Fender Telecaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1968)
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Fender Telecaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1968), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 294852, blonde finish, ash body, maple neck with maple fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a fine playing Fender Telecaster from later 1968 or early 1969, with a mix of features characteristic of that early-CBS era. It retains its original appearance and character, having had both pickups rewound at some point but still sounding as they should, with a very hot and spanky bridge pickup. The maple neck ink stamp dates to August 1968; it is a late example of the "laid on maple fingerboard" construction about to be replaced by the return of Fender's original 1950's style one piece neck, re-introduced at the turn of 1968-9 after being discontinued in 1959.
The Fender headstock logo is in the newer large-letter style which had been introduced in 1967, for better visibility on TV according to CBS theory. The tuners are the Fender "F" logo style that replaced the earlier Klusons, and the pickguard is 3-ply white plastic with the pearloid underside specific to 1968-9. The wiring is plastic (just changed from cloth) and the original pots are coded to 1966 (137-6634) the year a huge quantity were bought by CBS' purchasing department which lasted into the 1970s. These are original 1 Meg Pots (changed from the earlier 250K value in mid-1968); one wonders if someone from CBS dictated this spec change to use pots stockpiled for Jazzmasters that by 1968 it was becoming apparent would never be built!
The neck and body are finished in the transitional style also typical of 1968-9. The neck is still the old-style lacquer, about to be replaced by poly. The body has already made that switch, with a translucent blonde coating somewhat heavier than the mid-60s lacquer but not the more plasticky "Thick skin" finish adopted in the early 1970's. There is almost no ash grain visible, and has yellowed just a bit over time. At 7.39 lbs. (with the bridge cover ON) this guitar is lighter than many late '60s-70's examples and handles excellently. Even slipping into that "true-CBS" Fender period it still has the classic Tele sound and character in spades.
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.)., 7.39 lbs.
This Tele has been played but well cared for, remaining in very sharp condition overall. The original finish on the body and neck has not been altered in any way. The body is quite clean with only some typical light checking and small dings and dents mostly on the edges. The lacquer-finished neck shows its use more heavily with some typical wear to the fingerboard and along the edges, especially the treble side. The headstock shows some checking but the decal is very well preserved.
All the hardware including the bridge unit, tuners, pots and switch, knobs, strap buttons and the snap-on bridge cover remain original. Both pickups are the original units but have been rewound, the plastic wires in the control cavity were spliced long ago. Both neck and bridge sound great, the bridge pickup sound is quite hot but well defined retaining the typical spanky '68 Telecaster tone but never getting shrill as Teles from this era sometimes can.
The original frets are fairly low and show some wear in the lower positions but still play well. This Tele is housed in a slightly later (early 1970s) black Tolex Fender HSC with some vintage sticker adornment. Overall this is a nicely preserved Fender with a lovely bright but full sound, a much better feeling and sounding guitar than many 1969-70 and beyond examples. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a fine playing Fender Telecaster from later 1968 or early 1969, with a mix of features characteristic of that early-CBS era. It retains its original appearance and character, having had both pickups rewound at some point but still sounding as they should, with a very hot and spanky bridge pickup. The maple neck ink stamp dates to August 1968; it is a late example of the "laid on maple fingerboard" construction about to be replaced by the return of Fender's original 1950's style one piece neck, re-introduced at the turn of 1968-9 after being discontinued in 1959.
The Fender headstock logo is in the newer large-letter style which had been introduced in 1967, for better visibility on TV according to CBS theory. The tuners are the Fender "F" logo style that replaced the earlier Klusons, and the pickguard is 3-ply white plastic with the pearloid underside specific to 1968-9. The wiring is plastic (just changed from cloth) and the original pots are coded to 1966 (137-6634) the year a huge quantity were bought by CBS' purchasing department which lasted into the 1970s. These are original 1 Meg Pots (changed from the earlier 250K value in mid-1968); one wonders if someone from CBS dictated this spec change to use pots stockpiled for Jazzmasters that by 1968 it was becoming apparent would never be built!
The neck and body are finished in the transitional style also typical of 1968-9. The neck is still the old-style lacquer, about to be replaced by poly. The body has already made that switch, with a translucent blonde coating somewhat heavier than the mid-60s lacquer but not the more plasticky "Thick skin" finish adopted in the early 1970's. There is almost no ash grain visible, and has yellowed just a bit over time. At 7.39 lbs. (with the bridge cover ON) this guitar is lighter than many late '60s-70's examples and handles excellently. Even slipping into that "true-CBS" Fender period it still has the classic Tele sound and character in spades.
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.)., 7.39 lbs.
This Tele has been played but well cared for, remaining in very sharp condition overall. The original finish on the body and neck has not been altered in any way. The body is quite clean with only some typical light checking and small dings and dents mostly on the edges. The lacquer-finished neck shows its use more heavily with some typical wear to the fingerboard and along the edges, especially the treble side. The headstock shows some checking but the decal is very well preserved.
All the hardware including the bridge unit, tuners, pots and switch, knobs, strap buttons and the snap-on bridge cover remain original. Both pickups are the original units but have been rewound, the plastic wires in the control cavity were spliced long ago. Both neck and bridge sound great, the bridge pickup sound is quite hot but well defined retaining the typical spanky '68 Telecaster tone but never getting shrill as Teles from this era sometimes can.
The original frets are fairly low and show some wear in the lower positions but still play well. This Tele is housed in a slightly later (early 1970s) black Tolex Fender HSC with some vintage sticker adornment. Overall this is a nicely preserved Fender with a lovely bright but full sound, a much better feeling and sounding guitar than many 1969-70 and beyond examples. Overall Excellent - Condition.