‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s Fender Telecasters: What’s The Difference?

‘60s Fender Telecasters

The 1960s ushered in a new era of guitar-centric music, and Fender introduced several Telecaster design changes to accommodate these new demands. By the turn of the decade, playing feel had become a key issue that they simply had to nail down. Guitarists were becoming increasingly technical, with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page all pushing the boundaries of the instrument. 

With the aim of providing a sleeker playing experience, the thick neck was switched out for a thinner ‘C’ shape, while the fretboard radius was expanded to 9.5 inches to make those string skips and legato runs much more manageable.

To hit that modern sound and provide more versatility, Fender also played with the wiring. They removed the dark circuits and gave Telecasters new pickups that were better able to handle the higher gain levels and thick-sounding germanium diode fuzz that was popular at the time. The added introduction of staggered pole pieces also allowed for a tighter frequency balance across all strings, while the switch to enamel wiring offered a more defined, scooped voicing.

But the changes didn’t stop there! Fender also played around with their choice of tonewoods, swapping out maple fretboards for the deep brown hue of rosewood and introducing alder bodies in a range of solid colour finishes.

The end result of these changes was a go-to guitar for session players and emerging rock musicians, who wanted a no-nonsense instrument that could handle anything they threw at it, from surf to soul to psychedelia.

’60s Tele Key Features

• New rosewood fretboard
• Alder bodies for coloured finishes
• Expanded 9.5-inch radius fretboard
• Slimmer ‘C’ shape neck
• Tweaked pickups with staggered pole pieces

Popular ‘60s-inspired models include:

• American Vintage II 1963 Telecaster
• Vintera II ’60s Telecaster
• Squier FSR Classic Vibe ’60s Custom Telecaster

Featured '60s Teles

‘70s Fender Telecasters

The 1970s marked a new era for Fender, both stylistically and structurally. After the company’s sale to CBS in 1965, mass production and cost-saving took on a much bigger focus. As a result, ’70s Teles gained a reputation for heavier builds – and some quirky design changes!

Cost-cutting changes began with the introduction of polyurethane finishes, which, while more durable than nitro paintjobs, can result in a guitar with a tad less resonance. Neck profiles got chunkier again, often including bullet truss rods and three-bolt neck attachments. Larger “CBS-era” headstocks, block logos, and cheaper but heavier ash bodies all became the order of the day.

However, one great thing to come out of the ’70s was the in-house wound Wide Range humbuckers. Up to that point, Telecasters were equipped exclusively with single coil pickups. But the introduction of humbuckers provided a completely new dimension to the Tele sound, putting it closer in line with other humbucking competitors. Humbucker-configured Teles are great for heavier rock and that love/hate jazz fusion tone.

‘70s Tele Key Features

• Introduction of Wide Range humbucking pickups
• Options for single coil/humbucker and humbucker/humbucker pickup configurations
• Independent volume/tone controls to reflect pickup changes
• Options for six saddle bridges
• Extended pickguard shape
• More fancy finishes

Modern versions of the ’70s Tele include:

• Vintera II ’70s Tele Deluxe
• American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe
• Squier Classic Vibe ‘70s Telecaster Deluxe

Featured '70s Teles

Which Telecaster Era is Right For You?

Choosing the right Telecaster for your style and playing preferences can make all the difference to your Tele experience. As we’ve laid out above, each era offers its own distinct character, from the bright twang of the ’50s to the chunky humbucker power of the ’70s. So, to help you pick, here’s a quick summary of all the key points:

You might prefer a ’50s Tele if:

• You love vintage aesthetics and clean, spanky tones
• You favour country, rockabilly, or roots music
• You like the feel of a chunky maple neck

A ’60s Tele could be ideal if:

• You play classic rock, blues, or soul
• You want a more balanced, comfortable feel
• You prefer rosewood fingerboards and vintage colour options

Choose a ’70s Tele if:

• You play heavier rock, punk, or funk
• You want more output or humbucking options
• You dig retro styling and larger necks

Fender Telecaster Ranges

Whichever decade-specific Telecaster piques your interest, Fender offers a nice spread of price points to choose from. At the top end, you can’t beat a Custom Shop Telecaster guitar. They’re some of the best guitars in the world, offering the closest likeness to their historic counterparts. The Fender Custom Shop team take extreme care to get every spec spot on in line with the originals. If you like a certain date-specific feature, for example, a ‘U’ shape neck, but prefer hotter ’60s pickups, they’ll go out of their way to get it done.

The USA-made American Original line boasts the best of the production line woods and hardware, a naturally ageing nitro finish and an option for pickups by heralded designer Tim Shaw. The only major difference between these and an original Tele spec from the era is the updated modern fretboard radius.

Fender Standard Telecaster Guitars