What year is considered "holy grail"?

[mountain2012]

Like 1959 is considered the best year for Les Pauls, what about Telecasters? thanks

[bigmuff113]

Around 1950ish

[waparker4]

Dang I thought you would somehow incorporate the big muff somewhere

[mountain2012]

Did the 50's telecasters have V, U or C shaped necks and what magnet type for pickups? How about the colors? Also, what is the year is the holy grail of Stratocasters? thanks

[spankdplank]

I don't know that there is one. Perhaps 1950 as the first year Broadcaster or '52 as the first year it was called a tele. 54/55 first white guards. Perhaps 59 for first RW board. All personal preference. Many would argue the 50-54 blackguard era is the most iconic (I tend to agree), but I would think "best year" would be so subjective that I doubt there is a concensus.

[fezz parka]

The rarest is the '51 Nocaster. There's your "holy grail".

[TwangBilly]

I have beheld the "Holy Grail", even played it, it was a heavenly experience!!!

[EsquireOK]

I would say one of the two pickup 1950 Esquires, or possibly the snakehead prototype.

The snakehead was just an initial test guitar. It was never produced on a line or sold. Not particularly desirable as a player, but I am sure some collectors out there think that this is the Holy Grail due simply to its historical significance.

The single pickup black pine Esquire started early production before NAMM 1950, but Leo wanted to add a second pickup, so he designed the neck one, and had it done in time for the show. (That show was the main introduction of Fender guitars to potential buyers on a large scale, so they were the first Fenders seen by most retailers.) The end of that first group of 50 or so black, thin-bodied, pine 1950 Esquires were two pickup guitars. (Also, it's likely that a number of the single pickup ones were converted by the factory, as well as having their truss-less necks updated.) My Holy Grail would be one of the pre-NAMM single pickup ones (the first production-line Fender guitar available), but I think most would prefer the post-NAMM two pickup ones. They are the earliest Fender guitars with two pickups, and I think most people would prefer to have the neck pickup. And they are very rare. Besides that, they are among the most slick looking Fenders ever made IMO, with that thin black body and truss-less neck.

[Mark Davis]

51 or 53.

So far Merles 51 Nocaster is the best sounding Tele I have played.

[bigjed]

2012 Standard with belly cut.


kidding

[H. Mac]

As Spankdplank said:

Many would argue the 50-54 blackguard era is the most iconic (I tend to agree), but I would think "best year" would be so subjective that I doubt there is a concensus.

+1.

And I never bought into the theory that:

Like 1959 is considered the best year for Les Pauls . . . It's pretty easy to argue for any production year being the best, especially if the arguments are offered by those who can't support them with objective evidence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ8jGqdE2iw

[bigmuff113]

The Strat holy grail year is 1954. The US Big Muff holy grail is ore '78, and te sovtek is 91 iirc

[Ryan0594]

I thought the '57 Stratocasters were the most desirable? Anything on the other side of the 80s is when a guitar is vintage in my mind... they seem to have really changed in the last 30 years!

(I'm only 18, but from research, etc. I've come to that conclusion - not first hand experience)

[StratBluesRock]

I'm not sure if I like blackguards or mid-late 50s whiteguard Teles better.

My favorite era Strats are from '59-'62.

[Ryan0594]

Another thing to add that if any feature is iconic of a generation it is usually going to be desirable - like the oversized headstock on the Stratocaster, it's iconic of the 70s. I think my '09 Tele is cooler now 'cause the bellycuts mean mine was in the last three years on standard production (the last of the 50+ year shape!).

[BBill64]

Originally Posted by mountain2012

what is the year is the holy grail of Stratocasters? thanks

I always thought 59-64 was the prime time of the Strat. Slab boards and all that.

[Warm Gums]

Originally Posted by bigjed

2012 Standard with belly cut.


kidding

"He chose....poorly"

In all seriousness I would agree with the isn't one sentiment.

There are so many variations, so many cool, and used in so many great ways.

The desire for 'Burst Paul's is the result of a perfect storm of appearance, features, and a tight identification with a certant style of music and amplification.

[EsquireOK]

My personal Holy Grail Strat is a '54. I am not a big fan of Fenders without all maple necks. Sure, they are OK, and I have a few, but if given the choice, I will almost always choose a one-piece maple neck. So that limits me to pre-mid-1959. Out of those years, I like the "oddball" early features of the '54, like the rounded over peghead edges and pickup covers, and the knobs and switch tip. I'd love to have a sunburst '54 reissue with all the right features.

[paulvcarter]

No guitar will make you immortal sorry....

Holy Grail is the one that fits you like a glove, mine is a 2011 Danocaster tele closely followed by a Red Special Super

[Big John]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

The rarest is the '51 Nocaster. There's your "holy grail".

And we GOT one !

*smirk*

Far left in this pic.