My father in law has a 50 Broadcaster. His father originally bought it brand new, then when he became a teenager he handed it down to him, played it throughout his teens then pretty much put it in the case and has sat in the closet for countless years. It has a sound and feel that I cannot describe. It amazes me every time I get to pick it up and play it. We end up having to do tons of research to pinpoint the year. I told him it belongs in a museum somewhere.
Naw I agree trust me. Guitars were meant to be played not looked at but the vast majority of musicians will never get to see one in person let alone play it. I would not have. It’s genuinely a piece of history and should be admired by lots of people.
Haha yes! Old guy! :D Hello! I am a young guy! I'm 23. :)) Hope you're having a good time. It's been snowing here, but it keeps melting. @@longjonwhite
So true. There are plenty of old guitars out there these days and more become vintage every day, so in a way there are becoming fewer rare guitars every day. But old dogs like the ‘50 Broadcaster are like the rare men who have fought in both world wars.
@@TheBcoolGuy I'm doing fine thanks young 'un. I'd be doing a damn sight better if my old Dad had the foresight to buy me one of those new-fangled Fender Broadcasters as a Christening present in 1951. or even a Martin D28 woulda worked!
It always strikes me as amazing that Fender got it so right from the get go. The Precision bass went through some evelutionary changes but the Telecaster and Stratocaster are essentially the same today as those early Fifties models.
Big shout out to GuitarPoint for being relaxed about letting people actually play vintage instruments and not gatekeeping them. I visited last year and they were really welcoming and relaxed, which definitely isn’t easy when you’ve got bursts, blackguards etc. on display. Really great guys 👌🏼
Basically almost every shop for modern musical instruments in Germany is like that. As a german citizen I don't know why that is, but I really like it this way. Maybe because music culture is a kind of "counter culture" to the mainstream german temperament/mentality? Just an idea... :)
Love the 59 LP, that's how a road worn guitar looks, not like it's been dragged behind the tour bus the whole tour. A few dings, belt, and button, wear on the back, arm wear on the upper lower, a little wear around the edges. But that's it. For those who want to relic their guitar, have a good look at this one.
He did it for construction and price reason, so the neck and the wood work wouldn't have to be so precise and applied automation to the production line. Neckthrough construction is much more refined and obviously gives loads more sustain
@@flybynight1929as opposed to Gibson…… I have a ‘50’s Original Tele. A beautiful guitar & what I consider value for what you pay for without going down the custom shop rabbit hole
I recently got a chance to play a '51 Nocaster at a GREAT little guitar shop in the Seattle area. I knew they had it based on their online inventory and I wasn't even planning on playing it. It just wanted to see it in person. The guy was awesome, all I said was that I wanted to see it and he pulls it off the wall, hands it to me and says, "do you want to play it". I was blown away. I said, "You know I can't buy it right?" he says, "Well if people don't play them and enjoy them then they just hang on the wall and go out of tune". That was bucket list guitar for me. I'm not an amazing player by any stretch but it was so much fun and I had a massive smile on my face the whole. It was all original and so much fun. Amazing shop, really cool staff. What blew me away about playing it though was that it really didn't feel any different than my telecasters at home. People talk about the thick necks on the old Tele's and based on my experience, I don't understand where that comes from at all. It felt completely natural and seriously, it felt just like playing my guitars at home. I'll never forget that experience. So much fun.
Every electric guitar that's worth a damn was born of the Broadcaster. Leo worked out all the bugs that others had run into for 20 years. What was the answer? I'm not sure, but I pretty sure using two magnetic pick ups had something to do with it.
While you're an excellent player and educator with a charismatic personality, Paul; another key to your RUclips success is whoever is holding the camera and editing the footage. The cinematography and production of these videos truly are professional level quality.
My friend has 59 burst and i have an R9 with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard. I played them side by side and although the 59 had that little bit extra Paul was mentioning my R9 did play better in the hand. I have been fortunate in my life to have had my hands on about 30 bursts. They are truly something special.
as much as the wide sound is really nice, and as much as for a solo player that might be what you want, the narrow band of the newer models probably make mixing an actual song much easier as its not cutting into the bass or singer's frequencies as much. Its really interesting to hear how guitar development may have ergonomically stayed fairly consistent, but the electronics and the world of mixing these guitars probably has an equally as interesting story that I have not been able to find nearly as much information on, and is probably one of the more interesting aspects of music history IMO.
Some of the magic with those vintage guitars from the 50s is something that cannot be replicated. They're very random instruments. Handwound pickups with a lot of variance combined with 70 years of wood working, components drifting, magnets degrading. It all leads to a unique instrument. The history these instruments carry makes each of them one of a kind. That Broadcaster is amazing though. It's more than 70 years old, been through so many different players, yet it still looks and sounds amazing. It's obviously a guitar that has been played a bunch, but also one that was loved and taken good care of by its owners. You could hang it on the wall next to Fender's current options and it'll blend right in. Leo got it right on the first try.
When I purchased my first custom shop guitar, I knew it had to be something historically significant. I wound uo with the 70th Anniversary CS Broadcaster in a very tasteful Journeyman relic. I have probably played that guitar every day since it arrived and it is by far my favorite i ever have put my hands on. I can only dream of an original.
A good friend of mine is a luthier, and trained under his boss. His boss has a '52 Telecaster bought new. It has seen some things, and has been played all over the Pacific Northwest. It's an amazing instrument, and being able to hold and play a piece of history was an honor. Thank you for sharing your adventures, Paul. Both the Tele and the Les Paul sounded great under your hands. As always, great video production. 🙏🏻🤍
Had the honour to play an original Broadcaster last year at a local vintage guitar shop. There is just something to the feel, that will stick in your head for weeks. It was nice having a peace of popculture history in your hand, that was made before pop music was even invented!
The vintage guitars pickups magnets slightly lose power over the years changing their tone and output. If you replicated one exactly today with freshly charget magnets, it would sound a little different.
I recall having read somewhere that those first broadcasters were made with soft(er) wood i.e. pine wood, and only a few years later Fender started using hard wood because too many of them were returned with dents or they were breaking. You mentioned how lightweight it was... maybe that's the reason? I also think the soft wood gave them a different/warmer tone... Is it possible? Of course it's electric so the pickups and strings (and pots and amplifier... everything in the chain...) also contribute a lot to the overall sound.. A few years ago I have even built a tele replica with a pine wood body (with Fender pickups and mechanics) and even if I am not able to really hear nor tell what the subtle differences are - also because I have never played the originals! - it does sound great and I am very happy with it.
I love the fact that not much has changed in 70 years on the “Tele/Broadie”. I have an American Standard Tele, a Les Paul Classic, and a Les Paul Custom. Aside from a few cosmetic differences, they are very much as they were from the early days. Thank you for your videos!
So! You played a guitar as old as me. I started with my birthday Uke at age 4. I'm not alone in a unique love of this episode. First it's your production, never last than the artistically curated content. But more Paul, I do not have to play well, like your skill. At night or in early day before work my moments with the guitar are open, willing, begging passion and then I can sleep or work. And there is one Gibson, built 60 years ago, gifted to me new my 9th birthday. I reserve it for emotions past those others may see. It knows me and plays easier and better, resonant, pliant in my old hands much better than new. I felt every note you played on each guitar. Thanks!
I have a 1967 Fender Telecaster original everything except for the 3 brass saddles and bridge. Everything else is there even the wiring is original. It’s by far the best sounding guitar I own, and I also have a ‘67 Gibson ES 330TDC and a 1957 Gibson J50, both in beautiful playing condition. I love them both but nothing feels and sounds and plays better than my ‘67 Telecaster. A perfect work of art!
@@foljs5858 of course, there's no hard set rules and there was a huge variance in pickup output back then. Nobody was counting winds, and occasionally a guy/gal was anxious to get out to their smoke break or something.
A small batch of Broadcasters without truss rods was released in November 1949 and then recalled in January 1950 and had truss rods retro fitted, the earliest truss rod models have maple skunk stripe and not walnut
sooooooooo loving this video. The tele, you just have to pay homage to "got it right first time design" that's so rare these days. The early Les Paul wow I would really like to hear that through a cranked amp. The difference to the new / expensive Les Paul was really surprising. I've been lucky to play a few old vintage/expensive guitars and felt they were difficult to play and not really inspiring. BUT... one 60's Strat I played which had one owner from new and has been played regularly, was easily the best sounding and (to me more importantly) felt like a dream to play. I feel so lucky that I still feel passionate about electric guitars after 50 years of playing. Thanks for posting this video Paul :0)
I like to believe that the secret to a vintage guitars tone is the whole assembly has been subject to decades of the same harmonic resonance; everything has evolved in harmony and resonates with it's muscle memory.
As many have pointed out, there were many electric guitars before the Broadcaster, but most were hollow or semi-hollow and expensive. Gibson and Gretsch and Epiphone all had electric guitars that pre-date the Broadcaster, but they were not really rock guitars and were expensive. The Broadcaster was the first main stream solid body electric guitar, that was cost effective for it to be the first one to become mainstream. And it was there when rock took off in the early 50’s.
There is nothing more satisfying than trying out and playing awesome guitars. That '59 Les Paul sounded so good, I could melt on the very first chord. And the Broadcaster was as good a guitar now like it is timeless. And the new Gibson. Fantastic. I am so glad for the guitars on my tool chest. Les Paul Superme, '61 SG re-issue, a splash of Gretsch solid, and hollow body guitars as well as acoustics. I don't have a genuine Strat, but I do have a great telecaster I love very much. I feel privilaged with what I have, including my fender acoustic, Maton EBG808 and Gretsch resonator. I also hace a Gretsch Dixi Six Guitjo thing. It is a bit dissapointing, though I did slot some rubber gromets between the strings from the tail piece to the bridge which did help, even so, it is a lot of fun regardless as one can poke fun at popular songs and turn any song folk or hill billy at a gathering. Having a collection of many guitar types is essential for one to have as limitless sonic opportunities as one can in their musical pursuits. Thank you for this video. It only cements the fact that my collection of instruments has almost reached its pinnacle. Jusy need a Djano Reinhardt Selmer, a Greg Smallman and Sons classical, and a Gibson SG Special with wrap around bridge and two P90s to complete my ultimate hoard of got to instruments.
Love the Tele's appearance. Indeed, the scratches and worn out look give it an honest and genuine sense of authenticity. Definitely plays in such a classic 50s tone too. Vintage guitars must be preserved so much!
The first solid body mass produced electric guitar was Fender Esqiure. It had a different head stock, one pickup and no truss road. It was quickly upgraded to the Broadcaster. The first solid body electric guitar was made by Paul Bigsby. It was hand made and he only made a couple of guitars.
Still can't believe with all that the evolution of the Gibson les paul standard has if anything gone backwards. I heard that magical almost tele twang on the bridge pickup on the original 59. And that neck pickup, just pure magic. Great video.
Hoi Paul, this is as close as finding a real timemachine… to feel and go back in time to what music really was al about. Guitars are here to be played and inspire those who plays them. Groetjes Brian Keep doing what you do!
Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have one. Fender even made a custom shop limited edition based on his original Broadcaster called "CS Heartbreaker" which is the cheapest way to have this model today.
It would be really interesting to hear one of these 50s guitars played through a 50s amp. In my opinion it will give an even better idea of the sound that Leo Fender had in his mind when designing this.
That is like time travel......the sounds coming out of that Tele are the same as for the player who first assembled it 53 years ago (Leo or one of his team) and went..."hey, listen to what this thing I built can do". Gave me goosebumps.
Good morning from America Paul Today our country celebrates Thanksgiving And this is the first video that pops up on my feed Such a gift By the way my friend's son goes to college and studies social and cultural Anthropology, primarily using music art and media as source materials He's a white kid and a huge hip hop fan However he likes all kinds of music and he's been recently fascinated with old fifties American made electric guitars for some reason I just sent him the link to your video and he already watched it and his father told me he couldn't stop walking around and showing everybody saying, can you believe we made this? Can you believe we made something like this in our country back in the day? Thank you for inspiring us Americans to appreciate the good that we have accomplished in this country, because every day we are reminded of all the bad
Beautiful. I guess what has changed is not the instruments themselves (very much) but the amplifiers and ways to change the sound and the way musicians play them.
I played bass before I ever picked up a guitar, and when I got my first Telecaster I always said the barrel saddles reminded me of the way a bass is strung. Before this video I didn't realize the Broadcasters had a bass circuit, but I kind of love that as a feature. I wonder if that means you could put it into a bass amp and use it as a bass?
Great video, the production quality does justice to those great guitars. Paul's playing is haunting and ethereal, like the video and the guitars. A great tribute.
I have a couple of rules that I employ whenever I try out ANY guitar that isn’t mine: 1) I won’t use a pick unless it’s a used guitar; and 2) I will under no circumstances allow a belt buckle or any kind of metal buttons or snaps touch a guitar. (I don’t even like having vinyl or plastic snaps/buttons touch the guitar either.) Whenever I let people try my guitars, I require them to take off their jackets , or in the case of shirt buttons, I’ll probably let the vinyl/plastic ones go, but if metal, they have to put a piece of fabric between them and the guitar. I learned this the hard way from buying a very used Mosrite that clearly was from the late60s/1970s (part of the “big belt-buckle” era) - granted, I got the guitar cheaper, thanks to the damage that wore all the way through to the wood! And one time, my then-7-year-old son asked if he could “play” my Les Paul. I don’t own “investment” guitars, and I wanted to encourage him to play anyway, so I said that was fine. He kept the guitar flat on the table and dragged the pick across the strings - and the body - so in 20 seconds, he managed to scratch the heck out of the non-pickguard side of my 1990s LP! (Thankfully not a vintage year, anyway…) But in the end, I just have too much respect for other people’s axes to do something so stupid and easily avoidable as to put a nick or scratch into a beautiful instrument! I was so surprised to see the owner allow Paul to wear his jean jacket with the metal buttons!
I have always had strats. Then I decided I needed a tele just to have one. Found one at a good price and was instantly hooked. There is just something about the flat plank of wood with a giant neck bolted on that works. The neck pickup is sweet and smooth. Then the bridge is twangy clean and just overdriven perfection as you crank it up.
Mark Knopfler’s 120 guitar collection is getting auctioned at Christies in London on January 24th. Could you ask them really nicely if you might go and make a video about those?
I'm a Telecaster owner, and it was shocking how good that '59 LP sounds. Last time I went to a guitar shop to get a cheap Epiphone Les Paul I ended up getting a Telecaster Deluxe, and though I'm glad I got it I still need a LP. For playing metalcore the LP has the chug/thump you can't get from a bolt-on neck.
A very special and emotional moment for you Paul…thanks for sharing, glad you enjoyed being a little scared playing these special tools of music that allowed your talents to shine 👌
For me, this owervelming sound of that old gibson is the gold vintage sound. You know that wats in my mind when someone says wintage sound, and i absolutly love it.🤤 the sabe with the Brodcaster. But to be fair the modern one got real close.😳 (sorry for my english)
The Broadcaster. When I was sixteen. My uncle was called to an old lady neighborhood family friend. We went over and she gave him this paintbrushes black electric. We took it to the garage and got some fine sandpaper and sanded the headstock. And lo and behold Fender Broadcaster. The local music store offered him any guitar on the wall. And any half stack. And all the gear and equipment to get started. He declined the offer and still has it today. At sixteen I told him he was nuts. He was the smart one. I've played it many times and it's total classic. Now almost fifty . We still jam it. Amazing how things come to us . Thanks for this informative video. Oh ya the pick cover over the strings was removed as usual .
A neighbor had a '51 Nocaster (if I recall it was around serial number 1017). Sadly a past owner had it refinished in black (was originally blonde that could be seen in the neck joint when neck was removed) that utterly destroyed its collector value, but he enjoyed playing it up to his final days. I will never forget its twangy tone, or the looks on the guitar tech's faces when he took it to the local GC for appraisal.
The Telecaster (or Broadcaster) is still around 70 years later not because guitars haven't advanced in that time, but because guitarists don't want them to advance. It is very interesting that despite being very creative people generally, musical artists tend to be very conservative when it comes to their instruments. There are many changes that are objective advancements and upgrades that could be applied to these designs, auch as sculpted heel joints and more durable fret wire, but so many guitarists didn't want them - they want the "real thing"
A friend of 65 years (we started primary school together in 1960) has a 54 blonde Tele made the year he was born. He has a guitar shop in our home town.
Also, those old pickups in the 59 will always sound better than the new Burstbuckers and are wired 50s style. I believe Gibson CS models are still wired modern which causes the neck pickup to be darker. I removed my BBs and put a set of Tom Holmes which sound close IMHO to the originals and re-wired 50s style. It has a lot more clarity then when I got it stock.
The Broadcaster was an important milestone, but it would not have happened without the invention of the electromagnetic pickup by Rickenbacker Corp. in 1931.
I'm not an "old guitar mojo" kind of guy but, man, this is the guitar equivalent of the Marc Cohn lyric from Walking in Memphis, "Tell me are you a Christian child, and I said, 'Ma'am, I am tonight'."
How crazy is it that the 1950 Telecaster came out of Leo's head and was perfect, and it still remains perfect to this day, virtually unchanged. Talk about getting it right the first time. Leo was a genius and his goal of creating a work horse was perfection. There are better looking guitars with cool features and aesthetics but the Tele is all we have ever needed.
MANY of the earliest ones had weak wimpy neck pickups. I have a refin Nocaster and the neck pickup ain't nuthin' but MAN the bridge pickup reminds me of a great super hot P90 on the best Les Paul Junior. But you roll of the highs and it's a clean jazzer. I agree with the Esquire fans -- you only need the bridge pickup if you know what you are doing. Pople have told me to re wind the neck pickup hotter -- but I'm leaving it vintage original.
Never found a tele I liked. I know it’s a Broadcaster but same difference. I don’t know why, I’ve had lots and still have one. Can’t explain it. Really wish I did because I love the look. In 1979 I had a chance to get an early 50s tele for $1000 dollars cdn and turned it down for a new Strat. It was super light but too beat up in my books back then. It was one I actually liked playing. I still kick myself weekly over it. 😢Great vids as always Paul. But listen to the difference between the LP and the Broadcaster.
In 1948, the prototype of a thin solid-body electric; the first ONE-PICKUP model was released in 1950 as the Fender ESQUIRE, while a two-pickup version, initially called the Broadcaster but renamed the Telecaster after a trademark issue, was released the year after. So how many Broadcasters were actually produced before renaming? Also why are they saying it's the 1st Fender electric when the Esquire came out in 1950??
The old one just sounds like a record already !! It is fat but not muddy, has presence but is not harsh and clarity while having a warm character. I’m pretty sure you can achieve this tone with the new ones, but you’ll have to put work in it.. eq,compression etc. Nothing will ever justify to pay 350K for a guitar but god it really is the sound of heaven haha
In terms of innovation, as you mentioned, we're stuck at 1950... And they still sound astonishingy GREAT! Compared to a modern one, ...There's no comparison. They are different instruments.
I watch quite a few videos of guitar content. Every time one of yours comes up I think, well done. But I only see very few. I realized after this video to click the bell reminder. You make really good videos. Sorry it took so long to get with it. Reminded me to shake up my old man habits a bit.
Guitars are like dragons. If you don't play with them occasionally they fade away and die. When Paul picked up those guitars and caressed them he gave them a breath of life once more.
My father in law has a 50 Broadcaster. His father originally bought it brand new, then when he became a teenager he handed it down to him, played it throughout his teens then pretty much put it in the case and has sat in the closet for countless years. It has a sound and feel that I cannot describe. It amazes me every time I get to pick it up and play it. We end up having to do tons of research to pinpoint the year. I told him it belongs in a museum somewhere.
Museum....... nah, it deserves to be played!
Yup, it deserves to be played.
Agreed, keep it in the family and make sure everyone knows how meaningful it is to be passed down through generations!
If you can afford, keep it in family, but 200k can create a lot of opportunity for younger generation.
Naw I agree trust me. Guitars were meant to be played not looked at but the vast majority of musicians will never get to see one in person let alone play it. I would not have. It’s genuinely a piece of history and should be admired by lots of people.
To me, they aren't vintage. They are survivors. Like old cars, motorcycles and people. To survive for so long, what a gift to us all.
You’re welcome…
Jon, 72
Haha yes! Old guy! :D Hello! I am a young guy! I'm 23. :)) Hope you're having a good time. It's been snowing here, but it keeps melting. @@longjonwhite
So true. There are plenty of old guitars out there these days and more become vintage every day, so in a way there are becoming fewer rare guitars every day. But old dogs like the ‘50 Broadcaster are like the rare men who have fought in both world wars.
@@TheBcoolGuy I'm doing fine thanks young 'un. I'd be doing a damn sight better if my old Dad had the foresight to buy me one of those new-fangled Fender Broadcasters as a Christening present in 1951. or even a Martin D28 woulda worked!
just like cars, old guitars are just a showpiece.. ngl the 59 les paul sounds heavenly but this can be achieved easily with any gear for way less..
It always strikes me as amazing that Fender got it so right from the get go. The Precision bass went through some evelutionary changes but the Telecaster and Stratocaster are essentially the same today as those early Fifties models.
Big shout out to GuitarPoint for being relaxed about letting people actually play vintage instruments and not gatekeeping them.
I visited last year and they were really welcoming and relaxed, which definitely isn’t easy when you’ve got bursts, blackguards etc. on display.
Really great guys 👌🏼
Guitarpoint together with Thomann?
Basically almost every shop for modern musical instruments in Germany is like that. As a german citizen I don't know why that is, but I really like it this way. Maybe because music culture is a kind of "counter culture" to the mainstream german temperament/mentality? Just an idea... :)
Love the 59 LP, that's how a road worn guitar looks, not like it's been dragged behind the tour bus the whole tour. A few dings, belt, and button, wear on the back, arm wear on the upper lower, a little wear around the edges. But that's it. For those who want to relic their guitar, have a good look at this one.
Fender proves time and time and time again how simplicity and minimalism are always the best design.
So just keep recreating them over and over, give them an 'artist model' or reissue name, and keep raising the prices for the same wood and wire.
He did it for construction and price reason, so the neck and the wood work wouldn't have to be so precise and applied automation to the production line.
Neckthrough construction is much more refined and obviously gives loads more sustain
@@flybynight1929as opposed to Gibson…… I have a ‘50’s Original Tele. A beautiful guitar & what I consider value for what you pay for without going down the custom shop rabbit hole
Well I wouldn't really call a Strat, Jazzmaster, or Jaguar, "minimalist" designs.
@@joeltunnahThe Strat came 4 years after the Tele. The Jazzmaster and Jaguar were even later, and were intended to be an upper-end model line.
I recently got a chance to play a '51 Nocaster at a GREAT little guitar shop in the Seattle area. I knew they had it based on their online inventory and I wasn't even planning on playing it. It just wanted to see it in person. The guy was awesome, all I said was that I wanted to see it and he pulls it off the wall, hands it to me and says, "do you want to play it". I was blown away. I said, "You know I can't buy it right?" he says, "Well if people don't play them and enjoy them then they just hang on the wall and go out of tune". That was bucket list guitar for me. I'm not an amazing player by any stretch but it was so much fun and I had a massive smile on my face the whole. It was all original and so much fun. Amazing shop, really cool staff.
What blew me away about playing it though was that it really didn't feel any different than my telecasters at home. People talk about the thick necks on the old Tele's and based on my experience, I don't understand where that comes from at all. It felt completely natural and seriously, it felt just like playing my guitars at home. I'll never forget that experience. So much fun.
Wow that guitar sounds so soulful...very acoustic side to it’s vibes! Lovely!
Without this guitar, we wouldn't have what we so take for granted today.
Every electric guitar that's worth a damn was born of the Broadcaster.
Leo worked out all the bugs that others had run into for 20 years.
What was the answer?
I'm not sure, but I pretty sure using two magnetic pick ups had something to do with it.
While you're an excellent player and educator with a charismatic personality, Paul; another key to your RUclips success is whoever is holding the camera and editing the footage. The cinematography and production of these videos truly are professional level quality.
@@Ghost1126 Envious much?
My friend has 59 burst and i have an R9 with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard. I played them side by side and although the 59 had that little bit extra Paul was mentioning my R9 did play better in the hand. I have been fortunate in my life to have had my hands on about 30 bursts. They are truly something special.
as much as the wide sound is really nice, and as much as for a solo player that might be what you want, the narrow band of the newer models probably make mixing an actual song much easier as its not cutting into the bass or singer's frequencies as much. Its really interesting to hear how guitar development may have ergonomically stayed fairly consistent, but the electronics and the world of mixing these guitars probably has an equally as interesting story that I have not been able to find nearly as much information on, and is probably one of the more interesting aspects of music history IMO.
Some of the magic with those vintage guitars from the 50s is something that cannot be replicated. They're very random instruments. Handwound pickups with a lot of variance combined with 70 years of wood working, components drifting, magnets degrading. It all leads to a unique instrument. The history these instruments carry makes each of them one of a kind.
That Broadcaster is amazing though. It's more than 70 years old, been through so many different players, yet it still looks and sounds amazing. It's obviously a guitar that has been played a bunch, but also one that was loved and taken good care of by its owners. You could hang it on the wall next to Fender's current options and it'll blend right in. Leo got it right on the first try.
When I purchased my first custom shop guitar, I knew it had to be something historically significant. I wound uo with the 70th Anniversary CS Broadcaster in a very tasteful Journeyman relic. I have probably played that guitar every day since it arrived and it is by far my favorite i ever have put my hands on. I can only dream of an original.
Great video Paul! That '59 Les Paul sounds incredible, incredible tone - even on video it sounds so open compared to the CC
Paul, you’re the best guitar content creator on this platform!!🔥🔥🎸🎸
Hell yeah, he is:))
Him and Rick B.
The natural relic on it is just beautiful.
5:50 It's such a breath of fresh air to hear piano in a video like this. A lot of guitar player/creators could learn from that trick!
A good friend of mine is a luthier, and trained under his boss. His boss has a '52 Telecaster bought new. It has seen some things, and has been played all over the Pacific Northwest.
It's an amazing instrument, and being able to hold and play a piece of history was an honor.
Thank you for sharing your adventures, Paul. Both the Tele and the Les Paul sounded great under your hands. As always, great video production.
🙏🏻🤍
Had the honour to play an original Broadcaster last year at a local vintage guitar shop. There is just something to the feel, that will stick in your head for weeks. It was nice having a peace of popculture history in your hand, that was made before pop music was even invented!
Same here. Carters in Nashville. Marked under $100,000 because it had been re-fretted. It was so exciting just to spend a few minutes with it.
Just something about the look, feel, and sound of a Fender Tele or Strat that makes it the ultimate in guitar for me.
The vintage guitars pickups magnets slightly lose power over the years changing their tone and output. If you replicated one exactly today with freshly charget magnets, it would sound a little different.
I recall having read somewhere that those first broadcasters were made with soft(er) wood i.e. pine wood, and only a few years later Fender started using hard wood because too many of them were returned with dents or they were breaking. You mentioned how lightweight it was... maybe that's the reason? I also think the soft wood gave them a different/warmer tone... Is it possible? Of course it's electric so the pickups and strings (and pots and amplifier... everything in the chain...) also contribute a lot to the overall sound.. A few years ago I have even built a tele replica with a pine wood body (with Fender pickups and mechanics) and even if I am not able to really hear nor tell what the subtle differences are - also because I have never played the originals! - it does sound great and I am very happy with it.
We need more Vintage guitar Videos❤
Love when you upload. Your voice is so soothing. Great video!
Love the Broadcaster. Don’t gift it to me for Christmas, though. I would change the switch to the modern Tele setup 😂
I love the fact that not much has changed in 70 years on the “Tele/Broadie”. I have an American Standard Tele, a Les Paul Classic, and a Les Paul Custom. Aside from a few cosmetic differences, they are very much as they were from the early days. Thank you for your videos!
So! You played a guitar as old as me. I started with my birthday Uke at age 4. I'm not alone in a unique love of this episode. First it's your production, never last than the artistically curated content. But more Paul, I do not have to play well, like your skill. At night or in early day before work my moments with the guitar are open, willing, begging passion and then I can sleep or work. And there is one Gibson, built 60 years ago, gifted to me new my 9th birthday. I reserve it for emotions past those others may see. It knows me and plays easier and better, resonant, pliant in my old hands much better than new. I felt every note you played on each guitar. Thanks!
The thing I was most impressed with was the guitar store. What a beautiful place to try out guitars! Thanks
I have a 1967 Fender Telecaster original everything except for the 3 brass saddles and bridge. Everything else is there even the wiring is original. It’s by far the best sounding guitar I own, and I also have a ‘67 Gibson ES 330TDC and a 1957 Gibson J50, both in beautiful playing condition. I love them both but nothing feels and sounds and plays better than my ‘67 Telecaster. A perfect work of art!
That '59 burst did sound incredible. More warm and creamy than the modern version.
I think what you are hearing is just old faded pickups that aren't as hot as modern new ones.
@@SuicideVan - Original PAF's were low output by design. That's how they are SUPPOSED to sound.
@@SuicideVan that's just as good then!
@@foljs5858 of course, there's no hard set rules and there was a huge variance in pickup output back then. Nobody was counting winds, and occasionally a guy/gal was anxious to get out to their smoke break or something.
Just something I noticed...that scenery on the trip reminded me of driving through eastern Tennessee.
A small batch of Broadcasters without truss rods was released in November 1949 and then recalled in January 1950 and had truss rods retro fitted, the earliest truss rod models have maple skunk stripe and not walnut
sooooooooo loving this video. The tele, you just have to pay homage to "got it right first time design" that's so rare these days. The early Les Paul wow I would really like to hear that through a cranked amp. The difference to the new / expensive Les Paul was really surprising. I've been lucky to play a few old vintage/expensive guitars and felt they were difficult to play and not really inspiring. BUT... one 60's Strat I played which had one owner from new and has been played regularly, was easily the best sounding and (to me more importantly) felt like a dream to play. I feel so lucky that I still feel passionate about electric guitars after 50 years of playing. Thanks for posting this video Paul :0)
I like to believe that the secret to a vintage guitars tone is the whole assembly has been subject to decades of the same harmonic resonance; everything has evolved in harmony and resonates with it's muscle memory.
As many have pointed out, there were many electric guitars before the Broadcaster, but most were hollow or semi-hollow and expensive. Gibson and Gretsch and Epiphone all had electric guitars that pre-date the Broadcaster, but they were not really rock guitars and were expensive. The Broadcaster was the first main stream solid body electric guitar, that was cost effective for it to be the first one to become mainstream. And it was there when rock took off in the early 50’s.
That Broadcaster literally brought me to tears listening to you play it. The MOTHER of all guitars. Thank you for that presentation.
There is nothing more satisfying than trying out and playing awesome guitars. That '59 Les Paul sounded so good, I could melt on the very first chord. And the Broadcaster was as good a guitar now like it is timeless. And the new Gibson. Fantastic.
I am so glad for the guitars on my tool chest. Les Paul Superme, '61 SG re-issue, a splash of Gretsch solid, and hollow body guitars as well as acoustics. I don't have a genuine Strat, but I do have a great telecaster I love very much. I feel privilaged with what I have, including my fender acoustic, Maton EBG808 and Gretsch resonator. I also hace a Gretsch Dixi Six Guitjo thing. It is a bit dissapointing, though I did slot some rubber gromets between the strings from the tail piece to the bridge which did help, even so, it is a lot of fun regardless as one can poke fun at popular songs and turn any song folk or hill billy at a gathering. Having a collection of many guitar types is essential for one to have as limitless sonic opportunities as one can in their musical pursuits.
Thank you for this video. It only cements the fact that my collection of instruments has almost reached its pinnacle. Jusy need a Djano Reinhardt Selmer, a Greg Smallman and Sons classical, and a Gibson SG Special with wrap around bridge and two P90s to complete my ultimate hoard of got to instruments.
Love the Tele's appearance. Indeed, the scratches and worn out look give it an honest and genuine sense of authenticity. Definitely plays in such a classic 50s tone too. Vintage guitars must be preserved so much!
My favorite guitar is my mint-condition, all original 1951 Ibanez Jem 777.
Zero made so very rare but the tone is to die for!
The first solid body mass produced electric guitar was Fender Esqiure. It had a different head stock, one pickup and no truss road. It was quickly upgraded to the Broadcaster. The first solid body electric guitar was made by Paul Bigsby. It was hand made and he only made a couple of guitars.
Great video as always Paul. Gorgeous guitars!
That 59 is killer. By far and the best sounding guitar you played. The loudness and tone comes through clearly, even on RUclips. WOW!!!
That painting of Slash in the background is dope af too.
6:59 I think I woulda cried.. hands down the best there for me 👌
Still can't believe with all that the evolution of the Gibson les paul standard has if anything gone backwards. I heard that magical almost tele twang on the bridge pickup on the original 59. And that neck pickup, just pure magic. Great video.
Hoi Paul, this is as close as finding a real timemachine… to feel and go back in time to what music really was al about. Guitars are here to be played and inspire those who plays them.
Groetjes Brian
Keep doing what you do!
Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers have one. Fender even made a custom shop limited edition based on his original Broadcaster called "CS Heartbreaker" which is the cheapest way to have this model today.
What a beautiful shop, and you are one very lucky man 😊!
It would be really interesting to hear one of these 50s guitars played through a 50s amp. In my opinion it will give an even better idea of the sound that Leo Fender had in his mind when designing this.
That is like time travel......the sounds coming out of that Tele are the same as for the player who first assembled it 53 years ago (Leo or one of his team) and went..."hey, listen to what this thing I built can do". Gave me goosebumps.
GREAT burst! Thank you for make falling in love with vintage bursts for the fifty time this week.
Good morning from America Paul
Today our country celebrates Thanksgiving
And this is the first video that pops up on my feed
Such a gift
By the way my friend's son goes to college and studies social and cultural Anthropology, primarily using music art and media as source materials
He's a white kid and a huge hip hop fan
However he likes all kinds of music and he's been recently fascinated with old fifties American made electric guitars for some reason
I just sent him the link to your video and he already watched it and his father told me he couldn't stop walking around and showing everybody saying, can you believe we made this?
Can you believe we made something like this in our country back in the day?
Thank you for inspiring us Americans to appreciate the good that we have accomplished in this country, because every day we are reminded of all the bad
Beautiful. I guess what has changed is not the instruments themselves (very much) but the amplifiers and ways to change the sound and the way musicians play them.
I played bass before I ever picked up a guitar, and when I got my first Telecaster I always said the barrel saddles reminded me of the way a bass is strung.
Before this video I didn't realize the Broadcasters had a bass circuit, but I kind of love that as a feature. I wonder if that means you could put it into a bass amp and use it as a bass?
Great video, the production quality does justice to those great guitars. Paul's playing is haunting and ethereal, like the video and the guitars. A great tribute.
“Open” is the perfect description. The old LP’s notes were just a bit clearer and separated. What a beautiful instrument 😍
I have a couple of rules that I employ whenever I try out ANY guitar that isn’t mine: 1) I won’t use a pick unless it’s a used guitar; and 2) I will under no circumstances allow a belt buckle or any kind of metal buttons or snaps touch a guitar. (I don’t even like having vinyl or plastic snaps/buttons touch the guitar either.) Whenever I let people try my guitars, I require them to take off their jackets , or in the case of shirt buttons, I’ll probably let the vinyl/plastic ones go, but if metal, they have to put a piece of fabric between them and the guitar.
I learned this the hard way from buying a very used Mosrite that clearly was from the late60s/1970s (part of the “big belt-buckle” era) - granted, I got the guitar cheaper, thanks to the damage that wore all the way through to the wood! And one time, my then-7-year-old son asked if he could “play” my Les Paul. I don’t own “investment” guitars, and I wanted to encourage him to play anyway, so I said that was fine. He kept the guitar flat on the table and dragged the pick across the strings - and the body - so in 20 seconds, he managed to scratch the heck out of the non-pickguard side of my 1990s LP! (Thankfully not a vintage year, anyway…)
But in the end, I just have too much respect for other people’s axes to do something so stupid and easily avoidable as to put a nick or scratch into a beautiful instrument! I was so surprised to see the owner allow Paul to wear his jean jacket with the metal buttons!
wonderfull, to hear the neck pickup of the broadcaster and the difference (Les Paul) between modern and first series ! Thank you.
I have always had strats. Then I decided I needed a tele just to have one. Found one at a good price and was instantly hooked. There is just something about the flat plank of wood with a giant neck bolted on that works. The neck pickup is sweet and smooth. Then the bridge is twangy clean and just overdriven perfection as you crank it up.
Paul, can you please play the Stairway to heaven in a guitar shop on a `59 Les Paul into a Dumble Overdrive Special through a Klon Centaur?
Mark Knopfler’s 120 guitar collection is getting auctioned at Christies in London on January 24th.
Could you ask them really nicely if you might go and make a video about those?
Good Lord, if all guitar shops were as cool and relaxed like Guitar Point. Thumbs up, and thx for everyone doing this. Love this video!
I can hear the hands of a thousand unsung guitarists from back in the day, right up until today, playing this with you. What a glorious sound!!!
Thanks for sharing Paul!
Yes the 59 Les Paul sounds so much fuller - every string is clear. No comparison to the best you can get now.
I'm a Telecaster owner, and it was shocking how good that '59 LP sounds.
Last time I went to a guitar shop to get a cheap Epiphone Les Paul I ended up getting a Telecaster Deluxe, and though I'm glad I got it I still need a LP.
For playing metalcore the LP has the chug/thump you can't get from a bolt-on neck.
A very special and emotional moment for you Paul…thanks for sharing, glad you enjoyed being a little scared playing these special tools of music that allowed your talents to shine 👌
hardly heard the difference (just a little bit) between the 59 burst and the reissue, but oh my, I FELT it. Even through youtube.
For me, this owervelming sound of that old gibson is the gold vintage sound. You know that wats in my mind when someone says wintage sound, and i absolutly love it.🤤 the sabe with the Brodcaster. But to be fair the modern one got real close.😳 (sorry for my english)
All of your videos are amazing Paul! Do you have any tips for growing a guitar channel?
very nice video ! You have touched music history....
I guess part of the difference between the 59' Les Paul and the new one is that the old pickups are not potted
The Broadcaster. When I was sixteen. My uncle was called to an old lady neighborhood family friend. We went over and she gave him this paintbrushes black electric. We took it to the garage and got some fine sandpaper and sanded the headstock. And lo and behold Fender Broadcaster. The local music store offered him any guitar on the wall. And any half stack. And all the gear and equipment to get started. He declined the offer and still has it today. At sixteen I told him he was nuts. He was the smart one. I've played it many times and it's total classic. Now almost fifty . We still jam it. Amazing how things come to us . Thanks for this informative video. Oh ya the pick cover over the strings was removed as usual .
A neighbor had a '51 Nocaster (if I recall it was around serial number 1017). Sadly a past owner had it refinished in black (was originally blonde that could be seen in the neck joint when neck was removed) that utterly destroyed its collector value, but he enjoyed playing it up to his final days. I will never forget its twangy tone, or the looks on the guitar tech's faces when he took it to the local GC for appraisal.
The Telecaster (or Broadcaster) is still around 70 years later not because guitars haven't advanced in that time, but because guitarists don't want them to advance.
It is very interesting that despite being very creative people generally, musical artists tend to be very conservative when it comes to their instruments. There are many changes that are objective advancements and upgrades that could be applied to these designs, auch as sculpted heel joints and more durable fret wire, but so many guitarists didn't want them - they want the "real thing"
Crazy the way that the 59 sounds so open.
A friend of 65 years (we started primary school together in 1960) has a 54 blonde Tele made the year he was born. He has a guitar shop in our home town.
Also, those old pickups in the 59 will always sound better than the new Burstbuckers and are wired 50s style. I believe Gibson CS models are still wired modern which causes the neck pickup to be darker. I removed my BBs and put a set of Tom Holmes which sound close IMHO to the originals and re-wired 50s style. It has a lot more clarity then when I got it stock.
The Broadcaster was an important milestone, but it would not have happened without the invention of the electromagnetic pickup by Rickenbacker Corp. in 1931.
I'm not an "old guitar mojo" kind of guy but, man, this is the guitar equivalent of the Marc Cohn lyric from Walking in Memphis, "Tell me are you a Christian child, and I said, 'Ma'am, I am tonight'."
That original 59. Wow!! I'm a tele guy but that sounded unreal
Tears came to my eyes. That telecaster is breathtaking. Thank you.
How crazy is it that the 1950 Telecaster came out of Leo's head and was perfect, and it still remains perfect to this day, virtually unchanged. Talk about getting it right the first time. Leo was a genius and his goal of creating a work horse was perfection. There are better looking guitars with cool features and aesthetics but the Tele is all we have ever needed.
Saturax in France made the same kind of video about 1959 famous one!
Full original with her original suitcase is around 450.000 Euros!! 😮😮😮😮
Man! The unplugged volume blew me away! I thought it was a cut scene to an acoustic at first!
_Technically_ the esquire came first by a few months, but less than 50 were made and most were replaced due to warped necks
forgive my my sacrilege - but what is that riff at 4:47 from?
its called "message in a bottle" by the police
amazing video Paul! truly piece of history.
MANY of the earliest ones had weak wimpy neck pickups. I have a refin Nocaster and the neck pickup ain't nuthin' but MAN the bridge pickup reminds me of a great super hot P90 on the best Les Paul Junior. But you roll of the highs and it's a clean jazzer. I agree with the Esquire fans -- you only need the bridge pickup if you know what you are doing. Pople have told me to re wind the neck pickup hotter -- but I'm leaving it vintage original.
Never found a tele I liked. I know it’s a Broadcaster but same difference. I don’t know why, I’ve had lots and still have one. Can’t explain it. Really wish I did because I love the look. In 1979 I had a chance to get an early 50s tele for $1000 dollars cdn and turned it down for a new Strat. It was super light but too beat up in my books back then. It was one I actually liked playing. I still kick myself weekly over it. 😢Great vids as always Paul. But listen to the difference between the LP and the Broadcaster.
In 1948, the prototype of a thin solid-body electric; the first ONE-PICKUP model was released in 1950 as the Fender ESQUIRE, while a two-pickup version, initially called the Broadcaster but renamed the Telecaster after a trademark issue, was released the year after. So how many Broadcasters were actually produced before renaming? Also why are they saying it's the 1st Fender electric when the Esquire came out in 1950??
Always glad to see you ❤
Great video. Thanks
The old one just sounds like a record already !!
It is fat but not muddy, has presence but is not harsh and clarity while having a warm character.
I’m pretty sure you can achieve this tone with the new ones, but you’ll have to put work in it.. eq,compression etc.
Nothing will ever justify to pay 350K for a guitar but god it really is the sound of heaven haha
In terms of innovation, as you mentioned, we're stuck at 1950... And they still sound astonishingy GREAT! Compared to a modern one, ...There's no comparison. They are different instruments.
many a good tune played on an old guitar
I watch quite a few videos of guitar content. Every time one of yours comes up I think, well done. But I only see very few. I realized after this video to click the bell reminder. You make really good videos. Sorry it took so long to get with it. Reminded me to shake up my old man habits a bit.
Guitars are like dragons. If you don't play with them occasionally they fade away and die. When Paul picked up those guitars and caressed them he gave them a breath of life once more.
This guy goes to see/play priceless guitars and wearing a BUTTON down shirt geeze.
such a beautiful work of craftsmanship into these old boys