1956 Fender Telecaster

The 1956 Telecaster is a pre-CBS model with one-piece maple neck, ash body, and blonde finish. The single-ply black bakelite pickguard is correct for pre-1959 Telecasters — this is one of the easiest authentication points. The headstock has the spaghetti Fender logo with 'Telecaster' in script. Serial numbers on the neck plate (four or five digits, no letter prefix). For 1956, numbers should fall within documented Fender serial ranges. However, neck plates were not assigned sequentially to bodies, so neck date stamps (pencil or ink on the neck heel) and body cavity dates are more reliable. Look for a hand-written date on the butt end of the neck heel and in the neck pocket or under the pickguard on the body. Serial number on the bridge plate. Pot codes should correspond to 1956 or the year prior from Stackpole (304) or CTS (140). The bridge plate should be stamped steel with three brass barrel saddles. The neck pickup should have the flat metal cover (often removed by players — presence indicates higher originality). Black bakelite pickguard (single-ply) is correct through 1959. Kluson Deluxe single-line tuners with oval housings. Cloth push-back wiring throughout. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer. Nitro finishes check (develop fine cracks) and wear naturally over decades, showing wood underneath at contact points. The aging pattern should be consistent — even checking across the body, not localized. Refinished guitars often have a 'too perfect' look or inconsistent wear. Under UV/blacklight, original nitro fluoresces differently than modern polyester or polyurethane. Original custom color finishes are verified by examining the color in the pickup cavities and under the pickguard where it has been protected from light. The black bakelite pickguard is frequently replaced with white plastic guards from later eras — check for correct screw holes matching the bakelite guard pattern. The neck pickup metal cover is often removed — verify the mounting screw holes are present even if the cover is gone. Refinished bodies are common — the blonde finish should show consistent age darkening and wear, not bright fresh nitro. Check the neck pocket for date stamps and consistent routing. Pre-CBS Telecasters from 1952-1958 share most specifications. Year-to-year differences are subtle: production volume increased gradually, minor construction refinements occurred, but the fundamental design was stable. The 1959 introduction of rosewood fingerboard and sunburst finish options mark the next significant change. Black bakelite guard is the key identifier for pre-1959.