A Fender is a Fender is a Fender., except, some say, when it's made Japan.

After trying this Oriental Tele I'd disagree.

With it's neat edgebound body and tasteful tobacco sunburst it looks every inch the classic beloved of stetsoned stringbenders.

Given a live bashing, it performed just like its Western ancestors; twangy and crisp on the back pickup, chunky and smooth on the front. Very Fender.

It stayed in tune nicely even after being strummed heavy-handedly and it took the wear and tear easily because of its stout construction. Obviously the folks back East have perked up their production standards no end from the mid-Seventies slump that nearly cost Fender their good name.

Purists may sneer at it's being a son of the Rising Sun, but I'd bet by bottom Yen that in a few years time any rhinestone-shirted Nashville type would sell his Waylon Jennings LPs to own a guitar as cowpunchingly authentic-feeling as this one.

So far, so good. But £413? Take a look in the second-hand columns. That will buy you a '60s original or a Tokai and a half from very similar origins.

The guitar's great, the label's right, now they've got to sort out the price tag.

FENDER Vintage Series Telecaster: £413