“Honky-tonk heaven: A 1966 Telecaster
and a 1969 Vibrolux Reverb.
(Note the original “Fender Instruction
Manual for Telecaster and Esquire,”
with funky artwork depicting two
dancing women and three suited
men playing . . . Jazzmasters.)”
Although the versatile Fender
Telecaster has undergone
many changes and cosmetic
facelifts in its 61-year history,
it has remained a simple, useful
tool that allows musicians
to get their point across with
minimum fuss. Combined with
the right amp, a Tele can be
effective for playing blues, rock
’n’ roll, soul, funk, country, pop,
and even jazz.
By 1966, the Telecaster had
changed considerably from its
early ’50s incarnation, while
still retaining the same basic
layout and function. In 1959,
the original one-piece maple
neck saw the addition of a more
traditional rosewood fretboard,
and pearloid dot position markers
replaced the clay dots in
early 1965. Also during the
Tele’s evolution, the black single-ply pickguard morphed into
a 3-ply white pickguard.
In early 1966, the Tele’s original “spaghetti” logo was replaced with this “transition” logo.
Although a 1966 Telecaster’s
specifications still called for an
ash body with a blond (the “e”
was dropped in 1960) finish,
the ’60s blond had become
considerably creamier and
more opaque than the original
’50s butterscotch blonde. The
final detail setting a 1966 Tele
apart from its predecessors is
the “transition” logo decal that
replaced the original “spaghetti”
logo early that year.
The 1969 Fender Vibrolux
Reverb—the other half of this
handsome duo—has features
common to that year, including
a silverface control panel, bluish
grille cloth, and aluminum
trim. This amp came equipped
from the factory with two JBL
10" speakers.
You’ll find a wealth of
detailed information on
Fender Telecasters in A.R.
Duchossoir’s
The Fender
Telecaster and learn amazing
amp lore in
Fender Amps: The
First Fifty Years by John Teagle
and John Sprung.
LEFT: The two 8Ω JBL D110F speakers play a huge role in this Vibrolux Reverb’s
bold sound.
RIGHT: The JBL badge indicates factory-installed premium speakers.
Dave ’s Guitar Shop
Dave Rogers’ collection is tended
by Laun Braithwaite and Tim Mullally
and is on display at:
Dave’s Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
davesguitar.com
Photos by Mullally and text
by Braithwaite.