Celebrating 60 Years

This is the Fender 60th Anniversary Tele. The Telecaster is not actually 60 years old, but the Fender name is. The Tele goes back to the early '50s. Guitar geeks already know this and don't need to read any Fender history, but I take some geeky pleasure in noting that the anniversary model they've chosen to feature is visually just like my '99 model, same finish, fingerboard etc. I remember standing in Guitar Center debating between it and some bright red plastic Parker. I almost didn't make the wise choice.

All sorts of attempts have been made by Fender to improve upon this, the first commercially successful solid body guitar over the years, but everybody comes back to the original. I even noted His Purple Highness on SNL last week playing a blond ash Tele!

If you're not a guitar geek, this all seems rather trivial, and of course it is.