Guitar Description
Original 1968 Fender Thinline Telecaster | First Year of Production | GITA
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1968 FENDER THINLINE TELECASTER!! | Martin Meets Guitars!
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This is an incredibly rare example of a first year of production Thinline Telecaster. This model was originally designed to work around an unforeseen shortage in light-weight Ash. As their supply dwindled, Fender were forced to start using their heavier Ash stock to make bodies, and knowing guitarists would not appreciate this, had to get creative to reduce the weight.
Their original idea was to route out large portions of the body that would be hidden by the pickguard, meaning there would be no aesthetic change to the traditional look. These hit the market in 1967 and are now more commonly known as “Smuggler” Telecasters. The Smugglers where the catalyst for Fender’s exploration into chambered and semi-hollow bodies.
After the Smuggler models, Fender experimented and went on to create many prototypes that eventually lead to the release of the Thinline Telecaster in 1968. The body of these guitars was routed from the back, hollowing out both sides and leaving a solid centre for the bridge and pickups to mount to; a thin sheet of Ash would be then used to close off the body.
Due to the new construction method, the look of the guitar needed to be altered slightly. A larger pick guard was installed so that the controls could be mounted to it directly rather than onto the usual metal plate and it now adorned an “F” hole on one side, and this was met with critical acclaim.
Originally only available as Natural Ash or Mahogany models, these guitars were advertised as ‘Groovy Naturals’ but didn’t make it into the main catalogue. Instead, these guitars were advertised to the public through special leaflets.
Because of poor advertisement of the model, Fender quickly introduced a Series I Thinline that was closer to the Tele Deluxe spec to keep the Thinline model exciting and to capture the attention of more players. This was success and the Series I Thinlines quickly became a classic model, leaving a small amount of the original models left for sale. Over time, players began rediscovering the original run of Thinline Telecasters and found that they offered a whole new tone to most other guitars, including the Series I Thinlines.
Quickly these guitars became very desirable but due to the small amount of them made in the first few year of production, it became and continues to be difficult to find them. Today, collectors and players alike still hunt to find them, and they remain one of the harder vintage guitar models to find. We are very lucky and privileged to have one in our collection. This particular guitar is in great condition, featuring a few minor dings from previous use, and plays beautifully. The sale includes a Fender hardcase. If would like to know more about this guitar, feel free to contatct us or visit the showroom.
Please have a look at our other listings, we have some killer guitars available!
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