Fender Telecaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1981)
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Fender Telecaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1981), made in Fullerton, California, serial # S-853849, natural polyester finish, ash body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This traditionally styled Telecaster has an "S8" series serial number on the headstock decal normally thought to date to 1978, but the wiring components suggest the assembly date was more likely 1981. Either way this is far into the CBS era but the original Telecaster was still less changed from its Pre-CBS specs than most Fenders. The solidbody Telecaster with standard single-coil pickups and wiring was somewhat overshadowed in this period by several new models (The Thinline, Custom and Deluxe) fitted with the Seth Lover-designed Fender humbucking pickups and other '70s upgrades, but it survived without major alteration.
The body on this one carries a natural (not blonde) finish on the 3-piece ash body. This has some fairly dramatic grain figure, although the pieces are not particularly well matched. The late '70 black 3-layer pickguard gives this Tele a rakish look vaguely reminiscent of the original early '50s "Blackguard" models despite the rosewood fingerboard.
Unlike Fender's revamped "upgraded" Teles, this "classic" Telecaster model retained the original single coil pickups and wiring with single tone and volume controls and a 3-way switch. The bridge remains the traditional stamped metal unit with the lead pickup integrated into it and the original 3 saddle layout. The neck was not altered to use the 3-bolt tilt system and "bullet" truss rod, retaining the original (and generally preferred) 4-bolt setup. This neck is the odd-looking '70s combination of a skunk stripe/headstock plug AND a rosewood fingerboard particular to this era.
Internally the visible pot code is to the 17th week of 1981, while the decal "S8" serial number on the headstock technically was intended to date to 1978. At almost 10 1/2 lbs. this guitar is pretty heavy, if very solid feeling! It is still a fine example of Fender's most traditional late 1970-80s creation. The Telecaster suffered less under the CBS regime than most other Fender instruments, retaining its essential character if losing some magic along the way. A natural ash Tele is a striking looking guitar in any era, and this is still a good sounding, solid playing guitar.
Overall length is 38 5/8 in. (98.1 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.)., 10.47 lbs.
This is a relatively clean guitar overall; the heavy original Polyester finish shows scuffs and small dings with a few chips here and there but no major wear except a big chip on the edge over the lower strap button, and another one lower on the back edge. All hardware and internal components appear correct, but there has been some sloppy solder re-working in the cavity. The tone pot is visibly dated to 1981, and the volume pot has the code soldered over but appears to match. It seems likely that the guitar although bearing what is usually considered a 1978 serial number was actually finished out in 1981. Stranger things happened at Fender in this period! At any rate the guitar has all period Fender components, including the rudimentary shielding paint and wiring sleeves added at the end of the '70s. The original frets are in nice shape and this is a solid player, heavy but good sounding in the original molded plastic Fender HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
This traditionally styled Telecaster has an "S8" series serial number on the headstock decal normally thought to date to 1978, but the wiring components suggest the assembly date was more likely 1981. Either way this is far into the CBS era but the original Telecaster was still less changed from its Pre-CBS specs than most Fenders. The solidbody Telecaster with standard single-coil pickups and wiring was somewhat overshadowed in this period by several new models (The Thinline, Custom and Deluxe) fitted with the Seth Lover-designed Fender humbucking pickups and other '70s upgrades, but it survived without major alteration.
The body on this one carries a natural (not blonde) finish on the 3-piece ash body. This has some fairly dramatic grain figure, although the pieces are not particularly well matched. The late '70 black 3-layer pickguard gives this Tele a rakish look vaguely reminiscent of the original early '50s "Blackguard" models despite the rosewood fingerboard.
Unlike Fender's revamped "upgraded" Teles, this "classic" Telecaster model retained the original single coil pickups and wiring with single tone and volume controls and a 3-way switch. The bridge remains the traditional stamped metal unit with the lead pickup integrated into it and the original 3 saddle layout. The neck was not altered to use the 3-bolt tilt system and "bullet" truss rod, retaining the original (and generally preferred) 4-bolt setup. This neck is the odd-looking '70s combination of a skunk stripe/headstock plug AND a rosewood fingerboard particular to this era.
Internally the visible pot code is to the 17th week of 1981, while the decal "S8" serial number on the headstock technically was intended to date to 1978. At almost 10 1/2 lbs. this guitar is pretty heavy, if very solid feeling! It is still a fine example of Fender's most traditional late 1970-80s creation. The Telecaster suffered less under the CBS regime than most other Fender instruments, retaining its essential character if losing some magic along the way. A natural ash Tele is a striking looking guitar in any era, and this is still a good sounding, solid playing guitar.
Overall length is 38 5/8 in. (98.1 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.)., 10.47 lbs.
This is a relatively clean guitar overall; the heavy original Polyester finish shows scuffs and small dings with a few chips here and there but no major wear except a big chip on the edge over the lower strap button, and another one lower on the back edge. All hardware and internal components appear correct, but there has been some sloppy solder re-working in the cavity. The tone pot is visibly dated to 1981, and the volume pot has the code soldered over but appears to match. It seems likely that the guitar although bearing what is usually considered a 1978 serial number was actually finished out in 1981. Stranger things happened at Fender in this period! At any rate the guitar has all period Fender components, including the rudimentary shielding paint and wiring sleeves added at the end of the '70s. The original frets are in nice shape and this is a solid player, heavy but good sounding in the original molded plastic Fender HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.