FENDER TELECASTER IMPORTANT DATES
- 1950
- The Fender Company headed by Leo Fender introduce the Fender Esquire, widely regarded as the first mass produced solid bodied electric guitar.
- The name would only last from April 1950 to October 1950 when it was replaced by the name "Broadcaster" but Gretsch had trademarked the name "BroadKaster" in 1937 for a line of drums.
- 1951
- In February Fender started running ads the for Broadcaster but Gretsch didn't like this so asked them to change the name, from then to the middle of 1951 the name was removed resulting in the models produced in that time being known as the "Nocasters".
- In the summer of 1951 Fender came up with the name "Telecaster" which has stuck for the last 50 plus years, the legend was born.
- 1953
- Flat head screws are finaly completely replaces with phillips head.
- 1954
- White Blond finish replaces butterscotch finish. White single layer vinyl pickguard replaces black pickguard. Bridge saddles change from brass to small steel smooth saddles.
- 1955
- The flat pole pieces in the lead pickup are now staggard. "Top Hat" style switch tip replaces round tip. Sunburst finish becomes available.
- 1958
- Bridge saddles change from smooth to threaded saddles. Strings anchor at bridge ("top loading") instead of going through the body
- 1959
- Slab Rosewood fingerboard. Single layer thick white pickguard (custom color Teles used 3 layer celluloid mint green pickguard).
- Fender introduced a new model, the Telecaster Custom. It was the same as a standard Tele except it came in three color sunburst, and the body is bound.
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- 1960
- Strings anchor through the body again.
- 1962
- The rosewood fingerboard slab is replaced by a rosewood veneer.
- 1965
- Due to poor health Leo Fender sells his company to CBS for $13 million and is with most big companies they looked at figures and not the instruments, leading to the pre-CBS guitars being regarded more highly over the years.
- 1968
- Black Fender decal. "F" style tuning gears replaces Kluson-Deluxe gears. Polyester thick finish replaces nitrocellulose lacquer. String ferrules on back now stick out, no longer flush. Pink paisley and blue floral finishes available 1968 & 1969 only.
- Tele Thinline was introduced - The Telecaster Thinline, much like Gibson's 335, has a solid center with hollow "wings" and a single "F" hole.
- 1969
- The Rosewood Telecaster had a neck and body made from solid rosewood, originally made for George Harrison.
- 1972
- With the advent of heavy rock Fender needed to compete with Gibson, which meant humbuckers replacing the single coil pickups, so they got Gibson's man Seth Lover inventor of the humbucker and he came up with the Fender Wide Range pickup.
- And the Fender Telecaster Deluxe was born with a large head Strat neck, twin humbuckers each with a volume and tone control, 3 way toggle switch, it was designed to win back the Les Paul user.
- 1985
- CBS employee William Schultz initiates the employee buyout of the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company from CBS, it's renamed Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
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