Fender Telecaster Blonde 1973
Fender Telecaster, blonde, made in USA 1973. My oh my, this has some swagger. The early 70s Tele had been through a few changes including bold black logos, two string trees and a set of bright, clear pickups, but the recipe of a solid slab of ash, maple neck and a three-saddle bridge stayed intact. This one has seen some stuff: twice refretted, the finish wear has been manually helped long, it had a neck humbucker at some point, it's been rewired, it's had a Bigsby attached and removed... lots of changes and history on show. The blonde finish shows all that age and history; it looks so cool. As is often the case with guitars that have been played and played and played, it sounds and feels fantastic. The neck is well worn, with some balding in the finish and play wear on the board, but it feels abundantly smooth and familiar and sits in the hand perfectly. The body seems to be one piece of ash, and it's super resonant. The original pickups are still on deck, but they've been re-wired with a four way switch and a new cap and pots. The sound is gorgeous. It's amazingly wide, with a perfect balance of brimming harmonic complexity and pointy bright snap. Both pickups are awesome: the neck glassy and rich, the bridge articulate and assertive. Obviously this is no case-queen collector piece, but it's not a five figure price either. Very fun!
Model: Fender Telecaster
Made: USA, 1973, Fullerton factory, neck date code
Serial: 549739
Finish: blonde, gloss urethane, original finish, some relic treatment applied
Body: ash, appears to be one piece
Neck: maple, maple fretboard, 25.5" scale, 7.25" radius, 41mm nut, slim U shape
Weight: 3.760kg
Mods: saddles replaced, Bigsby installed and removed, routed for a neck humbucker, knobs replaced, re-wired with four way switch, new 250k pots and new new capacitor, twice re-fretted and some relic treatment applied to the finish
Pickups: original Fender single coil x2, bridge pickup code '0505817'
Accessories: non-original hard case
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has fading and scuffs on the front, dimples and scuffs on the edges and dimples and a couple of surface scratches on the back. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, rub wear and evidence of a re-fret on the board and significant rub wear, balding and scuffs on the back. The back has a bald patch that was likely assisted deliberately up from the string bushings, as well as rub wear on the top edge, chips along the back edge and near the jack and widespread light scuffs, dimples and surface scratches around the whole body. The sides have a bald patch on the heel, checking lines and scuffs on the top horn as well as checking, scuffs, dimples and small chips around the whole rest of the body. The front has extra holes from a removed Bigsby, a bald patch near the volume knob, deliberately assisted balding along the top edge and elbow area, play wear on the guard and horns and widespread dimples and scuffs over the whole body.
Overall: good condition (6/10)
Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 7/10, minor wear but playing smoothly, previously replaced as noted