Here for sale we have a very special 1976 Fender Telecaster Custom that has been refinished in Black, with the original colour appearing to have been red. This stunning Telecaster features a Solid Ash body which is matched with a Maple Neck and 21 fret fingerboard. The hardware consists of an original Fender Stamped 6-saddle nickel bridge and original Fender ‘F’ logo tuning machines, the pickups in this guitar are a original Seth Lover Wide Range Humbucker and an original Tele Bridge Pickup, these are wired to a 3-way selector, independent volume and tone controls.
 
The 70’s ‘C’ profile neck sits comfortably in the hand, with a slimmer feel making chords and lead lines a breeze. The traditional 7.25" fingerboard radius feels nicely flat, whilst the gloss finished fingerboard provides a smooth and pleasant surface under the fingers. The years of playing that this guitar has seen produces a very familiar and ‘played-in’ sensation that feels very inspiring in the hands and provides the vintage playing feel that is so sought after. With no weight relief, this guitar feels very sturdy and dependable in the hands whilst producing the kind of sustain that has made this instrument a staple for the likes of Keith Richards and The Edge. The familiar lines of the body are comfortable in the arms, with the body cutaway assisting in unrestricted access to the higher frets.
 
The original Seth Lover Wide Range Humbucker and original Tele Bridge Pickup provide a rich, varied and authentically vintage set of tones, with the neck pickup measuring at 10.62kΩ, providing warm, glassy clean sounds that are thick and smooth and pack a punch. The middle position is slightly brighter with a detailed mid range that is a perfect blend of the humbucker and single coil, whilst the bridge position measures at 6.15kΩ provides all of the brightness and spank that you would expect. The pickups handle overdrive well, with anything from crunchy blues tones to hard rock sounds well within reach making this guitar fit into a wide range of musical styles making it a perfect workhorse. This guitar is an excellent example of why Fender have long been renowned as the pinnacle of guitar building, and why their designs have stood the test of time, a great opportunity to own a genuine piece of Fender's history. 
 
Brand - Fender
Model - Telecaster Custom
Finish - Black
Year - 1976
Made In - USA
Body - Ash
Neck - Maple
Neck Profile - 70s 'C'
Fingerboard - Maple
Fingerboard Radius - 7.25
Frets - 21
Scale Length- 25.5"
Nut Width - 1.652"
Pickups - Original Seth Lover Wide Range Humbucker, Original Tele single coil
Controls -  3-way pickup selector, 2x Volume, 2x Tone
 
Luthier Report
 
Our ID: 1240323030811
Weight: 9.55lbs
Serial Number: 717845
 
Aesthetic Condition:
Headstock: The edges of the headstock show signs of wear with chips to the finish to the lower treble side and a dent at the top edge. A small scratch can also be seen across the Fender logo. The sides of the headstock all show discolouration to the finish with a scrape on the lower treble side. The edges of the back of the headstock also show signs of ageing with the finish discolouring. Some small dents can also be seen on the top edge of the back.
Neck: The back of the neck has dents which can mainly be found on the bass side all the way up the register, these can be felt when in playing position. Behind the first fret on the back of the neck is a small 'U' shaped lacquer crack. This does not affect the structure of the instrument. In the neck pocket on the bass side, a small crack can be seen to the finish. The edges of the fingerboard - mainly to the treble side - all show signs of wear and age. This carries around to the fingerboard face on frets 3, 12 and 14 on the treble side. Small dents and markings to the fingerboard can be found at frets 8, 12 , 17, 18 and 19.
Body: Scratches and dents can be found on the face of the guitar on the lower horn and towards the bottom of the guitar, below the bridge. The edge of the face near the input also shows some dents to the finish and various scratches. There are lacquer cracks extending from both corners of the neck pocket, most noticeable to the bass side, measuring approx. 2/3 of an inch. These do not affect the structural integrity of the instrument. Carrying on around the outside of the guitar, various scratches and dents can be found, mainly focussed around the output socket. The back of the guitar shows some dents to the finish on the bass side and various scratches over the back which can be seen under direct light. The top edge of the bass side and the bottom edge show the finish to have faded showing an older red finish and the wood underneath. Nothing described here affects the structure of the guitar. The guitar has been refinished twice, each finish has been put on top of the last rather than sanding it down first. Due to this, the middle red finish shows through parts of the guitar around the neck cavity, the lower back edge and the top edge of the upper bout.
 
Condition of Frets:
Due to the age of this instrument the frets are worn and very flat. We believe the frets have been levelled by a previous owner, leaving no room for further fret work. For playability this guitar would need a refret, we have chosen not to undertake this work due to the age of the instrument and the interest of maintaining originality where possible.
 
Current Set Up:
Truss Rod Condition: Fully functional & can be adjusted
Hardware Condition: The control knobs have been replaced by a previous owner. We have replaced the pickup selector switch as the last one was faulty. Original hardware is fully functional with noticeable signs of wear, such as tarnishing and corrosion. This is in line with what is normal for a guitar of this age.
Structural Condition: No concerns or issues to note
Height of the string from the 12th Fret- Treble 1.5mm - Bass 2mm
 
Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.
Strings on Guitar - 10-46
 
Electrics:
The pickup selector switch has been replaced, the pots & bridge have been grounded to the jack socket. This included introducing 4 new wires to complete the grounding. The guitar cavity has been freshly shielded with copper shielding to prevent interference.
 
Case & Accessories:
Hard case
Case shows obvious signs of wear and tear from years of use. All the hardware shows rust and the clasps are sometimes faulty. Stickers from the previous owner are also on the case.
No truss rod tool included (3.1mm, hex key)
 
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.