NAMM 2020: New guitars from Fender: 60s Telecaster Thinline and 70s Telecaster Custom

18 Jan 2020 by Jef | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

Fender American Originals 60s Telecaster Thinline and 70s Telecaster Custom · Source: Fender

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Fender adds two new Telecaster models to its American Originals series: the 60s Telecaster Thinline and the 70s Telecaster Custom.

60s Telecaster Thinline

Originally launched in 1969, the semi-hollow Fender Telecaster Thinline is a classic Tele model from the company’s CBS era and has since become a hugely popular guitar, especially among country players.

Fender American Originals 60s Telecaster Thinline in Surf Green

The new 2020 American Originals Telecaster Thinline models have a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, original-era body radii and vintage-style hardware, including the tall frets. They come available in either a Three-Colour Sunburst, Aged Natural or a Surf Green finish. Good looking guitars and priced reasonably well.

RRP – USD 1999.99

70s Telecaster Custom

Next up is the American Original 70s Telecaster Custom. This one is my favourite of the two Tele releases and hopefully they go with the correct pickup this year. What made the original models from the ’70s sound so sweet was the amazing Seth Lover Wide Range pickup in the neck position, not a humbucker. Fender hasn’t got it right in years, but hopefully these new 2020 versions will be truer to the original.

70s Telecaster Custom Vintage Blonde

CuNiFe

According to Fender, the neck humbucker is an updated interpretation of Seth Lover’s original design for the Wide Range pickup, and faithfully incorporates CuNiFe rod magnets. I really hope so, because the originals are getting harder to find and boutique pickup-winders that can emulate them are few and far between.

The guitar comes in a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, with vintage style hardware and a choice of Three-Colour Sunburst, Vintage Blonde or Mocha finishes. Why, oh why, haven’t they done one in black? Damn it, I really wanted a black one! Oh well.

RRP – USD 1899.99