1953 Fender Telecaster

An incredible example of the iconic blackguard Telecaster #2145 with a 10-53 neck date! This 1953 workhorse is all original except for a replaced nut. Fantastic overall condition with the perfect natural patina showing light finish wear and moderate dings throughout. A warm and resonant instrument with a great feel and smooth playing neck with a chunkier soft-V profile that feels great! The pickups are the shining feature producing a clear, punchy, and aggressive Tele tone full of warmth in the neck position and a classic Tele twang in the bridge position! Includes Toschcase repro thermometer hardshell case.

Check out the feature from our luthier Tyler in the ECG Newsletter:

"Given the proper motivation, I could easily produce a list as long as my arm of the reasons why I love the Telecaster. The model needs no introduction, requires no explanation, and is generally an easy instrument to love. One detail that makes the Tele stand out over other vintage guitars, though, is the consistency of its role throughout the decades. I would submit that the Telecaster is the only major midcentury guitar design that has been continuously used primarily for the application it was built to fill.

The Les Paul, for example, was developed to be a jazz guitar but only found commercial success when adopted by rock and blues musicians. The Martin OM was aimed squarely at big band rhythm players of 1929, and instead became the world’s favorite fingerstyle guitar. Fender’s own Jazzmaster proved suitable for just about everything but jazz. But the Telecaster? Designed for country musicians in 1949, and remains the quintessential guitar for modern hillbillies young and old. An unflinching oak.

As attractive as the earlier Blackguards prove to be, this sensational ’53 exhibits all the qualities that most Tele aficionados find most desirable. (The great Nacho Banos, author of The Blackguard Book, has claimed that his very favorite examples have been from 1953.) A chunky C neck profile combined with a lightweight ash body is the known recipe for a sonorous and responsive Tele, and this one has both in spades. A replaced nut is all that keeps this gem from being 100% original, and I’m certain it won’t be hanging around for long."