Leo Fender's Telecaster -- At the City of Fullerton Museum

[TDPRI]

Telecaster Exhibit at the Leo Fender Gallery in the City of Fullerton Museum

“Solid Design: Leo Fender’s Telecaster” will showcase this instrument, the first commercially successful solidbody electric guitar, an instrument that changed music history. Numerous examples from the early years will be on display. There will also be a noticeable celebrity component in the images and presentation, including Telecasters once owned by stars.

The exhibit points to players such as George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Roy Buchanan, James Burton, Don Rich, and Mike Bloomfield. These musicians—Tele players all—created some of the most potent music imaginable.

http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts...it/default.asp

[Silverface]

To those who have never been to the City of Fullerton Museum (formerly the Fullerton Museum Center), it is a "pilgrimage" for any Fender player - really any guitar player. For the last 8 or 9 years it's primarily had the Leo Fender exhibit as the main attraction, and it's a fascinating history - with original prototypes on display, notebooks, tools photos; it's a small building but you find you've spent the better part of 4 hours just looking at the basic stuff. Mur and I played at the grand opening and when we got inside during a break we didn't want to go back and play it was so amazing! I work nearby so I get a chance to drop in every couple of months - I have not seen the Tele addition to the exhibit yet but rest assured I'll be there next week.

If any out-of-town TDPRI'ers are coming to LA or Orange County and are planning on going, feel free to contact me and I can meet down there at lunchtime someday.

And honestly - even not having seen the Tele exhibit, knowing how they do these things it's well worth a little vacation trip just to make the Museum the highlight.

Jim

[Billy B.]

The NUDIE exhibit a couple years ago was outstanding,gotta go back for this one

[Robsocal]

I was in Fullerton yesterday, running some errands, and I asked a salesperson in the local business I was in if I was close the the Fullerton Museum. The young woman quickly asked me if I was asking because of the Leo Fender exhibit. I told her that I was, and she told me that she is Leo's granddaughter. She told me few things about that, and I was pretty moved (being the Fender freak that I am). She said that she tried taking guitar lessons, but that she did not take to it very well. Imagine that.

Anyway, she gave me directions, and I went. Without getting too geeky or sappy about it, I wholeheartedly urge any and all of you who can get there to go see it. The exhibit houses a small collection of amazing early Broadcasters, Nocasters, Telecasters and Strats (including Roy Buchanan's "Nancy"). There are also a number of fascinating photos, memorabilia and other stuff, including what appeared to be the original "cease and desist" telegram from Gretsch to Leo demanding that he cease using their trademarked "Broadcaster" name. It was all amazing eye candy, and it's a great way to see some history behind our beloved Telecaster. There's also a really cool downtown area, adjacent the museum, where you can walk around, grab a drink and/or a meal.