FenderRoad Worn® Telecaster® Top Hat Switch Tips (2)

Bought this to match up with a telecaster I had built, I wanted keep with Fender hardware and the vibe to be aged but not reliced or abused. Some aged parts are way over the top - with some interest I came across Fender’s roadworn hardware. I read a review for a roadworn control plate where the buyer felt there wasn’t much ageing and that there wasn’t much to differentiate It from a new one. I thought this might just be sample difference, so I bought the neck plate - the ageing is very subtle, strangely the surface seems smooth and shiny with a slightly flecked or matted appearance underneath. I compared the plate to a new standard one and it does look less “new”. Also strangely it appears slightly thinner and less uniform in it’s outline, this was noticeable when compared with the impression that the new one had left on the body. I’m not saying this is a bad neck plate, it just about gives me the vibe I wanted, but it left me feeling I could probably have aged my original neck plate to better effect using wire wool. I do like the fact that it is a Fender product as most of my other hardware is too. The plate has no logo or anything to identify it as Fender so you could just age any old neck plate. As such I feel this range is a bit overpriced, I have other roadworn Fender parts and feel much the same about them. Overall if you are replacing parts on an older guitar and don’t want to put shiny new parts which would stick out these might be for you but for my build I would have preferred slightly more noticeable ageing, you can’t win! I was impressed with the Gotoh aged bridge I bought - not too aged and not too new, just right to my eyes.

I read all types of reviews about the “road worn” aspect of this item from too worn to not worn at all, mine in particular looks brand new! And there wasn’t any mounting screws included like it says on the product description!