Tele Olympic White '68 help

[DaveMorse]

Hi to everybody,
I am buying the following guitar: Telecaster Olympic White 1968, I need your help in order to be sure that is a real '68 and not a '69.
Right now I have the following list of check todo (something done) and the following pictures, all the advices are welcome, thank you in advance:

1) Neck plate 230023 - ok compatible with '68 (but also '69)
2) Neck date - 3DEC68B - ok '68 B shape 3 for tele
3) Body date under lead pick up - to check
4) cable route - should be present in the '68 body but there are some '68 body without, isn't it?
5) Pot dates - to check
6) wirings - starting from end '68 can be in plastic, pre '68 should be of clothes, isn't it?
7) Bridge - checked compatible with '68
8) pick up dates to check - should be stamped on the bottom
9) CRL 1452 3way switch should have the center wheel in plastic - to check
10) gig case - gold inside ok checked - fender logo without tail under it to check

The guitar is a custom Dupont olympic white color now a little yellowish (you can not see the wood grain under), you can see the original color under the bridge cover, the frets are original seems unused, still the original strings, seems unused. The neck is a maple cap without the back route for trussrod. Check pictures.

Thank you for any kind of help, tomorrow I should buy it. Very good condition, any suggestion on the value? We have defined a value but I would like to have your advices.
Best regards
Davide =)

 

[DaveMorse]

 

[Adam Wolfaardt]

A December neck would only be put on a body in January or February the next year. I think its extremely unlikely that it would have been completely assembled in '68. To me it makes no difference since late 68 and early 69 teles are made exactly the same

 

[DaveMorse]

A December neck would only be put on a body in January or February the next year. I think its extremely unlikely that it would have been completely assembled in '68. To me it makes no difference since late 68 and early 69 teles are made exactly the same

Hi Adam, thank you for your reply.
You got my same idea that is not so easy and likely that is would be assembled in 68 but also possible, who knows. If all the parts are '68 I would consider it a 68...wouldn't you?
Regards
Dave

 

[mipstoo]

The latest date to be found is the one that represents the year of manufacturing. Most likely it’s the body date or neck date. Like Adam said, most likely it was assembled early ‘69.
I don’t quite understand why you need to find it out. Late 68 and early 69 should have for 95% the same specs. Nothing that would change the sound...

 

[DaveMorse]

The latest date to be found is the one that represents the year of manufacturing. Most likely it’s the body date or neck date. Like Adam said, most likely it was assembled early ‘69.
I don’t quite understand why you need to find it out. Late 68 and early 69 should have for 95% the same specs. Nothing that would change the sound...

Hi mipstoo thank you for your reply.
I am chekin' it since I found an appreciate difference in the price quotation of '68 tele and '69 tele. Regarding the sound I agree with you and it sounds gorgeous!

 

[Antoon]

Amazing condition as well!

 

[Dacious]

I doubt there's significant difference between a 68 and 69 in $$$. It's more likely to have been assembled 69, although if you can find no later date you can claim 68.

There's no effective diff in spec.

If the solder joints look unmolested, pots good and the Dakaware switch tip is correct it's a goodie.

 

[DaveMorse]

I doubt there's significant difference between a 68 and 69 in $$$. It's more likely to have been assembled 69, although if you can find no later date you can claim 68.

There's no effective diff in spec.

If the solder joints look unmolested, pots good and the Dakaware switch tip is correct it's a goodie.

Hi Dacious, thank you for your help. Do you have an idea of the $$$ value if untouched?
Since the frets are like new and still the original strings on it (for fortune always used at -half tone tuned so the neck is perfect) I have no doubt everything is like the first day, there is still the original cable still workin'.
The old man is selling it really used it for a couple of gigs with friends when young, than the life comes and he forgot about this diamond! Just took sometimes to show to friends.

 

[nojazzhere]

Hi Dacious, thank you for your help. Do you have an idea of the $$$ value if untouched?
Since the frets are like new and still the original strings on it (for fortune always used at -half tone tuned so the neck is perfect) I have no doubt everything is like the first day, there is still the original cable still workin'.
The old man is selling it really used it for a couple of gigs with friends when young, than the life comes and he forgot about this diamond! Just took sometimes to show to friends.

I've got a belt sander you can borrow and turn it into a $20,000 Jeff Beck model!

 

[DaveMorse]

I've got a belt sander you can borrow and turn it into a $20,000 Jeff Beck model!

Lol

 

[DaveMorse]

Somebody knew somethibg about this special shaped case??? I can not find info on the web

 

[Dacious]

Somebody knew somethibg about this special shaped case??? I can not find info on the web

The case is not a Fender case, but in those days often local distributors got their own made locally - the US case was expensive because of bulk and weight.

Most people bought it, but it was extra not included in the retail price. I've never seen one like that so it's probably local to you.

In value terms a dealer would be asking $4-5k for that guitar. It's worth a few grand in anyone's dollars if original. It appears to have a wound g - that's good, it should have. I hope the neck is straight.

 

[DaveMorse]

Yes probably some italian case made here!
Regarding the price I have seen same model in worse conditions sold for 7.5 k$...thabk you for your quotation

 

[Antoon]

Yes probably some italian case made here!
Regarding the price I have seen same model in worse conditions sold for 7.5 k$...thabk you for your quotation

Are you sure about that? Fender had a 'gun' case in those days. They are rare and valuable. Is it black?

 

[DaveMorse]

Are you sure about that? Fender had a 'gun' case in those days. They are rare and valuable. Is it black?

Not sure...it is shaped as a drop...but with a stright side...tomorrow I will close the deal and I will post pictures. Any other ideas of the value if full original and in barely mint conditions?

 

[Dacious]

It should have 1 meg CTS pots starring with code 137, the next four digits in that era are week-year and the tone cap will likely be a single ceramic disk.

 

[Adam Wolfaardt]

Hi mipstoo thank you for your reply.
I am chekin' it since I found an appreciate difference in the price quotation of '68 tele and '69 tele. Regarding the sound I agree with you and it sounds gorgeous!

In '69 fender stopped the maple fingerboard and switched back to a one piece maple neck. I've always been under the impression that the '68 spec maple board ones are worth the same as a '68 and that the value only dropped from when the one piece necks came back

 

[chomps]

Everything looks good to me except for something unusual about the maple cap neck. It appears to be a slab (flat bottom maple cap) as opposed to a curved (veneer maple cap). I have a ‘68 Tele and it has a curved maple cap (June 68 stamp). Any experts out there know what’s up with that? I’m not saying it’s not legit - just learning something new about Fender’s ways.

 

[chomps]

In '69 fender stopped the maple fingerboard and switched back to a one piece maple neck. I've always been under the impression that the '68 spec maple board ones are worth the same as a '68 and that the value only dropped from when the one piece necks came back

I thought the change in value was more related to the change from nitro to poly finishes. The nitro finish on my June ‘68 neck shows the playing wear, whereas a ‘69 poly finish would not. 68 was a translation year from nitro to poly on both the neck and body.