Electric Guitar
- Vintera series
- Body: Alder
- Bolt-on neck: Maple
- Fretboard: Maple
- Fretboard inlays: Black dots
- Neck profile: Thin C
- Fretboard radius: 241 mm (9.5")
- Scale: 648 mm (25.5")
- Nut width: 42 mm (1.65")
- Nut made from synthetic bone
- 21 Medium jumbo frets
- Pickups: 2 Fender Wide Range humbuckers
- 2 Volume controls and 2 tone controls
- 3-Way switch
- 6-Saddle American Vintage Tele bridge with string-through-body construction and chrome-plated barrel saddles
- 3-Ply black / white / black pickguard
- Fender Vintage F-stamped machine heads
- Nickel/Chrome hardware
- Strings: Fender USA 250L NPS .009 - .042 (article no. 133191)
- Colour: Mocha
- Deluxe gig bag included
As beautiful now as it has always been
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The 1970s were an exciting time for Fender: A wealth of new models saw the light of day, and the company's old stalwart - the Telecaster - was joined by a number of younger siblings. The Deluxe model was one of these, and aside from the name and the body shape, it had very little to do with the original Telecaster and instead took its cues from rival company Gibson's guitars in terms of pickups and circuitry. This was also not without reason: The guitar's two "Wide Range" humbuckers were designed by none other than Gibson's former pickup guru Seth Lover. Since the Vintera series is made in Mexico, players can now once again get their hands on the 70s Tele Deluxe and other models of the period, all of which deliver Fender's proven quality at an affordable price: Every bit as attractive, unique, and unusual as they were back then.
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Fender through and through
As uncharacteristic of its maker as the Fender Vintera 70s Tele Deluxe looks, beneath the surface it is a typical Fender in every sense. The grain of the alder body is on proud display beneath the guitar's unusual "Mocha" finish and the one-piece maple neck features a comfortable - if historically somewhat inaccurate - 9.5" fingerboard radius. The machine heads used here also look exactly like those of the original Tele Deluxe but are designed with a smoother mechanism, and the guitar features a much larger scratchplate than conventional Telecaster models in order to accommodate the two humbucking pickups, which in turn sound remarkably similar to the originals. To ensure maximum flexibility, each pickup has a dedicated tone control and volume control, and the pickups are governed by a three-way toggle switch that has been placed on the upper bout for greater ease of use.
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The best of both worlds
It is safe to assume that players who choose the Fender Vintera 70s Tele are fans of the famous Telecaster shape, which in this case is combined with a wide 1970s-style Stratocaster headstock to create a very distinctive instrument. This Tele also departs from the beaten path in terms of sound, and rather than the usual "Tele twang" delivers a smooth, singing tone with plenty of crunch, so it is at home in any style of music to which twin-humbucker guitars are suited but where a little extra brightness and transparency are welcome - which is precisely what this guitar's design and appropriately named "Wide Range" humbuckers provide.
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About Fender
Fender is without doubt one of the most legendary guitar and amplifier manufacturers of all time. The company was founded in 1946 by its namesake Leo Fender († 1991), whose innovative ideas brought a breath of fresh air into the musical world. His Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision Bass, and Jazz Bass are not only classics – they also continue to shape the styles of musicians in countless genres to this day. Timeless Fender amplifier models such as the Bassman, Twin, Deluxe, and Princeton also enjoy a stellar reputation. Besides maintaining its classic product portfolio, however, the company is also constantly developing new products that make Fender a driving force in today’s music industry.
A genuine alternative
The Fender Vintera 70s Tele Deluxe is definitely an attractive guitar - so much so that it may well be tempting to just hang it on the wall, and indeed many players reserve instruments like this one just for practising at home. These guitars do also see on-stage use, of course - mainly in the hands of Alternative Rock bands, which is probably due for the most part to the fact that they are seen to go against the grain and make a statement of their own. As an aside, players who find the slab-bodied Telecaster design uncomfortable can rest easy here, as the Vintera Tele Deluxe comes complete with a historically accurate "belly cut" on the upper back edge of the body for increased playing comfort.
