Fender Telecaster, Blonde (1966)

1966 Fender Telecaster in original Blonde finish just into the shop on consignment!

This is one of the cleanest examples of a mid 60s Telecaster we've had come through the shop, and it happens to feature some of our all-time favorite specs. The combination of the Blonde finish over an Ash body and a Rosewood veneer fingerboard atop the Maple neck give this Tele a distinct tone and response. Weighing at just under 7lbs on our scale, it's incredibly light and resonant. Let's face it - it looks amazing too!

By all accounts this Telecaster shipped out towards the end of 1966 as evidenced by the October neck stamp and transitional era decal. The original 250k potentiometers both show date codes of '6642' indicating they were manufactured in or around the same month as the guitar was being built. The guitar's original Blonde finish has only slightly faded, showing off some of the grain lines of the Ash body while revealing the lighter "tan lines" under the pickguard. Although it does show some light play and handling wear (primarily on the back of the body), it's a very clean example of a Blonde finish from this period.

The neck profile is a house favorite for sure. It's close to what you'd find on a late 50s Gibson - a more rounded C with a moderate taper but still lean shoulders that doesn't feel clubby. It's one of the earliest examples of what became the standard late 60s neck shape for many Telecasters, and it's great to have it on this '66. It plays extraordinarily well thanks to a perfectly executed refret and replaced nut.

From woody, smooth, and round sounding jazz tones in the neck position to classic bridge pickup bite and twang, this Tele has an era-defining sound that can also perform in almost any genre of music.