1952 Fender Telecaster Blonde

This all original 1952 Fender Telecaster comes to us from the family of the original owner who bought this guitar brand new from Ray Mullin Music in Pawtucket Rhode Island in early 1953. The original owner played the guitar for a few years in the 50’s before joining the military, and then the guitar was properly stored away until it came to us. The Telecaster is uncirculated, and have spent most of their life tucked away in a closet. This guitar is a once in a lifetime find and there is nothing like this duo on the market.

Body: 3 piece “Swamp” Ash body with all original Blonde finish.

Neck: One piece Maple neck, 7.25” radius, 25.5” scale length, 1.67” nut width, 21 frets, Black dot inlays. Neck Depth: .86" (22mm) at the 1st fret, .98" (25mm) at the12th fret. Neck Width: 1.673" (42.5mm) at the 1st fret, 1.988" (50.5mm) at the 12th fret.

Pickups/Hardware: Original pickups with correct unmodified factory wiring, original tuning keys, brass saddle bridge (including the original bridge cover), knurled volume and tone knobs, original nut. This guitar features a mix of flat head screws and phillips head screws which was standard for 1952. Neck Pickup: 5.1k Bridge Pickup: 6k (est. because of the way the tone control is wired)

Cosmetics: This guitar is in exceptional condition. The guitar maintains all of its original finish with no overspray or repairs anywhere. The original bakelite pick guard still has its original lacquer coating which is almost always worn off. The only cosmetic issue with the guard is at one time the guitar had some type of letters (possibly mailbox letters) stuck on top of the guard but they have been removed and there is a bit of residue from the glue on the stickers. The neck is in remarkable condition, with nearly all of the original finish intact on the neck with some light fingerboard wear on the 8th fret. It has light surface scratches on the top and back of the body. The back of the neck is clean, and the original frets show light wear and are still tall with no need of a re-fret. Overall, this guitar plays very well and sounds fantastic.

Playability: Our in-house guitar tech has inspected, setup, and restrung this instrument with a new set of strings. The neck is straight, the truss rod is fully functional, and the action has been set-up low and comfortable.

Weight: 6 lbs. 14 oz.

Case: This guitar ships with the original hardshell Bulwin “thermometer” case, professionally packaged, and fully insured. The case is also in excellent condition with only a few lifted spots on the edges. The latches all work but the middle one has lost its spring to it but still closes properly.

Empire Guitars is a brick and mortar music shop located in Providence, Rhode Island. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.