1969 Fender Telecaster Vintage Guitar Olympic White Ash Body w/ Bigsby, Case

Up for sale, a 1969 Fender Telecaster in perfect working order, equipped with a Bigsby B5F vibrato and complete with the original hardshell case. An extremely soulful example sporting heavy natural playwear and zero artificial relic'ing, this ash-bodied Telecaster is lively and powerful sounding. Tonewoods comprise an ash body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard (somewhat less common than a maple fretboard in this model year), yielding a natural midrange complexity, richness, and defined note attack.The guitar has plenty of sustain and punch at 8lbs 14oz, loaded with the original single coil pickup pair. The staggered alnico pole pieces and brass baseplate on the bridge pickup ensure plenty of chewy twang and authoritative snap, while the neck pickup has a silky rhythmic cut and bell-like sparkle. This Telecaster benefits from a professional setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.The maple neck has a moderately chunky C-shaped profile carve with nicely rounded shoulders and lightly rolled fretboard edges, measuring .870" deep at the 1st fret and .940" at the 12th. The rosewood fretboard has rolled edges and a 7 1/4" radius, and the original frets have been leveled. Currently quite low yet infinitely playable in all registers, the frets show light uniform wear on the crowns of frets 1-7, with wear growing fainter and extending beneath the plain strings until fret 13. The neck is straight with a responsive, optimally adjusted truss rod. The nut has been upgraded to carved bone, measuring 1 5/8" in width. The headstock retains the original nitro lacquer gloss on the face with a block Telecaster logo and original Fender "F" tuning machines. The neck heel has a bold February, 1969 date stamp.All of the electronics function as intended, with the original pickup pair with cloth-covered leads wired to stock Stackpole pots that date to the 13th week of '66 and a three-way Switchcraft switch. This Tele, while originally designed to be strung through the body as evidenced by the string ferrules on the back, had also been fitted with a genuine vintage Fender Bigsby decades ago and has the tan lines to prove it on top. Additional original hardware includes the flat-topped knurled knobs, control plate, and four-bolt "F" plate. The original white three-ply pickguard is intact.The guitar features the original Olympic White nitro lacquer gloss finish which has deeply yellowed, with finish wear along the back body edge, and finish that has been worn to the bare ash where the forearm crosses the top (the finish loss is more deliberately removed than typical forearm wear). One large finish chip has been reglued along the back lower bout body edge, with a smaller chip at the High E string ferrule. There are various additional finish scuffs and minor marks consistent with use, and a few shallow marks in the gloss along the profile carve that aren’t distracting to the palm while fretting.The original black tolex hardshell case with plush interior is included. The case has black leather ends, functional latches and the stock handle. The plastic base of the original Fender logo on lid is also present.