1966 Fender Telecaster Custom - Candy Apple Red

Serial Number 173125

This month’s featured Telecaster Custom has details common to most Teles of 1966: “double line” Kluson Tuners, “F” stamped neck plate, three-ply white pickguard, “Pat. No” bridge with threaded steel saddles and gold “Transition” Fender logo. Just being a 1966 Telecaster Custom makes this a rare guitar, but adding the maple cap fingerboard (rosewood was standard) and the Candy Apple Red finish (Sunburst was standard) makes it ultra-desirable. The heavy fingerboard wear showcases the shortcomings of the Nitrocellulose lacquer finish used by Fender until 1968. The body wear allows the undercoat of metallic gold (silver was used from 1963 to 1965) to show through. Finally, science fiction fans may be interested to know that the stamped neck date of September 1966 coincides with Star Trek’s television debut.