However, different eras had different functions for these controls. In 2010, the American Special Telecaster was introduced. [6], This Telecaster was produced from the year 1996 to the year 2000. In addition, the classic Telecaster neck was fashioned from a single piece of maple without a separate fingerboard, and the frets were slid directly into the side of the maple surface. [6] The most common variants of the standard two-pickup solid body Telecaster are the semi-hollow Thinline, the Custom, which replaced the neck single coil-pickup with a humbucking pickup, and the twin-humbucker Deluxe. Later a '72 version was introduced based on the Fender Telecaster Deluxe with two Fender Wide Range humbucking pickups. The Plus utilizes a pine body, a standard Telecaster pickup in the neck position, a reverse wound single-coil Stratocaster-style pickup in the middle position and a humbucker in the bridge position. Acoustasonic Tele vs. Strat - What’s the Difference? Fixed bridges are almost universal, and the original design has three individually adjustable dual-string saddles whose height and intonation can be set independently. In this position, the tone knob was disabled. Since they were manufactured in this form for 8-9 months in 1951, original Nocasters are highly prized by collectors. Now that Leo Fender was clear of any patent or naming infringements, by 1952, the Fender company began producing the Telecaster guitar in larger numbers. The Fender Jazzmaster is an electric guitar designed as a more expensive sibling of the Fender Stratocaster.First introduced at the 1958 NAMM Show, it was initially marketed to jazz … They removed the "dark circuit" from the first position, and installed what has become the standard twin pickup switching system: neck pickup alone with tone control in the first position, both pickups together with the tone control in the middle position and in the third position the bridge pickup alone with the tone control.[8]. This makes the Telecaster a versatile instrument that can be used for different musical styles and sounds, allowing performers to change styles and sounds without changing instruments. The bridge has three adjustable saddles, with strings doubled up on each. It uses a Telecaster body shape, scale length, and electronics controls (albeit, with a reversed control plate). Freeth, Nick & Alexander, Charles (1999). It consists of a hum bucker in the neck pickup and a slanted single coil in the bridge position. Discontinued in 2009 and replaced by the Custom Deluxe Telecaster series models. Though it was long understood that solid construction offered great advantages in electric instruments and the then-small Audiovox company had apparently offered a modern, solid-body electric guitar as early as the mid-1930s, no commercial solid-body Spanish guitars had ever caught on. You start with the classic comfort-contoured alder body with a gloss polyester finish, then add a 3-ply parchment pickguard and a trio of Player … Fender Japan made its own version of the Elite Telecaster in late 1984, which featured a 22-fret neck with medium-jumbo fretwire and a modern 9.5 inch fingerboard radius. The B-Bender device was used to change the B string's pitch to a C# at the press of a lever located on the guitar strap peg. Several variant models have been produced over the years including those with different pickup configurations and electronics, semi-hollow body designs, and even a twelve string model. Paisley praises the Telecaster and even partnered with Fender's 'Artist Signature' series to release a "Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster."[16]. As of March 23, 2010, Fender updated the American Deluxe Telecaster with a compound radius maple neck, N3 Noiseless Tele pickups and a reconfigured S-1 switching system for wider sonic possibilities. The 60s Telecaster Custom was made from 1996–1998; in addition, a '60 Telecaster Custom replica was made from 2003-2004. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Controls include a dual concentric volume pot for each pickup, a master tone and 3-way pickup switching. The most well-known type is the vintage-style three-section bridge. Fender offered factory hot-rodded Teles with such pickup configurations, the US Fat and Nashville B-Bender Telecasters around 1998. All Rights Reserved. Sonically, the Tele is outfitted with a pair of specially-voiced Telecaster single coils, while other Isbell-specific mods include a custom bridge with three vintage brass barrel saddles and a modern "Ashtray" bridge cover. I took all of the finish off of the neck, so it's raw wood, and I feel very connected to it when I'm playing it. Please wait while we search for any available online dealers. The American Deluxe Telecaster (introduced in 1998; upgraded in 2004, 2008, and 2010) features a pair of Samarium Cobalt Noiseless pickups and the S-1 switching system. This instrument features a fingerboard radius (the amount of curvature across the width of the fingerboard) that, at 12", is substantially more flattened than both a vintage-style 7.25" radius and a modern 9.5" radius. TonePros Kluson 6-In-Line Locking Tuners with Threaded Bushings. In 2011 Fender released the entry level Modern Player Telecaster Plus as a part of the Modern Player series. Here we have the gold Magnum Lock-Trad guitar tuners, which look sharp, and if gold is your preferred finish, then this is one worth considering.. Custom Artist models are made at the Fender Custom Shop, differing slightly quality and construction-wise; their prices are much higher than the standard production versions. Ideal for country bends and steel guitar glisses, this Tele is available only with a maple fingerboard. .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Kerslake, Travis. The middle position turned off the dark circuit, and turned on the tone control knob for the neck pickup. There's a Fender Tele to match your needs, whether you prefer a vintage-style bridge and tuners or more modern ones. It had 6 tuners per side of the headstock with the fender logo in-between. The first edition of the Telecaster Custom was produced between 1959-1972, and featured a double-bound body but otherwise-standard configuration. The long saddle bridge screws allow a wide range of saddle bridge positions for intonation tuning. Brutal. These can bear the Telecaster name, since Squier is owned by Fender. Some also preferred tremolos on their Telecasters, installing a Bigsby on them. Feels notably flat even though there’s still slight curvature, and is great for bending notes without fretting out. The Custom Classic Telecaster was the Custom Shop version of the American Series Tele, featuring a pair of Classic and Twisted single-coils in the bridge and neck positions, as well as a reverse control plate. Deluxe Nashville Telecaster®, Maple Fingerboard, White Blonde. There is a 5 way switch to select between sounds and a USB port for charging the electronics in the guitar.[12][13]. Pick-guards came in white or black and there was a 12 saddle bridge to accommodate the strings. For heavy, molten nu-metal Tele® style, the Jim Root Telecaster delivers crushing detuned tone with a stark utilitarian look. Leo Fender's simple and modular design was geared to mass production and made servicing broken guitars easier. On these models, the tone knob acted as a blending knob, with the "0" position using only the bridge pickup, blending to a 50/50 neck/bridge mix in the "10" position. The Thinline version has been introduced in 2013. At the same time, a capacitor between the slider of the volume control and the output allows treble sounds to bleed through while damping mid and lower ranges. To any Telecaster player, they feel at home. In the period roughly between 1932 and 1949, several craftsmen and companies experimented with solid-body electric guitars, but none had made a significant impact on the market. The Fender Highway One series came in both maple and rosewood fretboards. "[15], Country rock star Brad Paisley has been seen using a Fender Telecaster guitar in multiple performances. Every time I pick it up, it feels like an old friend. As of 2018 the American Special Telecaster is available in 3-color sunburst, lake placid blue, sherwood green metallic and vintage blonde. This body style was later released as the Fender Telecaster Bass in 1968 after the Precision Bass had been changed in 1957 to make it more closely resemble the Fender Stratocaster guitar. Fender American Ultra telecaster I received my Fender fast within a day of ordering and it was perfect not a smudge and in tune right out of the case. [8], In late 1952, Fender made several changes to the circuitry of the guitar. www.vintageelectric.com.au. (Many newer models have six saddles.) In September 2010, Fender introduced the Mexican-made Black Top Telecaster HH, featuring dual hot vintage alnico humbucking pickups, a one-piece maple neck with rosewood or maple fretboard and 22 medium-jumbo frets. Accessed 24 Sept. 2020. It is made in the USA and was produced as a custom guitar. Squier model Telecasters are sold by Squier, a Fender-owned import brand. In 2003 Fender offered Telecasters with a humbucking/single coil pickup arrangement or two humbucking pickups featuring Enforcer humbucking pickups, and S-1 switching. There have been numerous variations and modifications, but a model with something close to the original features has always been available. It is similar to the regular Telecaster Deluxe, in that it has 22 frets and a 3 way selector switch for the pickups,[6] but it features three Fender "Enforcer" humbuckers and a chrome pickguard. Shop Tuning Machines. The styles of music usually utilizing this device on their telecasters were country, and country-rock.[11]. The Fender Classic Player Baja Telecaster delivers a V-shaped maple neck, Custom Shop Vintage Tele bridge and Twisted Tele neck pickups, and a slick transparent blonde finish at a solid price point. In March 2012 the American Standard Telecaster was updated with Custom Shop pickups (Broadcaster in the bridge, Twisted in the neck); the body is now contoured for reduced weight and more comfort. Contact your local dealer for operating hours. While retaining such features from the Highway One as jumbo frets, changing to a 9.5 radius neck, Greasebucket tone circuit and 1970s logo, the American Special also includes some upgrades such as a glossy urethane finish, compensated brass 3-saddle bridge and Highway One Texas Tele pickups (alnico III). This not only made production easier, but allowed the neck to be quickly removed and serviced, or replaced entirely. This guitar’s strong and resonant mahogany body has a finish that combines the thin breathability of lacquer with the stylishly muted matte look of a satin color coat. Try searching a different location below or contact Fender Customer Service at 800-856-9801. The solid body allows the guitar to deliver a clear and sustaining amplified version of the strings' sound; this was an improvement over previous electric guitar designs, whose resonant hollow bodies made them prone to unwanted acoustic feedback when volume was increased. The Deluxe Blackout Tele was also equipped with three single-coil pickups, a "Strat-o-Tele" selector switch and a smaller headstock than a standard Telecaster. First produced in 2010, this 22 fret guitar was then reintroduced in 2019 after some changes were made. These standard model WD® Custom Pickguards for Fender® Telecaster® can be modified for any pickup or control configuration. Please check back later or close this window and click the "NOTIFY ME WHEN AVAILABLE" button to receive an email when this item is back in stock. "A 1951 Fender Telecaster". This model includes two Fender Wide Range humbucking pickups and was originally produced from 1972 to 1981 and has since then been reissued. While the guitar was known as the Telecaster Custom, the decal on the headstock read "Custom Telecaster". Tone had never, until then, been the primary reason for a guitarist to go electric, but in 1943, when Fender and his partner, That is my number-one “go to” for writing new music. Fender sought to change that. Also released is the American Performer Tele Hum, which features a Double Tap humbucker on the neck position, and a push-pull pot to split the humbucker to single coil. Among other famous musicians, Sheryl Crow has occasionally used a Squier Telecaster for recordings and live performances. Designed to restore Fender's reputation after a group of employees led by William C. Schultz took over ownership from CBS in the early 1980s. The Telecaster quickly became a popular model, and has remained in continuous production since its first incarnation.[2]. Clayton Orr "Doc" Kauffman, built a crude wooden guitar as a pickup test rig, local country players started asking to borrow it for gigs. Although this provided the player with a proper tone control, the change also made it impossible to blend the signal from both pickups. [citation needed]. Leo Fender's Telecaster was the design that made bolt-on neck, solid body guitars viable in the marketplace. rosewood, and has at least twenty-one frets. [citation needed]. ), edited by Trynka, Paul (1993). Many different colours have been available. It typically has one TV Jones Classic pickup in the bridge position although being custom built, in can be ordered in any configuration. The Fender Jason Isbell Custom Telecaster … Please try again later - we are experiencing technical difficulties. In a recent article for Music Aficionado, Alex Lifeson of Rush wrote "I bought a reissue 1959 Telecaster back in 1981, and that guitar has since become my primary writing guitar for all of these years, especially for the electric work. Fender discontinued this guitar in 2006. Fender was intrigued and so, in 1949, he built a better prototype. Fender Tele pickup choices range from traditional single-coils to modern … Other features included a parchment pickguard, non-veneered alder or ash bodies and rolled fingerboard edges. The HH model sported an ebony fingerboard, quilted or flamed maple top and a pair of Enforcer humbuckers with S-1 switching (discontinued as of 2008). Designed by German luthier Roger Rossmeisl, the Telecaster Thinline model first appeared in 1968/69. Fender discontinued the American Deluxe series in 2016. A convenient high-end, high-performance feature, locking tuners offer increased tuning stability, especially on tremolo-equipped guitars, and they make changing strings substantially faster and easier than conventional tuners. The base model has always been available, and other than a change to the pickup selector switch configuration, a thinning of the neck, and a few variations on the bridge design, it has remained recognizable and mostly unchanged from the 1950s. The American Performer retains most of the American Special's features, but with upgrades such as the Fender Yosemite pickups, Classic Gear tuners, and new colors. The bodies were bandsawn and routed from slabs, rather than hand-carved individually, as with other guitars made at the time, such as Gibsons. Don’t see your country listed above? A trademark conflict with a rival manufacturer's (Gretsch Broadkaster) led to the guitar being renamed in 1951. The '52 Tele Special made from 1999–2001, which had gold fixtures. Also available are the Artist Series and Vintage Modified Series. Typical modern Telecasters (such as the American Standard version) incorporate several details different from the classic form. Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music. Please choose your region below, 3-Position Blade: Position 1. [9] Slanting the bridge pickup also increased the guitar's treble response. The Fender Player Stratocaster combines the guitar's sleek, elegant lines with the perfect blend of vintage and modern features. [14], The Telecaster was important in the evolution of country, electric blues, funk, rock and roll, and other forms of popular music. Sweetwater … In more than half a century of Fender history and modern music history, there’s really nothing like the timeless singing, snapping, screaming and sparkling sound of Fender Standard single-coil pickups. [citation needed], There have been minor changes to the design over the years and models with features that differ from the archetypical design. Artist Series Telecasters have features favored by world-famous Fender endorsees James Burton, John 5, Muddy Waters, Jim Root, G. E. Smith, Joe Strummer and Jim Adkins. [3] Ash and maple were used to construct the body and neck respectively and the guitar came in one color - blond. The Telecaster has always had a three-position selector switch to allow for different pickup configurations, as well as two knobs for controlling volume and tone. Fender did not use the traditional glued-in neck, but rather a "bolt-on" neck (which is actually attached using screws, not bolts). The term Nocaster was later coined by collectors to denote these transitional guitars that appeared without a model name on the headstock. A Tonal Triple Threat Straight from the studios of Music Row in the home of country music—Nashville, TN—comes the Deluxe Nashville … For a brief period, Fender offered an American made "Telebration Cabronita" that used two of the TV Jones pickups. They are made in Corona, California and come in 5 colors, (Black, Sonic Gray, Natural, Sunburst, and Surf Green). Later in 1950, this single-pickup model was discontinued, and a two-pickup model was renamed the Broadcaster. Both use the standard 25.5" scale on 22 fret maple necks that are unlike any other Telecasters in that they do not utilize an overhang to accomplish the 22nd fret, but instead use a longer, square ended neck that is not fully compatible with previous Fender parts. The Highway One Texas Telecaster sported a one-piece maple neck/fretboard with a modern 12" radius and 21 medium jumbo frets, bone nut, single ply pickguard, round string guide, brass saddles, "spaghetti" style Fender font, solid ash body, vintage tuners, offered in two satin nitrocellulose colors, honey blonde and 2-color sunburst with a pair of Hot Vintage alnico V pickups. The sub-sonic Telecaster was first made in 2002 and is still produced. The body end requires removal of the neck[4] (the Custom Shop Bajo Sexto Baritone Tele was the only Telecaster featuring a two-octave 24-fret neck). Fender had an electronics repair shop called Fender's Radio Service where he first repaired, then designed, amplifiers and electromagnetic pickups for musicians — chiefly players of electric semi-acoustic guitars, electric Hawaiian lap steel guitars, and mandolins. Back to Top. The new model now sports staggered, locking tuning machines, which provide a better break angle over the nut for increased sustain and improved tuning stability. Several variants have appeared throughout the years with a wide assortment of pickup configurations, such as a humbucker in the neck position, three single-coil pickups, and even dual humbuckers with special wiring schemes. Fender has since registered Nocaster as a trademark to denote its modern replicas of this famous rarity. Proprietary "Ashtray" or modern style with string through or top load strings.Since 2017 the Professional Series Teles feature a clip- on partial bridge cover. This is very important, especially on locking tuners. This page was last edited on 17 February 2021, at 00:36. During the CBS era in the 1970s, the Telecaster body style was changed to a new "notchless" shape, having a less pronounced notch in the crook where the upper bout meets the neck. I loved that I could pick from 4 in stock guitars side by side and get the actual one I picked. The Fender Custom Shop has produced a variation referred to as the "50s Telecaster Thinline" with an ash body, maple neck and a Twisted Tele neck pickup matched with a Nocaster bridge pickup. The middle position selected the neck pickup without the treble cut, giving it a fuller sound, and in the third position had both pickups together and activated the tone knob. The Acoustasonic is equipped with a Fender Acoustasonic Noiseless-TM pickup and uses Fender's Stringed Instrument Resonance System (SIRS) system to allow the guitar to still maintain a loud sound when it is unplugged, as an acoustic guitar would generally sound. Players had been "wiring up" their instruments in search of greater volume and projection since the late 1920s, and electric semi-acoustics (such as the Gibson ES-150) had long been widely available. The American Nashville B-Bender guitar is modeled after the personally customized instruments of some of Nashville's top players, featuring a Fender/Parsons/Green B-Bender system, two American Tele single-coils (neck, bridge), a Texas Special Strat single-coil (middle) and five-way "Strat-O-Tele" pickup switching. Gotoh is another well-recognized, well-regarded brand in the guitar parts space. Even in 2020, the Fender Professional II variant in Butterscotch Blond finish looks almost indistinguishable from the original Telecaster from the early 1950s. However far out they may get, they are still Tele to the core. The bridge pickup has more windings than the neck pickup, hence producing higher output, which compensates for a lower amplitude of vibration of the strings at the bridge position. Be the first to know about new products, featured content, exclusive offers and giveaways. Best Electric and Acoustic Guitars for Kids, Best Acoustic and Electric Guitars for Kids, Fender®-Squier® Brands Electric Instrument 2-Year Limited Warranty, Flat Black and Flat White satin nitro-lacquer finishes, Ebony or maple 12”-radius fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets, EMG® 60 (neck) and 81 (bridge) active humbucking pickups, Single control knob (volume) and three-way pickup switch. Earlier versions made before 2003 featured an American Tele single-coil paired with two Texas Special Strat pickups and 5-way switching. The Triple Tele Deluxe is Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie guitarist John 5's signature model. The '52 Telecaster, which was made in 1982–1984 and then 1986 to 2018. It features a mahogany body, two P-90 style single-coil pickups, individual volume and tone controls and the three-way pickup selector in the upper horn position. In a pleasingly malevolent touch, the sparsely appointed Jim Root Telecaster features an all-black bridge, controls, bridge pickup bezel, tuners, strap buttons and more. The Highway One Telecaster (introduced in 2000) featured a pair of distortion-friendly alnico III, single-coil pickups, super-sized 22 frets, Greasebucket circuit, satin nitrocellulose finish, and 1970s styling font(since 2006). Other features included a "Freeflyte" hardtail bridge and die-cast tuning machines with pearloid buttons. It is characterized by a body having a solid center core with hollow wings to reduce weight. The short-lived Elite Telecaster of 1983 incorporated two specially designed humbucking pickups powered by an active circuitry that featured a "TBX" guitar expander and an MDX midrange booster with 12 dB of gain. The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele / ˈ t ɛ l i /, is the world's first commercially successful solid-body electric guitar.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound … The three-saddle bridge of the original has been replaced with a six-saddle version, allowing independent length and height adjustment for each string. The 2011 version of the Custom Shop "Custom Deluxe" Telecaster featured a lightweight Ash body with contoured heel, Birdseye maple neck, and a pickup set that included a Twisted Tele neck pickup and a Seymour Duncan Custom Shop BG-1400 stacked humbucker in the bridge position. The '63 Telecaster is a custom shop guitar produced from 1999 to the present day. The very design of the headstock (inspired by Croatian instruments, according to Leo Fender) followed that simplicity principle : it's very narrow, since it was cut in a single piece of wood (without glued "wings"): nonetheless, that headstock is very effective, as the six strings are kept straight behind the nut, keeping the guitar easily in tune. The '69 version has two standard Telecaster single-coil pickups, string-through-body bridge, and a choice of an ash or mahogany body. After CBS sold Fender to a group of employees led by Bill C. Schultz in 1985, production ceased on the Elite Telecaster and other Elite models. The Cabronita (and Custom Shop variant La Cabronita) is a model that is distinguished by the use of Fidelitron or the more expensive TV Jones Classic humbucking pickups, which look like the original Gretsch humbuckers. The noiseless pick ups sound amazing. Just like the Fender Stratocaster, the Telecaster is also a versatile guitar, usable for most styles of music and has been used in many genres, including country, reggae, rock, pop, folk, soul, blues, jazz, punk, metal, alternative, indie rock, and R&B. The Telecaster's body is front-routed for electronics; the bridge pickup is mounted in a metal plate attached to the guitar's bridge, other pickups are mounted in a plastic pickguard, and the controls are mounted in a metal plate on the lower bout of the guitar. The towering Slipknot guitarist worked with Fender to create a huge-sounding signature Telecaster … [4] At the time Leo Fender began marketing the newly designed Stratocaster in 1954, he expected it to replace the Telecaster, but the Telecaster's many virtues and unique musical personality have kept it in demand to the present day. While "Cabronita" isn't a proper Spanish word, it roughly translates to English as "little bastard"[10] or "little devil". For a decidedly non-traditional design and configuration, the crushing nu-metal sound of the Jim Root Telecaster is produced by a fearsome pair of EMG® active humbucking pickups. As a result of legal action from the Gretsch company over the guitar's name, the Broadcaster (Gretsch already had the "Broadkaster" name registered for a line of drums), factory workers simply snipped the "Broadcaster" name from its existing stock of decals, so guitars with these decals are identified simply as "Fender", without any model name. These early Telecasters would become known as Blackguards produced between 1950-1954. While this has changed over time with new reincarnations of the guitar,[4] this was a highly unorthodox approach in its day as guitars traditionally featured rosewood or ebony fingerboards glued onto mahogany necks. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The Jim Root Telecaster offers a darkly alluring ebony fingerboard for smooth performance and a touch of elegance. First, a true tone control knob was installed, that could be used to alter the tone from bass-heavy (in the 0 position) to treble-heavy (in the 10 position). The versions built in Mexico offered either a solid body or Thinline body, with both featuring two Fender Fidelitron pickups, a volume knob and pickup selector. PR Newswire, 11 July 2017. The guitars are made out of a spruce top with an ebony fret board and a mahogany neck. The most interesting part of the invention of the Fender Telecaster is that it remains one of the very few industrially manufactured products in history where the initial design was considered to be at its very best upon first release. A change over came in 2005/2006 with the line until 2011. With a transparent butterscotch finish, single ply 'Black Guard', Maple neck with Walnut back stripe, the Telecaster was set to become the most successfully mass produced electric guitar in history along with the Fender Stratocaster arriving in 1954. The hardware includes two single coil pickups controlled by a three-way selector switch, and one each of volume and tone controls.