Fender American Telecaster

Originally designed by Leo Fender and Les Paul in 1950, the Fender Telecaster was the first solid body electric guitar ever made.  Originally released under the name "Broadcaster", the Telecaster guitar has seen numerous design variations over the past 50 years, although its general charm and appearance are still in tact.  It's simple and sleek design has been copied by hundreds, but it remains one of the most popular guitars of all time due to it's incredible versatility incredibly well built design.  The typical Telecaster features two single coil pickups, 3-way swith, volume and tone knobs and a fixed bridge making it one of the most simple guitars around, although a countless amount of variations have been released. It's simple design was initially intended to ease its mass production and simplify guitar repair, but has become an integral part of its charm.  The removable control plate allows its electronics to be fixed without removing the strings, which is a great advantage over typical design.  Classically, the neck of the Telecaster was made with a single piece of maple and bolted to the neck, although recent models often feature a rosewood or maple fingerboard.  Its solid body is typically made from alder or ash and is cheaply jigged from a flat piece of wood, with a flat top and bottom surface.  Often associated with country music, the Telecaster can be seen in equal proportions in punk, metal, blues and rock making it the McGuyver of electric guitars.  Even tho it is the oldest guitar around, it has stood the test of time remaining a king among giants in the electric guitar world.