Fender Telecaster Custom - USA 1977

During the 1970s Fender pioneered a number of revolutionary and adventurous designs, based on their already successful Strat and Tele models, with varying levels of commercial success. The Telecaster Custom was one such design. Based around the hugely successful Telecaster platform, the Custom formalised what many enthusiasts had already done to their Telecasters, it substituted the traditional single coil neck pickup with a humbucker, leaving the single coil bridge pickup unchanged.  

But this wasn’t just any old humbucker, it was the Wide Range Humbucker designed by pickup guru Seth Lover, who had made his name pioneering the humbucker concept when working for Gibson. 

The sound produced by the Telecaster Custom is the best of all worlds. The neck pickup alone provides a sweet, mellow, strong, broad tone, similar to, but not quite the same as, the sound produced by a Les Paul neck pickup.  

The bridge pickup is pure Telecaster, bright and jangly, with that characteristic bite expected of the original Fender slab guitar. The options for blending the two sounds are endless, allowing the Telecaster Custom to support a unique and engaging range of playing styles. 
 
The maple neck has a slender C shaped profile with moderate shoulders and limited increase in profile depth as you travel up the fretboard, measuring 23.43mm deep at the 1st fret and 24.35 at the 12th. The rosewood fingerboard is super clean & retains the original fretwire which shows very little wear. 
 
The guitar plays well in all positions with no buzzing or dead spots, and the original nut is intact, measuring 40.93mm. The headstock sports Schaller tuning machines which turn smoothly and hold pitch well. The original logo is intact and flawless, and the neck pocket is nice and snug, especially for a three-bolt Fender neck. This is a very solid, well-constructed instrument. 

All of the original hardware is intact, including the Fender stamped chrome six saddle bridge, which was introduced on this model in the mid 70s. Also present are the black "witch hat" knobs, and of course the very cool Tele Custom three-ply black pickguard.  

And what about that lovely original sunburst finish! 
 
There is some player wear appropriate to a 1977 instrument including some pick wear & light scratches to the top, a couple of small chips on the edges and some light buckle rash, and there is some exposed timber on the back as shown in the photos. There has been a cosmetic repair on the upper bout but nothing structural. The metal has tarnished nicely giving a great vintage vibe. Overall, in great condition for a 46-year-old guitar. 

 
It has been set up well, and professionally maintained. This is a fine example of a classic 70s Tele Custom with the killer combination of humbucker and single coil pickups that made this model the favourite of Keith Richards and many other significant players in the history of rock. 
 
Comes in a non-original Fender hard shell case. 

Specs: 

Scale length: 25.5" 

Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 

Weight: 4.365kg / 9.62lbs 

Action at 1st fret: 0.50mm 

Action at 12th fret: 2.25mm 

Neck depth at 1st fret: 23.43mm 

Neck depth at 12th fret: 24.35mm 

Nut Width: 40.93mm 

12 fret width: 50.87mm 

Neck material: Maple with Rosewood Fingerboard 

Fretboard inlays: Mother of Pearl Dot 

Body: Alder 

Front Pickup: Fender Wide Range Humbucker 

Bridge Pickup: Fender Single Coil 

Tuners: Schallers 

Pickguard: 3-ply Black 

Bridge: Fender 6-saddle 

Electronics: Yes 

Case: Non-Original HSC