- Style: Bound 1959 Pre-CBS Body for Fender Telecaster Custom
- Wood: Two-piece Alder (Japanese)
- Finish: Three-Tone Sunburst (aged Nitrocellulose) with Binding
- Routing: Standard Telecaster two-pickup
- Weight: approx. 4lbs (1.8kg)
- Price: £305.00
- Other colours and finishes available at no extra charge. Contact us to find out more
The Custom Fender Telecaster was produced from 1959 and was then dropped from Fender lineup again in 1968 whilst under CBS control. The addition of binding to the front and back of the body (the only distinguishing difference between a Fender Custom Telecaster and a 'standard' Telecaster) is largely accepted as having been a subtle acknowledgement to the construction techniques used in acoustic guitars, and to add an additional feel of class and quality in an attempt to attract a wider market.
The Custom Telecaster was first introduced into Fender's model lines in 1959 (although there are earlier true 'custom' examples from Fender) but as it commanded a substantially higher than its standard Telecaster counterpart, and with the popularity of the Stratocaster then on the rise, the Custom Telecaster was never fully embraced by the guitar-playing community.
In our opinion, the bound Custom Telecaster is one of the best-looking guitars ever to come out of the Fullerton (California) Fender factory and we are pleased to be able to offer a 1959-specification (and visually stunning) clone of this vintage model. The originals were only ever built from alder which is why this is offered in bookmatched two-piece alder with an off-centre joint, cream (and aged) binding, and genuine nitrocellulose hand-painted sunburst finish,built in the same way the originals were, and reliced to accurately show the wear and tear that a forty year-old body would.
We can also offer this body in a variety of other colour and finish options (the originals were only built in sunburst with a very small smattering of black examples), so please feel free to get in touch if sunburst isn't quite what you're after and we will be happy to accommodate your requirements. These types of guitar bodies look particularly good in Olympic White or metallic finishes such as Candy Apple Red or Lake Placid Blue!
Our bodies are built to a very high standard and are specifically intended for vintage guitar restoration or relic cloning. Our bodies are finished in genuine nitrocellulose (without any polyurethane or plastic-based undercoats or Fullerplast), and using original paints and mixing formulas where possible to ensure boutique-quality and a 'road worn' feel. They are built and reliced using careful study and comparison with original reliced vintage guitar. This means that their contours, shape, colour tones, and markings (both in construction and relicing) are as close as possible to original vintage parts, and as authentic as (if not more so) any other vintage reissue or relic replica guitar on the market today.
Pre-CBS Fender guitars only had clear top coats applied to custom colours, metallic and sunburst finishes. Others were left without a top coat unless specifically requested when the guitar was ordered from the factory, this is often sighted as the cause of the extreme fading (or tinting in the case of the lighter Olympic White bodies) of colour in vintage guitars that still retain their original lacquer. In this respect our products deviate slightly from authenticity for the sake of modern reliability, with a very thin layer of clear nitrocellulose applied to all of out bodies (and more to those which would have had these clear coats in the first place). The majority of this is removed again during the aging process, and all of our bodies can be specified without any at all, but it does add just a touch more protection from sun and heat damage to the colour finish.
All of our guitar bodies, necks, accessories, parts, and hardware are aged to customer specification, so if you want a very heavy relicing effect akin to something that's spent its life being dragged behind a truck, we can do that! Equally if you only want a very light almost-NOS effect, that's just as possible. Just let us know and we'll make sure we meet your requirements. The only exceptions are extra-heavy (Gallagher-style) relics, or exact-match relics, where there's a lot more work involved. We are also able to offer a customisation service so if you don't see the finish you want, or the routing you want, just drop us a line to let us know your requirements and we will be happy to discuss the options available to meet your particular project guitar needs. We can also provide all of the hardware, parts and plastics you need to complete your custom relic guitar, either as separate items or in kit form, just ask.
Compatibility
click diagram to zoom in
Our replacement Telecaster guitar bodies are of the same high quality as the authentic guitars and parts that were being produced in Leo's workshop more than forty years ago, and aged to appear as if they really are a product of that era. They are intended as authentic vintage reproductions for replacement or repair of genuine vintage instruments, or as part of your own replica vintage guitar project.
It goes without saying that these guitar bodies are fully compatible with original vintage Fender Telecaster hardware and components, as well as more modern American Fender reissue parts.
Unless otherwise requested, our replacement Telecaster bodies are produced and sold pre-drilled in five key areas:
- Four holes in the neck pocket for Standard Vintage Fender neck positioning. The neck pocket adheres to standard Fender dimensions so it will accept most Fender and aftermarket replacement Fender Telecaster necks.
- Two holes for the scratchplate at the top horn and beside the lower edge of the bridge. These mounting hole positions are standard amongst all of the major variations of American pickguard, which leaves the body able to accept the era-correct scratchplate of your choice and provides key alignment points to allow you to drill the other mounting holes necessary for your specific pickguard.
- Two holes for the control plate.
- Four holes for mounting the bridge which are spread at 2 9/16" to accommodate genuine vintage bridges and more modern American Fender reissues.
- Six string-through holes (behind the bridge mounting points) at a 2 5/32" spread.
If you are at all unsure about compatibility with other parts you already own, or may be considering for your guitar project, please send us a message and ask and we'll be happy to advise further.
Satisfaction Guarantee
Buying custom items online and unseen can be a daunting proposition, especially when it comes to such personal tastes as artificially aged and reliced guitars. For this reason we offer a satisfaction guarantee: if for any reason you're not happy with your items upon receipt, you just have to return them to us for refund. That's how confident we are of the quality, craftsmanship and authenticity of the guitars and parts we sell.
Unless otherwise stated, the price quoted above (£305.00 ) is for the body only, regardless of any other items which may appear in the photographs on this page alongside the body. All parts, hardware, components, and plastics you need to complete your relic guitar project are available separately.
