Exhibit B: Fender American Standard Telecaster
Just the Facts
This guitar is a 1988 Fender American Standard Telecaster. Fender released the first American Standard Tele’s in 1988, so this one of the earlier ones. A previous owner had replace the stock pickups with EMG’s, and it did not have a case. Other than the replaced pickups it was pretty much in mint condition.
Where and When
I got this guitar in summer of ’93 at McKenzie River Music in Eugene. For some time, I had been wanting a tele with a rosewood fingerboard. At the time I had two other tele’s--a ’52 reissue and an ’84 Tele Elite--but I had issues with both of them. I found the pickups on the Elite to be a little too hot for my tastes, and the maple fingerboard on the ‘52 reissue got sticky after a couple of sets. I was familiar with EMG pickups and had had a set installed on a Stratocaster. After a fret dress and set up by Twelfth Fret in Portland, it played like a dream and sounded wonderful.
Why it’s Cool
The first time I saw a Telecaster was in a picture in the 1965 Fender catalog. The accompanying copy said that while Telecasters and Esquires were the earliest Fenders, some old timers still preferred them. I remember thinking that it looked funny with the huge bridge cover and funny shape. At the time I thought the ideal cool guitar was a Fender Jaguar, Mustang, or maybe a Stratocaster.
As time went on my tastes changed. Through the seventies and most of the eighties I played Gibson, mostly Les Pauls. Then in the late eighties and early nineties I started playing more Fenders. I really liked my ‘52 Tele reissue except for the late set stickiness on the strings. I thought a rosewood neck tele would probably be great.
This guitar more than exceeded my expectations. It sounds great with all three pickup combinations. It is good for country, rock, jazz, pop--anything I want to play. There is no significant volume drop off between the pickup settings and the tone and volume controls are very useful. If I could only have one guitar, this would be it.
On the Other Hand
With this guitar, there is no other hand. It has been my main ax for nearly twenty years. While I enjoy playing other guitars, I always return to this guitar for most of my playing.
Just the Facts
This guitar is a 1988 Fender American Standard Telecaster. Fender released the first American Standard Tele’s in 1988, so this one of the earlier ones. A previous owner had replace the stock pickups with EMG’s, and it did not have a case. Other than the replaced pickups it was pretty much in mint condition.
Where and When
I got this guitar in summer of ’93 at McKenzie River Music in Eugene. For some time, I had been wanting a tele with a rosewood fingerboard. At the time I had two other tele’s--a ’52 reissue and an ’84 Tele Elite--but I had issues with both of them. I found the pickups on the Elite to be a little too hot for my tastes, and the maple fingerboard on the ‘52 reissue got sticky after a couple of sets. I was familiar with EMG pickups and had had a set installed on a Stratocaster. After a fret dress and set up by Twelfth Fret in Portland, it played like a dream and sounded wonderful.
Why it’s Cool
The first time I saw a Telecaster was in a picture in the 1965 Fender catalog. The accompanying copy said that while Telecasters and Esquires were the earliest Fenders, some old timers still preferred them. I remember thinking that it looked funny with the huge bridge cover and funny shape. At the time I thought the ideal cool guitar was a Fender Jaguar, Mustang, or maybe a Stratocaster.
As time went on my tastes changed. Through the seventies and most of the eighties I played Gibson, mostly Les Pauls. Then in the late eighties and early nineties I started playing more Fenders. I really liked my ‘52 Tele reissue except for the late set stickiness on the strings. I thought a rosewood neck tele would probably be great.
This guitar more than exceeded my expectations. It sounds great with all three pickup combinations. It is good for country, rock, jazz, pop--anything I want to play. There is no significant volume drop off between the pickup settings and the tone and volume controls are very useful. If I could only have one guitar, this would be it.
On the Other Hand
With this guitar, there is no other hand. It has been my main ax for nearly twenty years. While I enjoy playing other guitars, I always return to this guitar for most of my playing.
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