The Telecaster, also known as "Tele", is a solid-bodied, duel-pickup Fender guitar. The electric guitar was created and designed by Leo Fender in 1949. It was one of the first solid-bodied guitars on the market, and really made an impact on the market. The prototype was a hand-built white guitar and had most of the features that Telecaster is famous for. They were first produced in 1950 with the name "Esquire" and fewer then 50 were made. Most of the originals were replaced, however, due to early manufacturer issues. The neck, in particular, would bend due to no truss rod.
Now, the Fender Telecaster is known for its strong construction. Traditionally, electric guitar necks are glued-on, but the Telecaster is bolted on. In addition, the neck is made of a single piece of solid maple without a separate fingerboard. The frets are pressed directly on the maple surface. The hardware consists of two single coil pickups controlled by a three-way selector switch. Each one has volume and tone controls. The pick guard is secured with eight screws and the bridge has 6 saddlers that adjust. This allows for independent length and height adjustment for each string. They also feature a 22 fret board, opposed to the traditional 21 fret board.
Telecaster is known for its rich, bright tone. One of the secrets to the unique sound is the bridge pickup, with has more windings then the neck pickup. The solid body allows the guitar to output a clean treble sound while the lower and mid ranges are damped. Many musicians emulate steel guitar sounds, which is great for country music.
Many musicians have fallen in love with the Telecaster sound. Pink Floyd's lead singer/guitar player, Syd Batrrett (1949- 2006), put Telecaster on the map. Today, Keith Urban, Andy Summers (The Police), and Brad Paisley all rock out on a Telecaster.
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