1968 Fender Telecaster – Blonde – Vintage USA – Early CBS Era

For sale: a truly vibey and authentic 1968 Fender Telecaster in Blonde finish, looking for a new home.

This is an early 1968 example from the CBS era, featuring all the classic mid-to-late ‘60s Telecaster characteristics—great feel, strong resonance, and that unmistakable vintage tone.

Specs & Identification:

• Neck stamp: 3FEB68B
• Neck plate: 249798
• Maple fretboard

Condition & Playability:
The guitar is in good overall condition for its age. It plays and sounds fantastic, with a comfortable neck profile typical of late ‘60s Telecasters. The frets still have plenty of life left. Acoustically, it’s very resonant and lively, and plugged in it delivers a rich, balanced, and harmonically complex tone.

Cosmetically, it shows natural wear from a long life—dings, marks, and general aging consistent with a well-loved vintage instrument. There’s undeniable vintage mojo here.

Original Parts:

• Body & neck – original
• Finish – original
• Tuners – original
• Bridge & saddles – original
• Neck pickup – original
• Pickguard – original
• Control plate & knobs – original

Non-Original / Modifications:

• The body has been routed under the pickguard for a humbucker at some point in its life (not visible when assembled).
• Cavities have been painted—possibly for shielding, though exact reason is unknown.
• Pots have been replaced: one dates to 1979, the other to 2009.
• Bridge pickup has been replaced with a 1976 Seymour Duncan Model 1R—an interesting early piece from the year the company was founded.

While it would of course be ideal to have the original 1968 bridge pickup, the current Seymour Duncan sounds excellent—balanced, dynamic, and a great match with the original neck pickup. Together they deliver a full, classic vintage Tele tone.

Additional Notes:

• The finish appears to have been worn or possibly sanded along the edges—exact history unknown.
• Includes a non-original case (not the one shown in photos).

Summary:
A great player-grade vintage Telecaster with tons of character, strong original core components, and a unique pickup story. Perfect for someone who values tone, feel, and authenticity over collector-grade originality.