Fender Telecaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1957)
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Item # 11391
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Fender Telecaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1957), made in Fullerton, California, serial # -21832, Blonde lacquer finish, ash body, maple neck, original tweed hard shell case.
This beautiful "white guard" Telecaster remains a superb example of original Fender greatness, worn in just enough and still a fantastic playing and sounding instrument. This early 1957 example was made just as spring was dawning that year in Fullerton and shows a mix of features specific to the time period.
The most noticeable difference from earlier Teles is the single-ply white plastic pickguard, which started to replace the earlier black phenolic on Telecasters and Precision Basses in 1954-5. The grained ash body is finished in naturally aged white-blonde lacquer, showing just a slight yellowish cast but not amber-colored as the earlier '50s style ages into. This look would be the norm right into the '60s. The body appears not much "smoked" and retains the original lighter blonde look.
The body has 2-57 penciled in the pickup cavity, the one-piece maple neck is dated 3-57 on the heel. It has a fairly soft "V" profile with a rounder spine than some '57's and fills the hand nicely. On the headstock the script Fender "Telecaster" logo decal still sits above the newer style "butterfly" string tree. The tuners are the typical clipped Kluson Deluxes used on all Fenders in the 1950s.
The low 5-digit serial number is stamped on the neck plate, having moved there from the bridge plate when Fender harmonized all their electric instruments into one series in early 1955. it is preceded by a - minus sign, an anomaly of this particular era. The bridge has smooth steel saddles typical of this period and the original staggered-pole lead pickup.
All internal components are original, the pot date codes are soldered over. The original wiring has never been altered to "modern" switching; like all Telecasters prior to the CBS era this guitar is wired with a "deep bass" cap engaged in the front switch position; the middle position is the neck pickup alone, while the back switch setting selects the bridge unit. The pickups can be combined by carefully positioning the lever between settings, which works fairly well on this guitar.
This early '57 Telecaster remains a fantastic-sounding guitar; at only 6.90 LBs with the bridge cover ON (6.73 with it off!) this is one of the lighter '50s Teles we have had and handles like a dream. By this point the "canoe paddle" Telecaster had become widely accepted as a popular tool used by working musicians, including a host of early rock'n'roll and country players. Many have been played for decades and worn virtually into the ground; this one has seen some use but remains a truly great instrument, a genuine relic of the best years of Leo Fender's original company.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 6.9 lbs.
This is an all original and slightly worn in, played but never abused Telecaster. It shows some typical wear and tear for 65+ years on earth but no notable repairs or alterations. The body finish is the original thin blonde lacquer showing a collection of chips, dings and rubbed-away spots along the edges typical for slab-sided Fenders. There a few small spots of belt buckle wear in the center of the back below the upper waist and some rubbed away areas going into the wood on the lower back edge.
The face is comparatively clean with light checking and some small dings and dents; there is some finish rubbed away on the upper edge. The finish has a slight yellowish caste but is not "smoked' too much and the blonde color has not changed a lot over the last 65 years.
The neck finish is also all original and has some typical wear down to the wood on the fretboard; this guitar was played beyond the "Cowboy Chord" position up the neck, mostly on the higher notes! The wear to the fingerboard runs up to the 12th fret area and some strum marks above the heel area. The finish on the back of the neck has some noticeable checking but not much loss, with small dings and scrapes. The headstock has some very light checking, the original decal is fully intact.
The hardware is all original and intact; the pickups and wiring are undisturbed. The guitar retains its original "mud cap" switching configuration. There is some minor wear to the chrome, most heavily on the top of the volume knob. The bridge has only minor corrosion and it looks like the still-intact snap-on cover was kept on for much of its life; it is still present. The pickguard is nicely intact with some wear and slight warping to the top edge but no cracks or heavy shrinkage at the screws.
The original thin frets have very little wear; they have been likely crowned down just a bit but remain fully playable. The bone nut appears original as well. This is a light, superb sounding all-original Telecaster with a powerful snap from the bridge pickup, a nice mellow honk from the neck pickup and a good blend with that switch lodged JUST in the right spot! It is still housed in its original "Knuckle buster" tweed HSC, a bit worn overall but solid and better preserved than many. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This beautiful "white guard" Telecaster remains a superb example of original Fender greatness, worn in just enough and still a fantastic playing and sounding instrument. This early 1957 example was made just as spring was dawning that year in Fullerton and shows a mix of features specific to the time period.
The most noticeable difference from earlier Teles is the single-ply white plastic pickguard, which started to replace the earlier black phenolic on Telecasters and Precision Basses in 1954-5. The grained ash body is finished in naturally aged white-blonde lacquer, showing just a slight yellowish cast but not amber-colored as the earlier '50s style ages into. This look would be the norm right into the '60s. The body appears not much "smoked" and retains the original lighter blonde look.
The body has 2-57 penciled in the pickup cavity, the one-piece maple neck is dated 3-57 on the heel. It has a fairly soft "V" profile with a rounder spine than some '57's and fills the hand nicely. On the headstock the script Fender "Telecaster" logo decal still sits above the newer style "butterfly" string tree. The tuners are the typical clipped Kluson Deluxes used on all Fenders in the 1950s.
The low 5-digit serial number is stamped on the neck plate, having moved there from the bridge plate when Fender harmonized all their electric instruments into one series in early 1955. it is preceded by a - minus sign, an anomaly of this particular era. The bridge has smooth steel saddles typical of this period and the original staggered-pole lead pickup.
All internal components are original, the pot date codes are soldered over. The original wiring has never been altered to "modern" switching; like all Telecasters prior to the CBS era this guitar is wired with a "deep bass" cap engaged in the front switch position; the middle position is the neck pickup alone, while the back switch setting selects the bridge unit. The pickups can be combined by carefully positioning the lever between settings, which works fairly well on this guitar.
This early '57 Telecaster remains a fantastic-sounding guitar; at only 6.90 LBs with the bridge cover ON (6.73 with it off!) this is one of the lighter '50s Teles we have had and handles like a dream. By this point the "canoe paddle" Telecaster had become widely accepted as a popular tool used by working musicians, including a host of early rock'n'roll and country players. Many have been played for decades and worn virtually into the ground; this one has seen some use but remains a truly great instrument, a genuine relic of the best years of Leo Fender's original company.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 6.9 lbs.
This is an all original and slightly worn in, played but never abused Telecaster. It shows some typical wear and tear for 65+ years on earth but no notable repairs or alterations. The body finish is the original thin blonde lacquer showing a collection of chips, dings and rubbed-away spots along the edges typical for slab-sided Fenders. There a few small spots of belt buckle wear in the center of the back below the upper waist and some rubbed away areas going into the wood on the lower back edge.
The face is comparatively clean with light checking and some small dings and dents; there is some finish rubbed away on the upper edge. The finish has a slight yellowish caste but is not "smoked' too much and the blonde color has not changed a lot over the last 65 years.
The neck finish is also all original and has some typical wear down to the wood on the fretboard; this guitar was played beyond the "Cowboy Chord" position up the neck, mostly on the higher notes! The wear to the fingerboard runs up to the 12th fret area and some strum marks above the heel area. The finish on the back of the neck has some noticeable checking but not much loss, with small dings and scrapes. The headstock has some very light checking, the original decal is fully intact.
The hardware is all original and intact; the pickups and wiring are undisturbed. The guitar retains its original "mud cap" switching configuration. There is some minor wear to the chrome, most heavily on the top of the volume knob. The bridge has only minor corrosion and it looks like the still-intact snap-on cover was kept on for much of its life; it is still present. The pickguard is nicely intact with some wear and slight warping to the top edge but no cracks or heavy shrinkage at the screws.
The original thin frets have very little wear; they have been likely crowned down just a bit but remain fully playable. The bone nut appears original as well. This is a light, superb sounding all-original Telecaster with a powerful snap from the bridge pickup, a nice mellow honk from the neck pickup and a good blend with that switch lodged JUST in the right spot! It is still housed in its original "Knuckle buster" tweed HSC, a bit worn overall but solid and better preserved than many. Overall Excellent - Condition.