The Fender Telecaster: A Signature Sound Never Goes Out Of Style

A lot of words can describe the Fender Telecaster, but the one most fans of the guitar would agree on is “iconic.” Artists as diverse as Muddy Waters and Chrissie Hynde have made the tele their instrument of choice, bringing its characteristic tone to all kinds of musical genres.

The Telecaster was Fender’s first wildly popular guitar, with its rough-around-the-edges quality that both amateurs and professionals rave passionately about. But its workmanlike qualities complement a sound that’s been described as “ringing,” “chiming,” “gritty,” “crisp” and “sparkling.”

The tele’s distinct sound comes from the humbucking pickup patented by Seth Lover -- then, at Gibson -- who was hired by Fender Guitars in 1967. He re-designed the pickup to produce a brighter tone, setting it apart from his earlier efforts. In 1970, a pair of these humbuckers were used on the revamped semi-hollow Telecaster Thinline, and one was used on the solid-body Telecaster Custom in 1972.

Missing was a solid-body tele with dual humbuckers. That changed with the 1973 introduction of the Telecaster Deluxe, billed as the line’s top model, at a list price of $399.50. Though it was definitely a member of the Telecaster family by body shape alone, changes in the model made it an example of great design in the 20th century. The guitar incorporated some of its sibling Stratocaster look, including the addition of a large Strat-style headstock and a Strat-style body contour. It also featured a pair of the Wide Range humbucking pickups developed by Seth Lover, and the pickguard-mounted toggle control switch layout of the Telecaster Custom.

Like the other two Telecaster models equipped with two humbucker pickups, the Deluxe wasn’t embraced by guitarists, and was discontinued in 1981.

But like so many iconic items, the public -- and a new wave of guitarists hungering for a salt-of-the-earth instrument -- once again embraced the Telecaster in the 1990s and 2000s. Fender didn't hesitate to begin manufacturing a new generation of teles, dominated by the Telecaster Deluxe variations, now produced in Mexico. These included Fender’s re-issue of the ‘72 Telecaster Deluxe, rolled out in 2004. Three variations were re-issued in 2009, and Fender’s value brand Squier, also offers Telecasters based on the Deluxe.

Today’s tele popularity is partially due to players who consider it to be one of the few guitars that actually do improve with use. And because the Telecaster fits the human body so well, it’s a top pick for today’s guitarists. The Telecaster might be a gloriously simple, no-frills instrument, but it’s once again regarded as one of the finest electric guitars ever produced.

It’s been described as indestructible. Some call it their instrument of choice. That’s because the Fender Telecaster originals and re-issues are responsible for a distinctive sound that still rolls through the diverse styles of country, jazz, blues and rock-and-roll guitarists. Judging by amateurs and pros, Fender Guitars has managed to re-invent an object that doesn’t look or sound outdated. The Telecaster, despite a temporary dip in sales during the 1980s, has once again proven why it’s a musical icon. Its beautiful sound is music to players’ -- and listeners’ ears.

If you're looking to pick up your own Fender Telecaster Deluxe why not contact the Guitar Lounge for more information, its Fender heaven

The Fender Telecaster

The Fender Telecaster a.k.a the Tele, is a dual pickup solid-body electric guitar made by Fender. Introduced in the autumn of 1949 as the Broadcaster it was the first kind of guitar to be mass produced, since 1949 the telecaster has been in production making it the world’s oldest solid body electric guitar. The Fender Telecaster was developed by Leo Fender himself in 1949, it was one of the first successful solid body electric guitars to be developed. The Gretsch company at the time claimed that the name ‘Broadcaster’ infringed trademark due to the similarity in name to their ‘BroadKaster’ range of drums, as a new comer to the industry Fender decided to bend and changed the name to Telecaster.

The Telecaster is known for its ability to produce a rich cutting tone or a mellow warm bluesy tone depending on the selected pickup, respectively "bridge" pickup or "neck" pickup. The bridge pickup has more windings and thus is able to give a much higher output.

In keeping with other models, Fender distinguishes product lines manufactured in different locations, for example a Telecaster made in America is known as a American where as those manufactured outside of America are known as Standards, or Classic models. Like the Fender Stratocaster many famous guitarists have used the Telecaster as their signature instrument. In the earlier days if drew players including Buck Owens, and Jerry Reed who played with such stars as Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, and Merle Haggard (a Signature Telecaster model player himself).Jimmy Page used a psychedelic-coloured 1958 Telecaster, on the first Led Zeppelin albums, and also for the lead solo in the 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven".

If you're after your own Fender Telecaster why not come into the store and give one a play? - The Guitar Lounge

Meeting Leo Fender

I met Clarence ''Leo" Fender in 1984 at the USA summer NAMM show. I saw him sitting alone and thought this was my chance and I would regret it all my life if I didn't. He was getting on by then but still took the time to answer my many eager questions about the early Fender days in the '50's and 60's. Questions that few people were interested in (back then) like ''how many pieces of wood the Strat bodies were made of'' and ''how many guitars a day they made''. He kindly answered to the best of his recollection but I quickly got the impression that Leo was first and foremost an engineer and a designer. He couldnt wait to take one of the pens from his shirt pocket (complete with plastic protector) and start sketching a new tremelo system or a new tube amp. He was soft spoken and humble. I was on a high for the whole 20 minutes.

He never played but he loved the guitar and the people who played it. This was the man who created the Telecaster and the Stratocaster but couldn't play them. Designs of such importance they are still studied today. By 1965 he had sold Fender to CBS (yes, that CBS) for a cool $13 million dollars....thats about $200 million in todays money. He said he tried retiring but didn't like it. I think he mentioned he came deep sea fishing once in Cairns. I don't think he was ever motivated by or that interested in money. I got someone to take a photo of us both, we shook hands and parted company. He died a few years later but it was a meeting that shaped my life from that day forward, and has led me to this point where I now stock nothing but Fender Guitars, and my store the Guitar Lounge.

Leo and myself in 1984