Fender astutely hired Seth Lover away from Gibson in 1967. Lover was the engineer who had invented the PAF humbucker at Gibson in 1955, the pickup that had come to dominate rock, jazz, and the emerging heavy metal genre, and Fender wanted their own answer to it. The result, the Fender Wide Range humbucking pickup, was perfected by Lover by late 1970 and was deliberately designed with a somewhat brighter tone so as not to be an exact copy of previous humbucking pickups. The Wide Range used 12 CuNiFe — copper, nickel, iron — alloy magnets wound to 10,000 turns with 42-gauge polysol wire, producing a DC resistance of 10.6 kilo-ohms. The man who invented the PAF, building a pickup specifically designed not to sound like the PAF — brighter, clearer, more articulate, with hum rejection and a wider frequency response than a single coil. 

The Telecaster Deluxe was introduced in January 1973 as the top model in the Telecaster family, billed as the first solid-body dual-humbucking-pickup Telecaster. The Deluxe added a pair of Wide Range humbuckers, individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, and the bridge from a hard-tail Stratocaster, with the larger 1970s Strat headstock, wider fret wire, and curved heel. The body also received a comfort contour belly cut on the back. The result was a guitar that borrowed the best functional features from both sides of the Fender-Gibson divide — Telecaster DNA with Gibson-style hum rejection and output, packaged in a visually striking instrument that looked and played unlike anything else in the Fender line. 

This example is all original. Both Wide Range humbuckers are original and reading correctly — neck at 10.43k, bridge at 10.52k, well matched and within specification for original CuNiFe units. It wasn't until 2020 that Fender reintroduced a true-to-vintage CuNiFe Wide Range Humbucker through its American Vintage II and Custom Shop lines — the reissues produced between the 1970s originals and 2020 used ceramic bar magnets beneath the bobbins and did not replicate the original's tonal character. The CTS potentiometers date to the 21st week of 1978, placing production in mid-1978.

All hardware original throughout — bridge, tuners, pickguard, knobs, switch, output jack, neck plate, neck screws. Original wiring and solder joints intact. Ash body with original sunburst finish in very good condition; two ding fills on the front bottom horn and lower bout, visible in photos. One-piece maple neck in medium C profile at .902" at the first fret and .966" at the tenth, maple fingerboard with black dot inlays. Frets are worn — fair condition, noted honestly. Original hang tag included. Original Cases Inc hardshell case in good condition - the case doesn't say Fender on it, but the original owner sold me the guitar and remembered that the case was original to the guitar.

Mahar's Vintage Guitars is a brick-and-mortar and web-based retailer. We are happy to talk with you before you make a purchase.   Please reach out if you feel so inclined! We cross market our items here and on our own site, so items are subject to sale elsewhere at any time (however we will never cancel a sale if it happens here first). See our profile here, our Google reviews as well as our 100% positive Reverb feedback. Also, Reverb limits us to only 25 pictures of our items. There is a good chance we have more. Contact us if you’d like to see them.

No sales tax for direct sale customers outside California. Reverb sales are always taxed.

SPECS:

• Weight: 9lbs 2.5oz
• Color: sunburst
• Body Material: ash 
• Body Condition: good
• Body Original?: yes
• Body Date: n/a
• Body Markings: n/a
• Body Repairs: ding fill in on front bottom horn and front lower bout
• Body Binding: n/a
• Body Binding Condition: n/a
• Body Length: 16"
• Body Finish Original?: yes
• Body Finish Condition: very good
• Lower Bout: 12-3/4"
• Waist: 9"
• Upper Bout: 11"
• Body Depth/Thickness: 1-7/8"
• Pickguard Color: black
• Pickguard Original?: yes
• Pickguard Condition: very good
• Pickguard Screws Original?: yes
• Strap Buttons: yes
• Strap Button Added?: no Location: n/a
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Neck Material: 1 piece maple
• Neck Profile: mdeium C
• Neck Thickness At 1st Fret: .9025"
• Neck Thickness At 10th Fret: .966"
• Action 1st String At 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Action 6th String At 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Neck Condition: very good
• Neck Repairs: none
• Neck Finish Original?: yes
• Neck Date: n/a
• Neck Markings: black dot
• Neck Plate Color: chrome
• Neck Plate Material: metal
• Neck Plate Original?: yes
• Neck Screws Original?: yes
• Fretboard Material: maple
• Fretboard Condition: good
• Fretboard Repairs: none
• Fretboard Radius: 9.5"
• Fret Condition: fair, worn
• Fret Repairs: none
• Fret Count: 21
• Nut Material: bone
• Nut Repairs: none
• Nut Width: 1-5/8"
• Bridge Brand: Fender 
• Tremolo Or Fixed Bridge?: fixed
• Bridge Original?: yes
• Tremolo Arm Original?: n/a
• Saddle Material: metal
• Saddles Original?: yes
• Bridge And Saddle Crews Original?: yes
• String Spacing At Bridge: 2.0875"
• Bridge Condition: very good
• Tuner Brand And Model: Fender closed gear
• Tuners Original?: yes
• Changes To Headstock For Tuners?: none
• Tuner Condition: good
• Tuner Markings: none
• Tuner Screws Original?: yes
• Truss Rod Cover: none
• Overall Length: 39"
• Documentation: hang tag
• Case Brand: Cases Inc
• Case Original?: yes
• Case Condition: good
• Case Smells?: no
• Pickup Brand: Fender Seth Lover-designed Wide Range humbucker
• Pickup Count: 2
• Pickup Reading: neck 10.43, bridge 10.52
• Pickup Original?: yes
• Pickup Bobbin Color: n/a
• Pickup Markings: Fender
• Pickup Condition: very good
• Pickup Screws Original?: yes
• Pickup Cover Color: chrome
• Pickup Cavity Condition: very good
• Knob Color: black
• Knob Count: 4
• Knobs Original?: yes
• Knob Condition: good
• Control Cavity Cover Material: n/a
• Control Cavity Cover Original?: n/a
• Control Cavity Condition: n/a
• Potentiometer Count: 4
• Potentiometer Manufacturer Code: 137
• Potentiometer Date Code: 7821
• Potentiometers Original?: yes
• Potentiometer Condition: good
• Solders Original?: yes
• Wiring Original?: yes
• Switch Brand: ?
• Switch Condition: good
• Switch Original?: yes
• Switch Tip Color: black
• Switch Tip Original?: yes
• Output Jack Plate Color: n/a
• Output Jack Plate Condition: n/a
• Output Jack Plate Color?: n/a
• Screws Original?: n/a
• Output Jack Original?: yes
• Smells?: no
• Accessories Included: none
• Tailpiece Brand: n/a
• Tailpiece Color: n/a
• Tailpiece Condition: n/a
• Tailpiece Original?: n/a

Shipping policy:

There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site.  Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver.  For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for Eastern states - customers from any state that is more than a 3 day UPS ground shipment from our shop will get their shipment via UPS 3 day air.  Otherwise, ground shipping will be used.  Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to .  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.