a woodworker is that they are not letting their wood dry and acclimate as long as they used too perhaps. It might not be as dry compared to previously batches.

[@JELIFISH19]

Acclimate to what? Both of my Fenders have fret sprout for only some of the year. They have it in winter and they're perfect for the rest of the year. If I lived in a different region, fret sprout wouldn't be a problem at all. And my guitars are an American Deluxe and an American Professional. The younger American Deluxe is from 2006.

[@Rodrat]

@@JELIFISH19 winter should be the drier season, which would be causing your fret sprout. But properly dried wood should help prevent that. I would personally fix that while it's still cold and then your guitar won't have fret sprout ever. Edit: what I'm trying to say is, if the wood was properly dry when they made the guitar, you would have never had fret sprout in the winter.

[@bapt_andthebasses]

My thoery is that it's only happening on Fender US models. Fender JAP and Squiers never have fret sprout.

[@allenstowe660]

I received my Ultra Tele in February. It did have minor fret sprout but the bigger problem was that many of the frets had tooling marks. Sweetwater agreed to reimburse me to have my local luthier repair these fret issues (kudos to Sweetwater!). Because of your (and others) reports of recent Fender QA/QC issues, I inspected this guitar very thoroughly and didn't detect any additional issues. I really like this guitar except possibly the noiseless pickups. My studio has lots of electronics so historically 60 cycle hum has been problematic with standard single coils unless I employ a noise gate. Great review, I've been looking forward to it.

[@felipegomabrockmann2740]

really great video, I learned so much

[@jackorbit7258]

Thanks Phillip. I always learn something from you and appreciate your honesty.

[@matewansid]

I just bought a 300 dollar Chinese 335 knockoff and the frets were stainless ball ended and just about perfect. Fender is going to get killed by the competition....

[@agork]

No they are not, because the Fender brand means prestige. Some people will always want to buy prestige.

[@harrybryan9633]

@@agork But the boomers are dying out.

[@agork]

@@harrybryan9633 eventually, everyone dies. It’s the law.

[@jeffberg8015]

Just a guess, but I would think that fret sprout might be more common because of the amount of time the wood is aged. Maybe supply chain changes have meant that Fender have fewer necks in inventory and have to use fresher wood with a higher moisture content on their guitars so the necks are going to continue drying after the instrument is sold.

[@jeffcookdotau]

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

[@deeplyable]

Another great video 🎉

[@dlmyrs]

Bought three Strats in the last year. MIM Vintera 50s - fret sprout and skunk stripe popped out. American made fret sprout and returned. Replacement American Pro and open high E sounds like a sitar. Bought a Nash. No more Fenders unless it’s local or Sweetwater. Thanks for this video, Phil

[@bulico06]

I think at this point, the 4 way switch (a mod I did myself to my player tele), belly and arm carve should be standard on telecasters. Nice review Phil!

[@miahconnell23]

I like the belly-carve & I can totally understand the aesthetic choice to not do an arm-carve: keep the flat plane of the top… and I adore that binding being on there: it’s unnecessary, but I think it looks really nice ❤️

[@miahconnell23]

I think 2k USD is too much for a slab guitar. I guess some exceptions could be guitars constructed from special woods, but…

[@trev3971]

Series is a cool sound but not a major one. 3-way with a toggle or push-push for series is a much better option IMO.

[@troydavis1612]

No arm carves on my Teles please.

[@reddsshaker3477]

Teles should be left the way they’ve always been. No “improvements” needed. Want carves, play a Strat.

[@Gene_Cali]

Thank you for watching out for our hard earned cash and piece of mind! Thousands of dollars is not a drop in the bucket for most! I have seen new unplayable instruments that I have no idea how they passed a Quality inspection. In this instance ' Let the buyer beware' is a total injustice for people that just want to play music. Thank you Phil for these tips and your expertise, knowledge is always welcomed! \m/

[@rmoraespinto]

Thorough review. Thank you!!!

[@coffeerocker1429]

Really great deep dive. Exceptional Phil.

[@electricurinal]

I can tell you why fret sprout is more common now: they don't properly cure the wood like they used to. They get wood, and chop it into guitars as fast as they can get wood. They don't have time anymore to allow wood to reach a low enough moisture content. I have a Fender Am Pro Strat with a roasted maple neck and even that thing gets fret sprout. And what's worse, it will come back after a couple of months after I've filed them smooth as a billiard ball.... on a neck supposedly ROASTED. Personally, I don't think its roasted... i think they dyed it to look roasted. There's a place on the neck under the finish where they didn't wipe away all the "roasted maple" tint.

[@frankwebster9110]

Seriously? It's tinted ? Maybe they do that when the wood doesn't caramelize properly? Like it's roasted but, didn't develop color. I hope so because if it's a straight up lie, that's really false advertising and could come back to bite them.

[@daleturner3507]

The finish on the frets is something I can’t quite dismiss on a 2k guitar. Idk I’ve purchased 2 MIM Strats this year and both are very good.

[@ulknatmelknatu]

MIMs are trash

[@brad_neal]

Never been a huge Tele fan, but I really like this one. Nice and thorough job on the review!

[@sereanaduwai8313]

Fantastic information

[@Fret-knot]

It would be interesting to see how a player plus tele stacks up against this. Similar spec, but less than half the price.

[@picksalot1]

Regarding the Bridge Pickup volume/tepid sound, I've used Kinman Noiseless Pickups (stacked Humbuckers) for many years. They can be brought very close to the strings without getting "Stratitis," and that allows for an increase in both volume and dynamic sensitivity. Perhaps the Bridge Pickup on that guitar can be raised as well. 🤷 Have you noticed any tone differences between all Maple necks vs Maple Fretboard on top of Maple neck, and any pros and cons?

[@yargnad]

Two piece maple necks are a bit snappier sounding. Many Nashville guys prefer the two piece construction due to this. Also, having two separate pieces of wood helps to stabilize the neck against warping. This is not so much of an issue, though, with roasted maple since that makes the wood more stable to begin with. Other than that, there is not much difference.

[@jezmez68]

Wow. Never knew you had videos for intonation and fretwork. I will have to check those out!

[@Naminorite]

Nice overview, thank you

[@Stratisfied22]

I sold my 2 crappy strats years ago because they both played so poorly. The frets were uneven and needed leveling on both and that's the way it's been with every Fender I've owned. I've learned how to level and crown pretty well since then so It's not so much of an issue but I bought an Eart Strat for $196 and put some Alnico 5 pickups in it and it's now my favorite Strat of all time. Level stainless steel frets and not a single issue and the guitar plays like butter. Bone nut, roasted maple neck, mahogany body, and a superior bridge block and trem. Why can't Fender give you a guitar that at the very least doesn't need to see a tech as soon as you get it home but a cheap Chinese company can and give you specs that embarrass a typical Fender to top it off. Why?

[@arunthebuffoon4554]

Exactly, lmao. I've remember visiting Guitar Center once and finding really bad fret sprout on *2* of their Fender Strats. Really cheap feeling necks on all the squires, too. Meanwhile, I bought my Yamaha Pacifica used, for $130 dollars. The pickups were more clean and sparkly than anything at the store for that price. Smooth frets, you could tell it had been played a lot.

[@markhill9275]

Oops, i forgot about Eart! There are so many awesome Korean and Indonesian guitars, and some Chinese like Eastman as well. The Larry Carlton Sire range stand out as well!

[@ladyluckdrums]

I always dig your approach to reviews. I have a player plus Nashville tele that has many of the Ultra features. It's absolutely great! I honestly can't see paying the difference for the American ultra. I love that thing!

[@eastbaystreet1242]

Just got my PP Nashville a month ago. Love it. Massive value. Play it as much as the Custom Shops. You can make this guitar do lots of cool things. My desert Island over my beloved LP/SG/Custom Shops.

[@lorencing]

Good info, thanks. That is why I bought a inca silver HB Tele with a roasted neck for 150 and serviced and modded the hell outa it (pickups, tuners, pots, alu pickguard/control plate, home made shielding paint, straplocks, recarved neck, fret level, recrown and polish, ...). Also learned a lot along the way. All for about 500 euros and quite a few hour of work ... but maaaan it is fine now. Will be putting Optima gold 9-46 strings on for the bling look ;) Waiting for a bridge BK Piledriver replacement as the first one was defect and then I can finalize the build.

[@dawidzych7447]

I'm glad that you focus more on tech tips again

[@dongonzulman6478]

I love my ultra Jazzmaster. Luckily no fret sprout, however the board is bound rosewood. Im a huge tele fan, but I went with a Warmoth build with Fender AM pro II parts (mostly) and I wouldnt have it any other way. Truly the best Tele I've ever played. Sure I had to build it, and it wasnt exactly easy as buying an ultra off of the shelf, but I think I made the right call

[@cravecave505]

The biggest problem is that there is no longer enough dry wood for so many guitars. in the past they still had the time to let the wood dry for a very long time, so later not as much has shrunk as today. it is still sad that even with the expensive guitars they no longer resort to enough dried wood.

[@johnforde3798]

They could put the wood in a kiln (drying oven) to remove the moisture, or use a roasted maple neck which creates a dry and more stable neck. I recently bought a Fender roasted maple replacement neck, which they should have used on this so called premium guitar. It was strictly an economic choice and in my opinion a poor one.

[@Stratisfied22]

Don't give them that much credit, they are completely using wood that has too much moisture probably because it was cheap and simply don't care to dry it properly. They've become the Hyundai of the guitar industry and all they give you a good looking turd. This is why you buy a PRS.

[@SLB4523]

That is one lovely guitar. I’m Gibson, but that’s the Fender I’d like….

[@papasmamas1]

That sounds AMAZING!!

[@user-yr4ud8pf1n]

Great review thank you.

[@carpathus]

Interesting. The way Phil broke it down I can easily see the difference between that USA Ultra Tele and my new MIM Player Tele and I can honestly say that after seeing this I appreciate my MIM Tele even more. I don't see any advantage for my use case in choosing the Ultra over the Player while the Player holds a major price advantage over the Ultra. Sounds crazy now but down the road we may look back at being able to buy a Fender guitar that's made in North America (MIM) for less than a grand as a true bargain. Cheers!

[@timndel]

Wood dryers. Or the lack of. All my PRS guitars never had fret sprout issues, and they hold tuning forever. Sold my teles and strats, only kept the US-made 80's Charvel I still use to this day. Seems most of the guitar makers are not drying their wood as well as they used to. Been looking at guitars that only have roasted necks and stainless frets now.

[@user-dy1ow9zi7b]

Really like the sound of that Tele, will have to play this one.

[@JWEmbry-wc7qi]

Thanks Phillip Good job and good info.

[@Mike28625]

The sprout problem might be modern wood. Modern harvest trees have thicker growth rings and contain more water than old growth trees. In the building industry, Lumber hewn from modern trees is known to warp and shrink.

[@hugechimp]

Great reviews. If I picked up a $2000 guitar that needed fretwork out of the box, I would move on..

[@davechapman7735]

great sound!

[@What_If_We_Tried]

Thanks for a very thorough / concise review, and the problems you discussed are the primary reason why I bought a Player Telecaster so that I could improve, refine, and upgrade my guitar to get something that feels, and sounds right, and, for much less money than an Ultra.

[@RR-ho5ek]

I like everything about the ultra, except the noisless pickups, they always sound too thin. I also wish they had more color choices. These two reasons are what made me go with something else, a while back, when I was looking for a high end tele. I also never cared for series switching, it takes away from the quack that the middle position should have. And as for the fret sprout, I bought new American fenders, and squiers from the eightys, and they absolutely never had any such thing as fret sprout, It was unheard of. No doubt they are not drying the wood properly, and rushing them out!

[@bustanorms2028]

Me too i bought texas tea ultra strat,never satisfied w noiseless pick up,better change to fender vintage pick up

[@benallmark9671]

I have to say that I’ve played several new Fenders over the past few years ( MIM & US ) and they’ve all been exceptional. I say this because I know Phil’s been hard on them and for good reason but my experience with them has been the complete opposite , they’ve all been great with the exception of one that the high E string was kinda flopping off the fretboard so I guess the bridge maybe wasn’t put on straight or I don’t know.

[@trev3971]

Neck shifted in the pocket. Very common on bolt neck guitars. Loosen the neck bolts 1/4 turn each, pull the neck back to center, and re-tighten.

[@benallmark9671]

@@trev3971 thanks

[@TeeFetch]

I like it. And the black binding is a nice touch.

[@vicsponjr]

sounds great!

[@phillippitts6294]

Fret sprout, is that the jolly green giant’s nephew?

[@SeekerGoOn2013]

Ho, ho, ho!!

[@zeusapollo8688]

Building with green wood

[@RobDeelComedy]

As always, you're the best!

[@awesomeisasawesomedoesyo182]

Wonderful podcast. Thank you so much. I Lear a lot(74 year old guitar newbie).

[@local-rigs3610]

Butterscotch is the only color for a Tele imo.

[@tjzambonischwartz]

Preach it.

[@greysuit17]

Pink Paisley is nice

[@local-rigs3610]

@@greysuit17 Totally true

[@kmlconsolidated]

Spread the word bro!

[@teodelnorte]

😴

[@patrickhale424]

Paying $2100+ for a guitar with bad frets is ridiculous. I would send that guitar back immediately and then buy a PRS. There are other companies that take pride in their work. I refuse to reward mediocrity with cash!!! Great review Phil 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@ileutur6863]

Nau guitars frets will sprout with enough humidity changes

[@sorenahlback]

Cool guitar with great sounds. I haven't had that switch on any guitar but it's a very good idea!

[@markscott4830]

very enjoyable on of your best to the point.

[@ryban1001]

Butterscotch and whiskey kind of sound!

[@teerexness]

Pretty sure I'll never pay more than $1K for a bolted together guitar. $2100+ is insane for this guitar IMHO.

[@czechplastik]

If the neck is high quality and finished well it doesn't matter how it is attached to the body. There are way more advantages than disadvantages with bolt on necks vs set or through.

[@martyshwaartz971]

@@czechplastik While I totally agree with that, an issue Fender have is that there are many companies that build very high quality aftermarket necks, to the point where buying a more affordable fender/squier and changing the neck (assuming you are good with setups or know a competent guitar tech) will get you noticeably higher quality guitar at a lower price point.

[@teerexness]

@@morganghetti No, because Leo Fender set out to make affordable, mass produced instruments. Not one of a kind boutique instruments for cork-sniffers. And Telecasters certainly aren't those, no matter how much you love them. And raising the cost of a reasonably priced guitar does not add anything tangible. You can get some incredible instruments in this price range.

[@teerexness]

@@czechplastik It's not about playability or even quality. It's about mass production. Cheap, fast, efficient mass production. So that great things can be sold at a reasonable cost. A great plan until somebody doubles or triples the price of what it should cost.

[@MA306]

I have one of these in arctic pearl and I absolutely love it. Totally right about the bridge PU but the neck sings amazingly

[@telemeister]

Oh yeah, that neck pickup is gorgeous. I had the video on while I was doing some other stuffs and the sound made me stop and say ‘oh baby’. Nice playing too. Thanks for the review - I’ve got a few Teles and a CS Nocaster and have been checking these out - always loved the bound Tele.

[@RPSchonherr]

The money probably isn't worth it. You can buy a body and neck cheaper and put the other goodies in as you like. Once set up properly unless there is something really wrong with the guitar they all play and sound pretty close to each other. Lots of guys have made videos proving this.

[@rosskrause3926]

Exactly..I have a older MIM Fender body..I bought a Mighty Mite Maple fretboard neck with nickel frets and I loaded up a pickguard with Seymour Duncan pickups..Schaller tuners and a Wilkinson WVP6 SB bridge and 4 years later absolutely no problems whatsoever. It sounds and plays amazing all for less than $500. Great job here on your review as always Phillip..thats a nice Tele.

[@Zed1984US]

a $2,120 guitar should arrive ready to rock

[@edigabrieli7864]

Even a $500 should.

[@gasaddict]

I'd send that pos back as fast as possible and get a Kiesel

[@gregoaks4413]

Phillip is the premier Guitar info Guru ! it's nice to have brothers in this field

[@PedroMachadoBorges]

You´re an intelligent guy who offers lots of knowledge on several subjects. Thank you!

[@TheFaustianMan]

Wow Fender managed to kill the soul of a tele. It's got no soul. And take a working man's axe and charge out to WAZooooooo! no thanks.

[@cowlevelcrypto2346]

Is it just me? For the price you pay for that guitar , I would be pissed if all my frets were coated with polly. Poor workmanship. Fender doesn't care anymore.

[@pablodebiddlybo3771]

I have the exact same model and I haven’t had to adjust anything at all on it the setup was perfect. I love it but it has a slightly different tele tone with the N3 pickups . The neck has been well crafted and edges rolled . A great guitar for the money

[@musicpharmer]

Great detailed review. After watching this, I value both my 2012 Fender Deluxe Tele and Strat even more. Both came with flawless fingerboards and fret jobs and near perfect setups-just had to back off the truss rod once on the Tele, but that was it. Had no idea Fender is now saying Fret Sprout is a possibility with your new top of the lime guitar….wow, quality control has taken a turn for the worst. On a positive note, my 2019 Ultra Jazzmaster came with a completely flawless fretboard and flawless setup. Only had a tone knob that needed the fastening screw tightened, but that was it. I just hope Fender doesn’t start slipping too far south on their quality control and then making a habit of excuses for their future production lines to come.