Fender American Standard Telecaster Electric Guitar (Maple, With Case)

Telecaster: The Sound That Changed the World
The Telecaster was the guitar that started it all. In the 1940s, the few electric guitars that existed were expensive, heavy, and nearly impossible to play or keep in tune. Most guitarists who used them did so simply for the volume boost they needed in order to be heard over louder instruments and rowdy audiences, not for their tone. Released in 1950, the Fender Telecaster was not only easy to use and play, it had the incendiary tone that made musicians in every genre fall in love with the electric guitar, opening up a world of new possibilities that would change music forever. Since it was unleashed upon the world more than half a century ago, the bright, biting sound of the Telecaster has resonated through every style of music. George Harrison played one at the final Beatles performance on the rooftop of Apple Studios in 1959. Bruce Springsteen is holding an early model on the cover of Born to Run. Merle Haggard helped revolutionize country music with his Telecaster. And you've heard the solo in the original recording of "Stairway to Heaven," of course. That's a Telecaster, too. But the Telecaster isn't just for experts and pros--the silky smooth neck, lightweight alder or ash body and "just plug it in and play" simplicity make it a joy for players of all levels. And don't let the light weight fool you--Telecasters are known for being built to last just as long as the music you create with them. When you buy a Telecaster, you're buying a piece of history that will take you into the future.

The American Standard Series: Make History
With the American Standard series, Fender's tagline is a command: "Make History." You can do that with music--heck, plenty of people think it was "blue jeans and rock n roll," not Ronald Reagan, that ended Communism. But Fender couldn't tell you to make history without providing the tools you need do it. With the introduction of the American Standard series, Fender attempted to distill the "recipes" for what made their most famous guitars great, keeping all the features and sounds that made their flagship models legends while adding several "player-centric" refinements and modern advances in design, production, and technology. With "part by part" detail improvements that were the result of years of research and testing, Fender guitars were made ready for, in Fender's own words, "the next batch of players who will be creating and discovering that next sound."

American Standard Telecaster: A Legend Refined
The American Standard model is made in the USA and maintains the Telecaster's legendary quality, reliability and playability, keeping features like that stinging Telecaster sound and the iconic visual style that makes a Telecaster unmistakable before it's even plugged in. The American Standard model comes packed with great features:

-Hand-rolled edges on the maple fingerboard for smooth playing.
Alnico V single-coil pickups.

-A new bridge with improved bent-steel saddles mounted to a stamped-brass bridge plate for increased resonance and sustain.

-A new, richer-tinted neck treatment buffed to a higher gloss than ever, while the back maintains the satin finish that makes it so easy to slide your hand up and down the neck.

-A thinner undercoat for the finish--this helps the body of the guitar "breathe" better, which helps to increase the resonance.

-More color options to help make sure your Telecaster fits with the visual image you want for your band.

Built for the pros, even though it's playable enough for a novice, the American Standard Telecaster is the next step up from the standard model. When you're ready for a guitar that will not just become a part of your music, but will help you take your music to the next level, the American Standard Tele will be ready, too.

The look, sound and vibe of the Telecaster resonate throughout the history and soundscapes of popular music. From orchestra pits to mosh pits; small clubs to stadiums and garages to recording studios, its signature sound is everywhere.

The new American Standard Telecaster still has the hand-rolled fingerboard edges, alnico V pickups and staggered tuning machines for playability, tone and stability.

New Features

A new bridge with improved bent-steel saddles mounted to a stamped-brass bridge plate for increased resonance and sustain.

A new neck treatment—tinted for a richer presentation, with the maple or rosewood fingerboard buffed to a high gloss. The back of the neck still has that silky, comfortable satin finish.

A thinner finish undercoat that lets the body breathe and improves resonance.

A new Fender-exclusive SKB molded case.

Two beautiful new finish options, Blizzard Pearl and Crimson Red Transparent.

Technical Info

Body:
- Alder on:
(700) 3-Color Sunburst,
(703) 2-Color Sunburst,
(706) Black,
(712) Candy Cola,
(755) Blizzard Pearl,
- Ash Body on:
(721) Natural
(738) Crimson Red Transparent

Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Shape, (Gloss Headstock Face with Satin Urethane Finish on Back of Neck)

Fingerboard: Rosewood (p/n 011-0500) or Maple (p/n 011-0502), 9.5 in. Radius (241mm)

No. of Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Frets

Pickups: 2 American Tele Single-Coil Pickups (Neck & Bridge)

Controls: Master Volume, Master Delta Tone (“Delta Tone” system includes high output bridge pickup and special No-Load tone control)

Pickup Switching - 3-Position Blade:
- Position 1. Bridge Pickup
- Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
- Position 3. Neck Pickup

Bridge: American Tele with New American Standard Bent Steel Saddles and Stamped Brass Plate

Machine Heads: Fender Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines

Hardware: Chrome

Pickguard:
- 3-Ply Parchment On:
(700) 3-Color Sunburst,
(703) 2-Color Sunburst,
(706) Black,
(712) Candy Cola,
(755) Blizzard Pearl,
- 3-Ply Black On:
(721)** Natural,
(738)** Crimson Red Transparent

Scale Length: 25.5 in. (648 mm)

Width at Nut: 1.685 in. (42.8 mm)

Unique Features:
- All New Five-Screw Mounted Brass Bridge Plate for Sonic Stability
- Loaded with Improved Bent Steel Saddles with Elongated String Slots, for Increased Resonance and Sustain
- Thinner Undercoat Finish for Improved Body Resonance
- Tinted Neck
- Maple Fingerboard Neck: Satin Finish on Back, Gloss Finish on Front
- Rosewood Fingerboard Neck: Satin Finish on Back, Gloss Finish on Headstock Front with Buffed Fingerboard
- 4-Bolt Neck Attachment with Micro-Tilt Adjustment
- Bi-Flex Truss Rod System
- Rolled Fretboard Edges
- Staggered Tuning Keys
- H/S/H Pickup Routing
- New Molded Fender/SKB Case with TSA Locks, Glass Reinforced Nylon Trigger Latches, and Form Fitted Plush Interior
- Rolled Fingerboard Edges,
- Sharper ‘52 Style Body Radius

Strings: Fender Standard Tension ST250L, Nickel Plated Steel

Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042), p/n 073-0250-203

Accessories: Fender/SKB Case, Cable, Strap, Polishing Cloth

Case: High-Tech, Molded Rectangular SKB Case

Introduced: 1/2008

The legendary American Tele! Newly updated, the latest American Standard Telecaster features alder or ash body (depending on finish) and C-shape maple neck with hand-rolled edges. A new bridge with improved saddles increases sustain, and the Alnico V pickups deliver that classic Tele bite! Maple fretboard.