Vintage Vibes: 1968 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster Featuring Nathaniel Murphy
VINTAGE VIBES:1968 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster
This 1968 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster was definitely born to be wild, and Nathaniel shows us why. Manufactured only in 1968 and 1969, the Paisley Telecasters are named for their distinctive finish, which is actually a piece of wallpaper Fender affixed to the body and then covered with a clear coat. This particular Paisley Telecaster has a one-piece maple neck and maple cap, a rare feature only available for a few years with 1968 being one. A ‘64 Fender Vibroverb and an Electro-Harmonix Triangle Big Muff Pi help reveal the true spirit of this special, psychedelic delight.
Nathaniel Murphy describes the 1968 Pink Paisley Fender Telecaster
Hi guys, Nathaniel from Chicago Music Exchange here, and today we're showing off this wonderful 1968 Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster.
In 1968, Fender decided to go all psychedelic and add Pink Paisley wallpaper with a clear coat on some of their guitars, as you do. And behold, we have the 1968 Pink Paisley Telecasters. Infamous. These were only made in 1968 and 1969, but Fender reissued them a number of times over the years. This one is in very good condition considering it’s age. It plays and feels great. It does have checking throughout the body which is very common with this type of guitar. The neck stamp, the serial number and the bridge pick up, which is behind the ashtray here, are all from ’68. The pots from 1971, which means they were probably changed at some point. It has a beautiful one-piece maple neck and maple cap, which is an appointment that only happened for a couple of years during this era.
We're gonna be playing it today through a 1964 fender Vibroverb amp. Let’s see how it sounds.
The Technical Specs
Finish: Original
Body Material: Alder Body
Body Details: Alder solid body
Neck Material: Maple Neck
Fingerboard Material: Maple Fingerboard
Neck Profile: Medium "C"
Neck Thickness (IN): 1st- .85" 12th- .94"
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25
Nut Width: 1-5/8 in
Neck Details: One piece maple neck with maple cap fingerboard and black dot inlays. 3OCT68B neck stamp.
Electronics: The pickups are original. The neck pickup is a black bobbin with plastic coated wire. The bridge pickup is a grey bobbin with blue and yellow cloth coated leads and a 1968 date under the plate (see picture). The wiring harness is not original. The pots were replaced with 1971 dated pots. The switch and output jack are also not original.
Pickup Measurements: Neck 6.5k ohms, Bridge 5.8k ohms
Hardware: Original
Weight: 7 lbs 11.5 oz
Modifications / Repairs: The guitar has been rewired. The leads from the bridge pickup have been extended. The control cavity has been widened slightly for oversized pot that were installed and have since been removed (see pictures)
Case Details: Original hard shell case.
Cosmetic Condition: The guitar has moderate play wear. The finish on the body is glossy with considerable checking. The paisley pattern is beginning to peel up underneath the clear coat and is fragile. This is common with this finish. The hardware is nicely tarnished.
Tech Notes: The guitar plays well with low action. The frets are small with light play wear. The serial number dates to 1968.
SOUNDBOARD BLOG
SHOP VINTAGE FENDER
Related Posts
Leo Scala Crafts Amazing Guitars
Designed and developed by Leo Scala, Scala guitars are finely crafted boutique instruments created with the utmost attention to detail and premier-quality materials in the heart of Los Angeles, California.
View Details
David Bowie Supro at Chicago Music Exchange
Developed by Supro with assistance from the David Bowie Archive, the David Bowie 1961 Dual Tone is based on the hard tail David Bowie played on the Reality album and throughout his final world tour, “A Reality Tour”, in 2003-2004. Although he played a variety of guitars throughout his career, Bowie enjoyed a special relationship with the iconic vintage 61 Supro Dual Tone.
View Details
Fender Custom Shop "Chicago Special" Jazzmasters
Our goal with our Custom Shop Jazzmasters was to make the absolute best sounding and playing JMs out there. Seems pretty simple right? Combining a mix of vintage specs, and modern mods we think you’ll agree that we hit the mark.
View Details