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Fender Telecaster / Nocaster
The first mass-produced solid wood electric guitar was Fender's first attempt in this field in 1950. And it was so successful and perfect that it is still loved by musicians all over the world decades later. Its simple construction and unmistakable twang give it the sypathetic character that the old hands appreciate just as much as the young guns.
No name? Nocaster…
Due to a legal dispute with Gretsch over the name “Broadcaster”, Fender quickly removed the logo from the headstock of its first mass-produced electric guitars, which are known today as the “Nocaster”. Later, the name “Telecaster” was invented, under which the instrument is now a legendary part of rock history.
The history of the Telecaster
In 1949, Leo Fender, who had little to do with playing the guitar himself but was inspired to make guitars by his circle of friends, had already designed a solid-body electric guitar, the Esquire. However, this instrument was a kind of prototype and did not go into mass production. Its successor came onto the market just one year later and was to have a much greater influence on the music of the following decades.
How the Broadcaster became the Nocaster
In November 1950, a second pickup was added to the neck of the Esquire. The newly created model was given the name Broadcaster and became the first Fender model to be produced in large numbers and achieve historical significance. However, the name Broadcaster was short-lived and had to be changed following a complaint from the Gretsch company, which was already using the name for various drum products at the time.
From about February to August 1951, Fender continued to use the name and logo stickers for the headstocks, but cut off the Broadcaster name. These no-name guitars, which were nicknamed Nocaster, are very rare due to the short production run and are traded among collectors today at astronomical prices.
The Telecaster is born
After Fender had to remove the Broadcaster name from its electric guitars, a new name was sought for the successor to the Esquire. The idea for the new name Telecaster came from Don Randall, the creative mind behind almost all Fender model names. In view of the burgeoning television age, the name seemed appropriate, as Leo Fender's former shop was the first in the area to offer televisions.
The name Telecaster appeared on the headstock of the T-style guitar from 1951 onwards, and so Fender's first solidbody electric guitar was finally given a permanent name for which it is still known today.
Focus on functionality and quality
Bei Fender regierten vor allem in den frühen Jahren Praktikabilität und Funktionalität. With the Telecaster, also known as the Tele for short, Fender produced a guitar that was reduced to the essential functions, could be assembled quickly and easily from several parts and was therefore easy to repair. This meant that the guitars could be offered at a comparatively affordable price.
Fender's production methods made it possible to manufacture the instruments simply while maintaining the same quality, but also to produce a different sound. The clear, long decaying sounds of the Telecaster clearly set it apart from the fat Gibson style jazz sound.
Re-design by the end of the 50s
At the end of 1958, Fender gave the Telecaster a facelift. From then on, the neck was fitted with a glued-on rosewood fingerboard, which provided a warmer sound compared to the earlier one-piece maple necks. New exciting and eye-catching finishes were also added, offering an alternative to the classic Blonde and Sunburst. In addition to the already familiar ash, alder was now also added as a body wood. The white pickguards were now attached with eight screws instead of five, and from 1963 onwards, multi-ply white pickguards were used.
Despite the numerous changes, the characteristic twang sound of the Telecaster was of course retained.
New Telecaster models
After the takeover by CBS in 1965, Fender tried to break new ground. The Thinline Telecaster is the next generation of the popular Fender Telecaster. The essential specifications of the Thinline Tele, which was first introduced in 1968, were retained, but it had a few special features. Various cavities in the body of the Thinline Tele were designed to reduce the weight of the guitar, which had a positive effect on playing comfort. The initially painted F-hole was intended to emphasise that the Thinline Tele was a semi-hollow guitar. However, apart from the newly designed, curved pickguard and the later change to three-point bolting, the design remained identical to the solidbody Telecaster.
In the 1970s, the Telecaster Custom, with a single humbucker in the neck position, and the Telecaster Deluxe, which was equipped with two wide-range humbuckers, came onto the market. These models were intended to satisfy the growing demand for guitars with humbuckers, which were known for their heavier sound. These instruments remained part of the Fender catalogue into the 1980s until they, together with the Telecaster Thinline, initially disappeared from the range because Fender wanted to concentrate on the classics among the solidbodies, Stratocaster and Telecaster.
Thanks to the Fender Custom Shop, which has been around since the mid-90s, you can still enjoy instruments in the style of days long gone and vintage classics to suit your taste. The Fender Custom Shop has set itself the task of studying the high-quality vintage Telecasters of yesteryear and reproducing them down to the smallest detail. In addition to the classics mentioned above, you can also discover more modern Telecasters that combine the best features of different models in our Custom Reserve.
