How Many Telecasters Were Made In The 50s?

[Ryan0594]

And how many are still about? How many are accounted for?

 

[sax4blues]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

 

[Ryan0594]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

This is what I was suspecting with the Teles, hence my enquiry.

 

[ivanivanivan]

One of the later Tom Wheeler books has the 1966 production numbers for specific Fender models, I believe, though I think that's the only year to have surfaced from that era. I don't know why Fender would have kept records for '66 and not other years, though.

 

[arlum]

CBS realized their mistake.

 

[msalama]

records for '66 and not other

I've heard they did, but CBS threw the archives away in the '70s. I don't know if there's any truth to this though, and I've no idea why '66 was spared if there is. By accident maybe?

 

[msalama]

CBS realized their mistake

And what mistake would that be?

 

[yegbert]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

1500 of 1200? Chibson accountants?

 

[bterry]

This info is findable in search FYI

People estimate around 5200 blackguards were made, around 2/3 of which were some version of Broadcaster/Nocaster/Telecaster.

After early 1954 when the white guards were introduced and the serial numbers moved to the neck plate, it’s anyone’s guess how many were made. Fender either didn’t keep shipping logs or if they did they have never been found/released.

How would anyone know how many are still around? Impossible to answer.

 

[andy__d]

Wouldn’t mind betting that all the paper work was gone through by CBS accountants before the acquisition, who then kept the last 7 years of records (or whatever the law requires for manufacturing), somewhere in the CBS corporate accounting paperwork system, and, circulated through it on an annual basis clearing out old records, ‘til none remain. 66 may have survived because a copy was in a file dedicated to the acquisition, perhaps as an exhibit or appendix, to which a different retention policy applied?

 

[Full-Tilt-Tele]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

I'm confused, your math is slightly illogical... Did you probably mean to say 12,000 Burst? Or, only are '150' are accounted for? Please explain...

 

[PCollen]

And how many are still about? How many are accounted for?

That's really a great question.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Wise man once observed that there are far more '57 Strats for sale than Fender produced that year ...

 

[PCollen]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

 

[msalama]

Please explain

It's an old joke. There's a finite amount of genuine Bursts in existence and the rest are thought to be counterfeits.

 

[Killing Floor]

IDK Telecaster. But I heard 1200 1959 Les Paul bursts were made, of which only 1500 are accounted for

They keep turning up at estate sales and getting sold on eBay

 

[Holy smokes]

And Leo a degreed accountant- go titans

 

[Boreas]

And there are more every day!

 

[yegbert]

There is (or was anyway at one time) a roadside store in southern Maryland with a sign advertising “new antiques arriving daily”. I seem to remember it was near Loveville.

 

[gazzie]

I'm confused, your math is slightly illogical... Did you probably mean to say 12,000 Burst? Or, only are '150' are accounted for? Please explain...

No it's an old joke about how many fakes are around.