FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1952

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THE TELECASTER On 20th February 1951 the distributers and marketing arm of Fender Electric Instruments received a telegram from The Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Company informing them of what they viewed as a serious trademark infringement by Fender. The new twin pickup Fender guitar being marketed by the model name Broadcaster was an infringement on two Gretsch products - a banjo and a drum set - both of which were sold under the trademarked name Broadkaster. General Manager Donald Randall wasted no time in notifying his sales force, as well as Leo Fender, that the model name must be dropped, and a new model name found. It would quickly be changed to Telecaster. A hugely practical man, Leo Fender could not suspend shipping orders that his cash strapped company needed to fill. Until new decals could be ordered, Fender had the Broadcaster text cut off from the existing stock and only Fender applied to the headstock. It would be at least a month before the Telecaster name would show up on a Fender headstock. The few guitars that bore no model name would be later called Nocasters within the collecting community.

FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1952

A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER

Details

FENDER ELECTRIC INSTRUMENT COMPANY, FULLERTON, 1952
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, TELECASTER
At the peghead with decal logo Fender TELECASTER, the bridge plate stamped FENDER PAT. PEND. / 2846, with later case inscribed FENDER TELECASTER #2846
Length of back 15 ¾ in. (40 cm.)

Literature

Bacon, T. and Day, P. The Ultimate Guitar Book, London, 1991, pp. 68-69.

Special Notice

Please note lots marked with a square will be moved to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn) on the last day of the sale. Lots are not available for collection at Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services until after the third business day following the sale. All lots will be stored free of charge for 30 days from the auction date at Christie’s Rockefeller Center or Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn). Operation hours for collection from either location are from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday-Friday. After 30 days from the auction date property may be moved at Christie’s discretion. Please contact Post-Sale Services to confirm the location of your property prior to collection. Lots may not be collected during the day of their move to Christie’s Fine Art Storage Services (CFASS in Red Hook, Brooklyn). Please consult the Lot Collection Notice for collection information.

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Lot Essay

Purchased in Spring 1977 by David Gilmour’s longtime guitar technician Phil Taylor from Frank Lucido’s California Guitar in Ventura, California, during the North American leg of Pink Floyd’s In The Flesh Tour, the guitar was subsequently sold to David Gilmour in 1983 and kept for studio use.

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