The Amazing Fender Telecaster Guitar by Jeffrey Norris
I wonder if Leo Fender had even the slightest idea how much of an effect his incredible invention would have on the many guitarists, and genres of music, for many decades, and with no end in sight ?
The Fender Telecaster, originally known as the Esquire and Broadcaster, came about in the autumn of 1949 in Fullerton, California. Commercial production and distribution began, or at least can be traced back as far as March of 1950. This incredible instrument has been produced continuously, in one carnation or the other, since then.
Being the first mass produced, widely-available, successful solid-body electric guitar, the Fender Telecaster became very popular right out of the gate, and has never been anything other than a highly sought after guitar.
Some of the most accomplished guitarists of every generation, and virtually every genre of music, has developed a love for this American tradition that is the Fender Telecaster. Guitar gurus like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton, Steve Cropper, Albert Lee, Buck Owens, James Burton, G.E. Smith, and on and on, have made their mark on the music world, usually sporting a Fender Telecaster. To list even a good portion of some of the most famous, and accomplished musicians that favored the Fender Telecaster guitar, would take pages, and there would always be yet another player that should have been included.
The Fender Telecaster has always has a unique sound, one easily recognizable (if not fooled with too much electronic alterations) by the hardcore guitar player, and/or those that appreciate the Fender Telecaster especially. The Telecaster has a bright, almost piercing, or cutting tone. The bridge pickup on the Telecaster has more windings, resulting in a higher output, and therefore up to twice the inductance. This unique circuitry results in the more treble sounds “bleeding” through, while the bottom end, and mid-level frequencies are somewhat dampened.
The life of the Fender Telecaster has been varied, with some being produced in the United States, some overseas, and some just south of the border in Mexico. Over the long life of the Tele, there have been numerous models of this fine instrument, much too many to list and describe here. Just to name but a few models; there has been the American Standard, Telecaster Deluxe, Telecaster Jr., which was a Custom Shop creation and was limited to 150 units, the Telecaster Plus, and the Telecaster Thinline. We won’t even touch on the numerous signature model instruments.
This brief document cannot even begin to make the reader aware of the significance, and love that the impressive Fender Telecaster has developed over the many decades of it’s existence.
With the popularity for the Fender Telecaster as strong as it has ever been, and seemingly no end in sight as far as production, this incredible guitar will hopefully be around to go to the top of the heap with many more generations of top-rated guitarists. After all, the instrument that the Guitar Solo in “Stairway to Heaven” was played on, deserves to be around forever!!
This writer has owned a Fender Telecaster, in one model or another, continuously since 1977. If I ever don’t own a Telecaster, it’s because I’m hungry, or taking the eternal dirt nap!!
About the Author
The older, American Telecasters are often priced in the stratosphere, there are many models of the incredible Fender Telecaster Guitar, both new and used, that are very affordable. I would never hesitate to purchase a used Telecaster that has been well cared for. One thing about these beautiful instruments is, somewhat like a collectible car or anything else that someone loves, they are usually cared for very well.
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