SOLD Fender Telecaster 1966 Blonde and Lightweight SOLD

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SOLD - A recent trade-in - a player's 1966 Telecaster with the look! 

This guitar has seen some play and a couple changes, but maintains that vibe that players are looking for.  It also hits the mark on weight and playability.

The original finish is present on the body and both the front and back of the headstock.  The back of the neck was oversprayed, right over the cool wear.  The back of the neck feels great, like old nitro lacquer.  I'm not 100% certain that this neck is original to this body.  The neck date matches up with the pot and pickup dates, however there seems to be the remnants of Dakota Red finish on the back of the neck heel. 

Fender necks usually pick finish up from the bodies they are connected with.  Fender used a "paint stick" to hold the bodies during the finishing process, leaving a bare spot in the neck pocket and the body finish built up where the paint stick didn't cover the neck pocket surface.  The red paint splotches on the heel are in the correct location to have possibly picked this paint up from another guitar body.  There is no blonde finish adhered to the neck heel, perhaps because the neck was added to this body later in life, when the finish had aged and was less prone to transfer. 

I noticed the red finish on the neck heel during my first inspection but wrote it off as something that happened when the back of the neck was oversprayed.  I began digging around to see if anyone knew why the word "Show" was written on the neck heel, which is present under the original clear coat.  It was suggested to me that perhaps the neck was on a custom color Tele that was slated for the NAMM show and later was put on this guitar.  I can't rule this possibility out, so I am describing everything here to provide you everything I know about the guitar.  The nice thing here is that it is clear to see that all the elements, features and date codes of the guitar meet up and make sense, and together make a killer guitar.    

Frets have been replaced with medium jumbo looking replacements, and the work was done properly.  The fretboard shows some light pitting, but nothing that can be felt when playing the guitar.

All the original electronics seem to be there.  The pickups were definitely out of the guitar as some point, however.  The pots and switch are correct, and much of the soldering looks original.  The pickup specs meet the era - the neck is a black bottom, and the bridge is gray.  The bridge pickup does show a 66 date, the neck has no date mark.  Fenders from 66 do have both black and gray bottom pickups in some instances, one of those transitions that you see throughout the 50's and 60's.  The pickup screws are likely original, but there are surgical tubing pieces in place of what should be springs in this year.

All other hardware on the body is original, and there are no post-factory routes or extra holes anywhere - same goes for the neck.

The guitar feels great, plays extremely well and sounds like it should!  

The case has seen better days.  One end of it is separating a good deal.  The latches, handle and hinges all work, with springs sprung in the left and right latches, but the case does hold and protect the guitar just fine.  

Specs:

Weight 7 lbs 2.5 oz

Finish: Blonde

Body: Ash

Neck date: 3AUG66B

Neck: Maple with Curved Rosewood Board

Frets: Changed - medium jumbo

Neck thickness measurements can vary depending on method of measurement.  I use machinist calipers, placed behind the fret.

Neck thickness at 1st fret: .839"

Neck thickness at 7th Fret: .89"

Neck thickness at 12th fret: .92"

Neck pickup, black bottom - 6.99k

Bridge pickup, gray bottom - 5.77k with "7 66" date

Switch: CRL - orig

Pots: Stackpole (3046631) - orig

 

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