Even while the Fender Telecaster was designed and invented in 1951 by Leo Fender before most of the readers here were alive, it is still hard to imagine that the Telecaster is 75 years old. Fender is celebrating this significant milestone with the release of the 75th Anniversary Telecaster Collection, with eight different special versions of the iconic solid body guitar that changed the guitar and music industry. Prices start at $849.99 for 75th Anniversary Player II Telecaster and range up to $2,999.99 for both the 75th Anniversary American Ultra II Telecaster and 75th Anniversary American Vintage II 1951 Nocaster.
Priced at $2,799.99, the Fender 75th Anniversary Telecaster Custom Pro Limited Edition is one of the top tier models in the lineup. While most Telecasters sport a relatively simple appearance, this instrument is anything but. This visually striking guitar features a beautifully figured book-matched flame maple top capping an alder body and finished in a two-tone classic sunburst. The body is rimmed with vintage looking cream binding on both top and bottom. The body finish is gloss urethane, which looks great, and is more rugged than the nitrocellulose finish used in some milestone anniversary models of years past.
Elevating the custom vibe, all hardware is gold which is unusual for a Telecaster. The neck is maple, with a deep C profile that is meatier than a ‘60s style and not quite thick enough to be considered a ‘50s style baseball bat. The 25.5” (648 mm) scale neck features a small extension to give you 22 medium jumbo frets with rolled fingerboard edges. Fingerboard radius is 9.5” (241 mm). The nut is bone which is a premium feature in the day and age where most nuts are made of synthetic material and the width at the nut is 1.685” (42.8 mm). The gold Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking Fender branded tuners are of the locking type and have all short posts.
The review sample guitar that MC received was setup to perfection. The guitar plays like a dream, having low, even action for the entirety of the neck with no dead spots, no fret buzz or choking out. Deep bends are rewarded with a clear, ringing sustain, and even though the neck has a more substantial depth than many modern guitars, it was not at all an impediment to all styles of playing. The neck is slim at the nut and fills out gradually as it approaches the neck joint, supporting finger style playing. The neck has a “Super-Natural” satin urethane finish on the back of the neck, which is also a little unusual for a Tele, but feels good on the hands. The four bolt neckplate has distinctive commemorative 75th Anniversary artwork. The headstock face is finished with gloss urethane. Some players might prefer a nitrocellulose finish on a premium guitar of this nature, but none of that detracts from the high quality of this Tele, and the urethane will prove to be more robust over time.
A noticeable design trend in modern versions of time-tested guitars is the ability to have both single coil and humbucking pickup configurations. The tone knob on the 75th Anniversary Telecaster Custom Pro has a push-push feature that enables traditional single coil sounds and can use the two 75th Anniversary V-Mod II Single-Coil Tele pickups in series to provide high output humbucking tones. As you expect from a Tele, it has a clear and present sound, with an ability to occupy its own space within the context of a band that keeps players turning to Fender Telecasters over the test of time.
Iconic guitarists famously associated with a double-bound, sunburst Fender Telecaster, often known as the Telecaster Custom, include Syd Barrett, Tom Bukovac, Albert Collins, Sheryl Crow, John Frusciante, Richie Kotzen, Joe Strummer, and Andy Summers.
The Fender 75th Anniversary Telecaster Custom Pro is a premium guitar that also has a distinct musical voice and a collectable value given the milestone anniversary distinction. Telecaster fans will not be disappointed. Includes hardshell case.
$2,799.99
