dave's guitar shop

Classic to-the-bone Fender: a 1952 blackguard Tele and a ’53 Pro amp.

Found during a house renovation, this guitar is a classic example of Fender’s prized blackguard gems.

Leo Fender’s efforts to create a professional solidbody guitar began in the late 1940s and resulted in the one-pickup Esquire and the two-pickup Broadcaster in 1950. By the end of 1951, the two-pickup guitar was renamed the Telecaster, due to a name conflict with Gretsch’s Broadkaster drum set. As we all know, today the Telecaster continues to be a versatile tool for amateur and professional musicians.

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A Wisconsin guitarist hit the jackpot when he met a talented lute builder who hand-cut this stunning neck inlay.

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In 1952, Gibson's ES-295 also went for the gold—and double P-90s—in a lightweight archtop body style.

When Ted McCarty was appointed general manager of Gibson in 1948 (he became president in 1950), one of his first major goals was to rapidly increase the range of electric guitars offered by the company. In 1949, the lineup, including the 17"-bodied ES-300 and ES-350, was joined by the mid-priced 16" Florentine cutaway ES-175. The ES-175 had a laminated maple arched top and back, with a 24 3/4" scale-length neck.

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