Fender Telecaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1955)
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Fender Telecaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1955), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 7792, Blonde lacquer finish, ash body, maple neck, original tweed hard shell case.
This VERY nicely preserved early "whiteguard" Telecaster is about the nicest '55 we have ever had, and a great example of the early Fender mojo and simply a fantastic instrument. This late summer 1955 guitar shows many of the changes that began to occur during this period in '50s Tele history, with features specific to the exact time period. The most noticeable is then-new single-ply white plastic pickguard, which early this year had replaced the original black phenolic piece on Telecasters, Esquires and Precision Basses, making the look and production materials consistent with the then-new Stratocaster.
On the headstock the old script Fender "Telecaster" logo decal still sits below the original style round string tree, both unchanged from 1951. The very nicely-grained ash body has a lighter and "whiter" blonde finish compared to the darker earlier '50s style butterscotch hue. This "white-blonde" look would be the norm in the late '50s, continuing up into the CBS era.
This supremely comfortable one-piece maple neck is dated 8-55. It has a fairly chunky, round-backed profile with just a bit of slope to the shoulders, beginning to hint at the "V" that was to come in 1956-7. The flat-pole pickup back at the bridge is still in "Blackguard" sound territory, as the staggered-pole variant about to be introduced would change the tonal character of the guitar somewhat. The neck pickup is quite strong on this guitar and has a lovely sound on its own or in combination with the bridge.
This guitar's pickups and wiring components are original, assembled by Mary on 8-24-55 when she left her name on masking tape in the cavity. The legible pot date is from the 11th week of 1955. The original 1952-style control scheme with the "Deep Bass" setting has been altered to the modern wiring scheme with the pickups blended in the center position. The original bass heavy "Mud Cap" is preserved in the case pocket; the guitar could be restored to the original scheme if desired but few players would care to do that reversion to the less useful original scheme once it has been changed.
The 4-digit serial number is stamped on the neck plate, a relatively new feature having just moved there from the bridge unit when Fender harmonized all their electric guitars into one number series earlier in 1955. The knobs are a smoother-sided knurl with a dome top and the switch tip is the new "top hat" style just introduced. The bridge saddles are plain steel with angled adjustment screws.
This 1955 Telecaster is quite the looker but is also a fantastic-sounding guitar and a joy to even to take out of its very rare original center-pocket tweed case and just smell! By the summer of 1955 the Telecaster had become a roaring success, renowned as a popular tool used by working musicians, including a host of early rock'n'roll and country players. The majority of Fenders from this era have been in use for decades and many played virtually into the ground; it is always a treat to have an original one preserved as nicely as this is.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This "Ol' '55" shows only fairly minor wear for just about seven decades on Earth (its 70th birthday is in August) remaining a fine original example with no alterations except the common wiring revision. There is some light checking and typical small dings and dents to the finish overall; as is common with slab-body Fenders, most heavily on the edges. The upper back shows some light belt buckle wear into but not through the lacquer. The body finish has hardly any fade or discoloration. There is surprisingly little wear to the fingerboard, just some random dinks (a deep one between the 2nd and 3rd frets on the treble edge and two smaller ones by the 7th fret) but no real finger divots to speak of. The back of the neck is lightly worn down but not worn through with some small dings and dents.
The pickups and all hardware remain original; as noted and the guitar has been re-wired from its factory switching scheme with the "deep bass" capacitor to the modern 3-way switching allowing the pickups to be combined. This required some solder joints to be re-done; in the unlikely event someone wants to reverse this operation the removed original "Mud Cap" is in a baggie in the case pocket. The pickguard has some very light surface wear but is not cracked or shrinking anywhere. The guitar is complete including even the snap-on "ashtray" bridge cover; this was often removed and lost right away.
The original frets are well preserved with only some very light wear, and this is an excellent player with the expected classic sound. The guitar still rests in the rare original "knuckle buster" center-pocket tweed case, itself showing some general wear but in better condition overall than most with the original cool plastic-and-metal handle still intact. The original polish cloth, polishing instruction sheet and a (broken) period leather strap are in the large center pocket. Overall this is simply a superb mid-'50s Telecaster with a great sound and truly excellent vibe! Overall Excellent Condition.
This VERY nicely preserved early "whiteguard" Telecaster is about the nicest '55 we have ever had, and a great example of the early Fender mojo and simply a fantastic instrument. This late summer 1955 guitar shows many of the changes that began to occur during this period in '50s Tele history, with features specific to the exact time period. The most noticeable is then-new single-ply white plastic pickguard, which early this year had replaced the original black phenolic piece on Telecasters, Esquires and Precision Basses, making the look and production materials consistent with the then-new Stratocaster.
On the headstock the old script Fender "Telecaster" logo decal still sits below the original style round string tree, both unchanged from 1951. The very nicely-grained ash body has a lighter and "whiter" blonde finish compared to the darker earlier '50s style butterscotch hue. This "white-blonde" look would be the norm in the late '50s, continuing up into the CBS era.
This supremely comfortable one-piece maple neck is dated 8-55. It has a fairly chunky, round-backed profile with just a bit of slope to the shoulders, beginning to hint at the "V" that was to come in 1956-7. The flat-pole pickup back at the bridge is still in "Blackguard" sound territory, as the staggered-pole variant about to be introduced would change the tonal character of the guitar somewhat. The neck pickup is quite strong on this guitar and has a lovely sound on its own or in combination with the bridge.
This guitar's pickups and wiring components are original, assembled by Mary on 8-24-55 when she left her name on masking tape in the cavity. The legible pot date is from the 11th week of 1955. The original 1952-style control scheme with the "Deep Bass" setting has been altered to the modern wiring scheme with the pickups blended in the center position. The original bass heavy "Mud Cap" is preserved in the case pocket; the guitar could be restored to the original scheme if desired but few players would care to do that reversion to the less useful original scheme once it has been changed.
The 4-digit serial number is stamped on the neck plate, a relatively new feature having just moved there from the bridge unit when Fender harmonized all their electric guitars into one number series earlier in 1955. The knobs are a smoother-sided knurl with a dome top and the switch tip is the new "top hat" style just introduced. The bridge saddles are plain steel with angled adjustment screws.
This 1955 Telecaster is quite the looker but is also a fantastic-sounding guitar and a joy to even to take out of its very rare original center-pocket tweed case and just smell! By the summer of 1955 the Telecaster had become a roaring success, renowned as a popular tool used by working musicians, including a host of early rock'n'roll and country players. The majority of Fenders from this era have been in use for decades and many played virtually into the ground; it is always a treat to have an original one preserved as nicely as this is.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This "Ol' '55" shows only fairly minor wear for just about seven decades on Earth (its 70th birthday is in August) remaining a fine original example with no alterations except the common wiring revision. There is some light checking and typical small dings and dents to the finish overall; as is common with slab-body Fenders, most heavily on the edges. The upper back shows some light belt buckle wear into but not through the lacquer. The body finish has hardly any fade or discoloration. There is surprisingly little wear to the fingerboard, just some random dinks (a deep one between the 2nd and 3rd frets on the treble edge and two smaller ones by the 7th fret) but no real finger divots to speak of. The back of the neck is lightly worn down but not worn through with some small dings and dents.
The pickups and all hardware remain original; as noted and the guitar has been re-wired from its factory switching scheme with the "deep bass" capacitor to the modern 3-way switching allowing the pickups to be combined. This required some solder joints to be re-done; in the unlikely event someone wants to reverse this operation the removed original "Mud Cap" is in a baggie in the case pocket. The pickguard has some very light surface wear but is not cracked or shrinking anywhere. The guitar is complete including even the snap-on "ashtray" bridge cover; this was often removed and lost right away.
The original frets are well preserved with only some very light wear, and this is an excellent player with the expected classic sound. The guitar still rests in the rare original "knuckle buster" center-pocket tweed case, itself showing some general wear but in better condition overall than most with the original cool plastic-and-metal handle still intact. The original polish cloth, polishing instruction sheet and a (broken) period leather strap are in the large center pocket. Overall this is simply a superb mid-'50s Telecaster with a great sound and truly excellent vibe! Overall Excellent Condition.