Ben, My '83 Top Loader

[mangorockfish]

Here are a few pics of my '83 top loader Tele. Bought it from Ben, the rhythm guitar player in one of my old bands hence the name Ben. It does have a couple of marks on it but they are very small. The neck plate is the worst mark on it. I have no idea what happened there. I read an article in one of the old Frontline magazines about Fender coming out with NOS, Closet Classic, and Relic guitars from the Custom Shop. I decided that I would love to find a Closet Classic and this is exactly what I found. I have really had a hard time not putting a Custom Shop decal on the back of the headstock and telling people it was "Grandfathered in". The picture of the creamy colored pickguard is very close to the color it is. The real white ones are due to the light. The neck and pickguard look like they have bar tanned, but this Tele spent very limited time in bars. Hope this one passes muster. Sorry about some of these being upside down.

 

[Peegoo]

That is a nice lookin' Tele. I love top-loaders.


"We gotta go see Ben. We gotta-gotta-gotta-gotta!"

 

[blue metalflake]

Wouldn’t be a fan of top loaders, but that’s a great looker.

 

[AquariumRock]

Beautiful guitar. Not the same color, but I always associate the 83 top loaders with Jeff Buckley.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

The “improved/cast” rattle hammers.

As much as people might want to rag on these , they’re waaay better than the ones that came on the first “kinda” made in Mexico models from the early 90’s.

Ben looks cool !

 

[Beachbum]

I've got a top loader 83 Strat. The 83's have been much maligned by purists who just can't seem to tolerate any deviation from the original and are much loved by those who own and play them. Congrats. That one's a looker.

 

[brookdalebill]

Neato!