Gary’s Story
The Telecaster, along with the Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul and Gibson ES-335, sits at the heart of country, rock, pop, blues and jazz. It is one of the simplest electric guitars ever designed — and perhaps because it is so simple, a really great Telecaster is immediately recognizable.
This Todd Krause Masterbuilt ’59 has an ash body, a plain-grain maple neck and a dark Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, with a thin-nitro faded Ice Blue Metallic Relic finish. Two hand-wired Twisted Tele pickups provide the clarity and sparkle I want from a Tele.
Todd built it with ’51 Nocaster-style controls and wiring, including the early blend arrangement and dark-circuit capability. I later had a second wiring harness with conventional Telecaster wiring made so I could experiment without altering Todd’s original harness. I like them both.
The dark circuit can move the guitar toward a warm Ted Greene-type Telecaster voice, particularly with the right pedals. But when you want the classic sound, it has exactly what a great Tele should have: Tele sparkle.
The neck is a 1960-style oval C, with a 1.650-inch nut, 10-inch radius and 21 narrow-tall 6105 frets. I especially like that it has more substance than the ultra-narrow Tele necks from some later years.
Todd prepared the back of the neck like a genuinely well-worn old guitar, with the finish worn away through the playing area. That smooth, direct feel reminds me of the unfinished Brazilian rosewood neck guitars I love.
It has sweetness.**
A Tele can be bright and aggressive, but the really good ones have musicality underneath the attack. This guitar has it. Every important collection should have a great Telecaster. This is mine.
