An all original, near perfect, first year American Standard Telecaster – in Black! What else do you need? You can see that a lot of love went into this Tele, just by looking at the magnificent tiger-striping on the back of the neck – premium parts and components all the way. And just three years off vintage!

Knowing they had to win back the loyalty of customers they’d lost during the years of CBS ownership, the newly restructured Fender Musical Instruments Company pulled out all the stops on their first new American-built instruments – the American Standard Strat in ’86, then the American Standard Tele in ’88. In fact, so important was the success of the new models that the first few hundred were actually produced in the Custom Shop. Fender threw everything they had at the American Standards, with the new plant in Corona, California using only premium timbers for the bodies and necks, double- and triple-checking every component, and utilizing only their top craftsmen on all the first year models.

These first year models are some of the finest modern era instruments Fender have produced, and this is one of the very best we’ve seen – not just great build quality, but super, super clean, from the gleaming piano Black paintwork to the immaculate frets. The 3-ply Black-White-Grey scratchplate contrasts beautifully with the deep Black finish of the body, also nicely offsetting the premium Rosewood board. And check out that aforementioned flame on back of the neck, (see pic # 6).

Absolutely the only issue with this fabulous Tele is one (very) slight ding – more an impression, really – down near the strap button on the back, (circled in pic # 8), but it’s almost impossible to notice with the Black finish. Apart from that slight ding, the guitar is flawless! And it sounds fantastic – that ringing Telecaster tone that’s been the cornerstone of hit record after hit record after hit record…

Ships in its original Fender hard shell case


(A word regarding the serial number: Although the new Fender company had to start almost from scratch, they did inherit a supply of old serial number decals, and while an E3xxxxx number would indicate 1983/84 production, this is clearly one of the inherited number decals, as the neck & body dates are both March, 1988, and the pots are also dated ’88)

Price: AUD$2150.00 GST Included