The story of these is well known but a quick recap for completeness. The earliest Telecaster Style Guitars were released under the
name Broadcaster and around 250 guitars were released with this name. Soon after its introduction, a telegram from Gretsch, owner of the
BroadKaster trademark, ended Fender's use of the name. For a short time, the word "Broadcaster" was simply clipped off the headstock decal,
and a guitar with this distinction became known as a "Nocaster." Nobody knows the numbers produced without the name but it was certainly
fewer than 500. How many still exist is anyone's guess.
Interestingly the Nocaster serial numbers did not just carry on from the Broadcaster but reset. So the highest Broadcaster serial number
I can find is 1946 with a neck date of February 1951 which is when they stopped.
The lowest Nocaster serial number I can find is 0026 the highest 2790, given that they were making some Esquires, which in 1951 where in the
0400 to 0600 serial number range why does the Nocaster have such a wide spread of serial numbers.
The original Nocasters therefore had the earliest electronics, which means the controls were a Master Volume and a pickup blender with
the three way switch
Fender always ready to cash in on their history have produced many Nocaster reissues over the years I will try to cover as many of these as I can.
Anyone know any I miss please let me know.
This model first appears in the Fall 1996 Frontline then seems to miss an edition or two and reappear in the 1997 and 1998
editions. During that period I can't find it in any price lists. It is replaced in 1999. It is a Custom Shop model so their will be variations
It is catalogued as Honey Blonde (505) only in 1996 plainly wrong 505 is White then Honey Blonde (867) I assume this is the same colour.
As it is Custom shop you may see other colours. The aging on these was done by Vince Cunetto. They feature the embossed custom shop mark
The neck is said to be a C to D profile One piece maple with vintage frets and a 9.5" radius
Serial Number on the Neckplate and/or Bridge
Headstock just says Fender see picture
Vintage Tuners
Body Ash aged
Aged Vintage Bridge and aged Nickel Hardware
Custom 50s pickups
Fender Tweed case included
I have not been able to find out about the wiring and control system. It is Master Volume Tone and 3 way but
I don't know if it is pre or post 1967 system
Launched in the December 1999 Frontline under the Custom Shop Time Machine section. This guitar was available in 3 finishes
described by Fender:
015-0102 NOS New Old Stock as if the guitar was bought new in its respective year and brought forward in time to the present day.
Available in Vintage Blonde
015-0202 Closet Classic As if the guitar was bought new in its respective year played perhaps a dozen times a year then
put carefully away. Has a few small dings lightly checked finish, oxidised hardware and aged plastic parts
Available in Honey Blonde
015-0302 Relic shows natural wear and tear of heavy use, nicks, scratches, worn finish, rusty hardware and aged plastic parts.
Available in Honey Blonde
These had the Custom Shop logo as a black stamp rather than impressed.
All have thick necks measuring around .990" at the first and 12th Fret
Full specs are given in the 2002 Frontline as
Body Premium Ash Nitrocellulose Finish
Neck Maple U shape Nitrocellulose Finish 21 Vintage frets 7.25" radius
Tuners Vintage
Single ply black 5 hole pickguard
Pickups 2 Custom 51 Nocaster Vintage Tele*
Controls 1 Volume 1 Pickup Blender 3 way switch
Bridge Vintage with 3 brass uncompensated saddles
Chrome Hardware
Case Black formfit with black Thermometer Case
* These are said to be original spec pickups which should mean something but doesn't because pickups were hand wound in 1951
and came up at all sorts of different readings. The ones on this reissue are said to be around 7.5k but some have reported almost 10k.
In 2007 Black was added as an optional colour in 2008 it is back to just the blondes.
I am missing some catalogues from this era but 2010 is the last mention of this model that I can find
The custom shop regularly makes various Nocasters some on an order basis and some as complete models some of these I list below
I will obtain as much as I can about each one. At some point they came up with Colour 899 Nocaster Blonde not much different to some other
blondes. The Custom shop has Nocaster for a base to build your own spec guitar so there could certainly be many one offs out there.
60th Anniversary Nocaster
Referred to in the Custom shop vaults but showing the wrong model number so don't know what the model number should be.
A limited run in 2010, the 60th Anniversary of the guitar.
Limited to 60 guitars
9.5" radius neck
6105 frets
twisted tele neck pickup, and a Nocaster bridge pickup
modern wiring
heavy relic
Black tolex case, large custom shop logo
limited edtion patch on the inside top.
