1968 FENDER TELECASTER FACTORY BIGSBY

Fender Telecaster Factory Bigsby from 1968, in very good original condition.

A fine example of a late ’60s Telecaster with a factory fitted Bigsby tremolo, perhaps one of the more interesting ideas CBS was able to implement after its acquisition of Fender three years prior. Paul Bigsby had designed a version of his “True Vibrato” specifically for the Telecaster as early as 1953, but Fender did not adopt it at the time and it was not until 13 years later that CBS-Fender brought it up to date by offering the tailpiece installed directly at the factory, which is visible by the absence of holes to pass the strings through the back of the body, or as an additional option on standard Telecaster models. This setup proved quite popular at first – evidenced by its use by Beach Boy Carl Wilson live on Ed Sullivan’s show in 1968 – but with the advent of the 1970s and changing musical tastes , the Bigsby ended up making a discreet exit.

The instrument has a beautiful, almost translucent Blonde finish, equipped with its two original single coil pickups, a “maple board” neck, and its set of Kluson Deluxe tuners. Complete professional setup done in our workshop, in perfect playing condition. The guitar is sold in its original Fender hardshell case.

SOLD