1968 Fender Telecaster
The late 1960s Telecaster — CBS era but still a great guitar. Keith Richards, Roy Buchanan, and others were defining the Telecaster's voice in rock. The Thinline variant offered a lighter, more resonant option.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Specifications
| Body Wood | Alder |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood (Indian) |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | SS |
| Bridge | Stamped steel bridge |
| Tuners | F-stamped tuners |
| Finish Options | Blonde, Sunburst, Custom colors |
| Est. Production | 9,000 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two single-coil pickups. CBS-era pickups. Thinline Tele also introduced (semi-hollow F-hole body).
What Changed in 1968
The Telecaster Thinline introduced in 1968 — a semi-hollow variant with f-holes. Keith Richards was making the Telecaster a rock icon. CBS-era construction but still fundamentally excellent guitars.
Notable Examples
Keith Richards played a late 1960s Telecaster on 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' and throughout the Stones' peak years.
Collector's Notes
Thinline Teles from 1968-1969 (with F-holes and single coil pickups) are increasingly collected. Standard 1968 Teles are excellent players at reasonable prices. Indian vs Brazilian rosewood — significant value difference.
How to Authenticate a 1968 Fender Telecaster
The 1968 Telecaster is a CBS-era model. The Telecaster changed less under CBS than the Stratocaster — no headstock size change. The F-stamped standard tuners. The rosewood fingerboard is transitioning from Brazilian to Indian rosewood during this period. Serial numbers on the neck plate with F prefix (six digits). For 1968, numbers should match documented CBS-era ranges. Neck date stamps (now often ink-stamped rather than penciled) on the heel remain important. Potentiometer date codes (typically CTS or Stackpole pots with EIA source codes and date stamps like '304-6' + last two digits of year + week number) help verify the production date. F-stamped tuners (or Kluson on early 1965). Pot codes should show dates corresponding to 1968. Serial number on neck plate with F prefix. Three-saddle bridge. Check rosewood type — Brazilian rosewood was used through approximately 1966-1967, then Indian rosewood became standard. Neck date stamp for verification. The bridge plate and pickup configuration remain largely unchanged from pre-CBS. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer, though the transition to polyester was beginning at Fender. Nitro finishes check and wear naturally. Look for consistent aging — the finish should show wear at natural contact points (back of body, forearm area, behind the neck). Under UV/blacklight, original nitro fluoresces differently than poly finishes. Refinishes are detected by examining under the pickguard and in pickup cavities for color consistency. CBS-era Teles are generally less faked than pre-CBS models, but parts mixing is common. Verify that the neck, body, and electronics date codes are consistent. Watch for replaced bridges (often upgraded to compensated three-saddle or six-saddle). The original three-saddle bridge is an important originality point. Replaced pickups are very common on player-grade Telecasters. CBS-era Telecasters (1968) share similar specifications. The Tele design was more resistant to CBS-era changes than the Strat. The main transitions are: tuners (Kluson to F-stamped around 1965-1966), rosewood (Brazilian to Indian around 1966-1969), and finish (nitro to poly in the late 1960s).