The Fender American Standard Telecaster continues the legacy of excellence that Leo Fender began when he released the first Tele over sixty years ago. Although other manufacturers and craftsmen had experimented with solid-body electric guitar designs before then, it was the Fender Telecaster that first found widespread acceptance and success. Originally, Fender marketed a single-pickup version, called the Esquire, in 1950, then changed to a two-pickup model renamed the Broadcaster later that year. After the Gretsch company complained that the name infringed on the trademark for their Broadkaster line of drums, Fender changed the name to Telecaster, and the model has been in continuous production ever since. The Tele was designed to be produced quickly and efficiently, and its basic construction is elegantly simple, generally consisting of a solid slab of ash or alder tonewood, with a one-piece bolt-on neck. Add two single-coil pickups with a 3-way selector switch and a hardtail bridge, and you’re ready to rock, shred or twang!
The Tele is known for its bright, sparkling tones, but its highly functional design and supreme playability have made it popular among a wide variety of players in just about every style of popular music. One of the most iconic Tele players is Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, who uses several on stage, often set up with only 5 strings, and tuned to an open G chord. Other famous Tele slingers include Bruce Springsteen, Andy Summers of The Police, and Joe Strummer of The Clash. Jimmy Page used a Tele in the Yardbirds (as did both Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck), and on much of the first Led Zeppelin album, as well as for the iconic solo on Stairway to Heaven. Blues players like Albert Collins and Muddy Waters favored the Telecaster, and that Tele twang is a favorite among country pickers like Waylon Jennings, Albert Lee, James Burton and Buck Owens.
The latest Fender American Standard Telecaster has all the essential elements that made it famous in the first place, but with a few modern enhancements to appeal to today’s players. For starters, the body features a comfortable new contour, and the pickups have been upgraded to hotter Fender Custom Shop designs - a Twisted Tele in the neck position, and a Broadcaster for the bridge. The fingerboard features hand-rolled edges and 22 medium-jumbo frets, and the bridge has been redesigned to improve resonance and sustain. Available in a variety of finishes, from the classic Natural or glossy Black to 2-Tone or 3-Tone Sunburst, as well as Candy Cola, Crimson Red Transparent, or Jade Pearl Metallic, there’s an American Standard Tele to suit any player’s style. It’s the latest in a long line of Fender classics, and it’s made right here in the USA, just like the originals. Order one today and continue the tradition!
