Fender USA VINTAGE Telecaster '68 w/Bigsby Tremolo Laminate Maple Fingerboard Blond/M

The Telecaster debuted as the Broadcaster in 1950 and has since reigned alongside the Stratocaster as a signature Fender guitar model. It's a classic electric guitar, with not only Fender's original model but also models inspired by it being produced by various manufacturers.

This popular model was shipped around 1968. It features rare specs, including a late-period lacquer finish neck, maple veneer, and an original B-5 tremolo. It's in player-reviewed condition, with some parts replaced, primarily in the control system.

【body】
The overall weight is approximately 3.7 kg. The body is made of ash. The optional Bigsby B-5 tremolo unit is one of this guitar's charms. The finish used during this period is the "Fender Thick-Skin High-Gloss," which uses a polyester base. The standard blonde color has a beautiful, moderate patina. While there is weather checking appropriate for the model, dents and touch-ups with paint peeling, mainly on the body sides, scratches, and dullness on the metal parts, the guitar retains the charm of a vintage guitar, and the finish is in excellent condition with a nice sheen. The neck pickup area shows the recess and fill marks from a previous humbucker. The pickguard has been slightly modified for truss rod access.

【neck】
The neck is made of maple, with a maple fingerboard attached to it, commonly known as "laminated maple." This is one of the last lacquer-finish necks. There's some weather checking on the headstock and back, some paint chipping on the back of the neck due to use, and some tarnish on the metal parts, but like the body, it's in relatively good condition. The tuners function well, although there's some variation in winding tightness. The frets and nut have been replaced once, and playability is excellent. The clear coat on the fingerboard and back of the neck was repainted during the refret. The headstock is 15.9mm thick. The nut width is 41.2mm. The neck shape is relatively sturdy.

[Electrical system]
The controls are current-wired for pickup mix. They include a 3-way pickup selector (neck/mix/bridge), volume, and tone. The neck pickup has been replaced with an unknown pickup, while the bridge pickup has been replaced with a Seymour Duncan STL-1. Other consumable parts, such as the selector switch, pot, and tone capacitor, have also been replaced. The pickups do not interfere with the wood's character, and the combination of a maple-laminated maple neck and maple fingerboard provides a clear attack and excellent response to picking nuances. Combined with the light response characteristic of the lacquer-finished neck, the tone is crisp and lustrous when played clean, and sharp and sticky when played driven.

Accessories: Later Fender black Tolex hard case

Weight: 3.7kg
Body Material: Ash 3 piece w/Fender Bigsby B-5 Tremolo Unit
Neck Material/Scale: Maple 1 piece/648mm (25-1/2inch)
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Maple round laminate/Black dot/184.15mm (7.25inch)
Nut Width/Fret Size (width): 41.2mm (replaced)/2.5mm (replaced)
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 22.0mm/23.2mm/23.9mm
Pickup (Neck/Bridge): Unknown TL Model (6.85kΩ)/Seymour Duncan STL-1 (7.1kΩ) (both replaced)
*The DC resistance of the pickup is measured through the control section.

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