1954 Fender Telecaster

In the pantheon of all-time classic guitar models, it doesn’t get much more iconic than a Blackguard Tele from the 1950s. Comprising early Telecasters, highly coveted pre-Tele Broadcasters and ‘Nocasters’ made during the first four years of production, Fender’s ‘Blackguard’ label serves as shorthand for the absolute top shelf of the vintage Telecaster library. It was in mid-1954 that Fender switched from a black to a white pickguard on this and other models, making today’s featured guitar one of the last specimens from the original Blackguard era.

This particular example, which is currently listed on Reverb by No.Tom Guitars of London’s Denmark Street, has experienced some modifications in its lifetime that take it out of that top-shelf pristine category of collector fare. As No.Tom describes in the listing, “the ash body has been refinished... [and] the neck has also been refinished and refretted.” There’s also a small repaired crack in the headstock and a few small part replacements, all of which help determine its ultimate collectability and price.

That said, this guitar remains an icon of the highest grade. It’s an instrument that’s been well loved and played, but judging from the pictures it’s one that still has a lot of playing ahead of it.

To find the full listing, head to: https://bit.ly/Reverb54Tele

Dan Orkin is director of content and international marketing at Reverb, a leading website and app for buying and selling new, used and vintage music gear and go-to resource for gear history, sales trends and pricing data. Dan edits the Reverb Price Guide and leads the Reverb team that produces daily videos and articles