The Fender Telecaster: A Short History in 4K

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I've wanted to remake my original "Big 5" Short History videos for some time. In addition to higher quality video and audio I now have the connections I need to include great playing clips of vintage guitars throughout it's history. For all these reasons, I tweaked the script, re-recorded and re-edited everything so you'd have the best possible Short History of the Fender Telecaster. I hope you enjoy it.
All the best,
Keith

[shanewalton]

Playing rockabilly gigs is how my father put himself through university. I vividly remember his two telecasters. Nothing seemed cooler at the time. When he died, I really appreciated the old gentlemen who came up and said he was the best player they had ever seen grace the Alberta music scene.

[Scaredycat-dad]

Great video Keith! If you would’ve told me my 20s that my favorite guitar in my 60s was going to be a Telecaster I would’ve told you were crazy, but here we are.

[Shred_The_Weapon]

This edition of the Telecaster short history is definitely an improvement on he earlier one. It includes more relevant info, and I appreciated how it extended at least 10 years further in the timeline.

[Wermode]

The last several years, Fender has made incredibly high-quality Telecasters that are more playable, comfortable, and consistent. The Player Plus/2, American Pro II, and Ultras are fabulous. After playing a rolled fretboard, I can never go back.

[jimdeeds]

Even though I've watched and read everything out there about the tele, owned a dozen of them, played a hundred of them, I still love these videos. And more so from this channel. Always great quality. Thank you!

[tomrodriguez]

The thinner rosewood fingerboards were less to do with money or tone and more to do with stability. Rosewood and maple react differently to moisture, glueing slab fingerboards to maple, with water based glues could lead to slight backbows in the necks during production. This added an extra step of re flattening them before fretting. The thinner rosewood also added stability to to the necks during season changes or humidity fluctuations.

[LeStraTele]

I started loving the Tele in the early 80's when 15 year old me started listening to the Yardbirds with Jeff Beck (Esquire, close enough). Here I am, 40 years later, still a Tele fan.

[vdubbub]

I have used to have 13 guitars. I now have 3. A Kiesel LP type, a really cool strat, and a Suhr Telecaster. The Suhr gets played 80% of the time. It just does everything.

[JamesAllen-xkbc]

Great video. Thank you! One of the happiest days of my life was when I, finally, bought a Butterscotch Blonde Fender Telecaster!

[minorcek]

I'm a relatively young player at 30 but I've been playing for 20 years of that, 15 of which I spent playing mainly strats and epiphones. Idk how I managed to go that long without ever picking up a tele but I will never forget the first moment I picked one up. Everything about it simply felt and sounded right. Even the aspects some people dislike, such as the full blocky body or the sound of the neck pickup, are features that fit me like a glove.

Ive gone through multiple teles in the past 5 years but only recently found the one. It's a 62 telecaster. Black with white binding.

I keep finding myself looking at pictures of it while counting down the minutes until I get off work.

I really am glad you mentioned Danny Gatton. If there is such a thing as a spirit animal, mine is definitely Danny Gatton

[runabout]

I'm one of the few who seem to prefer the top-load Teles. I prefer the feel.
Great video as always. Teles forever!

[dalecoffing]

I wasn't looking for a Tele until some of the shows I was playing for asked specifically for a Tele. I stumbled upon a collector who had an American Deluxe 2010 and was "thinning the heard". Noiseless pickups, locking tuners, and out of phase button in the tone. I had never played a Tele before. What a versatile guitar. I got to play it in the pit for 3 shows this past year. It plays like butter. With very few exceptions you can do almost all of it on a Tele. I can cover about anything for with the Tele, Epi Sheraton ii pro, and Martin D-10E. Even covering some mandolin parts on the Tele. I really enjoy your short histories. Keep them coming.

[MuggerRingo]

My parents bought me a black 78 Telecaster Custom when I was 16 years old. I still consider this the best of my 5 Telecasters. It received a lot of scratches when we played a gig for the Hells Angels. So it tells a story. Well, it tells a lot of stories. And I still greatly appreciate what my parents did for me. They saved quite a long time for me to have the guitar. Yes, they loved music. But for me it is still incredible that they did this.

[abhinandanghosh]

The tele sound is a pleasing sound . Makes me feel calm. I really enjoy playing the tele.

[orryfishburne]

I LOVE the Telecaster much! My current Tele is now a Partscaster i put together a while back, but it the best guitar i own.

[Kinger]

Guthrie Trapp….i will get to see him live! My friend and coworker saw him in Nashville….and was blown away. He’s getting more and more known in my home town. What a player. Mentioned we’re all legends, but Trapp just grabs me. I also love Brent Mason’s playing.

[redwaveofketchup]

In my 50+ years of playing guitar, I have gone thru phases of guitars, mainly Humbucker equipped models, but now I will play my Tele's above all others. No other guitars can cover the tonal variations like a Telecaster. The punch and tone are second to none. Another well done video amigo!!

[iamanovercomer]

Roy Buchanan is telecaster ‼️
I love my 🇺🇸 strat.... and this year I bought a 2018 butterscotch Fender player telecaster and it's an amazing guitar ‼️ I was not into butterscotch but I love it now ‼️

[scottkidwell]

Thank you, Keith!
Great short history. Love the Teles.

[TheAdjacents-ABQ]

My Texas Tea Telecaster Ultra (I) is just great to play and listen to. It was first really high end purchase.