Telecaster
The Telecaster was the first solid-body electric guitar that was a commercial success. It was originally named 'Esquire' (1949), then 'Broadcaster' (1950). There was already a Gretsch drum kit with the same name, though, so the name changed to 'Telecaster' (early 1951). Just before they thought of the new name, guitars were made with no name. These are referred to as 'No-Casters'. The 'Esquire' name was later also used for Telecasters with just one pickup (at the bridge position).
Obviously, the Telecaster deserves its entire own web site, so this section hardly does credit...

Type: 1950 Broadcaster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: And an impossibly pristine one at that.
Above photo credits: Found at Guitar Base

Type: 1951 Telecaster 'Nocaster'
Serial #: 1275 (stamped on bridge)
Remarks: This is one of these guitars that were made before they thought of the Telecaster name, but they already stopped using Broadcaster. The finish is called Butterscotch. All hardware dated August 1951. Kluson tuners. This baby can fetch in excess of 20,000 dollars.
Above photo credits: Found at Guitar Base

Type: 1967 blond Bigsby Telecaster
Serial #: 209366
Remarks: The unique thing about the Tele is that it's got a factory-installed Bigsby tremolo. The neck date is October 1967.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1969 Firemist Gold Telecaster
Serial #: 236430
Remarks: A beautiful firemist gold Telecaster. The neck date is May 1969.
Above photo credits: Picture provided by current owner, Ernest H. Slade

Type: 1972 blond "Tele Thinline"
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: None
Above photo credits: Emerald City Guitars

Type: 1973 Telecaster Deluxe
Serial #: 529665
Remarks: Totally unmodified Telecaster Deluxe.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1975 Tele Deluxe
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Has two Fender humbucker pickups, a three-way toggle switch, maple neck, Strat-ike headstock. These were made from 1973 to 1981.
Above photo credits: Found at Guitar Base

Type: 1983 Telecaster Elite
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: The Elite version of the Stratocaster was a bit of a disaster. The Tele wasn't half bad. The new (humbucking) pickups and active circuitry allowed the player to use sounds so far unheard on a Tele. There are models with and without pickguard. It has six individual bridge saddles. This model is a 'gold' one (gold-plated hardware).
Above photo credits: Found at Guitar Base

Type: 1988 Telecaster
Serial #: E805594
Remarks: None.

Type: 1990 (?) Japanese Tele Deluxe
Serial #: 0025025
Remarks: This Tele has Strat pickups and a slab rosewood fingerboard.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1991 or 1992 HMT Telecaster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: This is a Japan-made variation on the Telecaster theme, produced in 1991 and 1992 only. This second version has one titled single-coil pickup and a humbucker (the first version has two humbuckers). Anyway, it's got a Floyd Rose double locking tremolo, and EMG-81 humbucker at the bridge and is semi-hollow.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: HMT Telecaster (year unknown)
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Another HMT Telecaster.
Above photo credits: The owner, John Simmons

Type: Early 90's HMT Thinline Telecaster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: An F-hole body acoustic electric guitar, with a Fender Lace pickup at the neck, transducer pickup at bridge. Spruce top on maple body, rosewood under the bridge. Rosewood fretboard with peral inlays. Strat type neck with Gotoh tuners.
Above photo credits: A Guitar Base offering

Type: 1995 Custom Esquire '95
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Only 12 of these guitars were made, and this is #6. Ash body, highly figured flame and birdseye maple neck, black bakelite pickguard with concealed rhythm pickup (polepieces showing through).
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1996 Tele Jr.
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: This is a set-neck Telecaster, 1 of 15 made.
Above photo credits: Found on Guitar Base

Type: 1996 Custom Shop "Tuxedo" Tele
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: This is item 16 of 20 made. Black finish with white binding, gold-plated hardware, mother-of-pearl inlays with bow-tie at 12th fret.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1997 (?) Closet Classic Relic Esquire
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Around 1997, the Fender US Custom Shop made 50 of these guitars, modelled after the original 1949 Esquire (predecessor of the Telecaster). Pine body, thick neck with no truss rod.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1997 (?) Japanese Hellecaster Will Ray Jazz-a-Caster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: This is a Japanese signature model. It's got a Telecaster body, a Strat headstock, and a Hip Shot B-bender string-pull device as well as a Vintique master volume.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: USA 1997 B-Bender Telecaster
Serial #: N7278749
Remarks: This is the two-pickup model.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: USA 1997 B-Bender Telecaster
Serial #: N7268529
Remarks: This, too, is the two-pickup model.
Click here for a close-up of the Parson/Green string bender back.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 1998 50th Anniversary Telecaster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Alder body with figured maple veneer top and back, gold hardware, #130 of a limited run of 1250.
Click here for a neckplate detail shot of #751 of 1250.
Above photo credits: Emerald City Guitars

Type: Hollow Body Telecaster (year unknown)
Serial #: 10
Remarks: A rather unique hollow body Telecaster with built-in electronics.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: Custom Shop 12-String Telecaster (year unknown)
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: A US Custom Shop Telecaster in a Mary Kaye kind of finish (blond see-through on ash body), though strictly taken I am not sure of Tele guitars can be Mary Kaye at all... Anyway, this one has Texas Special pickups.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction

Type: 2000 Telecoustic
Serial #: Not applicable
Remarks: A new addition to the Fender roster, a thinline acoustic/electric Telecaster type guitar. Solid spruce top, one-piece fiberglass body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. This colour is called Inca Silver.
Above photo credits: The Official Fender Web Site

Type: Z Esquire Limited Edition Custom
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: None
A Photopoint photo book

Type: Custom Shop 12-string Telecaster (year unknown)
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Solid ash body, maple neck, 3 position selector switch, rosewood fretboard, chrome hardware.
Above photo credits: Ripped straight from Guitar Hangar

Type: 2004 John 5 Signature Custom Shop Telecaster
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: John 5 is the name of the guitarist in the Marilyn Manson band. It features a custom three-on-a-side headstock bolted onto a double-bound premium ash body with a shaved maple neck (for behind the nut bends) complete with a rosewood fingerboard. The J5 Tele guitar is equipped with either a Fender USA Enforcer or Seymour Duncan Hot Rails humbucker in the bridge and a Fender Custom Shop Twisted Tele single-coil pickup in the neck - available with a Bigsby-licensed vibrato system. Also, the hardtail version utilizes two-volume wiring, allowing separate volume controls for each pickup and a three-way toggle switch.
Above photo credits: Ripped straight from The Official Fender site

 

 

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