- When you purchase an eligible 75th Anniversary Telecaster, Fender includes its official book celebrating 75 years of the Tele.
- Written by Dave Hunter, Fender Telecaster 75 Years traces the model's history since 1951, drawing on Fender archives, vintage ads, and live photos.
- The offer covers around a dozen guitars, from the Player II to the American Ultra II, including three baritone versions and two Cabronitas.
- Every model retains the Telecaster twang and takes it somewhere new: vintage cleans, baritone lows, Filter'Tron pickups, or a modern humbucker.
Telecasters come and go all year long, yet plugging in a new Tele for the first time always has its effect: that bridge-pickup snap is recognizable within two notes. For the model's 75th anniversary, Fender has released a full anniversary collection and launched an offer that speaks to guitarists and collectors alike.
When you purchase an eligible 75th Anniversary Telecaster, the official Fender Telecaster 75 Years book is included. Around a dozen Fender electric guitars are part of the offer, from Player II models to guitars made in the United States. Let's take a look at the book, then the guitars, family by family, to help you find the anniversary Tele that suits you.
The book included with your 75th Anniversary Telecaster
The Telecaster appeared in 1951, driven by Leo Fender, with the first instruments built in Fullerton, California. Recognizable silhouette, straightforward design, and a sound that works across styles: seventy-five years later, the formula still holds up.
Written by guitar historian Dave Hunter, Fender Telecaster 75 Years follows the evolution of the Tele version by version, placing each instrument in its aesthetic and musical context.
This is an official Fender book, richly illustrated with archival documents, period advertisements, and studio and live shots. It features Muddy Waters, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, and Joe Strummer—so many ways to make the same guitar sound.
Country, blues, rock, punk, pop: the book shows how such a stripped-down instrument could serve so many genres without losing its identity. It naturally belongs alongside other books about music, somewhere between guitar history and a collector's item.
The book is included with the purchase of one of the 75th Anniversary Telecasters featured in this article. It is also sold separately for anyone who already owns a Tele and wants to know its history.
Player II: the everyday 75th Anniversary Telecaster
The Player II series is the entry point to the anniversary collection. Alder body, Modern C-profile maple neck, 22 medium jumbo frets, 648 mm scale length: the foundation is shared, while the finish and fingerboard make the difference.
The Seafoam Green version pairs its maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Its two Player Series Alnico 5 single-coils deliver bridge-position twang and a rounder color at the neck.
The string-through-body bridge and its 6 steel block saddles take care of intonation and sustain. ClassicGear tuners keep it in tune, whether in rehearsal or onstage.
In Candy Apple Red, the Player II gets a maple fingerboard. You get Master Volume, Master Tone, and a 3-position blade switch: enough to go from a cutting bridge sound to a velvety neck tone without leaving the song.
The satin-finished neck invites long sessions, while the medium jumbo frets make clean bends and fast licks easier.
The Aztec Gold finish gives a workhorse guitar the look of an anniversary piece. Same recipe as the red version: alder, maple fingerboard, two Alnico 5 pickups, and a 3-ply parchment pickguard.
Clean, it remains very articulate. With crunch, it keeps excellent string-to-string definition, ideal for riffs, double-stops, and open chords.
The Diamond Dust Sparkle also stands out through its pickups: a Thunderbolt Single-Coil Tele set, with precise bridge twang and articulate warmth at the neck. Its rosewood fingerboard softens the extreme highs.
Made in Mexico, it comes in a Deluxe gig bag, with a 4-ply Aged White Pearl pickguard that catches the stage lights.
Three baritone Teles for lower registers
A baritone guitar sits somewhere between a guitar and a bass. On these anniversary Teles, the scale length increases to 27" (686 mm), and the strings go up to a .013-.062 gauge. More length means more tension: the lows stay tight and the intonation holds, tuned from B to B.
The 3-Color Sunburst has the trio's most classic look, with its 4-ply tortoiseshell pickguard and rosewood fingerboard. Two Player Series Alnico 5 pickups, one volume, one tone, and a 3-position switch: the electronics remain pure Tele.
It shines on heavy riffs, bass-unison lines, and post-rock atmospheres. In the studio, doubling a guitar part with it adds weight to the entire mix.
The Black version goes understated: 3-ply black pickguard, rosewood fingerboard, chrome hardware. The bridge pickup retains Tele bite, while the neck pickup opens up rich, singing low-register themes.
Its string-through-body bridge and 6 steel saddles precisely set the intonation of each string, a key point with gauges this heavy.
The Lake Placid Blue is the trio's only baritone with a maple fingerboard. It retains high-end sparkle and a clear low-end outline, for articulate chords even in a low register.
Modern rock, indie, ambient, film music, dark country: it fits anywhere an articulate low end is needed.
When it is time to change the strings on a baritone Tele, stick with electric guitar strings in .013-.062 gauge: that is the factory setup, and it preserves the original feel and setup.
Custom, Ultra II, and Cabronita: American-made anniversary Teles
On the American side, the collection takes three directions: the double-bound Custom look, a modern Tele equipped with a humbucker, and two Cabronitas with Filter'Tron-style pickups.
The Telecaster Custom American Professional II reprises the double binding of historic models, with a flamed maple top on an alder body, gold hardware, and a 3-ply mint green pickguard.
Its 75th Anniversary V-Mod II single-coils retain the twang for rhythm playing. A push/push tone control puts the pickups in series for a thicker crunch or lead sound, while the treble-bleed circuit preserves brightness when you roll down the volume.
The 3 compensated brass-saddle bridge can be set up top-load or string-through-body. It comes with a Deluxe molded hardshell case.
The American Ultra II in Liquid Gold is the collection's most modern model. HS configuration: a Fastlane humbucker at the bridge and a 75th Anniversary Ultra Noiseless single-coil at the neck for hum-free cleans.
The two S-1 switches expand the palette: on the volume control, they split the humbucker; on the tone control, they put the pickups in series in any position. Ebony fingerboard, Modern D profile, rolled edges, and locking tuners complete the picture.
The Cabronita is a stripped-down Tele fitted with two TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Tron-style pickups. One volume control, a 3-position switch, and highly defined string-to-string chime.
In Candy Apple Red, it excels at rockabilly, country, indie, and blues. The vintage 3 steel-saddle bridge and string-through-body construction support attack and sustain.
The Ice Blue Metallic version shares the same construction: alder body, maple neck and fingerboard, black dot inlays, and a 1-ply parchment pickguard.
Bridge position for attack, middle position for fullness, neck position for a round, woody sound. Like its red twin, it comes with a Deluxe Gig Bag.
Vintera II Road Worn 1951: back to the first Telecaster
To finish, the most vintage model in the bunch. It takes the cues of the very first 1951 Tele, with the reliability of modern manufacturing.
Ash body, aged Road Worn nitrocellulose finish, 1-ply black pickguard, Butterscotch Blonde color: this is the original silhouette.
Two Pure Vintage '51 single-coils deliver crystalline neck chime and steel-edged bridge twang. The 7.25" radius and 21 Vintage Tall frets recall the feel of the first Teles. Made in Mexico, it comes with a tweed case.
This is the model that connects most directly with the included book: its opening chapters tell the story of the era of the guitar it recreates.
Looking for a Tele that can do it all? The Player II remains the collection's most versatile foundation. Want to expand your range? A baritone changes the way you arrange. And if the early days of the Telecaster are what move you, the Vintera II Road Worn 1951 checks every box.
FAQ - 75th Anniversary Telecaster and included book
Which guitars qualify for the included book?
The 75th Anniversary Telecasters featured in this article: Player II, Player II Baritone, Custom American Professional II, American Ultra II, Cabronita American Professional Classic, and Vintera II Road Worn 1951.
Who wrote the Fender Telecaster 75 Years book?
Guitar historian Dave Hunter. It is an official Fender book illustrated with archival material, vintage advertisements, and studio and live photos.
What is the difference between a baritone Telecaster and a standard Telecaster?
The scale length increases from 648 to 686 mm and the strings go up to a .013-.062 gauge. The guitar is tuned lower, from B to B, with tight, articulate lows.
Which anniversary Telecaster should you choose to get started?
The Player II is the collection's most accessible model: simple electronics, a comfortable Modern C neck, and Alnico 5 pickups. It supports a serious beginner and remains a genuine stage guitar.
What pickups are fitted to the Cabronitas?
Two Filter'Tron-style TV Jones TV Classics, controlled by a single volume knob and a 3-position switch.
A Tele, a Book, and Seventy-Five Years of History
Since 1951, the Telecaster has never stopped changing hands: country, punk, indie, studio work, major stages. This anniversary collection offers an interpretation for every guitarist, and the complimentary book tells its story. All that’s left is to choose yours, then write the next chapter.
