My first proper guitar was a Telecaster.
I got a great deal on it from a local guitar store where I was doing work experience, and it’s still my main gigging and recording instrument today. As my reliable Tele turns 15, the original shape that catapulted Fender from an obscure pickup shop to a global brand turns 75 – and Fender has released a five-model anniversary collection to celebrate.
The model I’ve got my hands on is arguably the most classic and instantly recognisable of the lot: the 75th Anniversary Vintera Road Worn 1951 Telecaster model.
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There’s a beauty to this guitar in its simplicity, and its timeless design has been a massive factor in Fender’s sustained success over three-quarters of a century. This Vintera model is an era-accurate recreation of the original Telecaster that we all picture when the name is mentioned: butterscotch finish, black pickguard, barrel saddle bridge, and that unmistakable thin-profile Telecaster headstock.
The road-worn finish on this model is what really makes it stand out. The 1950s “U”-shaped maple neck has been aged with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the front and back to give it a wonderfully played-in feel that’s usually earned from decades of touring, not straight out of the case. You get all the charm of a vintage neck without the bows and worn-out frets – this thing was set up and gig-ready as soon as I unpacked it. The same goes for the ash body and hardware. The butterscotch finish has also received the nitrocellulose ageing treatment, giving the paint a gorgeous cracked look when the light hits it at the right angle – retailer photos certainly don’t do this justice.
There’s some light oxidation and relic finishing on the bridge and selector switch plate, and vintage-style tuning pegs add to the look while providing modern tuning stability. Fender has spared no detail on this Telecaster – there are vintage-style flat-head screws, a special 75th Anniversary neck plate (and decal on the headstock) – even the string-through holes on the back of the body have been tastefully road-worn.
The “U”-shaped neck is thicker than many modern counterparts, and a 7.25″ radius fretboard ensures the playing experience is truly reflective of the 1950s. The frets are tall, and the fretboard ageing gives them a golden, matte undertone that’s quite unique to this guitar. It’s beautifully worn-in without any of the frustrations that can come with a genuinely vintage instrument.
You’re not getting a true vintage Fender experience without a tweed case, and this Telecaster is no exception. It comes packed in the classic rectangular case with green-brown horizontal stitching and a lush red interior that wouldn’t look out of place in your nan’s living room. The case candy has nice personal touches, signed by Fender employees at each step of the production and line-check process to guarantee quality.
And of course, you get an ashtray bridge cover included, along with a mini Fender zip bag for your picks and a certificate of authenticity.
Goodies aside, there’s a reason that Telecasters are celebrating their 75th birthday. Versatility and playability go hand-in-hand with the iconic shape, and that applies to this model. This thing sounds like a Tele should – it has that instantly recognisable sound that can be described as anything from a quack to a chime or a twang – but we all know it. Fender has reproduced the pickups for this Telecaster using specs from 1951, delivering that true, authentic Tele sound using cloth-covered wire, fibre bobbins, and alnico magnets – all common materials from the era.
It responds beautifully to playing dynamics and handles pedals well. In true Telecaster fashion, it’s just as comfortable with a distorted solo and a driving riff as it is with shimmering chorus chords and twangy, syncopated inversions. The range of sounds on offer is admirable, especially when you factor in the Tele’s simplistic three-way selector switch and single volume and tone controls – though there’s good reason this layout has stood the test of time. It’s also super light, so there are no issues with longer gigs or taking it on the road.
Playing this Vintera Tele gives you an appreciation for where the iconic shape came from and the history that surrounds it. You get a sense of what someone might have experienced when they took one of these home in 1951 and first plugged it in – but at the same time, you feel the passage of time, the songs that have been written, and the great players who have held a Tele throughout the decades.
The Vintera series aims not only to celebrate the Telecaster’s 75-year history, but also to capture a hard-to-describe feeling and sense of achievement. It delivers something you can’t quite articulate – though it becomes clearer once you wrap your hands around the fretboard. The 75th Anniversary edition of this timeless Telecaster delivers on playability, era-specific features and, most importantly, that indescribable yet instantly recognisable Telecaster feel, sound and vibe. If you didn’t understand before you played one, you certainly will afterwards.
Learn more at Fender.
