Music

Mike Bloomfield may be the most complete artist of the pioneering blues rock guitarists. He was influential not only as a Strat player and a Les Paul player but also as a Tele player. This 1966 Telecaster is one of the two that Bloomfield owned during the late 60s and early 70s. While one of them remained blonde and was famously cut down and turned into a lefty, this blue-painted one is more obscure. It had been painted by the younger sister of one of Bloomfield's girlfriends and has been photographed on stage with him in 1973. However, it's considered obscure because it went missing in 1974 after Bloomfield booked a gig at the Cave Club in Vancouver and disappeared before it ended, leaving the club owner furious. As compensation, Bloomfield told him to keep the two guitars he had left behind, one of which was the ’59 Les Paul and the other was this blue Telecaster. The club owner later offered to sell the guitars to Butch Whacks and the Glass Packs, a cover band from the Bay Area that played at the Cave frequently, and the bass player, Bruce Lopez, bought the Telecaster for $125 in cash. The guitar has remained in his closet ever since, even after he passed away from COVID a few years ago, until his family brought it out. The Bridge pickup has been rewound to original specs because it was rusted, but otherwise, the guitar remains the way Bloomfield had it. Comes with a hard case.

The Fender Telecaster, known affectionately as the "Tele," emerged as the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, marking a significant milestone in music history. Its straightforward design and innovative sound paved the way for new trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music. Since its debut in the 1950s, the Telecaster has been celebrated for its versatility, serving artists across genres from country to jazz, rock, and beyond. Its solid construction, characterized by a single-cutaway body made typically from alder or ash and a bolt-on maple neck, contributes to its distinct, bright, and cutting tone as well as a warm, mellow sound depending on pickup selection. With minor modifications over the years, the Telecaster has remained largely faithful to its original design, featuring two single-coil pickups, a three-way selector switch, and simple volume and tone controls. This enduring design has kept the Telecaster relevant and in continuous production, solidifying its status as a beloved icon in the guitar world.