I’m offering a Fender MIJ TN-70 Telecaster Thinline Mahogany from 1986, a very early made in Japan Telecaster Reissue Thinline model featuring a super-light semi-hollow mahogany body (2.78kg total weight!), bolt-on maple neck with comfortable “C” neck profile and 42mm bone nut, classic maple fingerboard with black dot inlays and 7.25” radius, two versatile Fender Vintage Style singlecoil pickups, high-quality Gotoh chrome tuners as well as 3-piece vintage-style string-through-body Tele bridge in brilliant natural high-gloss finish with shiny chrome hardware and pearloid pickguard in very good original condition, including black vintage hardshell case and professional setup with 10-gauge Ernie Ball strings.

This very early Fender TN-70 Thinline Telecaster from 1986, manufactured in Japan for export, is a faithful reissue of the 1970s Fender Thinline Telecaster, with which Fender broke new ground in the '60s by introducing a semi-hollow mahogany body featuring an F-hole combined with two Fender Vintage Style singlecoil pickups. Among the period-accurate details are the oversized pearloid pickguard, chrome-plated knurled pot knobs, the vintage 7.25-inch fingerboard radius, and the three-piece hardtail vintage Tele bridge with barrel-style steel saddles.

Sonically, the two Fender Vintage-Style singlecoil pickups deliver exactly what the late ’60s Thinlines are famous for: wiry, open highs, crisp mids, and a woody, slightly hollow fundamental character with noticeable dynamics. When played clean, it produces a bell-like, airy Tele sound with added depth; when distorted, the guitar responds extremely sensitively to picking and the volume knob, covering everything from pearly crunch to biting, articulate lead tones. The classic 3-way switch with volume and tone controls keeps the design deliberately minimalist and sonically uncompromising.

A sound sample of the model can be found above at the end of the photo gallery.

In terms of playability, a slim “C” neck profile, combined with the low weight of just 2.78kg, ensures an extremely comfortable and manageable playing experience. The three-piece Tele bridge, in combination with the Gotoh chrome tuners, ensures clean intonation and reliable tuning stability.

Technical Specifications:

• Origin: FujiGen; Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
• Year of Manufacture: 1986
• Body: Mahogany, semi-hollow
• Neck: Maple, bolt-on
• Neck Profile: “C”
• Fingerboard: Maple with black dot inlays
• Fingerboard Radius: 7.25"
• Frets: 21
• Nut: 42mm, bone
• Pickups: 2x original Fender Vintage Style singlecoil pickups
• Electronics: 3-way switch, 1x volume and 1x tone control
• Tuners: Gotoh chrome tuners
• Bridge: 3-piece string-through-body vintage Tele bridge with barrel steel saddles
• Hardware: Chrome
• Pickguard: Pearloid, 2-ply
• Finish: Natural, high-gloss
• Scale length: 648mm
• Weight: 2.78kg
• Serial No.: A072693
• Includes black vintage hardshell case

These Japanese 1980s Fender TN-70 Thinline Telecasters are among the earliest reissue models and feature outstanding build quality—in fact, they are often reputed to be better than contemporary Fender guitars from the U.S.

This Tele is in very good original condition and technically flawless (see pictures). Visually, after four decades, there is some age-related wear that blends authentically into the instrument’s naturally aged vintage patina (see photos). The frets are in top condition.

The instrument has been professionally set up with 10-46 Ernie Ball strings, and I (a long-time guitar teacher) will ship it fully insured with DHL for €29.99 within Germany or €69.99 within the EU. Worldwide shipping is available—individual shipping costs upon request.

All photos shown are of the actual instrument for sale.