Fender American II 1951 Telecaster, Butterscotch Blonde, B16 Bigsby, Light Weight!

2025 Fender American II 1951 Telecaster made in the USA with added B16 Bigsby unit.   The guitar is in great shape. It has been played some so it’s not a brand-new untouched guitar.  This model has a solid ash body with a very thin real nitrocellulose lacquer butterscotch blonde finish verses the cheap polyurethane finish on most other guitars.  This guitar will age and wear like a vintage guitar should because of the real nitrocellulose lacquer.  Since this guitar is used, it does have some signs of play wear.  I have highlighted the notable wear on the guitar in the photos (look for red circles in the 3 photos). 

The guitar comes with all the original paperwork including the certificate of authenticity, hang tags, Fender sticker, etc. as well as the vintage style ashtray bridge cover and the original serial numbered bridge plate with 3 brass saddles.  The tweed case is in MINT condition and shows no wear.

What really makes this guitar special is the overall weight.  The weight of this guitar with the added Bigsby is only 7 pounds 4 ounces!   Before the Bigsby was added the guitar only weighed 6 pounds 10 ounces so this is a very light weight guitar.  Most of these reissue Telecasters weigh 8+ pounds without a Bigsby so this is a very light Telecaster!

The guitar plays great and the original pickups sound like a vintage telecaster.  The pickups are Fender Pure Vintage '51 Telecaster model pickups.  These are made with Alnico III magnets for vintage tone.  It has the standard 3-way switch with master volume and master tone controls.  This model also has the new vintage fender wax/paper tone capacitor.  The maple neck is a fat chunky “U” shape with vintage tall size frets and the neck thickness is .915” at 1st fret and .998” at the 12th fret and a nut width of 1.650”.  The fret board has a 7 1/4” radius.    There are no playability issues with the guitar.  The truss rod functions as it should.  It has low buzz free action and stays in tune with the Bigsby.  I have sold and shipped a lot of guitars over the years so this instrument will be packed professionally and insured. Will ship in the original Fender box.  Feel free to ask any questions and I’ll do my best to answer.

Below is some additional info from Fender:

A Spot-on Re-creation of a First-gen Tele
The Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster is a spot-on re-creation of the '51 Tele, which was the first electric guitar to roll off Fender's assembly line bearing the "Telecaster" name. Built from a slab of solid ash, this axe delivers a bright, sustaining acoustic tone, which is complemented by a set of year-specific Pure Vintage '51 Telecaster single-coil pickups. You'll be blown away by the substantial playability of the '51 Telecaster's "U"-shaped hard-rock maple neck, while its vintage-radius fingerboard ensures inspiring, comfortable fretting. The American Vintage II 1951 Tele is chock-full of period-correct appointments, including knurled dome knobs, a 3-barrel bridge, vintage-style tuning machines, and an eye-grabbing nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the body and neck. The American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster represents an important piece of Fender history — it's a must-have for every Tele connoisseur.

Loads of period-accurate appointments
The American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster is a spot-on re-creation of a Fender classic. This electric guitar features a solid ash body. This resonant wood offers a bright acoustic tone with excellent sustain and loads of midrange "pop," plus it boasts a gorgeous gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish. The 1951 Tele's nickel/chrome hardware includes a 3-barrel bridge with brass saddles, vintage-style tuning machines, and knurled dome knobs. Year-specific '51 Pure Vintage pickups, a period-correct neck shape, and vintage-radius fingerboard round out the American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster's classic appointments.

Year-specific Pure Vintage pickups
When you plug the Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster into your favorite amplifier, you'll be transported straight back to '51. This solidbody electric guitar's Pure Vintage '51 Telecaster single-coil pickups churn out the tight lows and balanced mids you'd expect from an old-school Tele. And its bridge pickup twangs like it's nobody's business. The American Vintage II 1951 Tele comes complete with master volume and tone knobs, plus a 3-way pickup selector switch.

Substantially playable neck
When we first picked up the American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster here at Sweetwater, we were blown away by its epically substantial playability. The '51 Tele's 1-piece, "U"-shaped, hard-rock maple neck offers baseball-bat-like dimensions — thick, beefy, and resonant — for a hand-filling playing experience. You also get a maple fingerboard with a vintage 7.25-inch radius and 21 vintage-tall frets. The neck features a vintage tint, and it's finished with eye-catching gloss nitrocellulose lacquer.

Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster Electric Guitar Features:

A spot-on re-creation of a 1951 Telecaster
Solid ash body offers a bright acoustic tone with excellent sustain and loads of midrange "pop"
Pure Vintage '51 Telecaster single-coil pickups provide jangly, smooth, sparkling tones with a distinct twangy bite
Knurled dome master volume and tone knobs; 3-way pickup selector switch1-piece, "U"-shaped hard-rock maple neck offers a hand-filling playing experience
Maple fingerboard with a vintage, 7.25-inch radius and 21 vintage-tall frets3-barrel bridge with brass saddles; vintage-style tuning machines
Eye-catching nitrocellulose lacquer finish on the body and neck