Up for sale, a 1970 Fender Telecaster in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case, Ace-branded strap, and "ashtray" bridge cover. This Tele lived most of its life with a single family, passed from father to son (handwritten note included). This Fender features the traditional Telecaster tonewood complement of a solid ash body and one-piece maple neck, delivering lively, percussive cut and midrange complexity when played acoustically. While the gray bobbin bridge pickup has ample sparkle and chewy twang, the black bobbin neck pickup is bell-like and round. Emblematic of the best Teles of the late '60s, this Fender is featherweight at 6lbs 14oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

The maple neck has a medium C-shaped profile carve with round shoulders and lightly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .850" deep at the 1st fret and .970" at the 12th. The maple fretboard has a 7 1/4" radius, and the original medium fretwire has been leveled and crowned, showing just a hint of wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-3. The guitar plays cleanly in every register, the neck is straight, and the truss rod is responsive, with the truss rod nut flush with the neck heel, necessitating sparingly little adjustment over the past 50+ years. The nut measures 1 5/8" in width, and the headstock retains the block Telecaster logo and Fender "F" tuning machines. The neck heel has a bold green ink stamp, and the number sequence on the heel is the one style used from 1968-70 that is not datable. The serialized four-bolt F neck plate is intact, dating the instrument to 1970.

All of the electronics function as intended, with the original gray bobbin bridge pickup which has its brass baseplate. The neck pickup is original as well, at one time cleanly unsoldered and substituted with a humbucker, as evidenced by the route cleanly hidden beneath the replacement pickguard (stock cut pickguard is also included and a unique pearloid-backed example). The two CTS pots in the wiring harness were also substituted in the guitar's lifetime. The original chrome-plated hardware is all intact and extremely clean, including the Patent # bridge base and pair of flat-topped knurled knobs.

The Olympic White gloss finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray. Conventional playwear is limited to a few minor marks including light finish scuffing on the back and behind the bridge on top. There is also prominent darkening of the finish along the lower bout body edge from contact with a foreign object (likely a guitar stand). The finish is smooth to the touch in this area with none of the finish melt or unevenness associated with “stand rash.” The gloss on the neck profile is notably clean and sparingly ambered.

The original black tolex hardshell case with orange plush interior is included and also notably well-kept. The case has clean black leather ends, and the original Fender tail-less logo on the exterior, with a trio of original, functional latches and the stock handle. A vintage Ace-branded "stained glass" strap is included, along with the bridge cover and a note passing this guitar from father to son (the note mentions a build date of estimate of 1972-73, which is incorrect).