DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

To mark the company's diamond anniversary, Fender has released a slew of celebratory models. Here's a brace of polar opposite but equally alluring Telecasters

- Words Neville Marten

Fender 75th Anniversary Vintera Road Worn 1951 Telecaster & American Professional Classic Cabronita Telecaster £1,599 & £1,799 Contact Fender Musical Instruments EMEA Phone [phone] Web www.fender.​com

It seems almost inconceivable that a guitar we still view as cutting edge and modern first saw the light of day as far back as early 1951.

To put that in historical context, six years ago in early 2020 Covid-19 was preparing to ravage the planet, whereas that selfsame period prior to 1951 we had not yet emerged from World War II. That reveals just how advanced Leo Fender's thinking was, especially given that the guitars he saw around him were mostly large, old-fashioned, hollowbody jazz-style boxes.

In its seven and a half decades, the original Tele has proved a brilliant workhorse that's found a home in virtually every musical genre. Yet it's also shown itself to be a superb platform on which to introduce special releases. Think of the Thinline Tele, Pink Paisley and Blue Flower models, as well as all-rosewood, humbucking, bound-bodied and so many equally enticing variations. Several of these have either remained in circulation, or seen limited-edition reissue success.