Tele Magic

This is the insider’s story of the birth of the Fender Telecaster, the first commercial solid-body electric guitar. The Telecaster was a factory product, stripped down to its essentials, built from easily assembled parts, and made at a relatively affordable price. Guitarists of every stripe have come to love the Tele for its elegant simplicity and for its dry bite and twangy punch. Back when it first appeared in the early 50s, it was, quite simply, a revolutionary instrument. This oral history about the birth of the Telecaster comes from interviews I’ve done over the years for my various books about Fender… read more >