Fender Throws a 75th-Birthday Bash for the Telecaster, Releasing 5 Anniversary Editions

It’s a landmark celebration for the instrument that revolutionized rock music as the first mass-produced solid-body guitar

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There are few instruments more iconic than the Telecaster, and Fender is marking the guitar’s 75th anniversary with a new special collection. There are five models to choose from, with prices ranging from $1,100 for the Player II to $3,000 for the Ultra II model.

“The 75th Anniversary Telecaster Collection is our way of honoring everything that has made the Tele an enduring icon,” said Max Gutnik, Fender’s Chief Product Officer. “From the vintage authenticity of the Vintera Road Worn to the boundary-pushing versatility of the American Ultra II, each model reflects the full spectrum of what the Telecaster has meant to generations of players.”

The Telecaster, the first mass-produced solid-body guitar, has been the go-to axe for everyone from George Harrison to Tom Morello since its introduction in 1951. The manufacturer’s namesake founder, Leo Fender, didn’t come from a musical background, and famously didn’t know how to play the guitar. He instead got input from working musicians on the design, tailoring it to their needs.

Fender itself celebrated its 80th anniversary last year, marking it with a commemorative line of guitars and basses. Justin Norvell, president of Fender’s Americas division, told Rolling Stone at the time, “The guitar feels like it’s got a groundswell happening,” citing buzzy acts like Turnstile and Mk.Gee as drivers of rock’s resurgence.

Fender will also celebrate the Tele’s anniversary with an artist interview series featuring Sheryl Crow and Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell, among others.

The Anniversary collection includes the Road Worn 1951 model, inspired by the original and featuring vintage-inspired distressing, the American Ultra II in a Liquid Gold finish, the American Professional Custom with a dual-color sunburst finish, the Cabronita with TV Jones pickups, and the Player II with a Diamond Dust Sparkle finish and Thunderbolt pickups.